The Last Christmas

Red House in Gomersal, West Yorkshire will finally close down just before Christmas.
A very sad day for all those in the Spen Valley area, and the many people who have visited the museum from all over the world.

This was the former home of the Taylor family, and featured as " Briarmains" in Charlotte Bronte's novel  Shirley.

Charlotte was a life long friend of Mary Taylor, whom she met when she was a pupil  at Roe Head school, which was just a few miles away in Hartshead.
She visited Red House many times when she was staying with another school friend, Ellen Nussey. The two girls remained  Charlotte's closest friends throughout her life.

Well today, it was all decorated for Christmas as it would have been in about 1830.
The place was packed. Young and old, all come to say farewell.
 Outside a  brass band was playing Christmas carols, and inside there was a group playing instruments I have never seen before called Hammered Dulcimers. ( see photo in collage)

A very kind gentleman was giving out glasses of mulled wine, and in the kitchen there were all kinds of old fashioned Christmas food for you to try, and recipes to take away.( see collage)

As usual on these occasions, we met some old friends, and had a good natter and catch up.They too were sad to see the place close.
We both said if we won the lottery this weekend we would buy the place and keep the museum going.

It closes for good on the 21st of December. It's contents will be stored or dispersed, and the building, ( which is grade two listed) is to be sold.

So this is the very last Christmas.

Back in February 2012 I posted another blip about trying to save this museum see here . We did manage to save it for a few years, but not this time I'm afraid.