Patrick Brontë facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patrick Brontë
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Brontë circa 1860
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Patrick Brunty
17 March 1777 Imdel, near Rathfriland, County Down, Ireland
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| Died | 7 June 1861 (aged 84) Haworth, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
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| Nationality | Irish |
| Occupation | Teacher, clergyman |
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Patrick Brontë (born Patrick Brunty; 17 March 1777 – 7 June 1861) was an Irish church leader and writer. He lived most of his life in England. He was the father of famous writers Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë. His only son was Branwell Brontë. Patrick lived much longer than his wife, Maria Branwell. Sadly, all six of his children also passed away before him.
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Patrick Brontë's Early Life
Patrick Brontë was born in a small village called Imdel in County Down, Ireland. He was the oldest of ten children. His father, Hugh Brunty, was a farm worker. His mother was Elinor Alice McClory.
His family was very large and very poor. They owned only a few books, including two Bibles. They mostly ate simple foods like porridge, potatoes, and bread. This diet caused Patrick to have stomach problems throughout his life.
Patrick tried different jobs when he was young. He worked for a blacksmith, a linen seller, and a weaver. In 1798, he became a teacher.
Moving to England and Changing His Name
In 1802, Patrick moved to England. He won a special scholarship to study to become a church leader at St John's College, Cambridge. He first registered his name as "Branty" or "Brunty." Later, he formally changed the spelling to "Brontë." We don't know exactly why he changed it, but there are a few ideas. He finished his studies in 1806.
Patrick Brontë's Church Work
After college, Patrick became a curate (a type of church assistant) in Wethersfield, England. He was officially made a deacon in the Church of England in 1806. The next year, he became a parson.
In Wethersfield, he met a woman named Mary Burder. They fell in love, but her family did not approve. Mary was sent away, and Patrick decided to move to a new church job. Around this time, he started publishing his poems.
In 1809, he became an assistant curate in Wellington, Shropshire. His first poem, Winter Evening Thoughts, was published in a local newspaper. In 1811, he published a collection of poems called Cottage Poems.
Working in Yorkshire
Patrick moved to West Yorkshire in 1809. He worked at All Saints Church in Dewsbury. This area was very religious at the time. Patrick taught reading and writing at the Dewsbury Sunday School. You can find a special plaque for him at Dewsbury Minster.
In 1811, he became an assistant curate at St Peter's Church in Hartshead. He worked there until 1815. He also worked as a school examiner at a school called Woodhouse Grove School. In 1815, he moved again to become the main church leader in Thornton.
Patrick Brontë's Family Life
In Guiseley, Patrick met Maria Branwell (1783–1821). They got married on 29 December 1812. They moved to a house in Liversedge. Their first two children, Maria (born 1814) and Elizabeth (born 1815), were born there.
Their other children were born after they moved to Thornton. These were Charlotte (born 1816), Patrick Branwell (born 1817), Emily (born 1818), and Anne (born 1820).
Moving to Haworth
In 1819, Patrick was offered the main church job at St Michael and All Angels' Church, Haworth. He moved his family there in April 1820.
In 1821, Maria Brontë became very ill. Patrick's sister-in-law, Elizabeth Branwell, moved in to help care for Maria and the children. Elizabeth decided to stay permanently as the housekeeper.
Patrick tried to find a new wife after Maria passed away, but he was not successful. He decided to remain a widower at age 47. He spent his time helping sick and poor people and leading church services. His three daughters, Emily, Charlotte, and Anne, and his son Branwell, were cared for by their aunt and a maid named Tabitha Aykroyd. Tabitha often told them local stories in her Yorkshire accent.
Patrick was important in building a Sunday school in Haworth, which opened in 1832. He also worked hard to get clean water for the village. This was achieved in 1856.
Eye Surgery and Later Years
In August 1846, Patrick traveled to Manchester with Charlotte. He needed eye surgery to remove cataracts. At that time, doctors did not use anesthesia for this type of surgery. After the operation, he had to lie still in a dark room for weeks. While he was recovering, Charlotte started writing her famous book, Jane Eyre.
Patrick outlived all of his children. After his last surviving child, Charlotte, passed away, he worked with Elizabeth Gaskell on a book about Charlotte's life. He also helped publish Charlotte's first novel, The Professor, in 1857. Charlotte's husband, Arthur Bell Nicholls, who was also a church leader, stayed with Patrick until Patrick's death. Patrick Brontë passed away in 1861 at the age of 84.
Portrayals in Films
Patrick Brontë has been shown in several films and TV shows:
- Montagu Love played him in Devotion (1946).
- Alfred Burke played him in The Brontës of Haworth (1973).
- Patrick Magee played him in The Brontë Sisters (1979).
- Jonathan Pryce played him in To Walk Invisible (2016).
- Adrian Dunbar played him in Emily (2022).
