The Bronte Society
Save The Honresfield Library
Bront Parsonage Museum appeal to save the Honresfield Library for the nation: part of the Friends of the National Libraries campaign.
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December 2021: thank you for helping us reach our target, it really will make a difference.
We're trying to raise £25,000 before the end of October. Please can you help?
Earlier this year, an important collection of rare books and manuscripts came to light after almost eighty years in obscurity. Sotheby's announced that they had been instructed to sell the Honresfield Library (also known as the 'Law Collection') over three separate auctions. Fortunately, thanks to the formation of a consortium of libraries, museums and literary houses, we now have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to save these precious manuscripts for the nation.
Created by Alfred Law, the Honresfield Library includes rare books and manuscripts by Robert Burns, Walter Scott, Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell and Shakespeare. At its heart is a treasure of Bront material, including a notebook of poems handwritten by Emily Bront, a diary paper written by Anne and Emily Bront, the Bront family copy of Bewick's 'A History of British Birds', many letters and seven miniature manuscripts by Charlotte Bront.
We are proud to be part of the consortium led by the Friends of the National Libraries and are now working to fundraise to save the entire collection for future generations to enjoy. Donations made via this page will form part of the Bront Society's contribution to the larger campaign and will help ensure that the Bront material is preserved so that it can be distributed between the Bront Parsonage Museum, the British Library and the Brotherton Library where it can be accessed and enjoyed by visitors and researchers alike.
Thank you for your support.
NB While we are hopeful that the campaign to save the Honresfield Library will be successful, in the event that not enough funds are raised, your donation will be held in the Bront Society purchase fund and contribute towards future acquisitions for the collection. If you would like your donation to be treated differently, please contact us at bronte@bronte.org.uk. Thank you.
[All images courtesy of Sotheby's.]