Letter 13, Post 13

Saturday 29 December 2012
To Cassandra, from Steventon, "My father has applied to Mr May for an alehouse for Robert, at his request, and to Mr Deane, of Winchester, likewise. This was my mother's idea, who thought he would be proud to oblige a relation of Edward in return for Edward's accepting his money. He sent a very civil answer indeed, but has no house vacant at present. May expects to have an empty one soon at Farnham, so perhaps Nanny may have the honour of drawing ale for the Bishop." - Saturday 1-Sunday 2 December 1798

The following, from Wikipedia, was an Act in place during Jane Austen's time concerning Ale-houses:

"The Ale Houses Act 1551 (5 & 6 Edw. 6 c. 25), or An Act for Keepers of Ale-houses to be bound by Recognizance’s, sometimes the Licensing Act 1551, was an Act of the Parliament of England passed in 1552. It was passed to control the "abuses and disorders as are had and used in common ale-houses", and laid the foundation of modern licensing law. It provided that the Justices of the Peace were given power within their jurisdiction to stop the common selling of ale and beer in common ale-houses and tippling-houses, where they felt it to be appropriate and convenient. No-one was to be permitted to keep an ale-house without being so licensed by the Justices at Quarter Sessions, and the Justices were to take bond and surety of the keepers of common ale-houses and tippling-houses. This surety was to prevent the playing of unlawful games as well as for the maintenance of public order. Common selling of ale in booths at a fair by any person was permitted, however, "for the relief of the King's subjects that shall repair to the same", notwithstanding the rest of the Act.

It was repealed by section 35 of the Alehouse Act 1828 (9 Geo.4 c.61).

Tanner, J. R. Tudor Constitutional Documents, AD 1485-1603. Cambridge University Press, 1951. p. 500."

The notes in the back of Jane Austen's Letters offer that Mr. May and Mr. Deane were "Probably Thomas May, brewer, of Basingstoke, and Thomas Deane, brewer and brandy-merchant, of Winchester."

This would seem proof that Reverend George Austen was a respected man even in the surrounding villages of Steventon, that Mr. May and Mr. Deane would reply favorably to a request from him.

Nanny Hilliard was a maidservant at Steventon rectory. Her real name was Anne Knight Hilliard. She married John Hilliard in 1795. John might have been nicknamed "Robert" to "distinguish him from their other servant John Littleworth." Perhaps they were related to Edward through the Knights on Anne's side.

Anyway, the fact that Nanny might "have the honour of drawing ale for the Bishop" was a joke, as Farnham Castle was the an official residence of the Bishops of Winchester.

Here is some information about Farnham Castle, nine hundred years old!

http://www.farnhamcastle.com/history

                                                 Farnham Castle, amazing!

This is a picture of May's Brewery House in Basingstoke from the Hampshire Library and Information Service Hampshire County Council. This building was on Brook Street and demolished in 1966. What a great building. It was the family house of Mr. Thomas May to whom Reverend Austen had sent his request.

Here is the link to some information about it.

http://www.hantsphere.org.uk/ixbin/hixclient.exe?a=query&p=hants&f=generic_objectrecord.htm&_IXFIRST_=1&_IXMAXHITS_=1&%3Dcms_con_core_identifier=hs-hl-hs5575-i-00-000.jpg&t=hs-hl-lostbasingstoke&s=08RDvtk7TQR

I hope you enjoy your day today!

Terrie

Letter 13, Post 12

Friday 21 December 2012
To Casssandra, from Steventon, "Lizzie Bond is just apprenticed to Miss Small, so we may hope to see her able to spoil gowns in a few years." - Jane Austen, Saturday 1-Sunday 2 December 1798

Lizzie Bond was John Bond's youngest daughter. John Bond was Reverend George Austen's farm bailiff at Steventon. Elizabeth, "Lizzy" was born in 1782, so she would have been fifteen or sixteen when this letter was written.

Miss Small was a dressmaker, probably in Overton.

It does not seem as though Lizzy Bond made dressmaking a career as she married Joseph Beale of Overton, at Steventon, in 1809.

It would be such a shame to spoil gowns such as these! I love the look of the Regency, so feminine!

I hope you enjoyed your day today!
Terrie

Happy 237th Birthday Jane Austen!

Sunday 16 December 2012

TODAY IS JANE AUSTEN'S 237TH BIRTHDAY!


This is an excerpt from a letter Jane Austen’s father, Revd. George Austen, wrote to his sister-in-law, Mrs. Walter, the morning after Jane was born:

‘…last night the time came, and without a great deal of warning, everything was soon happily over. We have now another girl, a present plaything for her sister Cassy and a future companion. She is to be Jenny, and seems to me as if she would be as like Henry, as Cassy is to Neddy. Your sister thank God is pure well after it, and sends her love to you and my brother…’

Jane wrote to Cassandra Tuesday 18 December 1798, “…I am very much obliged to my dear little George for his messages, for his Love at least; - his Duty I suppose was only in consequence of some hint of my favourable intentions towards him from his father or Mother. – I am sincerely rejoiced however that I ever was born, since it has been the means of procuring him a dish of Tea. – Give my best Love to him.”

Little George was her nephew, Edward’s son. He was born in 1795, so he would have been around three years old.

Happy Birthday Jane!

Let's all have a cup of tea today in honor of Jane Austen's birthday!
I hope you enjoy it!
Terrie

Letter 13, Post 11

Monday 10 December 2012
To Cassandra, from Steventon, "John Bond begins to find himself grow old, which John Bonds ought not to do, and unequal to much hard work; a man is therefore hired to supply his place as to labour, and John himself is to have the care of the sheep. There are not more people engaged than before, I believe; only men instead of boys. I fancy so at least, but you know my stupidity as to such matters." - Jane Austen, Saturday 1-Sunday 2 December 1798

You can hear the affection Jane Austen has for John Bond here, can't you? John Bond was the farm bailiff at Steventon. He was born around 1738 at Laverstoke, so he would have been around sixty-five years old at this time. He married Anne Naishon or Nation of Deane in 1772. They had four children: Hannah, born in 1772, George, born in 1776, John, born in 1780 and Elizabeth, born in 1782. John and Anne both passed away in 1825.

                                          Steventon Parsonage.

The link below is to a flicker photo stream that has some amazing pictures of Steventon taken by Jeff Dodgson Photography. They are worth checking out.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffdodgson/3570969628/in/photostream/

I hope you enjoyed your day today!
Terrie