Valerie Sanders on clothes in the Brontë novels

University of Hull's Valerie Sanders used Rachel Ferguson’s 1931 novel The Brontës Went to Woolworths as a jumping-off point for a fascinating look at clothes in Charlotte Brontë’s novels – how they are described and what they signify. 

On a sartorial trip through the juvenilia, the letters and the mature novels, Prof. Sanders showed what clothes and dressing meant for Charlotte, both in real life and in her fiction. 

Member talk: The Brontës and fake news

There have been wild speculations and baseless theories about the Brontë sisters and their novels virtually since the books were first published in 1847. Johan Hellinx gave the Brussels Brontë Group a run-down of all the fake news that has circulated, right up to today. 

In his talk on Saturday, 24 February 2024, Johan’s special fake-news focus was the enduring claims that Branwell Brontë must have been the true author of Wuthering Heights. The first serious biography of Emily didn’t come until 1883, when Mary Robinson published her book, so there was plenty of time and scope for speculations.

Member talk: ‘Wuthering Heights’ and pop culture

Ana Gauthier gave the Brussels Brontë Group a whirlwind tour through the far-reaching influence of Wuthering Heights on the broader culture, showing how Emily Brontë’s novel echoes through our collective consciousness, sometimes in surprising ways. 

In her talk on Saturday 24 February 2024, Ana touched on Kate Bush, Merle Oberon, Celine Dion, Jim Steinman, Giorgio Armani and a host of anonymous social-media users as she demonstrated the widespread echoes of Wuthering Heights that can be found rippling through our culture. 

Enjoying the 'World of the Brontës' in a different way!

I have always enjoyed making jigsaw puzzles, certainly in childhood, but after growing up and having a job and getting married, I just did not have the time to do this anymore. Reading was taking over as a pastime, as this was much easier to do in between study, work or household chores. Puzzling takes space and time. 

During the Covid pandemic, however, as we were all locked up in our homes, I re-discovered this hobby, and to pass the time indoors I started to make the jigsaw puzzles that I found in the cupboards. I really enjoyed this again. A few months ago, I saw an advertisement for a very special jigsaw puzzle – “The World of the Brontës” – and decided to buy it. This was going to be my next puzzle project.

The Brontës come to a grocery store in Merchtem

The Brontës Went to Woolworths, the title of a 1931 novel by the British writer Rachel Ferguson, features in a talk by Valerie Sanders to be given to the Brussels Brontë Group later this year, in which Professor Sanders will talk to us about "clothes and shopping in the Brontë novels." 

 

Here in Belgium this Christmas, the Brontës went not to Woolworths but to a grocery store in Merchtem.