Jane Austen Quote of the Week 165
This week's quote in honor of Jon Spence comes from "A Century of Wills from Jane Austen's Family 1705-1806" with introductions by Jon Spence.
From his introduction for Jane Leigh (born Walker) (1704-1768), Maternal grandmother of Jane Austen:
After Jane Walker's death [the maternal grandmother of our Jane Austen], her daughter Cassandra (by this time married to George Austen) [mother of our Jane Austen] purchased £3350 in South Sea Securities, which we may assume represents Cassandra's [our Jane Austen's mother] share of her mother's estate.
I have tried to simplify the complexity by adding information in brackets [] due to so many of the family having the same name.
What is interesting is to learn that Jane's mother did have some income/property. I am beginning to think that they were not all that desperately poor. Another interesting fact to discover is what exactly are "South Sea Securities". If anyone can shed more light on this subject, please do.
Linda the Librarian
Pic: Mrs Austen (Julie Walters) and Mr Austen (James Cromwell) in Becoming Jane (2007)
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1 comment:
Thanks a lot for this, Linda.
That amount is very interesting. GBP 3,350. Mrs Bennet was so ecstatic to find that Mr Bingley had an income of GBP 5,000 p.a., so I figure GBP 3,350 must be a lot of money too in those days! (not that it's not a lot these days).
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