The Funeral Of Aunt Branwell, And The Launch Of The House Of Bronte

Today’s new Brontë blog post will very much be a post of two halves. In the first part we’ll be saying farewell to a member of the Brontë family who was central to the Brontë story, and in the second we’ll be saying hello to my new Brontë YouTube channel and podcast.

This day in November 1842 was a sad one for Haworth and the Brontë family, for it marked the funeral of Aunt Branwell. Elizabeth Branwell was an elder sister of the Brontë siblings’ mother Maria, and during Maria’s final illness she travelled over 400 miles from Penzance to Haworth to nurse her. After Maria’s death she could have returned to Penzance but she chose to remain in the cold, drafty parsonage and became a second mother to the Brontë children. In my opinion without the love of Aunt Branwell and without the financial support of Aunt Branwell there would be none of the Brontë books we know and love today.

In late October Elizabeth fell suddenly and terribly ill, it was clear that her end was approaching and her nephew Branwell Brontë remained faithfully by her side during her final days of suffering, as he revealed in an anguished letter to his friend Francis Grundy:

Her brother-in-law Patrick Brontë had been extremely close to Elizabeth Branwell, so planning her funeral was another of the many sorrows he had to face. We know that she was buried in accordance to her will – not in Penzance but in Haworth. In her will she states that she wished to be buried: “as near as convenient to the remains of my dear sister.’ This provision was stipulated by Elizabeth Branwell at the start of her will made on 30 April 1833 before witnesses William Brown (brother of the Haworth sexton John Brown,) his son William Brown Jr., and John Tootill, in which she also asks that, ‘my funeral shall be conducted in a moderate and decent manner’.

Moderately and decently, on 3rd November 1842, the remains of Elizabeth Branwell were placed into the Brontë family vault. A plaque above the vault lists members of the Brontë family interred there, but although she rests eternally alongside them her name is not included. In attendance during the ceremony were Patrick, Anne and Branwell Brontë with the service being carried out by Reverend James Bradley. Charlotte and Emily Brontë were in Brussels at the time their Aunt fell ill, and although they raced back to England upon receiving news of her illness they arrived too late for her funeral.

Let us remember Aunt Branwell today. She was a woman who loved the Brontës deeply and unreservedly. 

We now turn to the present day. I’m passionate about the Brontë books and the Brontë story, which is why I blog about them every week here – and will continue to do so. I’m hoping to spread my love of the Brontës even further, however, so I’ve now launched the House Of Brontë YouTube channel and podcast – and created a new page on this website to give you an easy place to access them going forward.

Both the YouTube channel and podcast will look at the Brontë family story from beginning to end, as well as featuring shorter episodes looking at the Brontës and at literature and history.

You can watch the YouTube channel here. Please subscribe to the channel and like the videos to keep up to date with my latest recordings:

You can also listen to The House Of Brontë podcast on Amazon Music here or by searching for The House Of Brontë on your usual podcast provider:

The House Of Brontë Podcast

I hope you can join me next Sunday for another new Brontë blog.