Charlotte Brontë planning a trip to Cleethorpes - 1839

Charlotte Brontë, Letters. [from "The Life of Charlotte Brontë" by Elizabeth Gaskell. ] and "Charlotte Brontë on the East Yorkshire Coast" by F. R. Pearson (The East Yorkshire Local History Society, 1957) [different parts of letters in each, combined to show travel details]_____________________________________________
In 1839 Charlotte Brontë was considering a trip to Cleethorpes with her friend Ellen Nussey. Charlotte was looking forward to seeing the sea for the first time: "The idea of seeing the sea - of being near it - watching its changes by sunrise, sunset, moonlight, and noonday - in calm, perhaps in storm - fills and satisfies my mind. I shall be discontented at nothing."

"July 26^th, 1839.
Your proposal has almost driven me "clean daft" - if you don't understand that ladylike expression, you must ask me what it means when I see you. The fact is, an excursion with you anywhere, - whether to Cleathorpe or Canada, - just by ourselves - without any ninnies to annoy us - would be to me most delightful. I should, indeed, like to go - but I can't get leave of absence for longer than a week, and I'm afraid that wouldn't suit you - must I then give it up entirely? I feel as if I could not - I never had such a chance of enjoyment before - I do want to see you and talk to you, and be with you - when do you wish to go? could I meet you at Leeds? to take a gig from Haworth to Birstall would be to me a serious increase of expense - and I happen to be very low in cash - O Ellen rich people seem to have many pleasures at their command which we are debarred from - however no repining - if I could take the coach from Keighley to Bradford and from Bradford to Leeds and you could meet me at the inn where the coach stops - on your way to Cleathorpe for I presume you go by the Leeds and Selby Railroad - it would be the convenient plan for me."

Charlotte added a PS to the letter:

"If I find it impossible to stay for longer than a week, could you get someone else to bear you company for the remaining fortnight? Since writing the above I find that aunt and papa have determined to go to Liverpool for a fortnight, and take us all with them. It is stipulated, however, that I should give up the Cleathorpe scheme. I yield reluctantly. But aunt suggests that you may be able to join us at Liverpool. What do you say?"

On 4 August 1839 Charlotte wrote again to Ellen Nussey, suggesting a visit to Bridlington (then called Burlington):

"The Liverpool journey is yet a matter of talk, a sort of castle in the air - but, between you and I, I fancy it is very doubtful whether it will ever assume a more solid shape................. I have got leave to accompany you for a week - at the utmost stretch a fortnight, but no more - where do you wish to go? - Burlington I should think from what Mary Taylor says would be as eligible a place as any. ................I had almost forgotten to settle about how we are to join if I take the coach from Keighley to Bradford and from thence to Leeds - I think I could arrive in the latter town by 10 or at the latest 11 o'clock in the morning - will that be soon enough for your plans? and will it suit your convenience to meet me at the inn where the coach stops? If this project should be deemed in some way inconvenient I must conceive some other - on some accounts it would be far better to get to Brookroyd [the Nussey family house] the day before - do you know whether there is any daily coach from Bradford [that] runs anywhere within a mile of you? After all I have not yet ascertained whether my limited time for staying at the sea-side will interfere with what is necessary for your health if it would I throw the whole scheme up at once - write very soon. What luggage will you take? much or little?"

On 9^th August Charlotte wrote:

"In the greatest haste I scrawl an answer to your letter - I am very sorry to throw you back in your arrangements, but I really cannot go to-morrow - I could not get my baggage and myself to Leeds by 10 o'clock to-morrow morning if I was to be hanged for it. You must write again, and fix a day which will give me a little more time for preparation. Haworth, you know, is such an out-of-the-way place, one should have a month's notice before they stir from it. You were very kind to try to get me fetched - but indeed Ellen, it was wrong of you - do you think I could comfortably have accepted so unreasonable a favour? my best plan will certainly be to come to Brookroyd the day before we start. I'll try to manage it."

On 14^th August Charlotte wrote:

"I have in vain packed my box and prepared everything for our anticipated journey. It so happens that I can get no conveyance this week or the next. The only gig let out on hire in Haworth is at Harrogate, and likely to remain there, for aught I can hear. Papa decidedly objects to my going by the coach, and walking to Birstall, though I am sure I could manage it. Aunt exclaims against the weather, and the roads, and the four winds of heaven; so I am in a fix, and, what is worse, so are you."

The trip to the sea (Bridlington, not Cleethorpes) eventually took place in September 1839.