Patrick Brontë, [‘Two Autobiographical Letters Sent to Mrs Gaskell’] (1855), in A Man of Sorrow: The Life, Letters and Times of the Rev. Patrick Brontë, by John Lock and Canon W. T. Dixon (London: Nelson, 1965), pp. 494–6, 497–8

Abstract

Since, at Mr Nicholls’ request and mine, you have kindly consented to give a brief account of my daughter Charlotte’s life, I will state a few facts which, as her biographer, you might wish to know. For the gratification of those who might be desirous of knowing anything of me — I will, in as few words as I can, gratify their curiosity. My father’s name was Hugh Bronte. He was a native of the south of Ireland, and was left an orphan at an early age. It was said that he was of ancient family — whether this was, or was not so, I never gave myself the trouble to enquire, since his lot in life as well as mine, depended, under providence, not on family descent but our own exertions. He came to the north of Ireland, and made an early, but suitable marriage.