Elizabeth Branwell facts for kids

Elizabeth Branwell (born in 1776, died in 1842) was the aunt of the famous writers Charlotte Brontë, Emily Brontë, and Anne Brontë. People often called her 'Aunt Branwell'. She helped look after the Brontë children after her sister, Maria Branwell, passed away in 1821. Aunt Branwell managed their home until she died in 1842.

Early Life of Elizabeth Branwell

Elizabeth Branwell was one of twelve children. Her parents, Thomas Branwell and Anne Carne, lived in Penzance, Cornwall, a town in England. Her family was very successful in business. Her father owned a brewery, an inn, and the biggest grocery store in town.

The family was very close. But this changed when her father died in 1808, and her mother passed away the next year. Elizabeth's sister, Maria Branwell, moved north to Yorkshire. There, Maria met and married Patrick Brontë. Elizabeth likely moved in with her married sister, Charlotte. Maria's daughter, Charlotte Brontë, was named after this sister. We don't know much about Elizabeth's life in Penzance after this. However, she was part of polite society and had her own income, which meant she lived comfortably.

Becoming 'Aunt Branwell'

Elizabeth Branwell visited Maria in 1815. At that time, Maria lived in Hartshead, Yorkshire, where Patrick worked as a church minister. Elizabeth met her young nieces, Maria and Elizabeth, during this visit. The younger Elizabeth was named after her aunt.

Elizabeth helped her sister's family move to Thornton, Yorkshire. Patrick had been offered a better job there. She stayed with the family for a year. She also helped when Charlotte was born in 1816. Soon after the family settled in Thornton, Elizabeth Branwell went back to Penzance.

In the summer of 1821, she was called back to Maria's side. This time, Maria was in Haworth, Yorkshire, and was very ill. Maria died on September 15, 1821. Elizabeth decided to stay for a while to help care for Maria and Patrick's six children.

Aunt, Mother, and Friend

When Elizabeth Branwell took over caring for her nieces and nephew, the oldest child, Maria, was seven. The youngest, Anne, was only twenty months old. Elizabeth was 45 and had never married. She missed her warm home in Cornwall. However, she stayed in cold, quiet Haworth to help Patrick raise and teach his children.

She kept the family on a strict schedule. Her main job was running the house and looking after the younger children. Sadly, the two oldest girls, Maria and Elizabeth, died from an illness they caught at the Cowan Bridge School. After this, Patrick decided to keep the children at home. He and Elizabeth would teach them there. Branwell Brontë, the only boy in the family, especially loved "Aunt Branwell." He really needed a mother figure after his own mother died.

Aunt Branwell's Influence

Elizabeth Branwell bought several magazines that the children loved to read. Charlotte remembered "reading them secretly and with the greatest joy." Elizabeth also continued to receive her yearly income. She didn't need much money for herself. Because of this, she could pay for many of the Brontë children's plans that would have been impossible otherwise.

For example, she gave the girls money to open a boarding school. However, no students ever joined the school. She also paid for Charlotte and Emily's trip to Brussels. There, they went to study French.

Death

Elizabeth Branwell suddenly became ill in October 1842. She had a serious problem with her stomach. Charlotte and Emily were in Brussels at the time. They were told about their aunt's illness. But it was too late. Elizabeth died four days later, on October 25, 1842, in Haworth, Yorkshire.

Branwell, who was thought to be Elizabeth's favorite, was heartbroken. He wrote to a friend, "I have now lost the guide and director of all the happy days connected with my childhood." She was buried in the family tomb. Her sister and two nieces were also buried there.