Who was Charlotte Bronte?
Novelist and poet.
Date and Place of Birth:
21st April 1816, The Vicarage, 74 Market Street,
Thornton, Yorkshire, England.
Family Background:
Daughter of a Cleric, Patrick Bronte and sister
to Branwell, Emily and Anne
Bronte.
Education:
Clergy Daughter's School, Cowan Bridge. Miss
Wooler's School, Roe Head.
Chronology/Biography of Charlotte Bronte:
1816: Father
appointed perpetual curate at Haworth.
1820: (March 25th
) Anne Baptised in the "Old Bell Chapel" at Thornton.
(April) Bronte family move to Parsonage at Haworth.
Haworth Parsonage, Yorkshire where Charlotte lived with
her family
(© A Blagg)
1821: (September
15th) Death of her mother.
1825: (May 6th)
Death of her sisters Maria (aged 11) and (June 15th) Elizabeth (aged
10) from consumption.
1829: She takes
up writing about her fantasy world of Glasstown and Angria. All
the Bronte children receive art lessons from John Bradley of Keighley.
1832: Returns home
to help tutor Sisters.
1835: Goes back
to Roe Head School as a teacher.
1838: Returns to
Haworth after handing in her resignation.
1842: (February)
Goes to Brussels with Emily to study at the Pensionat Heger. (November)
Death of her Aunt Elizabeth and they return home.
1843: Returns to
Brussels to teach English and to further studies.
1844: Returns home
and tries to open a school in Haworth but there are no takers for
such an isolated spot.
1845: Branwell suggests
to his sisters that novel writing is a profitable business.
1846: (May)
"Poems by Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell" (The sister's
pseudonyms) published with the family paying the costs. Offers "The
Professor" for publication without success. (August) begins
writing "Jane Eyre".
St Michael and All Angels Church, Haworth and a sign showing
the gate
used by the family to access the church from the parsonage
(© A Blagg)
1847: (October)
"Jane Eyre" published and is highly acclaimed. December
"Wuthering Heights" by Emily
and "Agnes Grey" by Anne
are both published.
1848: (June )"The
Tenant of Wildfell Hall" by Anne
is published. (24th September) Death of brother Branwell from consumption.
(19th December) Death of sister Emily
from consumption.
1849: (January)
Anne is examined at Haworth by Doctor
Teale and found to have consumption. (May 25th) Goes with Anne
and her friend Ellen Nussey to Scarborough. (May 26th ) Anne goes
swimming alone but collapses. In the afternoon she drives herself
on South Sands in a donkey cart. (May 27th) Charlotte discusses
with Anne about returning to Haworth
but it is too late. (28th May) Death
of Anne from Consumption. (October)
Publication of "Shirley".
1852: Visits Anne's
Grave and realises there are several mistakes on the tombstone which
she has corrected.
1853: Publication
of "Villette."
(1893): The Bronte
Society Established.
Written Works:
- 1846:
“Poems by Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell”.
- 1847: "The
Professor (Published 1857). "Jane Eyre".
- 1849:
“Shirley”.
- 1853:
“Villette”.
- (1925): "The
Twelve Adventurers and Other Stories."
- (1933): "The
Legends of Angria".
- (1971): "Five
Novellettes" A collection of Juvenilia.
Marriage:
29th June 1854: To Arthur Bell Nicholls, her
father's curate despite objections from her father.
Places of Interest:
YORKSHIRE:
Brontë Parsonage Museum
Haworth, Keighley
West Yorkshire BD22 8DR.
www.bronte.info/
Oakwell Hall Country Park, Batley. (area visited
in "Shirley").
Red House Museum, Gomersal. (Former home of her
friend Mary Taylor).
Thornfield Hall, Ripon. (mentioned in "Jane
Eyre").
Date and Place of Death:
31st March 1855, Haworth, Yorkshire, England,
in the early stages of pregnancy of excessive vomiting.
Age at Death:
38.
Site of Grave:
St. Michael and All Angels Church, Haworth, Yorkshire,
England.
h 
Memorial Plaque to Emily and Charlotte
in St Michael and All Angels Church
and engraving above the family vault
(© A Blagg)
