Category: Victoria Hinshaw

Miss Benn Dines with Jane Austen

The Jane Austen House Museum, Chawton

On May 25, 1811, Miss Mary Benn dined at Chawton Cottage with Jane Austen, and — one assumes — her mother Mrs. Cassandra Austen and their co-resident, Martha Lloyd. 

We learn this in Jane Austen’s letter of Wednesday, 29 May 1811, to her sister Cassandra who was staying at Godmersham, the Kent home of their brother Edward Austen and his children.  This letter is filled with rambling accounts of family and friends — from seedlings to disinheritances. 

Syringa (Lilac)

Jane tells her sister that the Pinks and Sweet Williams are blooming and the Syringas coming out.  She relates family news, upcoming journeys  and that very day a second encounter with Miss Benn  over their tea table.

Miss Benn is a poor spinster who lives in reduced circumstances in Chawton; though we know little about her, she is mentioned in Jane Austen’s letters more than a dozen times in the few years between the Austen’s arrival in Chawton and Miss Benn’s death at age 46 in early January, 1816.  Some biographers have speculated that her extreme poverty caused the Austens to invite her for meals frequently.  In her 1997 biography Jane Austen: A Life, Claire Tomalin  writes, “‘Poor Miss Benn’ appears very much oftener in Jane’s letters than their few better-off neighbours; she was not very interesting, but then nor were they” (p.210)

In January 1813, Jane Austen reported from Chawton to her sister in Steventon that “I have got my own darling Child from London…” meaning a copy of the three-volume first edition of Pride and Prejudice, Austen’s second published novel.  In the letter of Friday, 29 January 1813, Jane tells Cassandra that she had read half of the first volume to Miss Benn, who was “amused, poor soul.” Miss Benn “seemed to admire Elizabeth.”

In her next letter, Austen writes that her mother had read further in the novel to Miss Benn.  Austen did not care for “my Mother’s too rapid way of getting on…Upon the whole however I am quite vain enough and well satisfied enough.–The work is rather too light and bright and sparkling…” — an opinion that generations of readers would deny, finding precisely the correct light, bright and sparkling qualities in the novel.

Mary Benn was the sister of Reverend John Benn (1766-1875) who presided over the parish of Farringdon, nearby Chawton in rural Hampshire.  Mr. Benn and his wife had as dozen children, which probably meant they could not do much to help Miss Benn.

Nevertheless, Miss Benn has found her place in the eternal pantheon of Jane Austen fans.  I am sure she would be surprised even to be mentioned in the year 2012, two hundred years after that dinner in Chawton.

I was alerted to this less-than-earth-shattering meal in my weekly perusal of  A Year with Jane Austen: A Calendar for 2012, the production of JASNA-WI.  Events from Jane Austen’s life and/or events in her novels fill almost every day of this wonderful calendar, accompanied by appealing color reproductions of the 1898 illustrations for editions of Austen’s novels by artist C. E. Brock.

These calendars are still available — and you have half of 2012 left to enjoy one.  Go to the JASNA-WI website  here and click on Merchandise.

200 Years Ago: Spring and Summer Fashions

Here are a few fashions from 200 years ago, from Victoria’s print collection.  You might see something similar at Jane Austen Society meetings, Regency Dance groups, or Writer’s conventions, but few us us would probably want to cope with these outfits every day. Or want to change gowns several times a day.
At the end is a greatcoat for a gentleman to wear in the cool weather.
   Thanks to Sue Forgue at the Regency Encyclopedia for some of the descriptions I was missing.
Ladies Monthly Museum, April 1812
The Full Dress (left), for this month, is made of white satin, ornamented round the bottom with a rich Grecian border, over which is worn a tunic of yellow Italian gauze, trimmed with deep white lace, and fastened up the front with cord of blue silk. Head dress à la Diana, ornamented with wreathes of artificial flowers in dead gold, with a crescent in front of the forehead, composed of pearls and sapphire; the necklace and ear rings to correspond; kid gloves and shoes of pale pink.

The Walking Dress (right) is a white Indian robe of Muslin, made high in the neck; with a richly worked collar to turn over that of the pelisse, which is of blue silk, trimmed with white lace; over which is worn a white,or coloured shawl; the bonnet to be of the same materials as the shawl, and is ornamented with a white feather;–laced half boots of regency brown.

 
Ackermann’s Repository Morning Dress April 1812

A superfine Scotch or French cambric, over a cambric slip, with full long sleeves, and ruff à la Mary Queen of Scots. A neck-chain and sight set in gold; bracelets and necklace of white or red cornelian. A Flora cap, composed of white satin and lace. A capuchin or French cloak of blossom satin or Pomona green, trimmed with thread lace. Slippers of pale pink or green kid; and gloves of tan or Limerick kid.

Ackermann’s Repository, Ball Gown, April, 1812
A round ciracassian robe of pink crape, or gossamer net, over a white satin slip, fringed full at the feet; a peasant’s bodice, of pink satin or velvet, laced in front with silver, and decorated with the same ornament. Spanish slash sleeve, embellished with white crape foldings, and furnished at its terminations with bands of silver. A Spartan or Calypso helmet cap, of pink frosted crape, with silver bandeaus, and embellished with tassels, and rosets to correspond. A rich neck-chain and ear-rings of Oriental gold. Fan of carved ivory. Slippers of pink kid, with correspondent clasps; and gloves of white kid: an occasional square veil of Mechlin lace

Ackermann’s Repository, Morning Dress, May 1812

A French frock of fine plain India muslin, with demi-train, and long full bishop’s sleeves. Waggoners’ cuffs, with gaged front, and shoulders to correspond. Tucker of double-rolled muslin, which also finishes the cuffs round the hands. A Parisian mob cap of fine lace, confined round the head, and terminating on one side with a celestial blue or silver grey ribbon. Sash of the same, tied in small bows and ends in front. Hair in waved curls, divided in the center of the forehead. Spanish slippers of lemon-coloured kid, and gloves of the same material.  The peculiar taste and elegant simplicity of these habiliments are further specimens of the graceful invention of the celebrated Mrs. Gill, of Cork-street, Burlington-gardens, from whom we have obtained them.

Ackermann’s Repository, June 1812

A round robe of jaconot or fine cambric muslin, with long sleeve and high waist, with fan ruff of lace, ornamented up the front with borders of needle-work or lace, and finished at the feet with ball fringe. A Spanish hussar clock of deep amber sarsnet, lined with sea green or white, and trimmed with broad thread lace, put on very full.  Hair disposed in bands and waved curls; a large square veil of white lace, thrown over the head and shading the face. Half-boots amber-coloured kid, and gloves a pale primrose. Small French caps of lace, ornamented with a small cluster of spring flowers, on one side, are often seen in this style of costume, and have an appropriate and pretty effect beneath the long veil.

Ackermann’s Repository, July 1812
An embr
oidered crape round robe, decorated at the feet with a deep Vandyke fringe; short melon sleeve; bosom and back to correspond. White or blossom satin under dress. Hair a dishevelled crop, ornamented with a small cluster of the Chinese rose on each side, and confined with a comb of pearl at the back of the head. Necklace, ear-rings, and bracelets, of pearl and wrought gold. Grecian scarf of lilac silk, with embroidered variegated ends. Slippers of white satin, and gloves of French kid. Fan of imperial crape and ivory, embellished with gold antique devices.
  
La Belle Assemblee,  Evening Dress, April 1812
An embroidered white crape, or fine India muslin frock, with long sleeves, and trimmed round the bottom with fine lace, set on full, worn over a blush colour satin or sarsnet slip; the frock ornamented down the front of the skirt with beads and lace in the Egyptian style.  Parisian mob, worn unfastened, of puckered pink, and white crape over pink satin. Small pink satin tippet, with full plaiting of lace. Cestus of pale pink, confined by a clasp of pearl. Pink satin slippers, with white rosettes. The jewellery worn with this dress is the shaded cornelian or large pearls.
La Belle Assemblee, Evening Dress, 1812
A robe of Imperial blue sarsnet, shot with white, with a demi train, ornamented with fine French lace down each side the front and round the bottom; the trimming surmounted by a white satin ribband; the robe left open a small space down the front, and fastened with clasps of sapphire and pearl over a white satin slip petticoat: short fancy sleeve to correspond with the ornaments of the robe.  Parisian cap made open, formed of rows of fine lace and strings of pearl, the hair dressed à-la-Henriette of France, appearing between, and much separated on the forehead. Pearl necklace, and hoop earrings of the same. Scarf shawl in twisted drapery of fine white lace. White kid gloves and fan of ivory, ornamented with gold. Slippers the same colour as the robe, with white rosettes. This beautiful dress is the creation of Miss Walters, Wigmore-street, Cavendish-square 
Ladies Monthly Museum, Morning Dress, June 1812  
A white jaconet muslin gown, buttoned down the front with white regency buttons and trimming formed en lozenge; handkerchief, gloves, and sandals of dragon fly green; figurante cap ornamented with a rose in front.

Text from Michelle Anne Young’s Regency Rambles 

La Belle Assemblee,  Riding Outfit,  August,1812

Made of ladies habit cloth or Maria Louisa Blue, trimmed down each side of the front with Spanish buttons, the waist rather long with three small buttons on the hips; a short jacket full behind, the front habit fashion with small buttons up the neck and a row of small buttons on each side of the breast; a lapel thrown back from the shoulders and trimmed with Spanish buttons, has a most elegant effect and gives a graceful finish to the dress. The collar is made about a quarter inch in depth and fashioned negligently at the throat with a large cord and tassel; it opens sufficiently to display the shirt which is of lace in general but this article admits of considerable variations; some of our elegants wear a collar of lace to fall over, others have a shirt edged round the neck with a rich lace frill and not a few, in despite of the heat of the weather, envelope their necks in a large cravat of India muslin. A small woodland hat, whose colour corresponds with the dress with two white ostrich feathers fastened behind and falling carelessly over the left side. A cord and tassel is brought round the hat and fastened near the top of the crown on the right side. Buff gloves and half boots either of buff jean or leather.

 

                                       Costume Parisienne, 1812:  Five-collared Carriage Coat (Redingote) 

The Longest Reigning Monarchs

In this year celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, we can look back on those majestic beings who top the longevity lists for English monarchs.

Still number one is Her Imperial Majesty Victoria Regina (1819-1901) with sixty-three years, 216 days  on the throne, from 1837 to 1901.
Victoria’s Coronation portrait by artist George Hayter, 1837
Perfectly indicative of the incredible changes in the world during her long reign is the fact that she was portrayed at the beginning by an artist in oils and near the end by a photographer.
Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee Portrait, 1897
She celebrated the only Royal Diamond Jubilee until this year.  Below is one of the many souvenirs created for the event.  Festivities took place all over the empire, as they will throughout the Commonwealth for Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee this year.
Elizabeth II was born in 1926 to the second son of King George V, the future King George VI (1895-1952) and his wife, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, later best known as the Queen Mother (1900-2002). The present Queen succeeded her father upon his death in 1952 and was formally crowned in 1953.  Now in second place for longevity of reign, Elizabeth  II might  surpass Victoria’s record in another four year or so.

 

Elizabeth II in 1953
The official Diamond Jubilee Portrait by John Swannell
I rather prefer her in the pink hat worn at Ascot in 2011!
Number three in longevity is George III who reigned from October 25,1760, when he was merely 22 and succeeded his grandfather George II, to January 29, 1820, though his duties had been taken over in 1811 by his son, George, Prince of Wales, as Regent.
George III, by Allan Ramsay, 1762

George III is perhaps most renowned in the U.S. as the King who “lost the colonies” for his country.  It is said that this fact plagued him for many years. But his eventual mental breakdowns were more likely to have been caused by inherited disease, usually attributed to porphyria, from which other members of the Hanoverian family may have suffered.

In fourth place is James I (1566-1625), because his time as James VI of Scotland is included.  James I was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-1587), and was crowned King of Scotland at age 13 months in 1567.   Mary was a cousin of Elizabeth I, but the two women were never to overcome the rivalries of their circles and develop a cooperative relationship.  Elizabeth I (1533-1603) eventually had Mary put to death. 
Mary, Queen of Scots, by Nicholas Hilliard, c. 1578

Ironically, it was Mary’s son James, the Scottish King, who untied Britain and Scotland and became Elizabeth I’s successor, King James I.
James I
Britain under James I continued its Renaissance flowering of literature (Shakespeare, Donne) and the arts in what became known as the Jacobean Age.  The bible — King James Version — was translated into English; we celebrated 400 years of this great work in 2011. 
The next two monarchs in longevity are Henry III (reigned 1226-1272) and Edward III (reigned 1327-1377), 56 and 50 years respectively.  Next is William I of Scotland (1165-1214), followed by Llywelyn of Gwynedd (1195-c.1240).

Taking 9th place in longevity is Elizabeth I (1533-1603), who followed her sister Mary Tudor and brother Edward VI as a successor to Henry VIII.  Elizabeth was age 25 when she was crowned and reigned for more than 44 years.

detail of Elizabethan procession, c. 1575
Our own Elizabethan Age began in 1952. Above is the Queen with her consort, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.  The royal couple has celebrated their  64th  wedding anniversary.

 

Elizabeth has been on the throne throughout the terms of office of eleven U. S. presidents, from President Eisenhower to President Obama.  Congratulations and best wishes to Elizabeth II and Philip — and all their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren too.

Elizabeth II and some of her subjects
 
 

A Day with JASNA-GCR

On May 5, in the Crystal Ballroom of Chicago’s Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, JASNA-GCR (Jane Austen Society of North America, Greater Chicago Chapter) held its Spring Gala, Chawton Comes to Chicago, a day of excellent presentations, good food, shopping, meeting and greeting old friends and new.

Jeff Nigro, JASNA-GCR’s regional coordinator, welcomed everyone and enumerated the events of the day.

Elizabeth Garvie, long a favorite of Janeites as the “real” Elizabeth Bennett for her role in the 1980 BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, gave a charming performance of selections from Jane Austen’s life and works, “Jane Austen Delights.”

I particularly enjoyed her reading from Lesley Castle (from the Juvenilia), in which the writer of a letter pleads with her correspondent for pity over her disappointment at having prepared a wedding feast which could not now be eaten as intended because the groom had been stuck down, completely ignoring the real tragedy. She thinks only of her own wasted expense and effort — and how they will ever consume the victuals she has prepared.  The ironic humor of the passage has never before struck me with such vivid force.
Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul as Lizzy and Darcy
Clearly the audience’s favorite part of the performance was Ms. Garvie’s portrayal of Emma‘s Miss Bates. Every nuance of the lady’s overwrought arrival at the ball (Ch. 38) was perfectly articulated and left us all laughing and applauding.  We could have listened all day!  Despite the fact that Ms. Garvie has played innumerable characters by a wide variety of authors since her turn as Lizzy Bennet, we were all convinced of her special affinity for the works of Jane Austen.
Elizabeth Garvie
Author Lindsay Ashford told the story of how she moved to Chawton and became immersed in the life and times of Jane Austen.  As she learned more and more about the writer, reading in the very rooms in which Jane herself might have read, eating where she would have frequently dined, Ashford was more and more obsessed with Austen and her early death at a mere age 41.
Victoria Hinshaw and Lindsay Ashford
When she learned arsenic had been detected in an analysis of a lock of Jane’s golden hair, her imagination took flight.  Could the author — – also beloved daughter, sister and aunt — have been murdered with arsenic?  And by whom?  Now Ashford has published The Mysterious Death of Miss Austen, a novel in which this is exactly what happens.  Written from the point of view of Jane’s dear friend Miss Anne Sharp, once the governess to Edward Austen’s children, the novel has enjoyed considerable attention around the world.
Ashford is the partner of Steve Lawrence, CEO of the Chawton House Library.  Below they are pictured in the costume promenade at last October’s Fort Worth, TX, JASNA AGM.
Following Ashford’s talk, Steve Lawrence brought us up to date on activities at Chawton House Library, showing pictures of the latest projects, such as the “new” 18th C. barn discovered nearby and rebuilt on the edge of the property. 

It seems impossible that
the library is already about to celebrate it’s tenth anniversary.  Where have all these years gone?  On the other hand, it his hard to imagine the world in the village of Chawton, of Austen studies, or of on-line availability of many heretofore impossible-to-find novels without the library and its holdings.  For more information, here is the website.

JASNA-GCR Program Chair Elisabeth Lenckos and Steve Lawrence
The luncheon was enjoyed by all, and featured short readings from works by four members of the organization —  whose writings are “inspired” by Jane Austen.

JASNA-GCR Readers
Victoria Hinshaw read from her novel The Fontainebleau Fan; Holly Bern read from her story “People of the Book” in Wooing Mr. Wickham,” a collection of prize-winning stories chosen in a Chawton House Libary contest and edited by Lindsay Ashford; Elisabeth Lenckos read from her story, “Jane Austen 1945,” also a winner in the Wooing Mr. Wickham collection; and Karen Doornebos read a selection from her novel Definitely Not Mr. Darcy.  Karen’s website is here.

Karen and Victoria with a Chawton House Library poster
Sandy Lerner, seated, and Diane Capitani, JASNA-GCR education outreach coordinator
Dr. Sandy Lerner, aka Ava Farmer, author of Second Impressions, related her experience fulfilling her long-held ambition of writing a sequel to her favorite novel, Pride and Prejudice.  One of her motivations for assembling the collection of books which form the nucleus of the Chawton collection today was to immerse herself in the world and sensibilities of Jane Austen’s times, aimed at finishing that novel.  It was published recently, and is available everywhere.
Dr. Lerner is the founder and benefactor of the Chawton House Library; all proceeds from the sale of Second Impressions are donated to the library.  She told us of her many acquisitions of novels by early women writers whose work, while popular at the time, was never catalogued in libraries or preserved in any organized fashion.  She particularly was interested in works such as letters and diaries which might never have been published but had been saved among family papers.  Of particular note, she said, were accounts of travels in the 18th and early 19th centuries, often recorded for the enjoyment of family members.
Sandy Lerner; Marsha Huff, past president of JASNA; Elizabeth Garvie
Gail Murphy, Laura Whitlock, Debra Miller and William Phillips enjoy the program.

Tempting our pocketbooks were lovely items from Vintage Pine (http://www.vintagepine.com/), Figaro Interiors, and Jane Austen Books (http://www.janeaustenbooks.net/).

The lively and active JASNA-GCR group has recently updated its website, here.  Please visit soon. 

A Day With JASNA-WI

The Spring Gala of the Wisconsin Region of the Jane Austen Society of North America was held on April 28 at the Wisconsin Club, historic home of Alexander Mitchell (1817-1887), a Scottish-born business leader in Milwaukee. More about the Mitchell Family below.

The program began with Sheryl Craig, a JASNA traveling scholar and editor of JASNA News. Dr. Craig presented her AGM talk on the economic background of Sense and Sensibility: “Wealth Has Much to Do With It..”  Jane Austen was a keen observer of economic and social conditions in the year 1795 when she was writing the first draft of the novel, then known as Elinor and Marianne.

Dr. Craig illustrated her points by summarizing the character and attitude of the three “Johns” in Sense and Sensibility, who represented three common if differing positions among the English gentry of the period.  The miserly Mr. John Dashwood leaves his step-mother and half-sisters nearly destitute as he tends to his so-called improvements of Norland Park, including the enclosure of common lands, thus depriving the poor and working class of their former rights.  John Willoughby is a selfish, money-grubbing rake who ruins Eliza and breaks Marianne’s heart while he seeks a wealthy wife.

Gillray Cartoon showing P. M. Pitt offering a cut of beef to a man unable to afford a loaf of bread
Sir John Middleton represents the honest landowners who care for their property, tenants and neighborhoods, generous and accommodating to friends, acquaintances and family alike.  Dr. Craig’s discussion of the parliamentary debates on reform of the Poor Laws in that period prompted many in the audience to draw parallels between the times of Prime Minister Pitt and today’s news from London and Washington.
Presenters Victoria Hinshaw, Dr. Sheryl Craig, and JASNA-WI Regional Coordinator Elizabeth Cooper

“The Sensible Regency Wedding” was the topic of Victoria Hinshaw.  She spoke about the modest and quiet nature of most regency weddings, including those of Jane Austen’s niece as recounted by Caroline Austen and the quiet nuptials of Lord Byron and Annabella Millbanke as reported by John Cam Hobhouse.

Lady Byron’s Wedding Pelisse, Museum of Costume, Bath


Hinshaw also discussed courtship, the legalities of marriage, wedding customs, elopements, separation and divorce. She commented on Jane Austen’s attitude toward love and marriage as expressed in her life, her letters and her novels.

Wedding Gown, Ackermann’s Repository, June 1816

JASNA-WI members and guests enjoyed socializing before and after the presentations.  There is never enough time to talk about Jane Austen.

Trish Vanderhoef, Joanne Fuller, Jane Glaser, Carolyn Hippert

Kathy O’Brien, Diana Burns, Judy Beine

Marion Stuenkel, Jean Long
Jennifer Carlson, Carolyn Hippert
Pat Latkin brought us many temptations.

Spring Flowers in the foyer.
scene in The Wisconsin Club

Alexander Mitchell (1817-1887) was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and came to the U.S. in 1839. He settled in Milwaukee where he became a business leader in banking, insurance and railroads.  He served in the U.S. Congress and was a local philanthropist.  His wife, Martha Reid, was a leader in civic activities and artistic circles; she was one of the founders of The Woman’s Club of Wisconsin in 1876.  Their grandson, WWI flying ace General Billy Mitchell, is known as the Father of the U.S. Airforce.
Thanks to Judy Beine for her photographs.