Brontë Parsonage, Haworth

We took a visit to the Brontë Parsonage yesterday. It was a lovely day, but a little cold. the Brontë Parsonage is, as you may have guessed, the family home of the Brontë sisters.

It's quite a tragic story really Patrick Brontë (father) married Maria Brontë (mother) in 1811 and they moved to Haworth in 1820. Maria lived until 1820 when she died of possibly uterine cancer or sepsis from complications during Anne Brontë's birth. 

In 1814 Maria Brontë was born - she lived until 1825 when she died of tuberculosis. 

Elizabeth Brontë (born 1815) also died in 1825 a few months later from tuberculosis. 

Charlotte Brontë (of Jane Eyre fame) was born 1816 she lived until 1855 when she died most likely from dehydration from excessive vomiting during pregnancy (although her death certificate states phthisis i.e. tuberculosis).

Branwell Brontë was born 2017 he was an artist and writer, he had addiction problems mostly alcohol and laudanum and opium. He died in 1848 from malnutrition and bronchitis (possibly tuberculosis). 

Emily Brontë (of Wuthering Heights fame) was born 1818 and died from tuberculosis less than 3 months after Branwell in 1848.

Anne Brontë (of Tenant of Wildfell Hall fame) was born 1820, she died in 1849 from tuberculosis.

This is a very depressing run down, but how tragic - no wonder their books are renowned for dark and tragic themes. Patrick himself, however, lived until he was 85! 

Haworth at the time was an awful place. Local reports say that the drinking water was contaminated by overflowing cesspits and a graveyard that was overcrowded and leaking fluids into the water table 💀😷 EW!! There are suggestions that this would have impacted the health of the Brontës significantly. Maybe such living conditions weakened their health and made them more susceptible to tuberculosis, or they didn't die from tuberculosis but sickness brought on by living in such an unhealthy place and the doctors (who didn't believe in germs but instead 'miasma' - bad air) didn't fully understand what they actually died from.

I don't think it leaks anymore 👀

Haworth is much more pleasant now, lots of lovely cafes and cute shops:

Look at that sky!

Anyway, here are some pics around the house.

Patrick Brontë's study

Dining Room

Kitchen

Charlotte Brontë's wedding bonnet

One of Charlotte Brontë's dresses - she was so tiny!

Branwell's bedroom and art studio

So there you go. It was very interesting and a little dark. When we got outside the rooks were cawing in a very spooky dramatic fashion, it was quite fitting.