Charlotte Bronte’s Writing Desk
The writing desk of Charlotte Bronte (1816 to 1855) is a sight to see at the Bronte Parsonage Museum, Haworth.
Today, we use the keyboard rather than the quill: seeing a nineteenth century version of a ‘word processor’ is fascinating.
Charlotte Bronte’s writing desk can be seen as part of the museum’s experience, along with that of her sister, Emily’s.
Charlotte’s Desk
Her desk is sloped and at one time included items such as a braid of Anne’s hair, tied in blue ribbon; patterns for clothing and wallpaper, and other items.
Charlotte, along with her sisters, wrote mainly in the parlour, which is referred to today as the dining room.
Her writing desk is small and portable with compartments for ink, paper, spare nibs and pens.
All of these items could be locked away and kept safe while travelling.
The desk was unlocked for the first time in 1973.
Memorial cards for Bramwell and Emily were inside, too.
Charlotte’s portable writing desk includes some inlaid brass on the front and at the top.
It measures 355mm by 239mm by 110mm deep.
The top brass plate is engraved with C Bronte.
Other items include two glass ink pots; blotting paper and a sheet of hand ruled paper.
There’s also an ivory-handled seal, lumps of sealing wax and packets of sealing wafers which include printed phrases such as: ‘All’s well’ and other phrases.
As well as one small nib pen there are 114 steel nib pens.
A tiny devotional book and an invite from Oxford’s Mayor and Mayoress to a reception (dated 1854, a year before Charlotte’s death) were also found.
Writing desks at the time had different names including writing box, lap desk (similar to a modern-day term lap top) or a travelling desk.
The writing desk is very popular in the Victorian era, when more people could read and write.
By 1840, with improvements to the postal service, including the penny post system, more letters are also written.
In Charlotte’s time sealing wax is still used to seal the letters, before gummed envelopes were invented and became popular.
Emily’s Writing Desk
Emily’s is made of rosewood, inlaid with mother of pearl, while the inside includes a purple velvet lining.
Her desk revealed treasure trove of assorted items including sealing wax, pen shafts, nibs, fabrics receipts, coins, reviews of Wuthering Heights, and a letter.
Steel nibs, which start to appear in the early to mid 1840s, are produced in many different styles.
Styles included different slits in the shoulder of the nib (to hold more ink), different sized points (for different writing purposes) and ones suitable for left handed writers.
In the mid 1840s, Henry Stephens began producing a black writing fluid that was ‘as durable and indelible as the printed record.’
Glass ink bottles took on different shapes and sizes and the Bronte’s ink bottles varied in style.
Further reading:
Haworth Parsonage: the home of the Brontes by Jocelyn Keller, The Bronte Society
Writing Antiques by George Mell, Shire Publications
Six Treasures, the Bronte Parsonage Museum
Portable Writing Desks, by David Harris, Shire Publications
Writing Rituals of the Bronte, by Kate Jones (online article)
Charlotte Brontes Writing Desk, New York Public Library