When Charlotte was married on 29 June 1854 to Arthur Bell Nicholls, she wore a very simple, delicate white muslin gown and a green silk and lace bonnet. The bonnet has survived, but the gown was destroyed at the request of Nichols after his death in 1906 (Charlotte, of course, had died in 1855, only 9 months after their marriage). A replica was made reportedly by memory and it is currently in the collection of the BPM, as is the wedding bonnet.What happened that day? Read: she-looked-like-snowdrop
It could have looked like this: haworth-village
Actually the dress was in the possession of Arthur's niece , Charlotte Bronte Nicholls, for some years after his death.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenArthur gave the dress to his brother Alan's daughter , Charlotte's name sake, with the stipulation the dress be destroyed when it left her hands
Charlotte Bronte Nicholls's daughter did indeed destroyed the dress as her great uncle wanted. It was burned
Arthur kept his beloved wife's wedding dress for 50 years and let his niece possess it for a time as well .
But it was his fervent wish this precious article would never be sold for money to another and so he ordered it to be destroyed.
Rather far seeing of Arthur if I may say so. And one cannot image his wish being respected today . But his nieces and nephews loved him very much and his story is one about love.
I, for one, find this a very moving tribute to Arthur's love for Charlotte. I can't begrudge this man, who lost so much , his wish his wife's gown would not be sold to another .
It was his beloved wife's gown ...we forget that in our rush for history.
Surely a replica and Charlotte's actual bonnet is more than enough for us today
When Charlotte told Ellen about her upcoming marriage she said in part she was " very inexpectant "
and " what I taste of happiness is of the soberest order "
But to read these words in their correct context, one must go back to a few months before Arthur Bell Nicholls tapped at Charlotte's door in Dec 1852 to see the incredible emotional privation Charlotte was enduring since the passing of her sisters
Charlotte wrote to Ellen
It cannot be denied that the solitude of my position fearfully aggravated its other evils Some long stormy days and nights there were when I felt such a craving for support and companionship as I cannot express. Sleepless I lay awake night after night weak and unable to occupy myself I sat in my chair day after day the saddest memories my only company It was a time I shall never forget but God sent it and it must have been for the best
in light of this, happiness of any order is to be cheered
We know of course that in fact, Charlotte's happiness with Arthur grew steadily until her tragic passing so shortly after they wed
June 29th was also the date Charlotte was baptized in 1816...in that year the date fell on a Sat .
BeantwoordenVerwijderenIt doesn't seem a consequence somehow