Jane Austen’s father died in Bath on January 20, 1805, leaving the family income depleted. Jane & Cassandra had no resources of their own. Their brothers contributed to their income, which was around 460 pounds per year. The sisters moved to #25 Gay street, reducing their staff from a man and two maids to just one maid of all work. The following year they moved to another house in Trim Street.
Jane Austen Center on Gay Street
For more scenes of Bath, click on the Bath Daily Photo.
In Persuasion, Jane writes:
“Sir Walter had taken a very good house in Camden-place, a lofty dignified situation, such as becomes a man of consequence…they had the pleasure of assuring her…undoubtedly the best in Camden-place; their drawing rooms had many decided advantages over all the others which they had seen or heard of; and the superiority was not less in the style of the fitting-up, or the taste of the furniture. Their acquaintance was exceeding sought after. Everybody was wanting to visit them. They had drawn back from many introductions, and still were perpetually having cards left by people of whom they knew nothing.”
On p. 181 in Jane Austen’s Town and Country Style, Susan Watkins says, “As with most resort towns, friendships were quickly formed. In Bath new acquaintances were the means to an introduction to other fashionable visitors, so as to be placed among the select society, although back in London these ‘friendships’ were quickly forgotten.”
Jane Austen's World 