Richard Wilcocks shares extremely sad news on the
Brontë Parsonage Blog. Artist, composer, writer and Brontë scholar Ian M. Emberson (1936-2013) died last Monday. From
his website:
Ian Emberson was born at Hove in Sussex in 1936, and is proud to have been christened by the poet Andrew Young. After moving around quite a bit, he now lives with his wife Catherine in the small town of Todmorden - just within the Yorkshire boundary, despite the postal address.
For many years he was Music Librarian at Huddersfield, but has now retired in order to concentrate on writing and art. He also enjoys walking and swimming and is a life-member of the Gaskell and Brontë Societies. His daughter Beth lives in France.
He was indeed very much involved with the Brontë Society and he was a frequent contributor to Brontë Studies
(1) (and its predecessor, Brontë Society Transactions). His last contribution can be found in the latest issue:
Passages in the Life of Which Individual?, Brontë Studies, Volume 38, Number 3, September 2013 , pp. 240-244(5).
He published essays about the Brontës:
Pilgrims from Loneliness. An interpretation of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre
and Villette (2005); he rescued forgotten literary accounts about the Brontës:
Recollections of the Brontës by George Sowden. He even published and illustrated a poetry book inspired by the Brontës:
Mourning Ring. Brontë Related Poems in 2008.
(1)
A list with his contributions:
'Often rebuked, yet always back returning' — The Poem Itself
Brontë Society Transactions: The Journal of Bronte Studies, Volume 26, Number 1, April 2001 , pp. 68-70(3)
'And I am so Plain …'
Brontë Studies, Volume 27, Number 1, March 2002 , pp. 67-67(1)
Turns in the Circle of Friendship: 'Uncle Fennell', 1762–1841
‘My Spirit's Sky’: Astronomy and the Brontës
Brontë Studies, Volume 29, Part 3, November 2004 , pp. 253-256(4)
Brontë Studies, Volume 30, Number 2, June 2005 , pp. 141-150(10)
A Necktie and a Lock of Hair: The Memories of George Feather the Younger
Brontë Studies, Volume 31, Number 2, July 2006 , pp. 159-162(4)
A Missing Link: The Brontës, the Sowdens and the Listers
Brontë Studies, Volume 32, Number 2, July 2007 , pp. 116-124(9)
'The Likeness of a Kingly Crown': John Milton's Influence on Charlotte Brontë
Brontë Studies, Volume 32, Number 3, November 2007 , pp. 207-216(10)
Three Quartets: the Rossettis, the Mendelssohns and the Brontës
Brontë Studies, Volume 34, Number 3, November 2009 , pp. 247-254(8)
The Broken Tree: Symbol and Actuality
Brontë Studies, Volume 36, Number 4, November 2011 , pp. 336-343(8)
‘A Wreck Just Sinking’: The Beginning of Jane Eyre and the Ending of Villette
Brontë Studies, Volume 28, Part 1, March 2003 , pp. 89-90(2)
This is indeed very sad news and a great loss....I happened to obtain the booklet Ian and his wife Catherine rescued and published " Recollections of the Brontës by George Sowden. " last year . Publishing it was a great service to Brontë studies as it has information I have not seen else where
ReplyDeleteIan's emails were so friendly ,involved and caring of the Brontës
My deepest condolences to his many friends and family
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