Dyddgu Pritchard Owens

Sally McDonald writes:

Mrs Dyddgu Pritchard Owens passed away on 12 August.

 

Dyddgu was a truly popular and well known figure in the Society who was at every AGM weekend I can remember until this year, and her absence this year was noticeable. She won friends with her cheery nature and passion for the Brontes and Haworth.  The Society offers deepest sympathies to Dyddgu's family.

Welcome back, Kate Bush

Kate Bush, a terrific singer and performer, brought a significant number of new members to the Brontë Society after the release of her 1978 single Wuthering Heights, and turned many others towards actually reading the novel. She is still popular with many aficionados, even though not an enormous amount seems to have happened for an incredible thirty-five years.

Now she has come back to live performance - in Hammersmith and then in Manchester. It is one of the big musical events this year. We'd love to have your review, so send it to the blog at heveliusx1@yahoo.co.uk

Marina Saegerman writes:

I went to the opening night on Tuesday 26 August. The atmosphere of anticipation beforehand, waiting outside with the crowd to get in the concert hall, was really magical. You could feel the excitement everywhere!

I loved the first part of the concert, which was a series of songs followed by a theatrical performance of The Ninth Wave: Kate gave a spectacular show, she had a very strong voice and the whole story was fascinating to watch.

The second part after the break was less interesting, still spectacular in a way but also very confusing. Less strong than the Ninth Wave performance. The anticipation and expectations in the concert hall grew with the encore, and although she performed two beautiful songs, you could feel that the audience was waiting for Wuthering Heights, which did not come. The audience was applauding for more, but Kate did not return to oblige. That was a little bit of a disappointment, but I was glad to have been there and seen it all. 

It was certainly a magical evening. Something to treasure always.

Benjamin Lovegrove writes:
I was there last night (Saturday 6 September). Like many people, I wanted to hear Wuthering Heights but Kate does Cloudbusting for the finale which is a worthy alternative. For me the highlight was Kate's son Bertie singing the male vocal in An Architect's Dream. Before this we heard classic songs like Running Up That Hill and Hounds of Love.

The song cycle Ninth Wave was dark and intense, contrasting well with the summery themes of the songs from Aerial. This included some of Kate's more experimental work featuring birdsong.

It was a very emotional experience as well as a rare chance to see her play live and I recommend anyone who is able to should go and see her. 

From one Haworth to another...

Beth Potter, Friends of the Haworth NJ Library, writes:

I'm president of the Friends of the Library in Haworth, New Jersey, USA.  Our library here is trying to reach out to Brontë fans everywhere to get some help for its expanding library.   I figure anyone who's read and appreciated Jane Eyre or Villette or Wuthering Heights or Agnes Grey must have a soft spot for a place named Haworth.   Haworth, New Jersey, is, in fact, named for Haworth, England - in 1872 a railroadman and land developer named John S. Sauzade named this little station stop Haworth in honor of the Brontë sisters' hometown.  Sauzade was himself a novelist, and, obviously, a huge admirer of the Brontës.  

John S Sauzade

Within our new local history room, we hope to have a plaque on the wall, honoring the sisters - and the British town - that gave us such a special name.   We're also going to have a new children's room and a meeting room.  

The new addition will have a glass 'Donor Wall' with names honoring the people and groups that have donated to our expansion, and it occurred to me that it would be meaningful to have the Brontë Society listed as a donor, because without the Brontës, we wouldn't be a Haworth.   And a library in a town called Haworth is a very relevant place to remember the Brontë sisters.  

If you'd care to help, there's a Paypal "Donate" button on the library website, http://haworth.bccls.org/  We sure would appreciate your support.   Small donations from lots of people add up to a large donation!  And come visit us sometime...  a lot of folks from here have visited your Haworth and had a grand time.  

Milton Rosmer as Heathcliff

Milton Rosmer

One of the historic films shown regularly on television is Goodbye, Mr Chips, which was on larger screens in picture houses in 1939. We'll be seeing it again soon, because of its main theme, which deals with the deaths of young men in the First World War. The main stars were Robert Donat and Greer Garson. One of the lesser-known principals was Milton Rosmer, who played a character called Chatteris. Look out for him next time the film comes round, because back in the 1920s he played Heathcliff in a lost, silent, version of Wuthering Heights, which was made by the Ideal Film Company in and around Haworth, directed by Arthur Bramble. Only a few stills remain as visual evidence of this first adaptation of Emily Brontë's novel.

The film might have gone the same way as many others: made of nitrate stock, it may well have exploded, or turned to dust in a forgotten canister. The script, however, has been found, and has been bought by the Parsonage from a West Sussex book dealer, along with nearly two dozen pages of production notes. It will go on display early in 2015.

In 2006, the lost film was front page news in the Brontë Society Gazette:

Film rights of The Master/De Meester sold

Congratulations to Jolien Janzing! The Master, her novel about Charlotte Brontë's secret love, will soon become a film!
 

Listen to this interview (in Dutch) on Belgian National Radio about Wuthering Heights and Haworth which was made following the passage of the Tour de France through Yorkshire:

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/1.649775?text=jolien+janzing&action=submit

Here is the official press release about the film rights:

Klik hier om de webversie te bekijken.

De Arbeiderspers | A.W. Bruna Uitgevers               Foreign Rights Department                       Manager: Laetitia Powell Stop press! Film rights of The Master sold to David P. Kelly Films Limited The Master/De Meester written by Jolien Janzing on the big screen Dear Friends, I am very pleased to announce you that the Film Rights of The Master/De Meester, a beautiful historical novel about the secret love of Charlotte Brontë written by Jolien Janzing have been sold to DAVID P. KELLY FILMS LIMITED. This is  absolutely wonderful news and sometimes two excellent things happen around the same time. The Turkish rights have also been sold and this to Güldünya Yayınları. I am looking forward to see this marvelous novel on a big screen. David Kelly has made numerous films such as The Last Station with Helen Mirren, The Desert Flower and is currently working together with Ralph Fiennes on the costume drama Two Women which is in Post-Production. I would like to let you know that 2016 will be the memorial year of Charlotte Brontë's birth. We can provide you with a full English Translation of The Master/De Meester (proof copy). If you would like to know more about The Master by Jolien Janzing do not hesitate to contact me, All the best, Laetitia Powell Foreign Rights Manager                                                                                                           Contact:jolien.janzing@gmail.com - 0032 495 26 64 61

Explore here our Foreign Rights Catalogue About the producent Who is David P.Kelly? David P.Kelly has 19 years experience of producing, co-producing and executive developing in international Independent film and television drama. He has just recently financed a  co-production on the film ‘TWO WOMEN’ starring Ralph Fiennes and become a partner with a new Cinema Exhibitor, Shortwave Cinema ltd.

David is a former chairman at First City features, a UK and European Industry recognised Film Producer he has wide ranging experienced having worked at MGM studios in L.A., Working Title Films London, Alibi Television, Eggoli Tossel-Berlin and Rezo Films –Paris. David has a comprehensive understanding of the Film Industry across production, financing, distribution and exhibition. He has developed high quality film scripts from Oscar-winning writers to emerging talented newcomers across a wide range of genres. His latest film (he is the lead UK Executive producer) is TWO WOMEN and stars Ralph Fiennes. It will be released internationally in 2015. Before that he worked on numerous International co-productions including, ‘The Last Station’ starring Helen Mirren and James McAvoy, which was Oscar nominated in 2010. About the author Who is Jolien Janzing? Jolien Janzing (1964) is a Dutch author and journalist who lives in Flanders. She became well known for her controversial reports in Humo. In 2009 she debuted at De Arbeiderspers with her novelGrammatica van een obsessie (Grammar of an obsession). She is a connoisseur of nineteenth-century English literature. Utrecht, 30 juni 2014 INHOUDSOPGAVE • The Master/De Meester written by Jolien Janzing on the big screen • Who is David P.Kelly? • Who is Jolien Janzing? About the book Charlotte Brontë, a parson’s daughter from Yorkshire, England, fragile yet fearless as a young fox, longs for adventure, self-fulfillment and passionate love. She conceives the idea of going abroad to study languages. She manages to persuade her sister Emily to accompany her. Brussels, the capital of the brand-new kingdom of Belgium, with its Catholic liberalism and French wine, represents a culture shock. The Pensionnat Heger is run by Madame Claire Heger, an elegant, shrewd lady. Charlotte falls in love with her husband, monsieur Constantin Heger… Charlotte’s story is interwoven with that of Arcadie Claret, the young mistress of Leopold I, king of the Belgians. Charlotte first sees the girl on the beach in Ostend. Arcadie is so attractive, dearly loved and beautifully dressed, and stands in such sharp contrast to herself, that Charlotte becomes violently jealous of her. A historical novel about the love of Charlotte Brontë for the Brussels teacher Constantin Heger, based on actual events (1842 – 1844). The story is set in Brussels and in West Yorkshire. The Master has been selected for Books at Berlinale.  An integral English translation is now available.

Literature: 272 pages Publisher: De Arbeiderspers Book Trailer: http://veritate.tripolis.com/public/r/Wj4hFBhX_rpmDWGqtxvwkQ/Kl9HbVE8nqsqRpaLpafuYg/kPkecfMKpom3eIZhFGy5yA   Foreign rights: laetitia.powell@apawb.nl

June Weekend - Friday

Friday 13 June, 6.30pm, West Lane Baptist Centre, Haworth

A talk followed by a performance by Simon Warner, David Wilson and Adam Strickson. Preceded by a Harp Quintet and a meal.

An evening of artistic responses to the landscape that influenced the lives and works of the Brontës by musician David Wilson, artist Simon Warner and poet Adam Strickson.

Throughout 2012 David composed music inspired by the Haworth landscape and carried out research into the music played and appreciated by the Brontës. Simon will show film shots in and around Haworth in response to David's musical compositions, while Adam reads poetry by the Brontës and others, including Sylvia Plath, Ted Hughes and Charlotte Mew alongside his own compositions. Pennine Harps will play a selection of music and will complete their set with an arrangement of an Emily Brontë peom set for the harp by a Society member.   

Tickets: £15 (performance only)

Charlotte Brontë’s Scottish jaunt

A record of Charlotte Brontë’s Scottish jaunt in the visitors’ book at Abbotsford, Walter Scott’s home

Helen MacEwan, Malcolm Morrison (Abbotsford guide), Kathleen Shortt

Helen MacEwan writes:

On a trip to Edinburgh on 10-11 May I met up with Kathleen Shortt, the Brontë Society’s representative for Scotland. We went south to the border country for a tour of Sir Walter Scott’s house, Abbotsford, by Malcolm Morrison, a BS member who lives in Melrose and works at the house as a volunteer guide. Scott’s literary creations were of course hugely influential on the Brontës, as on so many other writers of the period; in 1834, advising her friend Ellen Nussey on which novels to read, Charlotte Brontë had written: ‘For fiction read Scott alone – all novels after him are worthless’.

Abbotsford, his amazing and highly personal creation in stone, was to ruin him financially, though he eventually managed to write his way out of debt. We were privileged to have not only a private tour of the house with Malcolm but also a private viewing of the visitors’ book that covers 1850. The book, whose binding is in too fragile a condition to allow it to be permanently displayed, was brought out for us by Sandra Mackenzie, the Heritage and Learning Officer, and opened at the page where Charlotte Brontë and George Smith signed it during their visit to Abbotsford on 5 July of that year along with 17 other visitors. . Charlotte had joined her publisher for a couple of days’ sight-seeing in Scotland when he and his sister went to fetch their younger brother home from his school in Edinburgh for the summer vacation. She was originally to have joined the Smiths for a longer tour of Scotland but her time with them was curtailed, probably because of the disapproval of Ellen and others of her jaunts with the unmarried Smith.

Charlotte and George Smith signatures in the visitors' book

Despite the brevity of her Scottish trip Charlotte waxed lyrical in letters about her glimpse of Edinburgh, Abbotsford and Melrose, telling her friend Laetitia Wheelwright that ‘Edinburgh compared to London is like a vivid page of history compared to a huge dull treatise on Political Economy – and as to Melrose and Abbotsford the very names possess music and magic.’

The visit to Abbotsford was magical for us too, since apart from the fascination of the house itself there was the thrill of seeing Charlotte’s signature – a record of a trip she enjoyed so much, at the height of her friendship with her handsome young publisher.

Fifth Brontë Pilgrimage Sunday 6 July

This is the advertisement for the event, which is not organised by the Brontë Society:

Walk and Worship the Brontë Way

The Vicar of Tunstall, The Revd Carus Wilson set up the Clergy Daughters’ School at Cowan Bridge in January 1824 which Charlotte Bronte and three of her sisters attended  before the elder sisters, Maria and Elizabeth died of consumption in 1825.She subsequently drew on her memories of this experience as the basis for ‘ Lowood School’ in  Jane Eyre. In 1824 all pupils walked to Tunstall Church for Matins- apparently Leck church was not large enough- ate a packed lunch in a room over the porch ( a parvise) and attended Evensong before returning to Cowan Bridge. In 1825 the latter church was expanded and the pupils were saved this long walk.

On Sunday 6 July it is proposed to commemorate this experience by services in both churches starting with Holy Communion at 8am in Leck, St Peter’s Church (car parking available), followed by a visit to the ‘fever’ graves of some of the pupils of the Clergy Daughters’ School.

Those who cannot attend this service can go to the Fraser Hall, Cowan Bridge, where all will assemble to leave as a group at 9.30am ( drinks will be available). The group will then walk to Tunstall following the same route the girls did. (Please wear suitable clothing and footwear) Matins will be held at Tunstall at 11am. The service will be in the style of the period. Bring a packed lunch to eat in the comfort of Tunstall Village Hall-where drinks will be available prior to the return walk.

Refreshments will be then available in the Fraser Hall, Cowan Bridge prior to Evensong at 4.30pm at St Peter’s Leck. As little or as much as you wish, of the Pilgrimage, can be undertaken.