The Brontë Sisters' Daily Life: Inside the Parsonage in the 1840s

[@BrontëChick]

Elizabeth Gaskell wrote of The Parsonage: "Everything about the place tells of the most dainty order, the most exquisite cleanliness. The door-steps are spotless; the small old-fashioned window-panes glitter like looking-glass. Inside and outside of that house cleanliness goes up into its essence, purity." Love the video ❤

[@brontesistersuk]

I'm sure Tabby and Martha took great pride in keeping everything tip-top. Thanks for your support and for joining me.

[@sarawoods1450]

Sent this to my 96 year old mother who loves KZbin!

[@brontesistersuk]

Wow, thats amazing, I hope she likes it, let me know what she thinks. Thank you to you both for watching.

[@CurtRowlett]

I enjoyed this "Day in the Life" of the Brontë household. And running a house was certainly a full time job in those days.

[@brontesistersuk]

So much was needed, I thank my lucky stars I was born when I was. Thanks for watching.

[@Artfanbookfan25]

Recently I wondered if Branwell might have turned out differently if his eldest sisters didn't pass away, especially Maria. By all accounts he seemed to have been closest to her, even more than with Charlotte. I think his "losing control" as an adult was a result of PTSD due to all the childhood traumas. The Victorians expected children to just "cope" with grief and move on.

[@brontesistersuk]

I agree that his childhood traumas made him the man he became. He saw so many people in terrible pain then die. No wonder he turned to drugs. I really want to look into Branwell a bit more, I started researching him and have some information but want more before I made a video on him. I want it to be right and do him justice. Thank you for watching.

[@Artfanbookfan25]

​@@brontesistersuk I do have some sympathy for him, but I definitely *don't* think he wrote _Wuthering Heights_ , as some have claimed (they have said that he either wrote the whole book, or the first volume).

[@brontesistersuk]

@@Artfanbookfan25 I don't think he wrote Wuthering Heights either.

[@valkyrie9517]

You don't only was the step you donkey stone it! It was a yellow type of chalky stuff that made a wide yellow margin each end of each step.

[@brontesistersuk]

@@valkyrie9517 I know what you mean. That's a great name for it.

[@PhilipMurphy8]

A enjoyable Friday with Bronte Sisters

[@brontesistersuk]

Brilliant, that's all I ask. Thank you for watching.

[@mrs.g.9816]

It's a wonder the Bronte sisters had any energy left for their writing!

[@brontesistersuk]

It highlighted to me how much work women did back then. At least it was a way to keep warm in the badly heated house. Thank you for watching and joining me.

[@LaceyMad]

Really enjoy Friday’s with you and the Brontes! Best wishes from foggy North Yorkshire 😬💜🇬🇧

[@brontesistersuk]

What a dull day it's been out today. I am so pleased you like today's video. x

[@almostbrisibodiaries]

Thoroughly enjoyed this! Thank you.

[@brontesistersuk]

I’m so pleased, thank you for watching.

[@carlapolastro6581]

Thank you so much, Kate, for your insightful and informative videos. My husband and I were in Haworth back in 2017 and had a glorious time there. Very warm greetings from Florence, Italy.

[@brontesistersuk]

Florence, wow, I love it there. Whenever I hear swallows it reminds me of the streets in Florence. Hope you get back to Haworth one day soon. Thank you for watching.

[@Sue-np9fp]

Hi Kate, another great insight into the daily life of the Bronte sisters! I am re-reading, 'unquiet Soul' by Margot Peters, and often think, when there's a particularly difficult passage, "I wish Kate was here, so I could ask her, what she makes of this!" Like a Tutorial, but with laughs, if that makes sense! Completely with you on the window-cleaning issue; we have a Golden Retriever, whose nose print 'decorates' the glass in the back door...I tell myself it looks cute, and I don't want to wash it off (Ahem)! surely life is too short, for window cleaning?! Any news from C4 about you doing a series, Kate? THIS IS LONG OVERDUE!! Thanks for another very enjoyable watch! Love sue xxx

[@brontesistersuk]

You have made me smile. I too have dog prints (nose and feet) plus child hand prints on my windows. I like to think they are there to stop the birds from flying into the glass. :-) Do you think anyone would believe me? You wouldn't want me there whilst you were reading, I would be constantly chatting and stopping to get tea. We would have a good giggle. Thank you for being there week after week for me. x

[@jackjernigan-ks6bl]

I had the good fortune to visit the Parsonage in 2014. Naturally I was in awe of the surroundings, but my thoughts were on the sisters as authors and on the family dynamics; at no time did I consider their daily routines, so this video has given me another perspective. PS: The front step was immaculate.

[@brontesistersuk]

I think we do forget that this family was a normal family (apart from Charlotte and Patrick who had more time experiencing the success, the others never knew of it) so they would have had normal worries like if they had enough soap to last till the next shop and if the bread will rise. I think seeing them like this makes what they wrote more amazing, writing really was a part time pleasure. Thank you for watching and I hope you get back to the Parsonage soon, the exhibitions and displays change all the time.

[@jackjernigan-ks6bl]

​@@brontesistersuk Thanks. I'll be looking for more episodes on your channel.

[@Artfanbookfan25]

When I visited in 2013, I was struck with how close the house was to the graveyard (albeit not all of the trees had been planted then). It's easy to see the Gothic influence on their works and I thought of them writing by candlelight at night, with the wind howling through the graves.

[@brontesistersuk]

@@Artfanbookfan25 the wind howls around the house making some odd noises so that adds to the drama too.

[@jackjernigan-ks6bl]

@@Artfanbookfan25 Music to Emily's ears?

[@my-mysknitsaloon]

I really love to handwash, lol. The common laundry-place groose me out. Finding others pubes hair aso in my finish laundry, no thanks . Women back then took great pride of their laundry when it was hanged to dry outside. Anyhoo, this video was a joy to watch . Airhugs to you Kate.🙏💝🦋

[@brontesistersuk]

I will happily take your air-hugs, thank you. I love hanging washing out, the smell is so nice. You have placed a thought in my head now I don't want, thanks!!! Thank you for your weekly support, seeing my regulars popping up with comments makes me so happy. You are all friends to me now.

[@butterflygirlenergy]

I thoroughly enjoyed this! They were certainly busy women and achieving so much in short lifetimes! Thank you so much 🙏❤️ Have a lovely weekend 🥰

[@brontesistersuk]

Thank you for watching. When looking into it I could imagine that throughout the day of chores they would be thinking about the next chapter they wanted to write. Almost like a day dream to get them through the dull jobs.

[@butterflygirlenergy]

@@brontesistersuk Often the best ideas come when we are busy doing something menial that doesn't require any thought. I can imagine them daydreaming whilst doing their chores! ✨

[@brontesistersuk]

@@butterflygirlenergy I always think about video ideas when doing dull jobs around the house or driving.

[@betinaceciliafeld9854]

Hi! New subscriber here, all the way from Argentina 😁. I discovered your channel a few weeks ago while looking content related to Victober and I'm enyoing your videos very much ☺️

[@brontesistersuk]

Hello and Welcome, thank you for subscribing and coming along on my adventures. It blows my mind you are so far away but sharing my corner of Yorkshire with me. Hope you've managed to read plenty in Victober, I wish it was longer, my TBR pile hasn't gone down as much as I wanted it to.

[@betinaceciliafeld9854]

@@brontesistersuk I celebrate Victober all the year around, to be honest 😬😍

[@brontesistersuk]

@@betinaceciliafeld9854 I like your style. I think I will have a Vicear (Victorian Year).

[@verynearlyinteresting]

I watched this too early … nothing to look forward to tonight now🙈! Great episode as always!Tez.

[@brontesistersuk]

That's funny. I am so pleased you liked it. Your support is brilliant, thank you.

[@rosalindperkins6744]

Sorry it’s taken so long to leave a comment. My sister and I love your videos and found this one particularly fascinating! Just the everyday chores and living with only candlelight when it got dark. We’ve been chatting about it today over coffee. Many thanks for your hard work.

[@brontesistersuk]

I am so thrilled that my video was part of your coffee-catch-up. That's really made me smile. I am so pleased you both like it, there is so much about the famous Bronte sisters as writers and not about the normal women they were and how they coped. Looking into their lives fascinates me and I think it helps me understand the writers they became. Thank you for your comment. x

[@sarawoods1450]

Thanks!

[@brontesistersuk]

Thank you so much, that is very kind of you. I am so pleased you are enjoying the videos.

[@bluumz-n-veg]

I wonder if there were "knocker-uppers" in Howarth? This was such an interesting episode, thanks! If you're looking for future topics, I'd love to see one about writing accoutrements of the time, ie: pens, paper, inks, writing slopes... what items they might have used, how they were used, and where they would have gotten them.

[@brontesistersuk]

Most towns and villages that had factories or Mills nearby would have had them. I did a video about writing and tried out pens and ink from the time: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYO6omafnsqYmtk Hope that gives you a little more of an insight. Thanks for coming along with me.

[@lunamestrela]

Thank you for a wonderful video ❤ Your enthusiasm is so contagious!

[@brontesistersuk]

Thank you. I enjoy researching and making these videos so much and having people want to watch them is brilliant.

[@lunamestrela]

@@brontesistersuk I really shows that you enjoy what you're doing 🙂 Nothing compares with hearing someone talk about what they're sincerely interested in! Good luck with your future projects!

[@stephaniec3619]

This was a lovely start to my morning! I’m glad we don’t have quite so many chores to do today. I have never heard of people washing their front steps, that’s certainly a new one to me. Thanks again for all of your content!

[@Briardie]

Washing the front step went on until the 1970s at least. I remember it.

[@judithcook2372]

Thanks, great video! The family and servants would also gather for prayers with Patrick each day

[@brontesistersuk]

It was a big thing, no one wanted to be know as the 'unclean' house. It's not just Bronte info you learn on my channel, loads of useless information that might help in a pub quiz one day. :-)

[@brontesistersuk]

I remember seeing some women cleaning their step in the 1980s. And, buffing the brass letterbox. Thank you for watching.

[@brontesistersuk]

Of course, I missed that out, thank you for mentioning it. Could imagine Tabby was thinking "I have so much to get on with, can we make this quick". :-)

[@christysmith1058]

Thank you for another wonderful video! Every time I watch one of your videos I just get the feeling you have a real connection to the Brontës because you present them in such a realistic, empathetic way. I’ve been to Haworth twice (I’m American) and would like nothing more than to go back but most likely won’t be able to, so watching your videos is the next best thing.

[@brontesistersuk]

I happy to be here until you get back to Haworth. I see the Brontes as women first I think then writers (if that makes sense) and it makes me want to know more. I just happen to be taking you all with me. Thank you for watching and coming alone with me. x

[@redfeather8927]

Thank you for another great video! I am glad that I found your channel.😊

[@brontesistersuk]

Thank you so much for joining me and I’m pleased you liked the video. So many more adventures coming up.

[@alankennethwilkinson814]

There exists an old photo of the parsonage showing bed sheet drying draped over the bushes at the side Love your channel and anything associated with the Brontes

[@brontesistersuk]

I would love to see this picture, will have to have a hunt for it. Thank you for this is and for watching.

[@carolinecoffey5404]

Thank you I really enjoyed this recently visited Haworth still an interesting historic place

[@brontesistersuk]

It is such a lovely place to visit, every season it looks different but this time of year is the best. Thank you for watching.

[@grahamhumphreys3086]

Excellent video, in the north of England, where I'm from. my grandma would donkey stone the step..and wash it..

[@brontesistersuk]

Oh my goodness, I haven't hear that phrase for years. You just woke up a memory I had totally forgotten about of me laughing at my Nan when she was talking about Donkey Stone, I thought it was a donkey shaped stone for so many years. Thank you for the memory and thank you for watching.

[@anyaharris5617]

Fantastic programme. A lot of research has obviously been done. However, if the presenter controled her facial expressions, it would have looked much better. The buldged eyes might impress the young audience, but this is clearly aimed at an older generation, who appreciates calmness. Thank you.

[@brontesistersuk]

Just the way my eyes are, no extra bulging was intended. 😆 I’m glad you like the content though.

[@user-qh8nh7oe6d]

It must have been heavy work taking wet sheets upto the church yard! I think Patrick objected to it?! But always lovely to see washing getting dry on a clothes line on a windy day.The Bronte servants were so much part of the family really, its lovely how you've brought the Parsonage into quite a busy bustling place, and then the quiet at the end of the day for the sisters writing and talking by the fire.

[@brontesistersuk]

I love the fresh smell from outside dried washing. I kept thinking that sheets dried on the gravestones would dry into the shape of the stone, spooky. I can imagine Patrick not liking it. Thank you for watching.

[@user-qh8nh7oe6d]

Yes, your sheets dried into tombstone shapes,

[@brontesistersuk]

@@user-qh8nh7oe6d not easy to iron.

[@eagleitalia]

Sounds harsh and hard. Still prefer it to getting the 09:12 from Orpington to Waterloo East (oftentimes standing room only) five days a week.

[@brontesistersuk]

I don't miss regular train travel. Poor you. Thanks for watching and happy weekend aka no train days.

[@CatherineAragon1536]

I can tell the difference between a cuppa and the late afternoon meal called tea. A cuppa is a cup of English breakfast tea (usually but not always) with a splash of milk and some sugar. Tea is a mid to late afternoon pick me up which has often consisted of scones, biscuits, or even something more substantial depending on the person or family. Not everyone eats supper, therefore supper often gets rolled into tea. I do not generally have a tea, but I do have a cuppa often. We tend to skip tea and go for a late supper instead. The kids will munch on a later afternoon snack that they make for themselves, but I don't formally have a tea set out for them. It's difficult in the US anyway because British biscuits have to be ordered and shipped here and scones have to have clotted cream, which is not easy to find. I could make other things, of course, but I am lazy and tired. I admire the Victorian work ethic. They got much more accomplished with fewer resources than I do with all of the modern conveniences that many middle class American households have.

[@brontesistersuk]

Whilst looking into the jobs of the women in the house, it made me feel very lazy (and lucky to have electricity). We have it so easy in comparison. No clotted cream, what!!!! Is it not a thing there? Glad you are on top of the Tea business, well done. Thank you so much for coming along. I am so happy to have you with me.

[@CatherineAragon1536]

@@brontesistersuk it's not much of a thing in the US because we have to have all of our dairy pasteurized and clotted cream isn't made from pasteurized cream generally. So if I can find it, and I will try, it will not taste the same as it would in the UK. Oh well, we work with what we have. A cuppa isn't so hard. I can't stomach coffee, so my alternative is a cuppa T even if it is not overly supported in the US. It's hard to find a good cuppa here. I am British at heart even if I am not a British citizen now. My family was once upon a time. I like the Brontë sisters books. I used to read them for fun in secondary school years ago. Glad to come along.

[@brontesistersuk]

@@CatherineAragon1536 At least you can make tea. You must arrange to come to the UK so you can just eat scones and cream and drink tea for a week.

[@CatherineAragon1536]

@@brontesistersuk that would be lovely. Yes, I would enjoy that. It's on my bucket list of things to do.

[@brontesistersuk]

@@CatherineAragon1536 I should do a review of all the places that make tea in Haworth and rate them on how well they make it and their cake selection. Dream job.

[@ritaking8827]

❤

[@brontesistersuk]

Thank you.

[@lindamcauley4728]

The front door step was cleaned once a week. Not every day.

[@brontesistersuk]

Thank you. Maybe she swept it everyday.

[@bestcrossroad]

Great video, good narration. The sound that divides the topic is a bit painful to the ears (to me), it sounds like a knife being sharpened onto another knife rhythmically. Otherwise, content is well presented. Thanks.

[@brontesistersuk]

Thank you for watching and I struggle with music. I never know if I should or shouldn’t put it in. Feedback is always welcome, it helps me grow.

[@bestcrossroad]

@@brontesistersuk Perhaps it was just me, maybe too because I was watching your video at the end of a long day and was just sensitive to sounds. I liked and subscribed.

[@brontesistersuk]

@@bestcrossroad I am pleased you said, it all helps me understand what works and doesn't. Thank you for subscribing.

[@bambismomkelly7423]

I doubt they washed the bedsheets every week....instead they would " air them out", putting them outside or by an open window....people were just were not that clean in those days.

[@brontesistersuk]

Very true. Thank you, I have a memory of my Nan "airing the room" which was having the window wide open no matter the weather to "let the air get round". Thank you for watching.

[@eaglesoars0425]

Well now you have me thinking. The fate of entire civilizations could rest on LAUNDRY. I am not mocking you. I have to do some research. Thank you.

[@brontesistersuk]

Laundry is a big thing. We need clean clothes but we are so dependant on the weather for drying (here in the UK especially.) Enjoy your research. :-)

[@athenathegreatandpowerful6365]

​@@brontesistersuk I know that, for myself, if the laundry goes poorly then the rest of my day is behindhand and stays there for a couple of days. I have a small cold water washer and hang my clothes out, or in depending on the vagaries of the weather, to dry. Some days I only get the towels done because they simply just won't dry. Sigh. Throws my week off. My floors are done by hand, scrub brush, soapy (then clean) water and a towel fit for nothing else to dry. They don't seem Clean any other way.

[@brontesistersuk]

@@athenathegreatandpowerful6365 I love a good clean floor and have been known to get on my hands and knees and put some elbow grease into it. 😀