Founded in 1893, the Brontë Society has a thriving worldwide membership. It was set up to organise a permanent home for items belonging to the Brontë family and the first museum opened in 1895 above the Yorkshire Penny Bank on Haworth Main Street. Haworth Parsonage was gifted to the Society by Sir James Roberts and opened to the public as the Brontë Parsonage Museum on 4 August 1928. The Brontë Society continues to be responsible for the Museum and its world-class collections and is committed to promoting the Brontë family legacy in contemporary society. The Brontë collections at the Brontë Parsonage Museum have been 'Designated as Outstanding' by Arts Council England and continue to inspire scholars, writers and artists. The Museum also presents an exciting and varied programme of exhibitions and events, and provides lifelong learning opportunities for all age groups.
The Brontë Society is a registered charity. As an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation, it is in receipt of some public funding, but also relies on admission income, membership subscriptions and donations to run the Museum and preserve and add to its important collection. The Society also supports academic research and provides lifelong learning opportunities for all age groups. By becoming a member today, you will be making a personal contribution to the preservation and development of the Brontë Parsonage Museum, one of the most important literary sites in the world.
As a thank you for their annual subscription, all members will receive a membership card entitling them to the following benefits:
- Free admission to the Brontë Parsonage Museum
- 2 one-use guest passes per year *
- Free entry to the Museum for up to 3 accompanied children under the age of 16 *
- 10% discount in the Museum shop and online shop
- Concession rate for events where applicable
- Voting rights related to Annual General Meeting business
- Free online access to current and back issues of Brontë Studies and its predecessor Transactions
- Three issues of the Gazette, the Society members’ magazine (online or by post depending on the option chosen)
- Access to the dedicated Members’ Area of our website
- Regular Museum updates via our e-newsletter (if selected in contact preferences)
- Membership Card
*(does not include Young Brontë Friend)
In addition to the benefits listed above, a Brontë Champion will also receive: an additional guest pass, invitations to private views and other events and have the option to book an annual complimentary Private Tour of the Museum. There will be a charge for an additional person joining the tour.
To join the Society using a debit or credit card please complete the form below. Alternatively, if you wish to pay by cheque or direct debit (UK bank accounts only), please download a membership application form.
Gift Aid (please read carefully)
If you are a UK tax payer you can help the Brontë Society by signing a Gift Aid Declaration. Gift Aid does not cost you a penny but it allows us to claim back the tax that you have already paid on your donation from the HM Revenue & Customs. Under the Gift Aid scheme the Society can reclaim an extra 25p for every £1 given in donations. Gift Aid is reclaimed by the Society from the tax you pay for the current tax year. Your address is needed to identify you as a current UK taxpayer.
In order to Gift Aid your donation to the Brontë Society you must tick the box below:
I confirm I am a UK taxpayer and understand that if I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year it is my responsibility to pay any difference.
Please notify us if you: want to cancel this declaration; change your name or home address; or no longer pay sufficient tax on your income and/or capital gains.
If you pay Income Tax at the higher or additional rate and want to receive the additional tax relief due to you, you must include all your Gift Aid donations on your Self Assessment tax return or ask HM Revenue and Customs to adjust your tax code.
Consent Preferences
The UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which came into effect on 1 January 2021 regulates the way we can use personal data and requires us to have consent from you for any contact we make with you other than for the original purpose you gave us data. Since we don't want you to miss out on information you might like to receive from us, we would be grateful if you would please take a few moments to review the consent preferences below and select the options which are of interest to you.
E-Newsletter
The Brontë Parsonage Museum sends out an e-newsletter every 4 - 6 weeks. This includes all the latest news from the Museum and information about upcoming events. If you would like to receive this newsletter please tick the box below.
Membership Extras
Members of the Brontë Society will always receive their Gazette, renewal reminders, new membership cards, events booklets, AGM and Brontë Society governance information etc. either digitally or by post depending on their membership type. From time to time, we may wish to send you other information which may be of interest, including any news we would like to share with you before the next issue of Gazette, our fundraising campaigns and occasionally, surveys about your membership experience. If you would like to receive these updates, please tick below:
AGM Documents (applicable to paper members only)
'Paper' members receive all membership correspondence by post and this can include documents related to the Annual General Meeting (AGM). However, sending the AGM documents by mail is costly to both the Society and the planet. If you would like to help us meet our environmental goals while reducing administrative costs, and consent to receiving the AGM paperwork electronically, please tick the box below:
3rd Party Information
We are occasionally asked to forward information to our members / friends from other organisations. This might include Brontë-related events, details of their conferences or requests for help. If you would like to receive this information please tick below.
And finally
All members are ambassadors for The Brontë Society and are asked to promote our organisational values of excellence, inspiration and creativity and uphold our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. Members are expected to treat Society employees, trustees and fellow members with respect, and to help promote a positive culture across the organisation and the wider Brontë community.