'This building is now surplus to the council’s requirements'

The Telegraph and Argus picks up the awful story of the auction of the Red House next month.

A date has been set for when Kirklees Council hopes to offload the historic Grade II*-listed former Red House Museum, which has Brontë connections.

Tuesday, December 3, will see the Georgian mansion - dating back to the 17th century - go under the hammer with Pugh Auctions, with a guide price of £650,000 plus.

Bought by Spenborough Council in 1969, the building served as a museum from 1974 until it was closed to the public in 2016.

The museum was earmarked for a wedding venue and holiday accommodation after it closed, but this plan fell through.

Kirklees Council announced it was looking to dispose of several assets last year when it was facing an eyewatering £47m deficit, and was hoping to bring in a minimum of £4m from the sales.

Auctioneers say the historic property is likely to be suitable for redevelopment or change of use and could potentially be returned to its original use as a large private residence.

The property’s many original features include an 18th-century wooden staircase leading to a galleried landing, as well as several fireplaces, and striking stained glass windows featuring portraits of William Shakespeare and John Milton.

Other options for some of the properties included Community Asset Transfers – where a site is handed over to be owned and managed by the community - though in the case of Red House, the Council is pushing ahead with an auction.

Will Thompson, a director at auction house Pugh, said: “In keeping with its four decades as a museum, the Red House is a fascinating treasure trove that is drenched in the history of this part of West Yorkshire.

"It would make an outstanding family home, as it must have been for generations of the Taylor family, and contains some really exceptional original features, including some stained glass windows in the dining room that are described by Charlotte Brontë in Shirley.”

He added: “The house is also in the highly sought-after village of Gomersal and not surprisingly we have had a great deal of interest from would-be buyers.”

Charitable organisation Red House Yorkshire Heritage Trust has commented on the news.

The group was formed in November 2019 in the hopes of saving the Red House sites and its buildings so they could benefit the local community.

A statement on their Facebook page says: “Communities Together and Red House Yorkshire Heritage Trust collaboratively put forward a bid to purchase the house and gardens with a view to restoring community access.

"Kirklees Council did not accept this bid. As a result, Red House will now be sold by auction.

“We are profoundly saddened by this outcome and fully understand and share the community’s strong disapproval of the Council’s decision.”

Councillor Graham Turner, cabinet member for finance and regeneration at Kirklees Council, said: “Next month we’ll be auctioning off Red House in Gomersal.

"As this building is now surplus to the council’s requirements, it could generate crucial capital funding to help us deliver a better future for Kirklees.”

Who would have thought that our so-called progress would entail looking back on 1960s and 1970s politics with admiration for the far-seeing decisions? The current council is not just short-sighted but totally blind and lacking in imagination to form a plan that would both save and profit from the Red House. The family of Mary Taylor would be pretty incensed at the decision, as they should too, and so will future generations puzzled at this silly decision. 'This building is now surplus to the council’s requirements'--no, this building has been loved and admired for decades and each of its bricks is more meaningful and valuable than any of the councillors signing it away as a cheap commodity. 

And as far as we know, the Milton and Shakespeare stained-glass windows belonged to the Brontë Society and have been in their safe keeping for a few years now, thank goodness. Or else, the council would be selling them to make some more cash too, no doubt about it. We wish some national newspaper would pick up this appalling story and add some more shame to the names of those behind this decision now because this is not just local heritage, it belongs to everyone.

Liberty Champion features a local production of Jane Eyre by the Liberty University Department of Theatre Arts at the Tower Theater.

“Ultimately, ‘Jane Eyre’ is a tale of redemption,” Director Linda Cooper, associate professor and chair of Theatre Arts, said. “I’m hoping …  (the audience) will understand what forgiveness is and that God tempers judgment with mercy, and so there’s hope for everyone.”

The expanded stage showcased numerous locations, including the peaceful forested garden of Thornfield Hall and the heartless atmosphere of Lowood School. These scenes are brought to life by the musical’s creative team, production staff and orchestra, which is conducted by adjunct music professor Kathryn Wert.

“Jane Eyre is a hero of mine, full of spirit and fortitude,” Cooper said. “She faces this world with only God as her guide and listens to his still, small voice in all situations. Even when her flesh is weak, it is her moral compass that gives her strength to carry on in the face of adversity.”

“Helen Burns is my favorite character because of how her character shaped the rest of Jane’s journey from beginning to end,” Jesse Wilkerson, who plays the role of Mr. Rochester, said. “If it wasn’t for Helen, I don’t think Jane would ever have been able to forgive Mrs. Reed or Rochester, and her story would have been completely different.”

The cast of “Jane Eyre” faced several difficulties, including an unforeseen last minute cast change requiring Wilkerson to switch to the role of Rochester in the final week of rehearsals. Despite this, Wilkerson has remained optimistic in the success of the musical.

“It has been a very busy week diving deep into the life and character of Edward Rochester, but I can confidently say this has been the greatest experience I’ve had with learning a (role) and the most challenging,” Wilkerson said. “God has blessed me a lot in this process.”

Wilkerson is not the only cast member who is excited to be working on this musical. His co-star, senior Presley Calonge, plays the leading character, Jane Eyre. Calonge said she hopes the audience will be able to appreciate the musical’s story of hope and redemption.  

“This entire show is to recognize that hope in life,” Calonge said. “In the same way you can look at the story of Jesus’ crucifixion, and I mean … what a hopeless time. … Later he rose from the dead, and now we have eternal life with him. And I think that is so beautiful and knowing that even in the times where life seems the most hopeless, there’s always an ounce of hope.”

Calonge described Eyre as “a force of nature” and someone who “sticks up for herself and others.”

Calonge said Eyre’s outfit stands out from the others; her sage green dress acts in contrast to the darkened hues of maroon, purple and navy that adorn the rest of the cast.

“She is a representation of hope and light within all these peoples’ lives that she interacts with,” Calonge said.

As “Jane Eyre” embarks on a journey for the eternal benefit of each of its characters, a few central themes carry throughout.

“(The musical is) a haunting story of love, hope and redemption,” Calonge said. (Kadence McKinnon)

Hacer familia (Spain) interviews Cristina Blanco y Ana Cemborain, authors of the book Atentamente, Lizzy.

7. Supongo que al tener que acotar el libro a diez personajes, habréis tenido que dejar fuera otros que también os gustan mucho. Si pudierais añadir uno más, ¿cuál sería? ¿Por qué? 

C: Creo que, como lectoras voraces desde niñas, podríamos hacer una lista interminable de personajes que podrían haber aparecido en el libro. Pensándolo ahora podría decir Alicia, de Lewis Carroll, Julieta Capuleto, Jane Eyre, Catherine Earnshaw o Anna Karenina. 

A: Todas ellas, sin olvidad a Jo March y Anne Shirley, dos de mis personajes icónicos y que habríamos disfrutado mucho buscando sus voces. La verdad es que nos gustan tantos, desde nuestros personajes favoritos de la infancia como dice Cris, como Rapunzel o La Sirenita, hasta muchos más contemporáneos como Hermione Granger. (Translation)

Both Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights make it onto a list of '48 of the Best Books by Women Authors to Read in Your Lifetime' compiled by PopSugar.