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“Austen, Annotated” in Cleveland, Ohio: JASNA 2024 AGM

November 25, 2024 by Brenda S Cox

By Brenda S. Cox

“My idea of good company, Mr. Elliot, is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company.”–Anne Elliot, Persuasion

Every year, JASNA (the Jane Austen Society of North America) holds a wonderful Annual General Meeting. “Meeting” doesn’t sound very exciting, but JASNA AGMs are the highlight of the Jane Austen year for many of us in North America. Over a period of about five days, we get to meet with hundreds of other Janeites, enjoying plenty of “good company,” enjoying old friends and making new ones. We also get to hear plenaries from top experts in the world and breakout sessions on many fascinating topics. Plus, we enjoy fun workshops, tours, a ball, and much more.

JASNA 2024 AGM in Cleveland, Ohio

On Oct. 16-20 of this year, 660 JASNA members attended the AGM in person, including 30 students, plus 63 companions and 160 virtual participants. 20% were first-time participants. About 90% were women, about 10% men. The topic was “Austen, Annotated: Jane Austen’s Literary, Political, and Cultural Origins.”  A wide area. But right up our alley here at “Jane Austen’s World.” This conference touched on many areas of the context of Austen’s life and writings, which gave participants new insights into her novels.

Plenary Talks

The wonderful plenary talks included:

  • “‘So Potent and So Stimulative’: Jane Austen’s Reading” by Susan Allen Ford, author of What Jane Austen’s Characters Read and Why?—Ford explored with us how Austen’s reading influenced Mansfield Park. She has identified 43-51 titles that influenced that novel alone! These include Mary Brunton’s evangelical novel Self-Control and Austen’s cousin Edward Cooper’s sermons. Personally, I found this a wonderful lead-in to my own breakout session on “Jane Austen and the Evangelicals.” I’ll be reviewing Susan’s book for you before long; it’s full of great insights.
Susan Allen Ford speaks at the opening plenary of the 2024 JASNA AGM.
  • “Was Austen Political?” by Amanda Vickery, author of The Gentleman’s Daughter: Women’s Lives in Georgian England—Vickery explained to us women’s limited roles in “public business” (politics) at the time. She told us that heiresses and rich widows, like Mrs. Jennings and Lady Catherine, might influence their tenants to vote for a certain MP. They might also choose the parish clergyman, important in local government. Upper-class wives might be political hostesses, giving them influence as well. Women were also involved in the abolition movement. Jane Austen was observant and attentive, making subtle references to the movements of her day. 
  • “‘The Capital Pen of a Sister Author’: Reading Frances Burney with Jane Austen,” by Peter Sabor, editor of the Juvenilia in the Cambridge edition of Austen’s works—We learned about the Burney novels that Austen loved: Evelina, Cecilia, and Camilla, and how Austen referred to them in her letters and in Northanger Abbey. She even “subscribed” to Camilla, supporting it as a sort of eighteenth century Kickstarter backer.
  • Patricia A. Matthew, whose current work-in-progress is “‘And Freedom to the Slave’: Sugar, Gender, and the History of the Novel,” talked about women and the sugar boycott which helped get British slavery abolished. She also told us about the new “Race & Regency Lab.” George Austen’s first cousin, John Cope Freeman, owned a plantation in Jamaica. Maps of the plantation, shown on the website, provide information on the enslaved people there and the plots of land they cultivated for themselves or others.
  • “Jane Austen and the Jurassic,” by Thomas Keymer, author of Jane Austen: Writing, Society, Politics, gave a scientific plus literary slant on the time period. During our final brunch, Keymer focused on fossil discoveries at Lyme Regis, including those by Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot. Austen’s novels include brief references to fossils: Fanny’s amber cross was fossilized, Elizabeth Bennet plans to pick up “petrified spars,” and in Persuasion we hear of changes in the landscape at Charmouth and Pinny, which revealed fossils. Keymer posited that the real “fossils” in Persuasion are Sir Walter Elliot and Lady Dalrymple and her daughter. And, by the way, Charles Darwin knew Persuasion practically by heart, and called the captain of the Beagle a “Captain Wentworth.”
Thomas Keymer speaks on the Jane Austen and the Jurassic at the closing brunch of the JASNA 2024 AGM.

Breakout Sessions

Honestly, though, my favorite sessions were the breakouts. Five great choices were offered for each of five session times. It was so hard to decide that I paid extra to get recordings of some of them afterwards. As I mentioned, I spoke in one of them. I was opposite Dr. Ben Wiebracht and his students, who were the JASNA New Voices Speakers for this year. They spoke about their Doctor Syntax book, which I reviewed last month. I got to hear a recording of the talk, which was full of great information about this very popular author of Austen’s time.

Other highlights for me were my friend Breckyn Wood’s talk on how grammar and linguistics shaped Austen’s moral worldview, Roger Moore’s session on Jane Austen’s clergymen and their literary ancestors, Lona Manning’s discussion of charity in Emma compared to charitable heroines in other novels of the time, and Deb Barnum’s pictures of books Jane Austen owned. Linda Zionkowski spoke about the “whiners” of Austen’s novels, comparing them with a popular book on complaint, and Collins Hemingway told us about riots and insurrections of Austen’s time. I wish I could have gone to all the breakout sessions!

Fortunately, many of the plenary and breakout talks will be covered in articles in upcoming issues of Persuasions (available to all JASNA members) and Persuasions On-Line (available to everyone).

Breckyn Wood, hostess of Austen Chat, presents a breakout session on “Good Tenses Make Good Neighbours: Or, How Grammar and Linguistics Shaped Austen’s Moral World.”
Author Collins Hemingway presents a breakout session on “Riots & Insurrections: Social and Political Unrest in Austen’s Time”

Fashion, Crafts, Music, and Dance

Of course when we celebrate Jane Austen, there’s lots of “fun stuff” as well. I got to make ribbon flowers and an evening headdress. Other workshops taught how to make a corset, a handbound book, and a turban.

Workshop leader Camela Nitschke helped participants create ribbon flowers “inspired by Jane Austen’s Gardens”
A workshop participant begins creating a Regency headdress.

Dance workshops prepared us for the Ball, which was great fun.

The AGM Ball is always a highlight.

Gillian Dooley and Laura Klein gave a wonderful concert of music Jane Austen owned. In another special session, Hilary Davidson showed us what Jane Austen wore. A fashion show followed, where JASNA members wore gowns they had made. They promenaded in the order such gowns would have been worn in history, with historical background for each. A bingo game followed, and I won a copy of Hilary Davidson’s gorgeous book, Jane Austen’s Wardrobe. (Rachel reviewed that for us last year.)

JASNA members wearing their own historically accurate creations curtsey to the crowd.

Extras

Shopping: As always, the Emporium offered everything from a splendid selection of books (thank you, Jane Austen Books!), to t-shirts, gowns, headdresses, and ribbons, to handmade paper and calendars giving Austen events from the novels and letters for each day of the year. (Thank you, Wisconsin region–I love those calendars.) Looking for Christmas presents, anyone?

Church: I was delighted that this year we could attend Evensong at beautiful Trinity Cathedral nearby. Most people didn’t dress up in Regency gear for it, as it was very cold outside, but many of us worshiped together for Evensong, similar to the way Jane Austen worshiped in her Anglican churches.

Participants who chose to go enjoyed an Evensong church service at lovely Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland. That eagle lectern on the left is much like eagle lecterns I’ve seen in several English churches Austen may have visited.

Tours and Local Events: Tours were offered to local sites, such as the Cleveland Museum of Art and downtown Cleveland. Tickets were also available for a play, concerts, and a dinner cruise.

Military: Two special sessions brought in the military. One was held outside, with Napoleon and a horse, and one was inside, a talk on the Battle of Lake Erie.

A banquet, brunch, and promenade gave us more chances to mix with other Janeites at the conference. A wide variety of other special sessions and interactive stations offered something for everyone.

One first-time participant and vendor from my region, who runs Jane Austen Treasures, said this AGM was one of her “best life experiences ever.” Another participant, who has attended many AGMs, said it is always “the most magical time,” where she feels like she is “walking around in fairyland. . . . Say hello to anybody, and you’re going to have a fantastic conversation.” A different first-timer added, “It was so fun! . . . When else can you be surrounded by so many intelligent, well-read, interesting, kind, funny, warm people?”

Next year’s JASNA AGM will be in Baltimore, Oct. 10-12, 2025. The theme is “Austen at 250: ‘No check to my genius from beginning to end.’”  We’d love to see you there!

Posted in 2024 AGM Cleveland, Jane Austen's World, JASNA | Tagged | 7 Comments »

At Home and Behind Closed Doors in Georgian England

November 18, 2024 by Vic

Vic’s DVD Set

Inquiring readers: At the end of 2010, PBS sent Jane Austen’s World blog many DVDs for review. Most dealt with Jane Austen or the Georgian/Regency era. Close to fifteen years have passed since the series “At Home With the Georgians” first aired in the US. Recently I started to think that a new audience of Jane Austen fans might not be aware of this marvelous series, which presented the private lives, courtships, and marriages of Georgian men and women in 18th Century England. This series was developed in a variety of ways: by reading original sources, such as letters, discussions with experts, museum displays, and visiting the houses and regions where the British from all classes once lived. 

This three part series is based on Amanda Vickery’s book, Behind Closed Doors: At Home in Georgian England, a thoroughly informative and academic effort. Vickery is also the host of this visually stunning show. About the Georgian household she states that a home “reflected your taste, your values, your moral character, and the state of your marriage.” This concise introduction sums up the series. A man’s home ownership determines his position. For example, a rented home could determine his status. If he rented the entire house, from top to bottom, he could not only attract a wife, he would  also be viewed as a full citizen qualified to vote. Bachelors who rented rooms in squalid areas of town, were at the bottom of the matrimonial ladder, always yearning to improve their circumstances.

Bachelor fantasizing about a home and family. (DVD scene)

Marrying well was the major focus for Georgian women. Spinster ladies who were unsuccessful in finding a husband, led lives of dependency. Austen described their lot beautifully in her letters and novels.

Gertrude Saville, a very sad spinster (DVD Scene)

Finding a husband and raising a family were a Georgian woman’s main ambitions. As for the man, all he really needed for happiness was “a wife and a fire.” His primary focus early in life was to set up the kind of household that enabled him to woo a woman successfully. 

A proper Georgian Family. Thomas Hudson,The Thistlethwayte Family, ca. 1758. Yale Center for British Art

The third video has a much darker tone than the first two, but its content is equally as fascinating. In it, Vickery discusses how the home provided safety during the night, especially in cities, towns, and rural communities that were dark after sundown and badly lit at night in an age before electricity.

Georgian dress with chatelaines attached to her bodice and skirt

While the wife carried the keys and other instruments, such as sewing scissors, inside the home during the day to perform her housewifely duties (notice the instruments attached to the bodice in the image), the husband’s responsibility was to walk around the house every night, and lock the doors and windows to prevent intruders from entering. As the 18th century progressed, crimes, including relatively minor ones of theft, were punished more harshly. Serious robberies and break ins led increasingly to brutal imprisonment or a death sentence. 

The “At Home With the Georgians” videos are divided into the following three topics. Click on the links to read our full reviews.

  1. A Man’s Place, reviewed by Vic. Read it at this link.
  2. A Woman’s Touch, reviewed by Tony Grant, a frequent contributor to this blog. Read it at this link.
  3. Safe as Houses, reviewed by Vic, with photo contributions from Tony Grant. Read it at this link.

Where to view the videos today

DVDs of these videos are available at Amazon and eBay. Roku Channel and Tubi offer free views, although if I recall correctly, they come with ads. One YouTube channel features at least the first two videos: A Man’s Place and A Woman’s Touch. Click on soniab1’s YouTube channel to see them.

About Amanda Vickery

Amanda Vickery reading letters & documents

Amanda Jane Vickery FBA is an English historian, writer, radio and television presenter, and professor of early modern history at Queen Mary, University of London. Source: Wikipedia

About her Book

Podcast talks with Amanda Vickery, Blackwell’s Bookshops – around 20 min total

Posted in 18th Century England, Georgian Life, Georgian marriage, Jane Austen's World | Tagged , | 13 Comments »

November in Jane Austen’s World

November 11, 2024 by Rachel Dodge

I can hardly believe we’ve arrived at November in Jane Austen’s World! After 10 months of this series, it’s proved an experience I won’t soon forget. What a fantastic journey! As we turn now to Jane Austen’s life, letters, and novels in the month of November, I can’t wait to explore Jane’s Regency world in the fall!

If you’d like to catch up on previous months, you can find each post of the “A Year in Jane Austen’s World” series here: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, and October.

As is our tradition, let’s first take a look at Jane Austen’s beautiful Hampshire countryside this time of year. As you might imagine, the yellow and golds of fall are on display and the weather has changed. Here is a gorgeous photo of the Chawton landscape this time of year:

Chawton House in November: Photo @ChawtonHouse.

November in Hampshire

November is the time for crisp weather, rain, and pretty fall colors. I found this lovely description of November weather in Austen’s letters:

Castle Square (21 November 1808): 

“How could you have a wet day on Thursday? With us it was a prince of days, the most delightful we have had for weeks; soft, bright, with a brisk wind from the southwest; everybody was out and talking of spring, and Martha and I did not know how to turn back. On Friday evening we had some very blowing weather,—from six to nine; I think we never heard it worse, even here. And one night we had so much rain that it forced its way again into the store-closet; and though the evil was comparatively slight and the mischief nothing, I had some employment the next day in drying parcels, etc. I have now moved still more out of the way.”

Wouldn’t you love to walk with Jane in that beautiful soft, bright day with its brisk wind! I’ve enjoyed quite a few similar walks this past week where I live and it’s exhilarating.

Jane Austen’s House Museum and gardens are always so pretty. Here is a recent November photo:

Jane Austen’s House in November, Photo: @JaneAustensHouse.

November in Jane Austen’s Letters

We don’t have many letters from the month of November in Austen’s collection of surviving letters, but November produces a few interesting details such as these:

20 November 1800 (Steventon):

  • Night out: “Your letter took me quite by surprise this morning; you are very welcome, however, and I am very much obliged to you. I believe I drank too much wine last night at Hurstbourne; I know not how else to account for the shaking of my hand to-day. You will kindly make allowance therefore for any indistinctness of writing, by attributing it to this venial error. Naughty Charles did not come on Tuesday, but good Charles came yesterday morning. About two o’clock he walked in on a Gosport hack. His feeling equal to such a fatigue is a good sign, and his feeling no fatigue in it a still better. He walked down to Deane to dinner; he danced the whole evening, and to-day is no more tired than a gentleman ought to be.“
  • Dance partners lacking: “There were only twelve dances, of which I danced nine, and was merely prevented from dancing the rest by the want of a partner. We began at ten, supped at one, and were at Deane before five. There were but fifty people in the room; very few families indeed from our side of the county, and not many more from the other. My partners were the two St. Johns, Hooper, Holder, and a very prodigious Mr. Mathew, with whom I called the last, and whom I liked the best of my little stock.”
  • Jane’s appearance for the ball: “Mary said that I looked very well last night. I wore my aunt’s gown and handkerchief, and my hair was at least tidy, which was all my ambition.”

21 November 1808 (Castle Square):

  • First thoughts on Chawton Cottage: “There are six bedchambers at Chawton; Henry wrote to my mother the other day, and luckily mentioned the number, which is just what we wanted to be assured of. He speaks also of garrets for store-places, one of which she immediately planned fitting up for Edward’s man-servant; and now perhaps it must be for our own; for she is already quite reconciled to our keeping one. The difficulty of doing without one had been thought of before. His name shall be Robert, if you please.”
Black and white pen and ink drawing of the cottage by Ellen Hill
Chawton Cottage by Ellen Hill

November in Jane Austen’s Novels

Sense and Sensibility

  • Lucy Steele Visits Barton Park: Elinor tells Marianne, “I have known it these four months. When Lucy first came to Barton Park last November, she told me in confidence of her engagement.” 

Pride and Prejudice

  • Mr. Collins Visits Longbourn: He writes to Mr. Bennet: “If you should have no objection to receive me into your house, I propose myself the satisfaction of waiting on you and your family, Monday, November 18th, by four o’clock, and shall probably trespass on your hospitality till the Saturday se’nnight following, which I can do without any inconvenience, as Lady Catherine is far from objecting to my occasional absence on a Sunday, provided that some other clergyman is engaged to do the duty of the day.”
  • Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley leave Netherfield in November: “How very suddenly you all quitted Netherfield last November, Mr. Darcy! It must have been a most agreeable surprise to Mr. Bingley to see you all after him so soon; for, if I recollect right, he went but the day before. He and his sisters were well, I hope, when you left London?”
Mr. Collins comes to Longbourn, Pride & Prejudice (1995).

Mansfield Park

  • Sir Thomas returns home: “November was the black month fixed for his return. Sir Thomas wrote of it with as much decision as experience and anxiety could authorise. His business was so nearly concluded as to justify him in proposing to take his passage in the September packet, and he consequently looked forward with the hope of being with his beloved family again early in November.”
  • Maria marries in November: “Mrs. Rushworth was quite ready to retire, and make way for the fortunate young woman whom her dear son had selected; and very early in November removed herself, her maid, her footman, and her chariot, with true dowager propriety, to Bath, there to parade over the wonders of Sotherton in her evening parties; enjoying them as thoroughly, perhaps, in the animation of a card-table, as she had ever done on the spot; and before the middle of the same month the ceremony had taken place which gave Sotherton another mistress.”
  • November gloom and dirt (mud): “Not only at home did [Fanny’s] value increase (‘with the departure of her cousins’), but at the Parsonage too. In that house, which she had hardly entered twice a year since Mr. Norris’s death, she became a welcome, an invited guest, and in the gloom and dirt of a November day, most acceptable to Mary Crawford.”
Michelle Ryan as Maria Bertram in Mansfield Park.

Emma

  • Mr. Woodhouse argues autumn colds: “That has been a good deal the case, my dear; but not to the degree you mention. Perry says that colds have been very general, but not so heavy as he has very often known them in November. Perry does not call it altogether a sickly season.”
  • Jane Fairfax catches a November cold: “Jane caught a bad cold, poor thing! so long ago as the 7th of November, (as I am going to read to you,) and has never been well since. A long time, is not it, for a cold to hang upon her? She never mentioned it before, because she would not alarm us. Just like her! so considerate!—But however, she is so far from well, that her kind friends the Campbells think she had better come home, and try an air that always agrees with her; and they have no doubt that three or four months at Highbury will entirely cure her—and it is certainly a great deal better that she should come here, than go to Ireland, if she is unwell. Nobody could nurse her, as we should do.”
  • Emma and Mr. Knightley must return from their seaside honeymoon by November, so that Isabella and her husband can stay at Hartfield with Mr. Woodhouse:
    • “[Emma and Mr. Knightley] had determined that their marriage ought to be concluded while John and Isabella were still at Hartfield, to allow them the fortnight’s absence in a tour to the seaside, which was the plan.”
    • “But Mr. John Knightley must be in London again by the end of the first week in November.”
    • “[Emma] was able to fix her wedding-day—and Mr. Elton was called on, within a month from the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Martin (in September), to join the hands of Mr. Knightley and Miss Woodhouse.”
Bill Nighy as Mr. Woodhouse in Emma (2020).

November Dates of Importance

And now for our monthly round-up of November dates of importance relating to Jane and her family:

Family News:

  • November 1796: Jane’s brother James Austen engaged to Mary Lloyd, a close family friend.
  • 17 November 1798: James Austen’s son, James-Edward, born.
  • November 1797: Edward Austen moves his family from Rowling to Godmersham Park in Kent.

Historic Dates:

  • 9 November 1799: Napoleon becomes First Consul of France.
  • 20 November 1815: The Treaty of Paris is signed, officially ending Napoleonic wars.

Writing:

  • 1 November 1797: Jane’s father, Reverend Austen, offers “First Impressions” to Thomas Cadell, a London publisher, but is ultimately unsuccessful.
  • November 1797: Austen begins revisions on “Elinor and Marianne,” which later becomes Sense and Sensibility.
  • November 1813: 2nd editions of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility released.
  • November 1813: Mansfield Park accepted for publication (most likely).
  • 13 November 1815: Austen visits the Prince Regent’s Library at Carlton House, where she receives the invitation to dedicate a future novel to him.
Jane Austen reluctantly dedicated Emma to the Prince Regent, at his request.

Sorrows: I am happy to report that I could not find any major family sorrows during the month of November in the family history, biographies, or letters.

Looking Toward December

This truly has been an enormous joy each month, and as this is the penultimate post for this series, I cannot tell you all how excited I am to round out the series next month as we explore December in Jane Austen’s World, Jane’s birthday, and all things Regency Christmas!

RACHEL DODGE teaches college English classes, gives talks at libraries, teas, and book clubs, and writes for Jane Austen’s World blog. She is the bestselling author of The Little Women Devotional, The Anne of Green Gables Devotional and Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen. Now Available: The Secret Garden Devotional! You can visit Rachel online at www.RachelDodge.com.

Posted in A Year in Jane Austen's World, Edwardian Life, Georgian Life, Jane Austen Novels, Jane Austen's family, Jane Austen's letters, Jane Austen's life, Jane Austen's World | 1 Comment »

John Tallis’s London Street Views, 1838-1840

November 5, 2024 by Vic

Inquiring Readers,

For over 10 years I have searched for a full digitized copy of John Tallis’s London street views, 1838-1840. It is 328 pages long and includes an introduction with a biographical essay of Tallis by Peter Jackson.This book, digitized by Google from an original copy owned by the University of Michigan, also includes revised and enlarged views of 1847 London.

Purpose of this Blog Post:

The resources in this post are aimed at the interests of:

  • Authors who are researching details of London’s streets and maps during the Regency era and Early Victorian London, as well as contemporary paintings and illustrations from that period.
  • Faculty and teacher research.
  • Student learning regarding research and uncovering historical details.
  • Our readers’ curiosity and for those who are interested in learning more about 19th century London.

About Hathi Trust:

London Street Views can be found on the Hathi Trust website.

Our story:
HathiTrust was founded in 2008 as a not-for-profit collaborative of academic and research libraries now preserving 18+ million digitized items in the HathiTrust Digital Library. We offer reading access to the fullest extent allowable by U.S. and international copyright law, text and data mining tools for the entire corpus, and other emerging services based on the combined collection.”

HathiTrust digital library:
The HathiTrust Digital Library is home to millions of digitized books and publications. Our team works diligently alongside research institutions to preserve and grow this collection while providing lawful access to visitors around the world.”

This link leads directly to London Street Views

This very useful site also offers links to many more books from the past, where you’ll find a rich source of 18+ million unique and historic books that have been digitized. Forty per cent can be read by the public, and copyrights and access are explicitly explained. See “How to Search and Access.”

In addition:

Find thousands of Images at the London Picture Archive, which is managed by The London Archives on behalf of the City of LondonCorporation.

For Example, when I typed “Hyde Park” in this site’s search bar, a wealth of images appeared that gave life to Austen’s era. Combined with the Tallis maps, these resources provide a more comprehensive view of life during the Regency era as it was, as opposed to reproductions in today’s film sets, lets say. (Also see Horwood’s Maps in the link at the end of this post.)

New Bond Street

River Thames

West view of St. Paul’s Cathedral and surrounding streets

Who is John Tallis?:

John Tallis: 1816-1876

The biographic introduction to this book by Peter Jackson includes a vast amount of information about his life. (Image @ Hathi Trust)

Other information about Tallis:

“The Life of John Tallis – Map Maker and Cartographer”: biography excerpt from the Old Maps Library blog

“Tallis … produced a series of street views of central London that are breathtaking. His images showed detailed views of the streets using the facades of the buildings. These street views are much like we use Google street view today, giving us a sense of what the city looked like in the early Victorian era.”

“Tallis was born in Stourbridge, Worcestershire in 1817, and moved to London in about 1841… A blue plaque commemorates his final residence at 233, New Cross Road. He died in 3 June 1876.”

Memorial Plaque. Image of his house as well @ London Remembers

More information about London Streets in this blog:

 

Horwood’s 1804 Map of London, blog post published 2021 on this site.

 

 

Posted in 19th Century London, Architecture, Jane Austen's World | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments »

Jane Austen Festival in Bath, 2024

October 28, 2024 by Brenda S Cox

By Brenda S. Cox

“My idea of good company, Mr. Elliot, is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company.”—Anne Elliot, Persuasion

This year I enjoyed plenty of “good company” at the yearly Jane Austen Festival in Bath. Every September, Janeites gather from around the world to enjoy a wide range of events.

This year’s Jane Austen Festival was held Sept. 13-22.

Program cover for the Jane Austen Festival, 2024, in Bath.

After a few pre-Festival events,  the 2024 Jane Austen Festival officially kicked off with a Grand Regency Costumed Promenade on Saturday morning. Organizers were expecting 1100 people in full Regency dress. We walked through Bath, from the Holbourne Museum at Sydney Gardens (near one of the Austen’s homes in Bath) all the way up to the Assembly Rooms (the “Upper Rooms” in Austen’s time).

Soldiers and musicians led the parade. The promenaders, including men and women, boys and girls, swept up the wide streets. The weather was cool and sunny, unlike the first time I attended the Festival, when it was rainy and I ended up with a muddy petticoat, like Elizabeth Bennet!

More than a thousand people in Regency dress promenade the streets of Bath at the Jane Austen Festival.

The promenade ended at the Festival Fayre in the Assembly Rooms. All kinds of Regency goods were on offer, from the wonderful Jane Austen’s Regency World Magazine to gloves, bonnets, socks, dresses, jewelry, and much more.

I was fortunate enough to have a ticket to the Netherfield Ball that evening. A dance workshop prepared us in the afternoon. It was quite a treat to get to dance in the Assembly Rooms! (Outside of Festival dates, the Rooms are now closed most of the time, since the Fashion Museum moved out, but tours are offered occasionally.)

If you’ve never tried Regency dancing, the basics are not too difficult. The dance workshop gave good preparation, and the caller walked us through each dance before we danced it. You switch partners often, and ladies often dance with ladies, since gentlemen are always scarce. We all occasionally make mistakes, laugh about them, and keep dancing. This is true of all the Austen dances I’ve been to, in England and America.

This year’s Festival included three balls: one for experienced dancers on the first Friday, the Netherfield Ball I attended on the first Saturday, and a Northanger Abbey Gothic Soiree on the second Saturday, plus many dance workshops and demonstrations. Lots of dancing!

A mini-promenade rounded out the festival on the final Sunday, for those who missed the main promenade.

Ladies and gentlemen lined up for a country dance at the Netherfield Ball in the Bath Assembly Rooms. Jane Austen Festival, 2024.

Many wonderful events were offered. I could only attend a small fraction of them. Here are the types of events. I’ll tell you about a few of the ones I got to participate in, then list others to give you a taste.

Tours

Though I know Bath fairly well, I signed up for an interesting tour called “Romantic chic lit or radical writer.” The guide took us around to Austen-related sites in Bath, speculating about Austen’s more radical leanings and challenges in her life.

Other tours offered, for those who wanted to see more of Bath and its surroundings: theatrical walking tour with dramatic entertainment; minibus tour to Hampshire to see places Jane Austen lived; variety of walking tours of Bath; canal cruise; minibus tour to “Meryton” and “Longbourn”; Jane Austen’s Bath homes; ghost walk; “Beastly Bath,” focusing on disagreeable aspects of the city in Austen’s time; walking tour to nearby Weston; twilight tour of the delightful No. 1 Royal Crescent, set up as an eighteenth century home; Gothic novel tour; and tour of Parade House in Trowbridge.

Workshops

I enjoyed “Singing with Jane Austen.” We learned and sang together songs from Austen’s time. Some were silly children’s songs, others songs from Austen’s music teacher.

Other workshops offered, for those who like hands-on activities: dancing, croquet, silhouette embroidery, building Northanger Abbey (drawing gothic buildings), fencing, bonnet and turban making, fabric dyeing, parasol making, Regency games, reticule making, Regency hand sewing, and making a spencer.

Musical Events

At a lovely concert in the Assembly Rooms, we got to hear music from Austen’s own collection, played on the harp and pianoforte. What a treat that was, especially hearing a harp like the one Mary Crawford enchanted Edmund with.

One of my favorite events was a demonstration of popular dances throughout Austen’s lifetime. The Jane Austen Dancers, in “Dancing in the Footsteps of Jane Austen,” danced them all for us, from the minuet to the waltz. They even showed us the “reel” that Mr. Darcy challenged Elizabeth to enjoy.

Gillian Dooley also spoke on Jane Austen and Music, playing and singing some of the songs. I missed that one, but I look forward to hearing her at the JASNA AGM.

Concert at the Assembly Rooms with Lisa Timbs – Square Piano, Annemarie Rhys Jones – Harp, and Verity Joy – Soprano.
Jane Austen Dancers, demonstrating dances of Jane Austen’s time chronologically, at St. Swithin’s Church.

Church

The “Regency Church Service” at Bath Abbey on the first Sunday included Regency church music, and many of us dressed in Regency clothes to attend. Evensong that afternoon was another chance to enjoy a lovely worship service sung by a choir of young people and adults. 

Talks

I had the privilege of talking about the church in “Why Mr. Collins: The Church and Clergy in Austen’s England.” The wonderful venue was St. Swithin’s Church: the church where Austen’s parents were married, where William Wilberforce got married, and where Austen’s father is buried, as well as Fanny Burney. It’s also mentioned in Northanger Abbey as Walcot Church, since it is the parish church of Walcot.

Later in the week, I enjoyed hearing Lizzie Dunford of the Jane Austen House talk about Jane Austen and classic fairytales.

John Mullan also gave two fascinating talks, one on dancing in the novels, and one on dialogue in the novels. He shed light on many relevant quotes from the novels.

I learned more about Regency health and taking the waters at the new Bath Medical Museum. This museum is tiny and has limited opening hours, but includes helpful information and exhibits.

Other talks, for those who like me who love to learn all they can about Jane Austen’s world, covered: fashion; Jane Austen and London; the Assembly Rooms: “Romance, Rows, and Riots”; social rules about love, courtship, and marriage; movie locations; “Race for an Heir,” the royal family in Austen’s time; Austen’s life; and the theatre.

Demonstrations

I loved “Stargazing at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy with the Bath Astronomers.” We got to explore this delightful museum, early home of William and Caroline Herschel. William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus from his backyard at this building. His sister Caroline, the first professional woman astronomer, discovered a number of comets. Once it got dark, we trooped outside where we saw the space station pass overhead, watched stars, and learned about heavenly bodies from astronomers. We were all sorry to leave when the next group arrived.

In another demonstration, “a whole campful of soldiers” was set up to demonstrate drills and marching. Talks on soldiers’ wives and on dueling gave more insight into soldiers’ lives.

The militia lining up for the Promenade at the Jane Austen Festival in Bath. His Majesty’s 33rd Regiment of Foot graced us with their presence.

Accessories

I appreciate people who collect Regency items and are willing to show them to us, explain them, and even let us handle them. Two of my favorite talks were on “Rummaging through the Reticule,” showing examples of the many items a Regency lady might carry in her reticule, and “Stand and Deliver! Desirable Dress Accessories in the Georgian Age,” showing items a Regency gentleman might carry, and which a highwayman might steal. I wasn’t able to attend “The Etiquette of Dining,” but it included demonstrations with period “silver, porcelain, and domestic items.”

Mark Wallis displays men’s accessories that a highwayman might have taken. Jane Austen Festival, Bath, 2024.

Discussions

It was great fun throughout the Festival to meet with other people passionate about Jane Austen and discuss her works and life together. At “Sew Chatty,” we brought our current sewing projects so we could sew together and chat, as women in Austen’s day did. “Book clubs” also met to discuss Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park. Our group had a lively discussion of Mansfield Park, touching on the characters of Fanny Price, Mary Crawford, Mrs. Price, and others. We wondered whether or not Fanny has a flaw to overcome and grows as a character during the novel. (What do you think?)

Ladies sewing and chatting together at “Sew Chatty” in the Coppa Club at the Bath Townhouse.

Food was shared, of course, at Regency breakfasts, a Sunday afternoon picnic,  and high teas at “Highbury” (in the Jane Austen Centre Regency Tea Room). Other participants went on their own to enjoy tea or a meal at the Pump Room.

Other events included a Regency hair salon, a murder mystery with the audience as detectives, and several shows, including “Lady Susan.” Visitors also of course enjoyed the Roman Baths, the Royal Crescent, and other sights around Bath.

Overall I think a great time was had by all. Kudos to Georgia Delve, the Festival Director (and one of the Jane Austen Dancers), and her wonderful team who organized it all and kept everyone in the right places!

The Jane Austen Festival is a delightful opportunity to connect with other Janeites, learn, and have fun. Next year’s Festival will be Sept. 12-21. Since 2025 is the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, special celebrations will be held and a large crowd is expected, so book your accommodations early. (I use booking.com; no doubt there are other good options.) If you’re planning to go, I recommend that you become a Festival Friend, for £35, to get first priority on booking popular events like balls; those tickets sell out quickly.

Regency dress is required for certain events—balls and promenades—but optional for others. For most events, some people dressed up, others didn’t. I was impressed that many people wore their Regency clothes around Bath all week long. I wasn’t quite that dedicated, myself. I did get great ideas for new outfits, though.

If you attended the Festival this year or in previous years, please tell us what your favorite events were.

All photos, except the program cover, © Brenda S. Cox, 2024.

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