The Most Haunted Black Bull public house Haworth Yorkshire got the treatment last night……with predicable results. Apparently this programme was shown in 2005 (see Bronteblog), but I must have missed it. What did I miss? Not a lot in the form of ‘evidence’. The main target as usual was ‘bad boy’ Branwell Bronte, described as a sex mad chronic alcoholic and drug addict…… I’m sure he wasn’t as bad as people make out. Still, the darker he is painted, the brighter his sister’s look. I blame Gaskell for a lot of it.
Everything the Medium’s mentioned could have been easily researched over the Internet as they have been written about over and over again. Even I, no expert, could have written the script!
The whole reason for the ghostly presence of Branwell was a ‘feud’ (evidence please?) he had with Emily who ‘stole’ ‘Wuthering Heights’ from him. I have heard this intriguing story before and often wondered if there was any truth in Branwell’s authorship, (covered up by Charlotte…) I suppose we will never know for sure. Branwell was a member of the Lodge of the Three Graces which met in the Black Bull for official meals (having their own private meeting rooms elsewhere…. read about Branwell’s association with the Lodge, which has been blamed for his downfall here)
When it comes to Branwell though, well it seems anything goes. Apparently Branwell was a very ‘dark fellow’…a bit of a Heathcliff character lol! Er a bit ‘like Kate Bush’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ Heathcliff! (this info was picked up by a Medium sitting on Branwell’s chair). Phrases like ‘haunted by the male malevolence of Branwell….’ made me almost wish that he WOULD come back and box the ears of some of these buffoons!
One of the intrepid team said that she hadn’t been scared all day, yet she’d only been stood in the graveyard for 4 minutes and something was definitely going on because it felt really creepy…… Uncanny or what? or could it be that day time is light and she was stood in the graveyard at NIGHT? It is a puzzle indeed. Great night time shots of the graveyard though!
The highlight and so called ‘evidence’ of a ghostly presence came in the form of table tipping Reverend, Patrick Bronte ‘communicating’ violently in the Black Bull public house……… whatever would Charlotte say!
More Bronte bites from me
Recently read: The Brontes Haworth, the palce and people the Bronte’s knew by S R Whitehead
Echostains Blog 
Had a giggle at your piece, well done u!! Antix Productions actually “STOLE” my report and used it on their website, which suprisingly enough after I threatened them with legal action, they did remove. The team I was with at the time were the first team to ever investigate The Black Bull hence the original report LOL. As for the chair halfway up the stairs, its not the original… Most Farted really do my head in with their inaccuracies.
Take care
Sue x
PS: Another bit of proof that they had my report was some deliberate misinformation we added to the report which was total and utter ballocks, and funnily enough, their medium “picked up” on this LMFAO
Hi Sue – well it’s a long time since I visited this post:-) A real blast from the past (or rave from the grave given the subject matter)
I never knew Branwells’ chair was an imposter – most disappointed :-0
Poor Branwell – an easy scapegoat for all. The last Most Haunted I saw was inside the Roman Baths in York………….. Derek Accorah should have got an oscar! To be fair though Sue – great entertainment 😀
Hi there.
I found this blog and thought I would post something over the Black Bull.
I worked for UK Haunted and Most Haunted and have been at the pub in the last few months. At this time they are changing owners so no one can book a hunt yet. However, I am at this time in a group that is bringing together some very notable researchers to do a scientific study on what ghosts and hauntings could be, and the filming will be shown on TV in the last quarter of 2011.
(If you are interested in coming along with us when we next film, then leave a post here saying so and I will get someone to contact you. There is no cost as we are not changed.)
While I was at the Black Bull last time there was one event caught on film very clearly that may interest you. It was during a call for the “ghost” to give a sign or make a noise. Almost immediately after this was said, an old fashioned door bell ringer that is fastened to the wall over the fireplace rang out.
It was not in any way connected to anything, and there was zero chance of anyone cheating and ringing it, nor was there any traffic or other disturbance that could have caused it to ring….tho even if there had have been, it still would not have rung….Unless said disturbance happened to be a class 8 earthquake! ;_)
While that in itself proves nothing, it was interesting to see it happen, and it was also extremely funny to see the reaction of the people in the room!
Steve
Thanks Steve, it’s always interesting to have these inside stories. I’m quite intrigued by ghostly goings on, especially in Haworth! I look forward to seeing the results of this scientific investigation very much 🙂
Hi Steve,
I’d be very interested if you let me know please as I adore this place and Branwell holds a piece of my heart LOL
Sue x
So refreshing to read that not everyone buys into Mrs.Gaskell’s portrayal of Branwell Bronte (heavily biased against him), she never knew him & her opinion was based mostly on gossip, not facts. I would recommend you read “The Bronte Family,with special reference to Patrick Branwell Bronte by Francis A. Leyland. The author was brother to Joseph Leyland,Branwell’s closest friend, and actually knew Branwell. He is surely a more trustworthy biographer than Mrs.Gaskell who seems to believe that any favourable comment on Branwell detracts from her friend Charlotte!! There is also a very interesting book that can be read online via the Internet archive called Patrick Branwell Bronte by Alice Law. Branwell may well have been a flawed human being,so are most of us in some way,but he doesn’t deserve the vilification he receives on the mention of his name. There are also, the two books above mentioned, some very interesting information re Branwell, Emily & Wuthering Heights. The Leyland book is available as a free eBook from the University of Adelaide Library at https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au and the Alice Law book at http://www.archive.org>stream>patrick branwellbronte The Leyland book is in two volumes, & also contains Branwell’s (rather mournful) poetry. Incidentally, the Poemhunter site mistakenly ascribes to Branwell his father’s Cottage Poems, and only prints four of his, Lydia Gisborne, Thorp Green, Penmaenmawr, and an excerpt from Sir Henry Tunstall, – it would seem that even posthumously, Branwell is denied his place in that oh so famous literary family. Please forgive the length of this comment, but injustice of any kind angers me and poor Branwell Bronte was subject to it both during his life and after his death – a very dubious sort of immortality!!
Thanks for your comment Gwynneth. I am renewing both my wordpress blogs at the moment after a long break. I couldn’t agree more with you with regards to Branwell Bronte and the liberties taken with his reputation, both as a man and with his talents. I have read the Leyland book, which indeed gives a more rounded picture of him. Your comment has whetted my appetite to reread it again! Incidentally, purely by chance, I found myself getting a train from Luddenden Foot railway station last year. I had some time to ruminate whilst waiting for that train. You can imagine my thoughts…. Kind Regards