Tracing the Brontë Family in Yorkshire

Patrick Brontë in the 1830 Parson & White's Directory of Leeds 

Article  from: thegenealogist.co.uk//bronte. ""Out of curiosity, I also chose to search the 1861 Leeds and Bradford White's Directory, just to see if there was a mention of the Brontë family. To my luck there was a small mention of "Rev P Brontë". It read: "Mr Brontë and his daughter are authors of several popular novels". This is a very valuable piece of information, as if you didn't know your ancestor wrote a famous novel, just that one sentence can take you on an exciting path of research to see what novels they wrote"" 

Paintings of Branwell Bronte

 

 

Mr Kirby,

http://fatalsecret.ucoz.ru/

Branwell Bronte lived in Fountain Street in 1838 and 1839, when his 'uncle', William Morgan, was curate of nearby Christ Church. Branwell lodged with  and his portraits of them now hang in Haworth Parsonage. Mr Kirby, an ale and porter merchant, was not perhaps the ideal landlord for Branwell, though it is only fair to say that the Kirbys' niece remembered young Mr Bronte as 'steady, industrious and selfrespecting'. But temptation was at hand in Westgate, noted for its large numbers of inns and beerhouses, conveniently placed for the quarry workers who employed a boy 'several times a day during the summer months in fetching gallons of beer into the quarry'.

Mrs Isaac Kirby

Daphne du Maurier suggests that Branwell's portraits of the Kirbys 'show a genius for satire on the part of the mocking lodger' and that Mrs Kirby 'stares from her frame in disapproval', while her husband's face is 'humorless and suspicious'. Mrs Kirby certainly appears formidable but possibly an absence of teeth may have added to the tightness of her mouth. Nevertheless, Mrs Kirby seems to have valued the portraits, because she later asked 
Branwell to return to varnish them.
http://www.bradfordhistorical.org.uk/brunswick
paintings bronte-parsonage-museum

Travelling in Victorian times

Old English "Flying" Mail Coach.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files

Many large towns were not initially connected to the rail network, which meant even for gentlemanly leaders, rail travel was not an option for certain legs of the journey. To reach towns, villages and hamlets not
connected to the railway network, and without a road carrier service, walking was often the best option; the alternative being the expense of coach hire and the upkeep of a horse. Walking was a staple form of transport in the Victorian period: lower class people routinely walked long distances simply because there was no alternative.

The 1830s was the golden age of the stage coach when ‘flying coaches’ could transport affluent travellers in relative comfort and safety at speeds up to ten miles per hour. The road network, like the later railways, primarily radiated from London in the direction of major cities and towns. Destinations off the major routes were less well served and roads which traversed the country ‘across the grain’ were inconvenient.
heavy’.

The Merrals of Ebor House.

Edwin Merrall bought both Ebor Mill and Ebor House from the representatives of Mr. Hiram Craven. Edwin made his home at the Ebor House. The Youngest brother, Hartley, remained at Spring Head Mill taking sole ownership of the Mill and properties and running the business with the help of his sons. Hartley was a very industrious man and the business at Spring Head continued to flourish, though nowhere near as successfully as Lees and Ebor Mills under the auspice of his older brothers. Springhead House, Oakworth.

Due to their success and industry, the brothers built large weaving sheds and extended the spinning mill and warehouse facilities all fitted with the most modern machinery and appliances. They also greatly enlarged Ebor Mill by erecting new weaving sheds as well as building a gasworks to supply both mills. By this time, they were supplying the highest class of goods. Yarns of the highest quality and most beautiful texture, wefted with soft yarns, spun from the finest English, Botany and Australian wools. There was a great demand for their product and their employees were earning good wages as a consequence of their enterprise. It was said that their work-force formed one of the most prosperous communities in the whole of Yorkshire.

Hartley Merrall Acres Mill, Springhead Mill &

Two of the Merralls attended the wedding of Charlotte Bronte. haworth-village.org.uk

Keighley 1848

The Town Hall - Keighley

The town is situated in a beautiful valley, near the rivulets Worth and North Beck, which, uniting their streams, flow into the river Aire, about a mile below the bridge here, which is a neat structure. 
The houses are built chiefly of stone. The streets are paved, and lighted with gas from works erected under an act of parliament, obtained in 1824, for the improvement of the town; and the inhabitants are amply supplied with water from copious springs in the vicinity, conveyed by works established under an act in 1816. 
A mechanics' institution was founded in 1825, and in 1835 an appropriate building was erected for its use, at an expense of £1050, of which £200 were raised by subscription, and the remainder by a proprietary; the building contains a reading-room, a spacious lecture-room, and a library of 1000 volumes. 
The worsted manufacture is carried on extensively; and there are two establishments for cotton-spinning, one of them erected about 1780, by Sir Richard Arkwright: a great part of the machinery used in the factories is made in the town; there are two paper-mills, and several large corn-mills. The worsted-stuffs are chiefly sent to the Bradford market. 
The Leeds and Liverpool canal passes within a mile, and, in connexion with other lines, opens a direct communication through Yorkshire and Lancashire with the eastern and western sea-ports. 
The Leeds and Bradford Extension railway, which connects the West riding with the town of Colne, in Lancashire, was opened as far as Keighley, in March, 1847. The market, which is abundantly supplied with provisions of all kinds, is on Wednesday, and there is a market for cattle every alternate Tuesday; fairs for cattle and merchandise are held on the 8th and 9th of May, and the 7th, 8th, and 9th of November. A very commodious market-place was erected in 1833, on land owned by the lord of the manor, by a proprietary of £25 shareholders. Petty-sessions are held on the last Wednesday in every month, in the court-house, a neat building erected at an expense of £700, in 1831. The powers of the county debt-court of Keighley, established in 1847, extend over the registration-district of Keighley. The town is a polling place for the West riding of the county.
http://www.valendale.myby.co.uk/houses.html

The story of Rebecca Morrison- Greenwood.

Rebecca Morrison-Greenwood  (1837-1932) 

The Yorkshire town of Haworth is known worldwide as home to the Bronte family but romantic literature was not its only creation, it also harboured the roots of Rebecca Greenwood, wife of founding College Principal, George Morrison. ww.geelongcollege.vic.edu.au/heritage

In Haworth, with the demise of the Bridgehouse Greenwoods in 1848, the centre of attention became Rebecca’s uncle, William Greenwood Junior (1800-1893) of Old Oxenhope and Old Oxenhope Mill. He was a worsted spinner and manufacturer who had inherited the business of the mill at Old Oxenhope near Haworth in 1848 from his uncle, the brother of Rebecca’s grandfather George. Constructed in about 1800 it was a small-scale mill and one of 34 mills built during a time of massive industrial expansion. It was possibly Rebecca’s uncle however, William Greenwood Junior who, of her other relatives, was to exert the some affect on the family.

Despite his own Baptist convictions, William Greenwood junior became acquainted with the Anglican Perpetual Curate Patrick Bronte (1777-1861), who invited Greenwood’s election to be churchwarden as a vicar’s warden of the Established Church at Haworth in 1843 and 1845. Some people believe he may have been invited to be “people’s warden”, which role was often filled by Non-Conformists in parishes like Haworth where Non-Conformists were in the majority. One story suggests that this was part of Bronte’s attempts to secure funding for the rebuilding of the church tower. The Brontes were visitors to the Greenwood home and William Greenwood is thought to be the Baptist friend Patrick once mentioned as living in Haworth. Sarah Greenwood (1811-1893), Rebecca’s aunt lived with William from about 1854 and a surviving letter from Charlotte Bronte thanks Sarah for lending Charlotte a copy of “The Value of Health” by Mrs Ellis. This would have been in the brief period between 1854 when the book was published and 1855 when Charlotte died. While it is improbable that the teenage Rebecca met the Brontes, the Bronte’s literary success would no doubt have been closely observed as their identities became known to the reading public. Perhaps, a similar romanticism was to help inspire Rebecca’s voyage across the world to marry George Morrison.

Families Connected to Keighley''s history. And fantastic photo's of Haworth

http://www.valendale.myby.co.uk/families.html:

Joseph Greenwood (1786–1856) was the second son of James Greenwood Sr of Bridgehouse, who acquired, or perhaps was given, Springhead Mill when quite young. Lord of the Manor of Oxenhope. In 1834 Joseph Greenwood purchased the Manor of Oxenhope from the Earl of Wilton. The manorial rights passed from Joseph Greenwood, Esq., of Spring Head, to Captain Edwards, by purchase. In 1853 he and his sons went bankrupt, and he moved to Utley. COURT FOR RELIEF OF INSOLVENT DEBTORS. Saturday the 8th day of April, 1854. ASSIGNEES have been appointed in the following Cases. Further particulars may be learned at the Office, in Portugal-Street, Lincoln's- Inn-Fields, on giving the number of the Case. James Greenwood, late of Springhead, near Keighley, Yorkshire, out of business, Insolvent, No. 77,451 C; John Appleyard and John Sutcliffe, Assignees. William Cockcroft Greenwood, late of Springhead, Keighley, Yorkshire, Farmer, Insolvent, No. 77,454 C; John Appleyard and John Sutcliffe, Assignees.

Joseph was married to Grace Cockroft he was also a Magistrate 1822. He was also a close friend of Patrick Brontë. He also had three daughters exactly the same ages as Charlotte, Emily, and Anne and the girls were friends and he also had two eligible sons, William and James, several years older than the girls.

Houses around Keighley:  valendale.myby.co.uk/houses.

Old Photo's of keighley :   photobucket.com/albums

Fantastic photo's of Haworth:

Click on Haworth

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Wuthering

Emily used the word "wuthering" as a provincial adjective to describe the house's situation when exposed to stormy weather. I had to admit it was about as desolate and harsh as you can get and her fiery, tumultuous characters seemed entirely appropriate here in this rough environment. As I felt the wind whistling painfully around my ears I felt sure that a visit to the Heights on a warm sunny day just wouldn't have the same effect

Read more: images/Travel/Pix//moor372.www.guardian.co.uk/

This is what the Bronte Sisters saw when they were walking on the moors in august.

August can be a hot dry month but also can be wet if westerly winds bring low depression giving periods of dull wet weather.

During the month the heather on the moors will be in flower swathed in purple, amongst the heather you will find bilberry its small ripe berries ready to eat. Some of the flowers you can see this this month are; Spear thistle Rosebay Willowherb Orange Hawkweed.

Insects such as Bees and Hoverflies are busy pollinating flowers. Burnet Moths can be seen usually on heathland. Some of the common butterflies you can see this month are; Peacock, Large Skipper, and Red Admiral

During August some birds which are regular visitors to our garden seem to disappear. Reason is that during this month birds moult their feathers and it can be dangerous particularly as their wing feathers will make it harder to escape predators, they will try to keep themselves concealed until the moult has finished. Another reason this is the time where there is plenty of natural food such as berries and grain so will move to where the best food is.

Summer visitors such as Swallows, House Martins and Swifts can be seen flying low over fields catching insects. Bats are a familiar site at sunset.

This is the best time to see Dragonflies and Damselflies. On warm days with a light wind you can see male Dragonflies establishing their territory and chasing off rivals. The Dragonfly species you are likely to see are the Common Hawkers. Damselflies which are smaller such as the Common Blue can be seen.y dates:

August 11th 2009: Heather is flowering purple on the moors.

What makes a work Gothic?

Wuthering Heights contains undeniably Gothic elements:

In true Gothic fashion, boundaries are trespassed, specifically love crossing the boundary between life and death and Heathcliff's transgressing social class and family ties. Brontë follows Walpole and Radcliffe in portraying the tyrannies of the father and the cruelties of the patriarchal family and in reconstituting the family on non-patriarchal lines, even though no counterbalancing matriarch or matriarchal family is presented. Brontë has incorporated the Gothic trappings of imprisonment and escape, flight, the persecuted heroine, the heroine wooed by a dangerous and a good suitor, ghosts, necrophilia, a mysterious foundling, and revenge. The weather-buffeted Wuthering Heights is the traditional castle, and Catherine resembles Ann Radcliffe's heroines in her appreciation of nature. Like the conventional Gothic hero-villain, Heathcliff is a mysterious figure who destroys the beautiful woman he pursues and who usurps inheritances, and with typical Gothic excess he batters his head against a tree. There is the hint of necrophilia in Heathcliff's viewings of Catherine's corpse and his plans to be buried next to her and a hint of incest in their being raised as brother and sister or, as a few critics have suggested, in Heathcliff's being Catherine's illegitimate half-brother.

What makes a work Gothic is a combination of at least some of these elements: read:

edu/english/melani/novel_19c/wuthering/gothic.html

 

Remembering Emily Bronte

I am going to select memories concerning Emily Bronte, not the ideas of interpretors, but people who really knew her.

• Monsieur Heger remembered Emily Brontë as having “a head for logic, and a capability of argument, unusual in a man, and rare indeed in a woman.” To describe her, he used phrases such as these: “powerful reason” (that is, reasoning ability) and “strong, imperious will.”
•  I remember Emily Bronte walking in Haworth, a quiet unassuming lass, with simple long clothes, said Joshua Baldwin.

All that survives of Emily's own words about herself is two brief letters, two diary papers written when she was thirteen and sixteen, and two birthday papers, written when she was twenty-three and twenty-seven. Almost everything that is known about her comes from the writings of others, primarily Charlotte.

• Charlotte Bronte: Liberty was the breath of Emily’s nostrils; without it, she perished. The change from her own home to a school, and from her own very noiseless, very secluded, but unrestricted and inartificial mode of life, to one of disciplined routine (though under the kindliest auspices), was what she failed in enduring. Her nature proved here too strong for her fortitude. Every morning when she woke, the vision of home and the moors rushed on her, and darkened and saddened the day that lay before her. Nobody knew what ailed her but me—I knew only too well. In this struggle her health was quickly broken: her white face, attenuated form, and failing strength threatened rapid decline. I felt in my heart she would die if she did not go home, and with this conviction obtained her recall. 
• “Never in all her life had she lingered over any task that lay before her, and she did not linger now. She sank rapidly. She made haste to leave us. Yet, while physically she perished, mentally she grew stronger than we had yet known her. Day by day, when I saw with what a front she met suffering, I looked on her with anguished wonder and love..Stronger than a man, simpler than a child, her nature stood alone. The awful point was, that while full of ruth for others, on herself she had no pity...
• "kind, kindling, liquid eyes" Ellen Nussey. 
• Mr Jenkins, the Anglican cleric, who had helped the sisters find the Pensionnat, invited them to spend Sundays at his house in the Chaussée d’Ixelles. However, Mrs. Jenkins stopped inviting them after a while, as their shyness and awkwardness made the visits more and more painful. They were escorted to the house by the Jenkins' sons, who found the walks tedious owing to the girls' silence. Mrs. Jenkins observed that: “Emily hardly ever uttered more than a monosyllable” when she was in their home.
• The eldest Wheelwright daughter, Laetitia, who was to become a friend and correspondent of Charlotte’s later in life, wrote of her antipathy of Emily:
  I simply disliked her from the first. She taught my three youngest sisters music for four months to my annoyance, as she would only take them in their play hours, so as not to curtail her own school hours, naturally causing tears to small children.