Emily's right-handedness

Abstract

Dr Edward Chitham, in his biography of Emily Bronte, wrote than he had a suspicion that Emily was left-handed. In this he has support from Dr Stevie Davies in her biography of 1988. With Emily's nature running counter to just about everything, Dr Davies' discussion of her 'sinistral vision using handedness theory' becomes valid in the search for the reason why. Dr Chitham states that there is no external evidence for Emily being left-handed, but he persists. Being left-handed myself, I realized that Emily's writing box, on display during 1999 in the Bonnell Room of the Parsonage, might provide a clue. It does. The small top-left compartment for an ink bottle or ink well has no ink stains, whereas the top-right compartment is severely ink-stained. Surely this should decide the matter? Dr Chitham uses the diary paper sketches of 1837 and 1845 in explaining his theories, but would Emily, in her bedroom, with the writing box on her knees, write something, then reach to the far righthand corner to replenish the nib? Has a handwriting expert ever given an opinion?