The London Brontë Group organised a programme of activities from Friday 6 June till Sunday 8 June. Some of the participants who arrived already on Thursday 5 June met up for an informal evening meal in the Old White Lion.
The programme started on Friday afternoon with a graveyard walk led by Margaret McCarthy. We walked around the old graveyard and Margaret pointed out some interesting gravestones.
In the evening, Catherine Rayner presented her new book on sibling rivalry in the Brontë family. This seemed to be a very controversial topic … According to Catherine and her research into sibling rivalry, in every family with more than one child, the eldest sibling will always dominate and even “bully” the younger ones, which will have consequences on their lives as this will affect their development as children and as adults. Catherine claimed that, after the death of Maria and Elizabeth, as Charlotte became the eldest Brontë sibling, she “bullied” her brother and sisters. Catherine especially focused on the effects this behaviour had on Anne’s life, her work, her faith and her burial in Scarborough. There certainly was some disagreement in the room with Catherine’s views. I will just read the book and formulate my own view.
The talk was followed by a fish & chips supper for everyone at the Old White Lion pub.
On the second day (Saturday), a group visit to Salt’s Mill in Saltaire was planned. Salt’s Mill is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is certainly worth a visit. However, I had other plans and was expected at the Thornton Brontë Birthplace (see separate report). My husband Paul and I would go to Saltaire some other time during our holidays.
In the evening, Ann Dinsdale and Sharon Wright discussed their upcoming book “The Brontës in Bricks and Mortar.” They focused in particular on the Branwell pub crawl, all places related to Branwell. The book seems very interesting indeed, and I think everyone was really looking forward to obtaining a copy. The book will be released at the beginning of July.
On Sunday morning, there was the option of attending the church service in St. Michael’s and All Angels or a visit to the Parsonage with its new exhibition “From Haworth to Eternity – the enduring legacy of the Brontës.” I had been on a visit to the Parsonage with Paul on Friday morning already, so I decided to go to the church service. My fellow BBG member Jean De Wolf was also there. As a Catholic, I always find it strange (in a positive way) to attend an Anglican church service. It is always so much more free in style and approach than in a Catholic Church. The vicar even played the guitar during the service, something you would not see in a Catholic church in Belgium. But Jean and I were certainly made to feel welcome by the vicar and the other churchgoers.
In the afternoon, there was an open forum in the Old White Lion in which those present could talk about an unforgettable visit to the Parsonage, or a special item of interest, or any other event that was special or remarkable. Amongst other things were mentioned: the very first visit to Haworth Parsonage of some of those present, J.H. Thompson's portrait of Charlotte Brontë and its origin, the dining table around which the sisters walked while talking about their writing , the little tiny books, the recreation and display of the Wuthering Heights manuscript, and many more interesting stories. What I found particularly astonishing (and I was not the only one) was the story of Nigel Nicholl. Through his job, Nigel had come across an architect’s plan (in the 1960s or ’70s, I cannot recall exactly) to demolish Haworth Main Street completely – I could not believe this – fortunately this plan was never executed!!!
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| At the Old White Lion |
The weekend was concluded in the usual way with an evening meal in the Old White Lion, followed by a Brontë quiz and a Brontë-inspired skit (“Fawlty Parsonage”) presented by The Brontë Players. Hilarious!
Sheila Fordham, who was one of the players, also read two of her own beautiful Brontë-inspired poems: “Brussels Ahoy!” and “Christmas Eve in Haworth.”
I really enjoyed the weekend with the London group. It was good to see so many people again and talk Brontë. I am looking forward to next year’s programme and have already booked our accommodation!
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| Butterfly artwork on Penistone Hill |
In between the two weekends, Paul and I had a few days to spend on our own. On Monday, I walked the art trail on Penistone Hill (I was very impressed with the butterfly artwork!) and did my usual shopping in Haworth.
On Tuesday, we moved to Oxenhope/Leeming for our accommodation. A very nice spot with wonderful views and an excellent pub (“Dog and Gun”) with good food and beer next door. What more do you need. …
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| Paul at railway museum |
On Friday 13 June, the Brussels Brontë Group members began to arrive in Haworth and settled in. We met up on Saturday for a coach trip to Shirley County (visits to Thornton, Oakwell Hall, Roe Head School and Shibden Hall). The was the Charlotte day.
On Sunday, the BBG members stayed in Haworth with a group visit to the Parsonage and a walk to Penistone Hill, the Brontë falls and bridge, and Top Withens for the sturdy walkers. This was the Emily day. On Monday, there was a coach trip to Scarborough for the Anne day. Joanne Wilcock was our guide for the whole weekend.
I will just report on some of the highlights for me.
Needless to say, visiting the Brontë Birthplace in Thornton for the second time was very exciting, especially as I was taken by surprise when they presented to me a print of the design that Liliana Pasterska and I had made for the Birthplace.
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| Joanne and Helen reading from Charlotte's journal at Roe Head |
Most of the stops on the trip I had already done in previous years when the Brontë Society still organised AGM June weekends for members, but I had not yet been inside the building of Roe Head School, so that was new and exciting to me. Walking in the building where Charlotte, Emily and Anne once stayed (as pupils and in Charlotte’s case also as teacher) was very special. This period was brought to life when Joanne and Helen read excerpts from Charlotte’s Roe Head school journal. I think everyone was under the spell of this moment. We were very lucky to have been welcomed inside this house.
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| Brussels Brontë Group members at Roe Head School |
I must say that on the whole our group received a very good welcome in all the places that we visited: Nigel West and the volunteers at the Thornton Brontë birthplace; Mandy at Oakwell Hall who welcomed us with special rosemary sprigs on cards; John Howard and his colleague at Roe Head School; Michael Stewart who was our guide on Sunday’s moorland walk and gave a special talk in the evening; and Lauren from the Anne Brontë Association in Scarborough. More information on this can be found in separate BBG blog reports.
The only event that I did not attend was the group visit to the Parsonage. I still had one important mission to accomplish for myself and the only opportunity to do this was on Sunday morning.
For ages I have been trying to visit St. James’s Church in Thornton (always closed when I was there). I knew there was an exhibition on Patrick Brontë and his family in the church. The family lived in Thornton for five years, the Old Bell Chapel (across the road from the new church) is the church where Patrick preached and where the children were baptised. The BBG members visited the site of the Old Bell Chapel but not the exhibition in the new church.
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| Brontë display in St. James's Church |
On Sunday morning, there was a church service, so that was an opportunity to also visit the exhibition. It is only a small section that is dedicated to the Brontë story, the display looked a little bit crammed but that may have been due to the service that was going to take place.
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| Brontë display in St. James's Church |
You could see the old font over which the children were baptised, a wash stand and desk that had stood in the Old Bell Chapel and had been used by Patrick during his time as perpetual curate in Thornton, the baptismal registers for the Brontë siblings (all except for Maria, the eldest daughter) and the old bell. For Patrick Brontë, his years in Thornton were “his happiest years.”
Our holidays in Haworth and Yorkshire were over before we knew it. It had been such a lovely time, spent in good and entertaining company, the weather was kind to us, the food was lovely, the visits were interesting, our guides were superb, … do I need to say any more.
We have our photos and memories to treasure.
What would life be without a little Brontë! We had an overdose of it … … 🥰
Marina Saegerman
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