James Edward Austen-Leigh

James Austen-Leigh (1798-1874) was the son of Jane Austen’s eldest brother, the Reverend James Austen.

He published A Memoir of Jane Austen late in life in 1869, with a second edition in 1871. Drawing upon the recollections of other family members, his book became the primary source of information about ‘Aunt Jane’s life, as the majority of her letters had been destroyed by her sister, Cassandra.

The Memoir sparked interest in her work with the general public and helped establish her reputation as one of the country’s finest authors.