Well, you know Missis always said they were poor and quite despicable: and they may be poor; but I believe they are as much gentry as the Reeds are; for one day, nearly seven years ago, a Mr. Eyre came to Gateshead and wanted to see you
Chapter 10
Context
Bessie, Jane's former nurse from Gateshead, has come to visit Jane at Lowood before she leaves. She tells Jane that a Mr. Eyre once came looking for her years ago, though Mrs. Reed sent him away.
Analysis
Bessie's report contains a class contradiction she herself points out: Mrs. Reed dismissed the Eyres as "poor and quite despicable," yet Bessie insists "they are as much gentry as the Reeds are." The phrase "as much gentry" stakes a claim to status that doesn't depend on wealth, introducing the idea that Jane may have gentle birth despite her poverty—a possibility Mrs. Reed tried to suppress by refusing the visit. The detail that this happened "nearly seven years ago" means Jane was about eleven, still a child, and had no say in whether to meet her father's family.
Essay Tip
Use this to argue that Brontë plants evidence of a hidden family history that Mrs. Reed actively concealed—Bessie's account reveals that Jane's isolation wasn't natural but enforced, and that she may have connections beyond the Reeds who wanted to find her.