Inquiring Readers
Helen Robson, Fine Art Administrator with Lacy, Scott, & Knight Auction Centre in Bury St Edmunds, UK, contacted this blog with information that is perfectly suited for our year long celebration of Jane Austen’s birth.
Our 14th June auction includes a pair of George III silver Egyptian pattern candlesticks engraved with an interesting inscription, the Austen family crest, and mentioned in a museum’s recently transcribed manuscript, which links the Napoleonic Wars, the East India Company and the brother of one of Britain’s most beloved novelists.
Ms Robson has generously encouraged us to use LS&K’s images and texts. My aim, always, is to link to the original source, in this instance their website. I have downloaded the PDF from the site of a quite extensive history about the Admiral entitled “Jane Austen’s brother, the Napoleonic Wars and the East India Company.” The link to the information sits here.
Francis Austen as a young man
This link leads to the PDF Doc, which can be printed out.
As it happens, and coincidentally, Jane Austen’s House has placed the link to the Memoir of Admirals Sir Francis Austen, whose translation was completed in 2024 by volunteers — just in time on their site!
These two pieces of information regarding Austen’s slightly older brother (born 1774), help us to understand more about the family dynamics through Frank’s career as a sailor, captain and admiral. His Memoir, written in a slim journal consisting of 78 pages, gives us a personal perspective on his life
Related Sites:
Jane Austen's World 
What wonderful and important pieces of history.