Letter #11, Post #15

Tuesday 17 July 2012
To Cassandra, from Steventon, "Sunday.-I have just received a note from James to say that Mary was brought to bed last night, at eleven o'clock, of a fine little boy, and that everything is going on very well. My mother had desired to know nothing of it before it should be all over, and we were clever enough to prevent her having any suspicion of it, though Jenny, who had been left here by her mistress, was sent for home...." - Jane Austen, Saturday 17-Sunday 18 November 1798

             Silhouette of James Edward Austen Leigh from http://smithandgosling.wordpress.com/

This was the announcement of the birth of James-Edward Austen-Leigh. He wrote A Memoir of Jane Austen in 1869. He attended Exeter College, Oxford and received a MA in 1826. He was ordained in 1823 and was curate of Newtown, Berkshire. He was vicar of Bray, Berkshire from 1852 to 1874. In 1837 James-Edward Austen added the surname of Leigh when he became the heir to his great-aunt, Mrs. Leigh-Perrot. Mrs. Jane Cholmeley Leigh-Perrot was Jane Austen's mother's (Cassandra) sister, so, Jane Austen's aunt. With this inheritance he inherited the Leigh-Perrot house in Scarlets, Berkshire, but he sold it in 1863. James-Edward Austen Leigh passed away 8 September 1874.

                                Silhouette of Emma Smith Austen Leigh from http://smithandgosling.wordpress.com/

He married Emma Smith on 16 December 1828 and they lived at Tring Park with her family, the Smith's, until 1833.

 Emma was born in 1801 and died in 1876. She was a niece of Mrs. William-John Chute of The Vyne. An interesting thing about her is that she kept journals throughout her life. Kelly M. McDonald has a great website with great information on Emma Smith. Check it out it is well worth your time.
http://smithandgosling.wordpress.com/

                           A drawing of Emma Smith Austen Leigh from http://www3.hants.gov.uk/austen/deane-parsonage/the-vyne.htm

Together James-Edward Austen Leigh and Emma Smith Austen Leigh had ten children:
Cholmeley (1829 to 1899)
Emma-Cassandra (1831 to 1902)
Charles-Edward (1832 to 1924)
Spencer (1834 to 1913)
Arthur-Henry (1836 to 1917); this is a link to great information about Arthur-Henry, but also some information about the rest of the family. http://www.winterbourne.freeuk.com/chaustenleigh.html
Mary-Augusta (1838 to 1922)
Edward-Compton (1839 to 1916)
Augustus (1840 to 1905)
George-Raymond (1841 to 1842)
William (1843 to 1921)

In 1913 William and Cholmeley's son, Richard-Arthur collaborated to write Jane Austen, her Life and Letters, a Family Record. In 1920, James-Edward and Emma's daughter, Mary Augusta, wrote Personal Aspects of Jane Austen.

It is amazing to me how fast we move generations; from Jane Austen to James-Edward Austen Leigh to the 1920's and Downton Abby! Time goes by too fast! Maybe a reminder to enjoy each day?
Terrie