To Cassandra, from Steventon, "-James Digweed called today, & I gave him his brother's deputation. Charles Harwood too has just called to ask how we are, in his way from Dummer, whither he has been conveying Miss Garrett, who is going to return to her former residence in Kent.- I will leave off, or I shall not have room to add a word tomorrow.-" - Jane Austen, Saturday 27-Sunday 28 October 1798
James Digweed (1774-1862) was Harry Digweed's younger brother. He was ordained in 1797 and became curate of Steventon in 1798, but he never held a benefice, which is a church office endowed with fixed capital assets that provide a living. He did however marry Mary-Susannah Lyford (1772-1840) in 1803. They lived at Worting and Dummer, Hants. Mary-Susannah Lyford Digweed was the aunt to Giles-King Lyford (1764-1837) who attended Jane Austen at Winchester in the end.
They had five children, John-James (1807-1881), three daughters who died unmarried, and one daughter Susannah who married and had a least one child. She died in 1847.
Charles Harwood (1783-1855) married Eliza Terry (1788-23 August 1841) in 1810. She was from Dummer. They had three children, John-Terry (1811), Charles-Earle (1812) and Anne (1816). They lived in a farmhouse at Deane.
Charles Harwood would have been fifteen years old at the time of this visit.
Deirdre Le Faye says in the notes at the back of the Jane Austen's Letters book, "Ms. Sybil Wade tells me that Miss G was probably a cousin of the Harwoods, as the current Squire Harwood's mother had been born Betty Garrett."
Steventon House, the house that Edward Austen built for his son Willliam Austen after Edward had Steventon Rectory torn down, after James Austen died.
This is a link to a dig they are doing at the Steventon site. This is really interesting information on Steventon House and Steventon Rectory.
Terrie
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.