Winifred Gerin and John Locke

Winifred and John Locke settled in Haworth, in a house they called Gimmerton....and they both worked very hard, though they enjoyed the natural beauty of Haworth and took long walks around the countryside.  They also joined the Bronte Society which was based there,  and got involved in various controversies about how the Parsonage Museum was being run.  Winifred was a kindly and generous woman but she had a sharp tongue and was opinionated! 

She worked on her biographies and branched out later into other biographies of women writers or literary figures.  She got some criticism from more rigorous historians, that she was inclined to favour her own ideas and to allow her emotions to govern what she said in her writings. She also used literary evidence from the Bronte novels to colour the information in her biographies.   This was why she had not liked studying history at University, as a girl... because she tended to prefer the romantic stories and legends, rather than get involved in the heavier more rigorous research that was necessary to study history.

However, her books did spark off more critical and popular interest in the Brontes and while they are somewhat romanticised, they are not lightweight.   

She popularised the story that Branwell Bronte had been to London to apply for a place at Art School, but had not made the application.. that he had instead spent his time and money drinking, because he lost his nerve.  But this is taken from a story he wrote, rather than form any hard evidence.  It is now believed by most Bronte experts that he never did make the trip to London but had just written to the Art school to make enquiries.

However, her information was based on what was known or believed at the time…

Her husband was absorbed in his work on the biography of Patrick Bronte.  He had not had much experience of writing, so it was hard work for him.. but he and Winifred were both passionate about their subject.  They loved Yorkshire and enjoyed living there.

however, about 10 years after their marriage, John confessed to Winifred that he had fallen in love with another woman, and she and he quietly separated.   There was a large age difference between them and Winifred had been John’s first love.. but it faded.

There was no serious estrangement, and Winifred did not publicise the separation.  She told friends that he was remaining in Yorkshire to work and she moved back to London to live with her sister Nell, who had been a close friend in her youth.