For a long time people have been searching for a link between the Brontës and Anne Lister... maybe St James Church can provide some possiblities...
The first vicar of St James Hebden Bridge, The Reverend Mr Sutcliffe Sowden, was a son of Samuel Sowden, a tenant farmer on Anne Lister's estate. Samuel Sowden was made infamous in the TV series - he was the man eaten by pigs, but in fact this was artistic license on the part of Sally Wainright. Samuel Sowden was a respectable and well loved man and a good father to his children, as far as we can tell. Two of his sons became clergymen and both served at St James, Hebden Bridge, Rev. Sutcliffe Sowden 1841-1861 and Rev. George Sowden 1861-1899. One of the church windows is dedicated to their sister, Eliza Sowden. As the Reverend Sutcliffe Sowden was a friend of Arthur Bell Nicholls, and officiated at his marriage to Charlotte Brontë, there is an indirect connection at least, between the Brontë family and those who knew Anne Lister.
Samuel Sowden is buried in the graveyard of the old church at Lightcliffe, along with other members of the family, and alongside many of the characters that we 'met' in the TV adaptation of Anne Lister's diaries. Sutcliffe Sowden is buried in the graveyard here at St James and his dear friend, Arthur Bell Nicholls, officiated at his funeral.
And it seems that Charlotte came, on occasion to Hebden Bridge, perhaps her path crossed with those of Anne Lister. We may never know of course but it is interesting to speculate. There is so much we don't know about the lives of these people who have left such a lasting legacy in the Calder Valley. There is an 1899 Halifax Guardian report about Ann lister going to see Mr Charnock at Heptonstall, but he was not at home so Mrs Charnock sent her to see Hamlet Bent at Mytholm House opposite St James.
