Becoming the Brontës
In October 2023, I visited Leeds for the first time as we headed for the Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery to see a very special collection- some of the little books which the Brontë children created.
I have always been fascinated by miniatures and like many children, used to create tiny books for my toys to read. However, nothing I produced was ever in the same league as the miniature marvels these incredibly talented and creative youngsters made.
The exhibition brought together material from the Blavatnik Honresfield Library not been seen by the public for over 80 years. These handwritten masterpieces by Charlotte, Branwell, Emily and Anne show the evolution of their writing as they began to create these books in the 1820s, filling them with tales of the imaginary worlds they created.
Other items were also on display such as letters and personal possessions. The shawl, handkerchief and bow in the picture above are all said to have belonged to the sisters, but those little books, created and written by such young children, were the real stars of the show!
A fabulous book for engaging children with the little books of the Brontës is ‘The Little Books of the Little Brontës’ by Sara O’Leary, illustrated by Briony May Smith (Walker Books ISBN: 978-1529518313). You can read my review here.
