Branwell Bronte's masonic background

 

Masonic Lodge

I was searching on the internet about Branwell Bronte's masonic background and found interesting information on the weblog of  justine-picardie.

John Brown was the Worshipful Master of the Three Graces Masonic Lodge in Haworth where he introduced Branwell Bronte to the lodge and accepted in February 1836 at the age of 19. Later he became secretary of the lodge. Meetings were originally held at the Black Bull but then moved to Lodge Street.

http://www.dales-holiday-cottages

Brontë Parsonage Blog: Summer fun

Brontë Parsonage Blog: Summer fun: "News release from the Parsonage: There’s a packed programme of activities for visitors to the Parsonage this summer holiday. Throughout Aug..."

"Train up a Child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it."

In 1820 Patrick Brontë was appointed perpetual curate of St Michael and All Angels, Haworth and the Brontë family moved into the Parsonage, which was to be their home for the rest of their lives. Patrick valued education and strove throughout his life to provide education for the poor, and in particular, poor children.

This led to his campaign for the establishment of a National Sunday School in Haworth.

In 1831 he obtained a grant of £80 from the National School Society towards building a Sunday school in Haworth, the Church Lands Trust having given the land on the north side of Church Street (then Parsonage Lane) for the purpose. The remaining funds required were raised by public subscription.These funds provided the money needed for the construction of what is now the oldest part of the building.

It was in 1844 that the new day school was opened with Ebenezer Rand the first master. The pupils at the day school paid 2d a week and were provided with slates and pencils. That the school was a success there is no doubt, with 160 pupils per week registered on its books. When Ebenezer Rand married, his wife took charge of the female pupils and classes were also made available in the evenings so that children working in the factories could attend. It is known that Charlotte, Emily, Anne and Branwell all taught at the school.

When Arthur Bell Nicholls became Patrick Brontë’s curate in 1845 he took over responsibility for the school, a role he undertook with great vigour until 1853. During this time funds were raised for the first of two gabled extensions at the westerly end of the building, completed in 1851. In 1853 the building hosted Nicholl’s presentation and later following his marriage to Charlotte Brontë, a celebratory afternoon tea for 500 local guests. http://www.haworthchurch.co.uk/old-school-room

http://twitter.com/#!/haworthchurch

http://haworthchurch.blogspot.com/

haworth-village school rooms

The only building in Haworth designed and built by Patrick Brontë may be sold as a development project.

The only building in Haworth designed and built by Patrick Brontë may be sold as a development project. The single-storey building is in need of a major restoration but the owner, Haworth Parish Church, says it does not have the cash or expertise. It is estimated that just short of £1 million will be needed – not only to repair the roof, which has dry rot, but to complete the refurbishment. The Old School Room, which is next to the parish church and the Haworth Parsonage where the family lived, was built as a ‘national’ style school by Mr Bronte in 1832, then extended in 1850 and 1871. The building housed a school where Charlotte, Emily and Anne, together with their brother Branwell, worked as teachers.

The church committee charged with maintaining the premises is called the Brontë Spirit. Chairman Averil Kenyon said: “We had high hopes of gaining funding several years ago but were unable to take the project past the development stage for many reasons. “Haworth Parish Church has its hands full seeking funding to undertake its own restoration and, while they are making progress, there is simply not enough cash or people to help us advance the Old School Room project. “Now the roof needs at least £12,000 spending on it to keep the building even reasonably water tight through next winter. “On top of that thieves have again raided the lead from the roof and we’ve suffered some water damage as a result.” Mrs Kenyon said: “If no solution is found in the next three or four months, the building will suffer more serious damage and become even more expensive to restore. “We have to find a solution and one of the options we and the church’s council are considering is whether the Old School Room could be sold as a housing or development project. “That would be heart-breaking but we’re running out of answers, money, people and time. The telegraph and argus news.Bronte_School_Room_at_Haworth_could_be_sold/

He comes with western winds

In this room

in the evening

Emily Bronte

was looking to the stars

 and wrote poems like this

“He comes with western winds, with evening’s wandering airs,

With that clear dusk of heaven that brings the thickest stars.

Then dawns the Invisible; the Unseen its truth reveals;

My outward sense is gone, my inward essence feels:

Its wings are almost free—its home, its harbour found,

Measuring the gulph, it stoops and dares the final bound,

“Oh I dreadful is the check—intense the agony—

When the ear begins to hear, and the eye begins to see;

When the pulse begins to throb, the brain to think again;

The soul to feel the flesh, and the flesh to feel the chain.

http://bronteana.wordpress.com/2006/09/

Haworth from Brow

Haworth from Brow

Famous Bronte spots