Frances Mary Richardson Currer collections of Richard Heber which were larger than Currer's. Heber and Currer had a close relationship and Heber was bailed out by Currer when he had financial difficulties. It has been speculated that Currer was a benefactor of the Brontë sisters and this is the reason that Charlotte Brontë chose the nom de plume of "Currer Bell" for her novel "Jane Eyre". It is thought that she gave the Brontë sisters' father £50 to assist them when he became a widower. Currer did donate money to the Clergy Daughter's School that the Brontë sisters attended as well as funding the
Bronte House 1983, Bronte House was let to an Englishman, Christopher Selmes, who undertook to spend a minimum of 200,000 on repairs to the house (Waverley Council had already spent some money on repairs to the roof) and duly did so. Indeed, the sum expended on restoration, carried out under the supervision of the conservation architect, Clive Lucas, was closer to $300,000. Selmes also furnished the main rooms of the house with antiques as required under conditions of lease. The lease was transferred to Mr & Mrs Peter Muller . Arts organiser Leo Schofield assumed responsibility for the lease of Bronte House