Today, your most happening Reach Cambridge group went to Bronte country (completely undaunted by the 5 hour “sleepaton” coach journey). We woke up abnormally early, before the sun had risen (keep in mind how early the summer sun rises!), to catch a five-hour coach to the Bronte country. Very promptly, the bus journey started, and we traveled past fields of cows, grass, weeds, grass, more cows, a horse, a cute cottage, and then more grass. Eventually everybody fell asleep and we reached the beautiful countryside of Yorkshire feeling all feisty and alive.
The purpose of our visit to this picturesque Haworth (the summer moors were surprisingly green and pastoral) nestled in the tranquil countryside was to gain a better understanding of the Bronte sisters, their background, family life, society, and how these factors help influence and inspire their writings.
The visit included a tour of the Haworth parsonage, the home of Emily, Charlotte, and Anne Bronte, (world famous authors of Wuthering heights, Jane Eyre, and Agnes Grey respectively), from 1820 to 1861. The Brontës, published under the pseudonyms of Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell, were acknowledged at the time for their direct and powerful emotional energy, qualities which were sometimes interpreted by some critics then as ‘coarse’ and ‘brutal’.
The tour of the Bronte Parsonage Museum gave us an impression of the lives led by the Bronte sisters in the 19th century. This included seeing the Bronte’s dining room, where Charlotte, Emily, and Anne did most of their writing, Charlotte’s bedroom, whom she shared with her husband, Arthur Bell Nicholls, and the exhibition room which tells the story of the lives and works of the famous inhabitants of Haworth Parsonage. We found this tour very informative about the lives led by the Brontes, and how disciplined and dedicated they were to creating their imaginative pursuits despite having little formal academic guidance.
One reason the Brontes were able to craft these imaginative stories was because they were home schooled and spent much time alone, and this made us think of how Singapore children are always kept busy by school, tuition and co-curricular activities, and we wondered if a freer schedule would allow us to fully explore our potential and develop our talents, just like the Brontes. We also learnt how dangerous tuberculosis was during the 19th century era of no proper water sanitation as this particular disease succeeded in claiming the lives of all six Bronte children before 35 years of age.
After the museum tour, we were given free time to explore the beautiful village of Haworth, exploring the quaint teashops and vintage boutiques lining the cute pebblestone pavements. It was a great experience for us all, and (fun fact), we actually managed to buy perfume from an old boutique where the Brontes allegedly purchased opium! We had a lovely and unforgettable experience!
Alas, after all that fun, it was time for our journey back to Cambridge, and we all left with heavy hearts, so reluctant to part from this rare village untouched by the evils of industrialization. So began our 5 hour coach ride back home, past green grass, and cows, and even more cows, and even sheep. It was a rare experience of watching the day go by during our ten hour coach ride.
Overall, we felt that this was one of the best experiences we’ve ever had on this trip for it is near impossible to find such a lovely piece of history that is still present and untouched by external influences today. We highly recommend the Bronte Parsonage Museum tour as an attraction that one should not miss should one be passing by the Yorkshire area.
