Arthur Bell Nicholls
Encyclopedia
Arthur Bell Nicholls was curate to Patrick Brontë
, and husband of Patrick's daughter Charlotte Brontë
, a famous 19th century English novelist.
Nicholls, cared for Charlotte's aged father after her death, and spent the rest of his life as curator of her memory. After the death of Charlotte, he returned to his native Ireland, remarried, and left the church.
, County Antrim, in Ireland
to father William Nicholls, a Presbyterian farmer, and mother Margaret Bell, a member of the Anglican Church. He was educated at the Royal Free School in Banagher
, whose headmaster was his uncle, Alan Bell. In 1836 Nicholls entered Trinity College, Dublin from where he finally graduated in 1844. Charlotte Brontë, Margaret Smith, The Letters of Charlotte Brontë: 1852-1855, Oxford University Press, 2004, pages xxxv à xxxix
in 1845 in Lichfield
, England and became Patrick Brontë's vicar in June of that year. Charlotte Brontë said of him that he appeared to be a respectable young man who reads well, and that she hope would give satisfaction. Although he visited the poor of the parish practically every afternoon, he was considered to be strict and conventional, and in 1847 he carried out a campaign to prevent women from hanging their washing out to dry in the cemetery. Charlotte noted sadly that while he was away on holiday in Ireland, many parishioners hoped that he would not return. He began to develop closer relations with Charlotte who by that time had written Jane Eyre
, and they conducted a friendly exchange of letters.
Following the death of Charlotte in 1855, Nicholls remained at Haworth for six years as Patrick's assistant until Patrick's death in 1861.
in the county of Offaly in his native Ireland where he owned a house called Hill House, known today as Charlotte's Way. In 1864 he married a cousin, Mary Bell, and left the church. After his death in 1906 at the age of 88, his wife who was short of money, sold many of her husband's souvenirs of his former wife to the Brontë Society, including the portrait by Branwell Brontë
of the three sisters, that had been kept, folded in four, on the top of a wardrobe.
, a friend of Charlotte, accuses him of being ... that wicked man who was the death of dear Charlotte.Campbell, Marie (2001) Strange World of the Brontes, Sigma Leisure, p. 12 Patrick Brontë remained opposed to the marriage, maintaining that Nicholls was not worthy of his daughter's hand in marriage. Elizabeth Gaskell
judged him as intransigent and bigoted, adding however, that (Charlotte) would never have been happy but with an exacting, rigid, law-giving, passionate man. Even Charlotte's two best friends remained divided: Nussey was hostile towards Nicholls and disapproved of their correspondence , while Mary Taylor reproaches Nussey for exerting pressure on Charlotte to give up her choice in a matter so important.
Nevertheless, the marriage appeared to succeed. The two servants at the parsonage in Haworth, Tabitha Aykroyd and Martha Brown firmly believe that Charlotte and Arthur were happy. It is possible however, that Charlotte's feelings were at first ambivalent, if only because she had to give up the liberty she had enjoyed as a single woman. During her honeymoon she wrote to Nussey:
Their relationship deepened rapidly and on 26 December 1854, she wrote: he is certainly my dear boy, and he is dearer to me today than he was six months ago.
Patrick Brontë
The Reverend Patrick Brontë was an Irish Anglican curate and writer, who spent most of his adult life in England and was the father of the writers Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë, and of Branwell Brontë, his only son....
, and husband of Patrick's daughter Charlotte Brontë
Charlotte Brontë
Charlotte Brontë was an English novelist and poet, the eldest of the three Brontë sisters who survived into adulthood, whose novels are English literature standards...
, a famous 19th century English novelist.
Nicholls, cared for Charlotte's aged father after her death, and spent the rest of his life as curator of her memory. After the death of Charlotte, he returned to his native Ireland, remarried, and left the church.
Early years
Nicholls was born in KilleadKillead
Killead is a small village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is near Aldergrove and Antrim. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 78 people.The village is near Belfast International Airport and is accessed from the A26 Tully Road.-People:...
, County Antrim, in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to father William Nicholls, a Presbyterian farmer, and mother Margaret Bell, a member of the Anglican Church. He was educated at the Royal Free School in Banagher
Banagher
Banagher is a town in Ireland, located in the midlands on the western edge of County Offaly in the province of Leinster, on the banks of the River Shannon. The name Banagher comes from its Irish name which translates to English as "the place of the pointed rocks on the Shannon"...
, whose headmaster was his uncle, Alan Bell. In 1836 Nicholls entered Trinity College, Dublin from where he finally graduated in 1844. Charlotte Brontë, Margaret Smith, The Letters of Charlotte Brontë: 1852-1855, Oxford University Press, 2004, pages xxxv à xxxix
Vicar at Haworth
He was ordained as a deaconDeacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
in 1845 in Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
, England and became Patrick Brontë's vicar in June of that year. Charlotte Brontë said of him that he appeared to be a respectable young man who reads well, and that she hope would give satisfaction. Although he visited the poor of the parish practically every afternoon, he was considered to be strict and conventional, and in 1847 he carried out a campaign to prevent women from hanging their washing out to dry in the cemetery. Charlotte noted sadly that while he was away on holiday in Ireland, many parishioners hoped that he would not return. He began to develop closer relations with Charlotte who by that time had written Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre is a novel by English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published in London, England, in 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. with the title Jane Eyre. An Autobiography under the pen name "Currer Bell." The first American edition was released the following year by Harper & Brothers of New York...
, and they conducted a friendly exchange of letters.
Marriage with Charlotte Brontë
On 13 December 1852, Nicholls asked Charlotte for her hand in marriage. Patrick, Charlotte's father, refused with vehemence, on the grounds that a poor Irish pastor should never be bold enough to suggest marrying his famous daughter. In 1853 Nicholls announced his intention to leave for Australia as a missionary, but Charlotte was able to convince him that she was not insensitive to his passion. He was therefore exiled for several months to another parish from where he had several secret meetings with Charlotte in Haworth. Little by little Charlotte became persuaded by Nicholls, and from respect to her determination, her father finally relented and in February 1854 gave his permission for the visits. They were married four months later in the church at Haworth. Still reticent about the marriage however, Patrick did not attend his daughter's wedding ceremony and Charlotte was led to the altar by Miss Margaret Wooler, the former school mistress of the Brontë sisters at Roe Head.Following the death of Charlotte in 1855, Nicholls remained at Haworth for six years as Patrick's assistant until Patrick's death in 1861.
Return to Ireland
After the death of Patrick Brontë, Nicholls returned to BanagherBanagher
Banagher is a town in Ireland, located in the midlands on the western edge of County Offaly in the province of Leinster, on the banks of the River Shannon. The name Banagher comes from its Irish name which translates to English as "the place of the pointed rocks on the Shannon"...
in the county of Offaly in his native Ireland where he owned a house called Hill House, known today as Charlotte's Way. In 1864 he married a cousin, Mary Bell, and left the church. After his death in 1906 at the age of 88, his wife who was short of money, sold many of her husband's souvenirs of his former wife to the Brontë Society, including the portrait by Branwell Brontë
Branwell Brontë
Patrick Branwell Brontë was a painter and poet, the only son of the Brontë family, and the brother of the writers Charlotte, Emily, and Anne.-Youth:...
of the three sisters, that had been kept, folded in four, on the top of a wardrobe.
Relations with Charlotte Brontë
Nicholls' personality has given rise to various analyses. Ellen NusseyEllen Nussey
Ellen Nussey , was a lifelong friend and correspondent of British author Charlotte Brontë and, through more than 500 letters received from her, was a major source for Elizabeth Gaskell's 1857 biography The Life of Charlotte Brontë.-Early years:Nussey was the twelfth child of John Nussey , a cloth...
, a friend of Charlotte, accuses him of being ... that wicked man who was the death of dear Charlotte.Campbell, Marie (2001) Strange World of the Brontes, Sigma Leisure, p. 12 Patrick Brontë remained opposed to the marriage, maintaining that Nicholls was not worthy of his daughter's hand in marriage. Elizabeth Gaskell
Elizabeth Gaskell
Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, née Stevenson , often referred to simply as Mrs Gaskell, was a British novelist and short story writer during the Victorian era...
judged him as intransigent and bigoted, adding however, that (Charlotte) would never have been happy but with an exacting, rigid, law-giving, passionate man. Even Charlotte's two best friends remained divided: Nussey was hostile towards Nicholls and disapproved of their correspondence , while Mary Taylor reproaches Nussey for exerting pressure on Charlotte to give up her choice in a matter so important.
Nevertheless, the marriage appeared to succeed. The two servants at the parsonage in Haworth, Tabitha Aykroyd and Martha Brown firmly believe that Charlotte and Arthur were happy. It is possible however, that Charlotte's feelings were at first ambivalent, if only because she had to give up the liberty she had enjoyed as a single woman. During her honeymoon she wrote to Nussey:
Their relationship deepened rapidly and on 26 December 1854, she wrote: he is certainly my dear boy, and he is dearer to me today than he was six months ago.
See also
- BrontëBrontëThe Brontës were a nineteenth-century literary family associated with Haworth in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. The sisters, Charlotte , Emily , and Anne , are well-known as poets and novelists...
- Brontë Parsonage MuseumBrontë Parsonage MuseumThe Brontë Parsonage Museum is maintained by the Brontë Society in honour of the famed Brontë sisters – Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë – in their old home located in Haworth, West Yorkshire, an area of England covered in much open, expansive moorland...