IT’S BEEN an incredibly busy time at the parsonage, as the day of Charlotte Bronte’s 200th birthday finally arrived on April 21.

All the preparations and efforts of the museum staff culminated in a wonderful day of celebration that brought visitors from as far afield as South Korea.

Visitors were queuing to get in the museum at 10am in order to take a close look at some of Charlotte’s possessions in the sanctuary of the library, whilst dozens of others queued for tea and cake in the Old School Room.

The wait was worth it, as visitors were treated to a dramatic interpretation of scenes from Jane Eyre by Haworth Primary School children, and performances from our resident opera singer/museum assistant Charissa and the Bard of Saltaire, who performed a unique Bronte rap!

Incredible floral displays were dotted around the museum, and graced every table in the Old School Room, which looked like it was hosting a gorgeous vintage wedding thanks to the very creative Lynne, our group bookings officer.

The Old School Room proved to be the perfect meeting place for visitors and locals alike – stories were shared and new friends made over a cup of tea and cake – all of which were donated by local residents, businesses and museum staff.

As day turned to evening, and many visitors made their journeys home, we were joined in the museum by a number of local businesses, who helped us toast Charlotte with a glass of prosecco.

We finally got to sample the impressive-looking birthday cake baked by 2015 British Bake Off contestant Sandy Docherty - it was definitely worth the wait!

I’m now looking forward to my first experience of the Museums at Night events that we host every year.

The event on Thursday May 12 with Serena Partridge – a textile artist whose beautiful work is part of our Charlotte Great and Small exhibition – has already sold out, but the following night, Friday May 13 (the eve of Haworth’s spectacular 1940s weekend), we are hosting another Museums at Night event, entitled Sharing Stories From Wartime.

If you fancy coming along and hearing tales of childhood courage and wartime adventure, then do join us. And the good news is that this event is free to all visitors providing evidence of living in the BD22, BD21 or BD20 postcode areas.

There’ll be a chance to meet author Nick Holland at our late night Thursday on May 19 and we’ve also managed to programme one more special event before the month is out, on May 27.

Many visitors ask questions about the architecture of the parsonage, and would like to know more, so if that’s you, then come along to our Parsonage Unwrapped event, intriguingly called ‘Playing house detectives’!

Visit the website or call 01535 640188 for more information.

When next I write, hopefully the April snow showers will have ceased, and the weather will have warmed in time for Haworth’s 1940s weekend.

The museum will be exhibiting memorabilia from 1940s Hollywood Bronte adaptations, so do pop in if you’re planning a visit to Haworth that weekend.

It remains to say, on behalf of the museum, a great big thank you to all the people of Haworth who helped make Charlotte’s birthday such a special day. I think we all did Haworth’s most famous resident proud!