Letter 14, Post 7

Thursday 19 December 2013
To Cassandra, from Steventon, "I hope & imagine that Edward Taylor is to inherit all Sir Edw: Dering's fortune as well as all his own fathers." - Jane Austen, Tuesday 18-Wednesday 19 December 1798

Jane was jesting here; it seems that Reverend Edward Taylor (1734-8 December 1798) of Bifrons near Bridge, Kent and Sir Edward Dering, 6th Bt. (1732-8 December 1798) of Surrenden-Dering, near Ashford, Kent both passed away on the same day.

And for even more of the joke, Jane wrote in letter 10, "We went by Bifrons, & I contemplated with a melancholy pleasure, the abode of Him, on whom I once fondly doated." This is probably why she wished for Edward Taylor both inheritances. His own inheritance would have been just fine for me. Take a look:

Bifrons, Kent, home of Edward Taylor

According to Wikipedia, Surrenden-Dering is an interesting place. The village of Pluckley, where the manor is located, has the distinction of being the "most haunted village in Britain." It is said to be haunted by at least twelve ghosts. They also found a Shakespeare manuscript from about 1613, parts 1 and 2 of Henry the IV, at the Surrenden-Dering Manor.

Here is a link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluckley

I hope you have a good day today.
Terrie

Letter 14, Post 6

Tuesday 17 December 2013
To Cassandra, from Steventon, "I have received a very civil note from Mrs Martin requesting my name as a Subscriber to her Library which opens the 14th of January, & my name, or rather Yours is accordingly given, My mother finds the Money.-Mary subscribes too, which I am glad of, but hardly expected.-As an inducement to subscribe Mrs Martin tells us that her Collection is not to consist only of Novels, but of every kind of Literature &c &c-She might have spared this pretension to our family, who are great Novel-readers & not ashamed of being so;-but it was necessary I suppose to the self-consequence of half her Subscribers." - Jane Austen, Tuesday 18-Wednesday 19 December 1798

This is a very good post about circulating libraries in Jane Austen's time.
http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2010/08/30/the-circulating-library-in-regency-times/

As for Mrs. Martin, the notes in the back of the book say she was "probably the Mary Martin who was landlady of the Maidenhead Inn and also held the Excise Office at Basingstoke 1791." There is an article written in the Basingstoke Gazette by Robert Brown on 22 October 2013 about the history of and the re-opening of the Maidenhead Inn which states that the Inn was kept by Mary Martin in 1784, but by 1790 the ownership changed to the Duke of Bolton of Hackwood Park (originally Thomas Orde, 1746-1807). The name of the Inn was changed to Bolton Arms. In 1815 the Inn closed.

Here is a link to this article:
http://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/communitynews/memory_lane_old_pictures/10754361.History_repeats_itself_at_inn/?ref=rss

Letter number fourteen was written in 1798, but for the conclusion of this story we go to letter number twenty-three which was written Saturday 25-Monday 27 October 1800. Jane amusingly wrote to Cassandra, "Our whole Neighbourhood is at present very busy greiving over poor Mrs Martin, who has totally failed in her business, & had very lately an execution in her house.-Her own brother & Mr Rider are the principal creditors, & they have seized her effects in order to prevent other people's doing it.-There has been the same affair going on, we are told, at Wilson's, & my hearing nothing of you makes me apprehensive that You, your fellow travellers & all your effects, might be seized by the Bailiffs when you stopt at the Crown & sold altogether for the benefit of the creditors."

There was a Mrs. Ryder we discussed in letter number ten who was the Draper/haberdasher in Basingstoke. Perhaps she and Mr. Rider or Ryder were close friends with Mrs. Martin, both being working women in that era.

Does anyone else have the feeling that there could be a television series about this neighborhood? It could be narrated by Jane Austen and have a Little House on the Prairie feel to it where everyone knows everyone, some get along, others are a little more hard to love, but everyone stops what they are doing and join together when there is trouble.

Just like Mr. Bennett said, "For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn."

I hope you have a good day today!
Terrie

Happy Birthday Jane Austen

Monday 16 December 2013

Today is Jane Austen's two-hundred-thirty-eighth birthday. I would say she is doing pretty well.

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!

Letter 14, Post 5

Sunday 15 December 2013
To Cassandra, from Steventon, "This morning has been made very gay to us, by visits from our two lively Neighbours Mr Holder & Mr John Harwood." - Jane Austen, Tuesday 18-Wednesday 19 December 1798

We have discussed the Harwoods before. They owned Deane, which is just about 1.32 miles north of Steventon. This is a link to one of the posts:

http://allthings-jane-austen.blogspot.com/2012/05/letter-10-post-24.html

Okay, let's find out who Mr. Holder was. It seems he must have been Mr. James Holder born in 1747. He lived at Ashe Park. He remained a bachelor his entire life. His money ran out in the latter part of his life and he died senile and in poverty. How very sad.

Ashe Park currently.

Ashe is 2 miles north of Steventon. Ashe Rectory was the home of the Lefroy family.

I hope you enjoyed your day today.
Terrie

Letter 14, Post 4

Sunday 13 October 2013
To Cassandra, from Steventon, "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." - Jane Austen, Tuesday 18-Wednesday 19 December 1798

Little George was Edward (the Austen's third eldest son) and Elizabeth's third child, George-Thomas Austen Knight. He was born at Rowling on 22 November 1795, so he would have been three years old at this time.

The occasion for the dish of tea was Jane Austen's birthday. She was born on 16 December 1775, so she had just turned twenty-three.

I just read an excerpt from the first chapter of this book and it looks like an entertaining and informative book. I think this is one I will have to order.

Here is the link if you are interested.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/listing/2683763061129?r=1&cm_mmca2=pla&cm_mmc=GooglePLA-_-Book_15To24-_-Q000000633-_-2683763061129


As a side note, in October 1813, Sense and Sensibility was released as a second edition. It earned 250 pounds; not too bad for that time.

I hope you enjoy your day today.
Terrie

Letter 14, Post 3

Sunday 29 September 2013
To Cassandra, from Steventon, "I am sorry that our dear Charles begins to feel the Dignity of Ill-usage.-My father will write to Admiral Gambier.-He must already have received so much satisfaction from his acquaintance with & Patronage of Frank, that he will be delighted I dare say to have another of the family introduced to him.-I think it would be very right in Charles to address Sir Tho on the occasion; tho' I cannot approve of your scheme of writing to him (which you communicated to [p. 2] me few nights ago) to request him to come home & convey You to Steventon.-To do you justice however, You had some doubts of the propriety of such a measure yourself." - Jane Austen, Tuesday 18-Wednesday 19 December 1798

Admiral Gambier would have been James Gambier (1756-1833). He married Louisa Mathew, daughter of Daniel Mathew. Louisa was a cousin to Anne Mathew who was James Austen's first wife.

Admiral James Gambier

Here is an interesting link to Admiral Gambier, William Wilberforce, and Jane Austen.

http://claphamsect.com/2013/06/01/wilberforce-and-jane-austen-some-possible-connections/

Charles Austen would have been nineteen years old at the writing of this letter. He was already a Lieutenant serving on the HMS Scorpion or the HMS Tamar. I cannot find exact dates that he served on either ship.

Sir Tho' was Captain Sir Thomas Williams (1761-1841). He had been knighted in 1796 and was married to Jane Cooper, the daughter of Revd Dr. Edward Cooper and Jane Leigh Cooper who was a sister to Jane Austen's mother, Cassandra. So Jane Cooper William's was Jane Austen's cousin. At the writing of this letter Jane Cooper Williams had died in a road accident on 9 August 1798.

Captain Sir Thomas Williams was also the Captain of the HMS Endymion, a ship that Charles had served on as a midshipman, but later returned to as a Lieutenant in April 1803. He was then promoted to commander and given command of the sloop ship HMS Indian on 10 October 1804.

It seems the Austen's had a wide range of acquaintances does it not?

I hope you enjoy your day today!
Terrie

Letter 14, Post 2

Sunday 4 August 2013

To Cassandra, from Steventon, "I took liberty a few days ago of asking your Black velvet Bonnet to lend me its cawl, which it very readily did, & by which I have been enabled to give a considerable improvement of dignity to my Cap, which was before too nidgetty to please me.-I shall wear it on Thursday, but I hope you will not be offended with me for following your advice as to its ornaments only in part-I still venture to retain the narrow silver round it, put twice round without any bow, & instead of the black military feather shall put in the Coquelicot one, as being smarter;-& besides Coquelicot is to be all the fashion this winter.- After the ball, I shall probably make it entirely black.- Jane Austen, Tuesday 18-Wednesday 19 December 1798

Okay, cawl is a Welsh stew, so, Jane Austen must have been referring to caul which Dictionary.com has as two of it's definitions, "a net lining in the back of a woman's cap or hat" and "a cap or hat of net formerly worn by women." This is an old word from the 1300's.

A rare meaning of "nidgetty" is trifling. A Google search seems to give Jane Austen credit for this word, as this letter comes up for most of the entries. I think I will try to add this word to my vocabulary!... nidgetty...I like it.

Perhaps this is an example of what the military feather would have looked like.

Coquelicot is a color of red. So she must have been wearing black and red to the ball, Humm.

I hope you enjoyed your day today!
Terrie

Letter #14, Post #1

Friday 2 August 2013

There are several letters missing between letter thirteen, written Tuesday 18-Wednesday 19 December 1798, and letter fourteen, which was written Saturday 1-Sunday 2 December 1798. Jane Austen had celebrated her twenty-third birthday on 16 December 1798. I am sure Cassandra would have written to her to wish her happy.

Letter 14 was given by Cassandra to their niece Fanny, Lady Knatchbull, in 1845. Lord Brabourne inherited it in 1882; it went to Sotheby's 11-14 May 1891; then to Alfred Morrison; then back to Sotheby's on 10 December 1918; to J.P. Morgan in 1920; and finally to the Pierpoint Library in New York. How fortunate that we still have it with us.

Letter #14, To Cassandra, from Steventon, "My dear Cassandra, Your letter came quite as soon as I expected, and so your letters will always do, because I have made it a rule not to expect them till they come, in which I think I consult the ease of us both. - It is a great satisfaction to us to hear that your Business is in a way to be settled, & so settled as to give you as little inconvenience as possible.-You are very welcome to my father's name, & [as] to his Services if they are ever required in it. -I shall keep my ten pounds too to wrap myself up in next winter." - Jane Austen, Tuesday 18-Wednesday 19 December 1798

The notes in the back of the book say that Cassandra's business could have been concerning the inheritance she received from her fiance Tom Fowle.

The [as] was cancelled by Jane Austen.

Jane Austen's ten pounds might have been a Christmas present from Reverend Austen or perhaps a present from Mrs. Knight. Jane Austen was very careful with her money. She mentions money quite a bit in her letters; that is not to say she was stingy. She was not. She also mentions wanting to give and help.

I hope you enjoyed your day today!
Terrie

Letter 13, Post 17

Friday 11 January 2013
To Cassandra, from Steventon, "Sunday.-My father is glad to hear so good an account of Edward's pigs, and desires he may be told, as encouragement to his taste for them, that Lord Bolton is particularly curious in his pigs, has had pigstyes of a most elegant construction built for them, and visits them every morning as soon as he rises.

Affectionately yours,

J. A.

Miss Austen,

Godmersham Park,

Faversham." - Jane Austen, Saturday 1-Sunday 2 December 1798

This must have given Edward a pretty good laugh.

Reverend Austen seems like he was an amiable, witty man does he not? This quote from Pride and Prejudice, chapter 57, spoken by Mr. Bennett, came to mind when I read this, "For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?''

Lord Bolton was Thomas Orde (1746-1807) who married Jane-Mary Powlett in 1778. I believe she was from the same illegitimate line as the Charles Powlett we discussed a few posts back, as they are both associated with Hackwood Park. Jane-Mary Powlett became the heiress of the 5th Duke of Bolton and Thomas Orde was created Baron Bolton on 20 October 1797. They inherited Hackwood Park, which would explain why Reverend Charles Powlett took so many "family livings" and why his neighbors took "a most lively interest in the state of his finances."

Hackwood Park is about 10.2 miles from Reverend Austen's church, St. Mary's. So, he would have been privy to this sort of information :),

Hackwood Park is still such a pretty estate. Unfortunately, I did not find any images of those elegant pigstyes; that would have been quite a find!

This is a link to some information about Hackwood Park. Thomas Orde is mentioned in it if you are interested.

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&tbo=d&biw=1366&bih=659&tbm=isch&tbnid=hDYmpoJ2mqq7TM:&imgrefurl=http://www.friendsofwillis.hampshire.org.uk/story_of_hackwood.htm&docid=cGqe1LR4iXnSvM&imgurl=http://www.friendsofwillis.hampshire.org.uk/images/back.jpg&w=640&h=522&ei=7mXwUIWJCOvPigLWoYCQCQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1072&vpy=124&dur=5911&hovh=203&hovw=249&tx=110&ty=108&sig=104619338646503358704&page=1&tbnh=143&tbnw=204&start=0&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0,i:100

Well, today we finished letter thirteen. It has been fun. I hope you enjoyed it.
Enjoy your day today!
Terrie

Happy Birthday Cassandra!

Wednesday 9 January 2013
Today is Cassandra Elizabeth Austen's 240th birthday! She was Jane Austen's older sister, best friend, confidant, protector, and in the end, executrix. She was born Saturday 9 January 1773.

                               Cassandra Elizabeth Austen

The oldest of Jane Austen's known letters, which was written to Cassandra on Saturday 9-Sunday 10 January 1796 begins:

"In the first place I hope you will live twenty-three years longer. Mr. Tom Lefroy's birthday was yesterday, so that you are very near of an age." - Jane Austen, letter number one.

So, Happy Birthday Cassandra!

Happy Birthday Mr. Tom Lefroy!

Tuesday 8 January 2013
Today is Mr. Tom Lefroy's 237th birthday! So, Happy Birthday Tom!

By now anyone interested in Jane Austen knows who Mr. Tom Lefroy is, but do we really need an excuse to watch Becoming Jane just one more time? I don't. I am always ready and willing.

In the oldest known letter Jane Austen wrote to Cassandra, on Saturday 9-Sunday 10 January 1796:

"Mr. Tom Lefroy's birthday was yesterday, so that you are very near of an age." - Jane Austen, letter number one.

Jane was joking. Cassandra was really three years older than Tom. Mr. Lefroy was born on Monday 8 January 1776. So, he was actually a few weeks younger than Jane herself.

Anyway, Happy Birthday Tom!

Letter 13, Post 16

Monday 7 January 2013
To Cassandra, from Steventon, "We are very much disposed to like our new maid; she knows nothing of a dairy, to be sure, which, in our family, is rather against her, but she is to be taught it all. In short, we have felt the inconvenience of being without a maid so long, that we are determined to like her, and she will find it a hard matter to displease us. As yet, she seems to cook very well, is uncommonly stout, and says she can work well at her needle." - Jane Austen, Saturday 1-Sunday 2 December 1798

It seems the maid at Steventon would have multiple duties and be rather like a family member.

Jane Austen gave Mrs. Reynolds, the housekeeper of Pemberley House, the duty of introducing Mr. Darcy in a different light to Elizabeth Bennett as the person who knew him as a little boy into an adult.

I hope you enjoyed your day today.
Terrie

Letter 13, Post 15

Saturday 5 January 2013
To Cassandra, from Steventon, "Charles Powlett gave a dance on Thursday, to the great disturbance of all his neighbours, of course, who, you know, take a most lively interest in the state of his finances, and live in hopes of his being soon ruined." - Jane Austen, Saturday 1-Sunday 2 December 1798

Charles Powlett was brought up mostly by his Uncle Percy Powlett at the ducal home of Hackwood Park in Basingstoke, where 'he became acquainted with rank and fashion in abundance, which somewhat unsettled him for the sphere to which his ill-starred fortunes destined him'. He entered Cambridge but did not graduate, held various Bolton family livings as the rector and at one point he took in students.

He married Anne ('Nancy') Temple in 1796 and they had several children.

He passed away in 1834, but "a premature obituary notice for Revd Charles Powlett appeared in the GM for 1830, ii, 471; while acknowledging that he was 'cheerful, benevolent, conscientious, and virtuous', the anonymous biographer added that 'His person was diminutive, and his limbs not well formed. He had a quick apprehension, and an excellent memory; but he was somewhat deficient in judgment and profundity. His opinions were apt to run to extremes, and to be lightly taken up, and lightly abandoned. He was a little too free of his advise, which was given with a self-sufficiency not always well received,'. This might explain the opinion of his neighbors.

The Lefroys and Lyfords are mentioned in a number of his letters that survive.

                                   Hackwood Park

The following link shows pictures of the current day Hackwood Park. It is a beautiful estate and it is up for sale. Take a look.
http://www.carterjonas.co.uk/properties-for-sale/basingstoke/hampshire/PET120036.html

I hope you enjoy your day today!
Terrie

Letter 13, Post 14

Happy New Year Everyone!
Tuesday 1 January 2013
To Cassandra, from Steventon, "I shall write to Frank tomorrow." - Jane Austen, Saturday 1-Sunday 2 December 1798

The first post for this letter was about Frank as "He was at Cadiz, alive and well, on October 19..."

Here is a link if you missed it.
http://allthings-jane-austen.blogspot.com/2012/09/letter-13-post-1.html

                                              Vice-Admiral Sir Francis William Austen

I hope you enjoy the first day of 2013!
Terrie