By Tim Lambert
Her Early Life
Charlotte Bronte was a great writer of the early 19th century. Charlotte was born on 21 April 1816 at the parsonage in Market Street in Thornton near the rapidly growing town of Bradford. Her father was Reverend Patrick Bronte. Her mother was Maria. They had 6 children. However, two girls, Maria Bronte and Elizabeth Bronte died when they were children.
In the early 19th century the Industrial Revolution was transforming life in Britain. In the north of England industrial towns were booming. However, in 1820 Charlotte Bronte’s family moved to a moorland village called Haworth. Her mother died in 1821. Her mother’s sister Elizabeth moved to Yorkshire to look after the children.
In 1824 Charlotte Bronte and her sister Emily were sent to join two older sisters Maria and Elizabeth at the Clergy Daughters School in Cowan Bridge in Lancashire.
However, in 1825 Maria and Elizabeth Bronte both died of tuberculosis. Charlotte and Emily Bronte returned home. Afterward, they were educated at home for some years. In 1831-32 Charlotte Bronte went to Margaret Wooler’s school near Dewsbury. Meanwhile, Charlotte loved writing and painting.
Charlotte the Writer
In 1835 Charlotte Bronte went to work at Wooler’s school as a teacher. She worked there till 1838. Then in 1839 Charlotte began working as a governess. However, in 1842 her aunt provided the money for her and her sister Emily to study in Brussels. Charlotte Bronte returned to Yorkshire in 1844. Then in 1846 Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Bronte published some of their poems.
Charlotte Bronte wrote a story called Jane Eyre. It was published in 1847. Charlotte‘s second work Shirley was published in 1848. The third book by Charlotte Bronte was Villette published in 1853.
In 1854 Charlotte Bronte married a man named Arthur Bell Nicholls. However, Charlotte died on 31 March 1855. She was only 38. Charlotte Bronte was buried in Haworth.
