Extract from chapter 17

1817: James

Watch as James Austen is disrespected by his Aunt Leigh-Perrot, in connection with the funding for Thomas Leigh in Monk Sherborne.

James was struck by a further blow when he received a letter from his Aunt Leigh-Perrot. He was still burdened as the sole trustee of her funds and endured many thankless hours sorting out her finances. Far from being appreciative, Mrs Leigh-Perrot grew more selfish by the week, and her latest whim was to cut back on an allowance that James’s late uncle Leigh-Perrot had granted him for years.

Mary noticed James’s rage as he took in the contents of the letter over breakfast. His breathing grew loud and rapid, and his face turned red. She recognised the signs of him trying to keep his composure by grinding his teeth, which always caused the vein on the side of his forehead to bulge.

Author's own photo

Photo: on display at Jane Austen's House, Chawton

‘What on earth does she say?’ she snapped.

James looked up blankly.

‘What does she write that upsets you so?’ persisted his wife.

‘She is withdrawing my annuity. £100. That my uncle set up for me eight years ago. £100.’

James could not even put his words into a coherent sentence; he was so shocked.

‘Why?’ asked Mary. A sum like this was significant to their household income, and they would struggle to live without it, especially now that they were on a diminished clergyman’s salary.

‘She pleads her own poverty,’ paraphrased James. ‘And my having £200 a year to support Thomas Leigh.’

‘But what does Mr Leigh have to do with it?’ said Mary. ‘That allowance goes entirely on his keep. Surely she doesn’t think you’re retaining it yourself?’

‘I have no idea,’ replied James. ‘I think I’m more disturbed by her claim of poverty. Can she really be in her right mind, do you think?’

The Thomas Leigh referred to was James’s uncle, who lived with the Cullum family in Monk Sherborne. He was Mrs Austen’s and Mr Leigh-Perrot’s brother who had been fostered out in identical circumstances to James’s own disabled brother, George, and lived in the same house.

Photo: Monk Sherborne, Hampshire

Photo: Lacock Abbey, Chippenham

Money obviously must be provided for his care, and whilst Mrs Austen’s funds covered the younger George’s fees, the late Mr Leigh-Perrot had always been the one to provide for Thomas. In his final wishes, Mr Leigh-Perrot had handed this allowance on to James to continue to pay for it, but Mrs Leigh-Perrot had lately decided, in her warped wisdom, that Thomas must be a very old man by now and not likely to live much longer. She deemed that James must somehow be profiting from the situation and so did not need the additional £100 formerly allocated to him.

James was in a difficult position when it came to his aunt because, even though she treated him despicably, he was still listed as her heir. If she should die before him, then he would inherit the beautiful Scarlets and most of her money. If James were to die first, then James Edward would become the heir. Either way, it was in his family’s best interests to keep her sweet, which Mrs Leigh-Perrot knew only too well. She had her nephew in the palm of her hands.