Bradford: Birthplace of Brontë sisters in public ownership

The birthplace of the Brontë sisters is in Thornton, near Bradford

A humble terraced home in Bradford unlocks the childhood of literature's most famous sisters, the Brontës.

For the first time in its 200-year history the terraced house in Thornton is under public ownership.

More than 700 investors helped a community group to complete the purchase of the house on Market Street.

It is hoped restoration work allowing them to open to the public will be finished by 2025 when Bradford is the UK City of Culture.

Vice chair of Brontë Birthplace Steven Stanworth said the property retained many of its original features, including the fireplace in front of which the Brontë children were born between 1816 and 1820.

Steven Stanworth said all four Brontë children were born in the house's parlour

Charlotte, Patrick Branwell, Emily and Anne Brontë were all brought into the world in the property's parlour.

The siblings later went on to write poetry and novels, with the women originally writing under pen names.

Some of their most famous works include Emily's Wuthering Heights, Charlotte's Jane Eyre and Anne's The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.

"There's a presence in this building and where we're stood right now, where the girls were born, is where you can feel it," Mr Stanworth said.

"Any Brontë fan would get that tingling up the spine."

More than 200 years ago, the house would have been "vibrant and alive", according to Mr Stanwell, with six children, two maids and parents Patrick and Maria.

Brontë Birthplace hopes the restoration work will transform the property back to how it would have appeared in the 19th Century.

Head teacher Gillian Wilson said she hoped visits by pupils would be inspirational

Gillian Wilson, head teacher at St Oswald's primary school in Bradford, said the story of the Brontës gave children something to aspire towards.

"I brought a party of children here last year and the first thing they said to me was 'it's just a normal street, it's exactly like where we live'.

"To have that experience there for children to recognise that these three girls were born in this house here, and if they achieved it two hundred years ago, then our children certainly can."

Director of Brontë Birthplace Christa Ackroyd added that the property was a great example of what Bradford had to offer for City of Culture 2025.

The house is listed and has a blue plaque documenting its history

Ms Ackroyd said: "These girls are the perfect example of, out of difficult times, greatness can be achieved and that can be our lesson and our inspiration."

She said doing something with the house had been a "long-held dream", since she first fell in love with it two decades ago.

The project came to fruition through the help of donors and government funding, with distant relatives of the Brontës also contributing.

Nigel West is a distant relative of the family and donated money to help with the purchase of the house

Nigel West, who donated money to help purchase the house, said: "My father's aunt was a cousin of Arthur Bell Nicholls, who was Charlotte Bronte's husband.

"So it's a tenuous family link, but it's been of interest to me and was a catalyst to get involved in this wonderful project."

When the house reopens to the public after being empty for four years, organisers said visitors would be invited to sit in its community café beside the fireplace or "even stay in the bedrooms where the girls slept".

They also plan a full programme for schools, universities, literary enthusiasts, artists and creatives.