Something of a misfit, Chevin Bronte could realistically be considered to be a mistake. He was born in 1821, an unplanned addition to the growing brood at the Parsonage.
A sickly child, Chevin nevertheless showed great aptitude for untruths, and a complete disregard for real life. At the age of eleven, already in a dream-world, he commissioned the building of a vast weaving shed, covering twenty three acres, on the summit of Pendle Hill. It was only with great good fortune that planning permission was refused, and a great many small building firms were saved from bankruptcy.
In the Summer of 1842, during a dry spell, Chevin arranged to have the course of the River Worth diverted through Mytholmes Tunnel, Oakworth Station and Ingrow sewage works. When the rains came in the September of that year, considerable structural damage ensued, along with complete disruption of the Midland Railway timetable and an outbreak of cholera in Damems. He claimed at his trial to have been employed by the Parks Department at the time, and was only following orders, viz; the construction of a children's paddling pool in Haworth Park.
Gaoled for six years. Upon his release in 1849, Chevin arranged for a local builder to tear up all the cobblestones laid in Haworth Main Street, and replace them with flagstones. Unfortunately, this caused a number of fatalities in wet weather due to lack of adhesion both by horses and pedestrians. The culprit was found, and Chevin was gaoled for a further nine years with hard labour.
Freedom came once again in 1858, and Chevin was soon at work again. Prompted by his belief in the fact that whatever he did was right, Chevin embarked on his grandest folly. He managed to commission the demolition of Haworth Parish Church one weekend in June, and have it replaced by a landscaped rock garden. Gaoled for twenty years and excommunicated.
In 1879, a free man again, Chevin continued his missions. A number of petty exploits followed, including the diversion at Keighley Station, of all seventeen Scotch Expresses from the main line, up the Worth Valley branch one Sunday, causing great congestion at Oxenhope Station, and considerable confusion amongst drivers and passengers alike.
In 1880 Chevin began digging a hole in his back garden. It was forty feet long and twenty feet wide. When neighbours enquired as to the purpose of the hole, he told them that he was going to breed Koi Carp and make his fortune. Daily, the spoil heap grew and grew, and ladders were soon necessary for Chevin to get down to the bottom of his hole. By late 1881, the hole was over seventy five feet deep. It was about this time that Chevin decided to build a swimming pool at the bottom, and three hay carts full of tiles appeared, and soon the sound of grouting began emanating from the pit. In 1882, Chevin had completed the pool, and was contemplating lazy days sunbathing on the edge. Unfortunately, because the pool was over seventy five feet below the earth's surface, no sun could penetrate down to it, and Chevin caught several severe chills before he abandoned the idea.
In 1883, Chevin began his last project. He started to construct a trout farm up in the Sladen Valley. However he was tragically drowned when the dam collapsed (the remains of the building can still be seen and the area is still known as "Bronte Waterfalls").
