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| “Henry, who had been confined the whole day to the Bank, took me in his way home; & after putting Life & Wit into the party for a quarter of an hour, put himself & his Sister into a Hackney coach,” -Jane To Cassandra, April 18, 1811 |
Henry Austen was born June 8, 1771. He was an officer in the militia before becoming a banker. When his bank failed he became a clergyman. Henry was married twice but had no children. He married his first wife Eliza de Feullide in December of 1797. After Eliza passed away in 1813, Henry married Eleanor Jackson in April in 1820.
Henry was Jane’s business representative in London and played a very important role in the publication of her novels.
- He sold Susan to Benjamin Crosby who promised to publish the story but never did.
- In 1811 he worked with Thomas Egerton to publish Sense and Sensibility
- In 1816 he purchased the copyright of Susan back from Benjamin Crosby
- After Jane’s death he worked with Cassandra to publish the rest of her completed works.
- He was the one to write the biographical note that revealed that Jane was the author of her earlier published works.
One of the works included in Jane’s Juvenilia is titled “Henry and Eliza“. The title is in honor of her favorite brother and her favorite cousin. (At the time Eliza was still married to her first husband.)
For more information on Henry please read:
Jane Austen Society of North America - New Jersey Region 