Rose & Co's famous Apothecary shop in Haworth is like a step back in time. Lit by sparkling chandeliers and always beautifully fragranced, the shop has old-style, rich mahogany and glass display cabinets. It sells high-class bath, beauty and household products, some still manufactured to old-fashioned formulations. The shop is a restored Victorian druggist shop and is reputed to be where Branwell Brontë bought the laudanum (tincture of opium) to which he was addicted. He was also an alcoholic and sadly these addictions masked the tuberculosis from which he suffered, until it was too late to save him. He died at the age of 31 and his sisters Emily and Anne also died of the disease within a year of his death.
What a beautiful shop for visiting, especially near Christmas. right out of Harry Potter.
ReplyDeleteI expect a white owl to go flying through the door.
nellie
Now there is a shop that one cannot pass without having a look inside. The smell of "Lifeboy" soap brings back so many childhood memories for me.
ReplyDeleteTuberculosis or, "consumption" as it was colloqually refered to in the Bronte's day was a terrible illness that lingered before folk finally succumed. In particular it was often reported that victims appeared to be on the mend, with a "healthy" glow about the face just before they were "gathered up".
What a gorgeous shoppe. Just like going back in time. I had no idea the Bronte's died so young.
ReplyDeleteDaphné du Maurier wrote a beautyful book about Barnwell's sad story.
ReplyDeleteThis place is really full of charm!It could find a place in Harry Potter's stories too!
A beautiful shop with an interesting history. How lucky you are to be ble to step inside to enjoy it all!
ReplyDeleteSo many of our shops try to capture the ambiance of Rose & Co. Nothing succeeds like the original. Jim
ReplyDeleteIt is a wonderful shop. It does make one curious to go inside to see what is for sale. I admire this style and really enjoy seeing an authentic one.
ReplyDeleteStraight out of Dickens' time too! Great choice of photo!
ReplyDeleteIt looks wonderful. From your description and the photo, I can almost smell it . . .
ReplyDeleteI would love to take a peek inside that oh! so pretty village shoppe -can almost smell the wafts of rose and lavender form here!
ReplyDeleteMy partner and I, inspired by your evocative photographs and despite the "wild and windy weather", took ourselves off to Haworth yesterday and visited the apothecary.
ReplyDeleteWith regards Branwell's frequent visits to the shop for his tincture of opium or laudanum. The young man was not alone in his addiction, indeed it is estimated that the general population's addiction to laudanum and alcohol was a serious and real problem . . hence, of course Mr Salts building his model village out in the country-side away from the terrible overpopulated industrial areas and his subsequent "ban" on alcohol . . and laudanum???
Imagine, if you will, a que of agitated local folk in the apothacary pushing in front of other customers angryly demanding their next fix of laudanum . . .Not so "Rosey" apicture, but one we can perhaps relate to today?
Excellent history. I love the window display and the peek of the chandelier.
ReplyDeleteHow I would love to visit a place like that. Love the glimpse of the chandelier, and I can imagine how lovely it smells in there. ~Lili
ReplyDeleteCharming store, wonderfully decked out for the season, but nothing charming about that killer TB!
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