Window on another time

i WAS moved to tears while reading Jane fryer’s article about the pending Sotheby’s sale of 19th century manuscripts (Mail).

Living near honresfield, the home of William and Alfred Law, i was immersed as a young child with stories about the Brontes and the brothers’ passion for collecting original manuscripts.

My late grandfather, a cabby in Littleborough, used to drive William around. As a church warden at holy trinity and a great philanthropist, William offered to pay for a new East Window, but this was refused.

he had another holy trinity in mind. Duly in 1895 a new East Window was installed in Shakespeare’s church in Stratfordupon-Avon. An inscription on it acknowledges the generosity of William Law of honresfield.

i await the manuscript sale with bated breath as, like the experts, i had truly believed that all of these precious documents had disappeared forever.

MARJORIE J. MITCHEL, Littleborough, Gtr Manchester.