Jane Austen and the Knights: A Close Family Connection
The influence of the Knight family on Jane Austen's life and career
Hi everyone,
Did you know that Jane Austen spent 33 of her 41 years living in property owned by the Knight family? This fact alone reveals a close family connection that shaped not only Jane's life but influenced her work as well.
For the first 25 years of her life, Jane lived at Steventon Rectory, which belonged to Thomas Knight and later Thomas Knight II.
Then, for the final eight years of her life, her most productive writing period, Jane resided in a cottage in Chawton village, provided by her brother Edward, who had inherited the Knight estates and subsequently changed his name to Knight. Chawton Cottage was a short walk from Edward’s Hampshire home, Chawton House (my childhood home).
The Knight family's generosity extended beyond housing. For example, Catherine Knight, widow of Thomas Knight II, stepped aside to give Edward control of the estates rather than waiting for her death (although Jane had a different view on this act of generosity, which I have previously shared - you can read about that HERE)
Catherine Knight also provided Jane with a small annual allowance, a meaningful support that Jane once noted half went to pay for her pelisse coat. These financial gestures, though modest, offered Jane a degree of independence that helped enable her writing career.
This deep connection between the Austens and the Knights is prominently reflected in Jane's writing. Mr. Knightley in Emma wasn't randomly named. I was told as a child that Jane deliberately honoured our family name in creating this character. It's telling that Mr. Knightley stands as one of her most honourable, steadfast, and admirable heroes. A fitting a tribute to the family that provided so much stability in her life.
The Knight name represents one of the most interesting chapters in Austen family history. When Edward Austen, my fourth great grandfather, was just a teenager, he was chosen by the childless Thomas and Catherine Knight (distant relatives of George Austen), as heir to their considerable estates. His eventual change of surname to Knight in 1812 altered not just his identity but the family name that would be passed down to me. Without the tradition to adopt the surname that comes with such an inheritance, I would be Caroline Austen rather than Caroline Knight.
This connection between the Austens and Knights continues through generations, right down to my own childhood at Chawton House as Jane's fifth great-niece, an Austen descendent although I carry the Knight name.
The properties that formed the backdrop to Jane's life would, centuries later, become the setting for my own early years. The heart of Jane’s literary legacy, where she wrote, revised, finished and published her novels, is the Knight family ancestral estate of Chawton.
If you'd like to explore this family connection in greater depth, I've just released the first episode of My Austen Heritage, now available to my paid subscribers. In this exclusive video series, I share insights into Jane Austen as a woman, writer, and legacy through the unique perspective of family.
Throughout the series, I'll be reading from the family archives and books my family has written across generations about Jane and Chawton, stopping to share personal insights and family stories you won't find in traditional biographies. We'll explore the family influences that shaped Jane's character, her approach to writing, and how generations of our family preserved and experienced her growing legacy.
In Episode 1, I reveal the fascinating family connections between the Austens and Knights spanning centuries and showcasing the properties that formed the backdrop to Jane's remarkable life.
Join me for this unique journey through Jane Austen's world from a family perspective.
Caroline
Caroline Jane Knight is the fifth great niece of Jane Austen and the last of Jane’s nieces to grow up at Chawton House. Caroline’s childhood was steeped in Austen family history and traditions, and summers were spent talking to Jane Austen lovers who had made the pilgrimage to Jane’s literary home.
Caroline is author of Jane & Me: My Austen Heritage, founder and chair of the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation, Patron of Jane Austen Regency Week and CEO of The Austen Pathway (for authors and creatives).
Thank you Caroline Jane Knight for keeping Jane Austen so deeply in our hearts. I am an Italian Lady who adore Jane Austen's books. I have discovered in them such a treasure that I reread them regularly.
Knowing more about her life keeps Jane alive.
Thank you!
Thank you for this series.