Nick Holland from the Anne Bronte Blog paid his first visit of 2022 to the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth. Their latest exhibition is entitled ‘Defying Expectations’ and it takes a particular look at clothing and accessories used by the Brontë sisters, as well as showcasing some old favourite items from the museum’s extensive collections, and some items which are less frequently seen. Despite it’s title this exhibition very much lived up to my high expectations, so in today’s post I bring you five treasures from this year’s parsonage collection! Read all the story here: Anne Bronte
Berlin Work Bag
Nick Holland: The one on the right with the shiny silk inserts, is the very shawl that Charlotte Brontë wore on her wedding day in 1854.
Luxurious Dress
Nick Holland: Perhaps the greatest item of all, among many great items, in this year’s exhibition is this dress. Charlotte’s Room, as the museum hails it, always contains a Brontë dress within a carefully sealed glass case. They are always very moving, but this year the dress is particularly spectacular – and it really does defy general expectations around Charlotte Brontë’s apparel.
We often think of Charlotte Brontë as rather dowdy, and she may have been so by necessity throughout much of her life. The Brontës were not wealthy, and had to repair, improvise and recycle much of their clothing. By the end of Charlotte’s life, however, things had changed dramatically for her. The royalties she earned from her writing were far greater than anything she could have hoped to earn from careers as a teacher or governess, and the legacy she left in 1855 was worth more than a million pounds in today’s money.
This dress dates from this period of Charlotte’s life. It was one where she often had to mix in high society, difficult as that must have been for someone as shy as she was, and she dressed accordingly. This striped silk dress was one of three found holed up behind a wall during renovations at the parsonage in 1936. It has been a cause of speculation for some time, but the museum has finally proven that it did belong to Charlotte meaning that it can finally go on display. With floral adornments it’s an item of real beauty, and evidence of the elevation in status and wealth that Charlotte’s literary genius finally brought her. Also displayed her are an ornate fan, and a pair of black stockings worn by Charlotte Brontë.
Hair Brooch and Bracelet
" and it really does defy general expectations around Charlotte Brontë’s apparel. "
BeantwoordenVerwijderenIndeed. People think of the Bronte sisters as always on the wild moor, poor and ill clothed, in Aunt's hand me downs. But Charlotte lived for five years after she achieved fame and even before, after living on the continent, she paid careful attention to her dress. No one laughed at her clothes then as they did over Emily's.
Now , with earnings to spend, and London to visit , as soon as Charlotte finally put away her mourning clothes for her siblings, she made a point of greatly improving her wardrobe. Not always with success, she felt ever the Provincial and heavily relied on Ellen's advice. But there was a concerted effort on her part and she seemed to finally get it right for her wedding truseu.
It's hilarious that folks think of Charlotte as a plain ,Quaker maid in her inclinations. Look at her wedding dress and truseu. She loved all the frilly embellishments and thoroughly indulged in them once she had some cash to spend and was to be married. When single, Charlotte was ever careful to not call attention to her self and thus be accused of" fishing "for a husband. But once she was "what people call engaged " Charlotte let lose.