Jane Austen's Biography Trivia Quiz

Answer: Steventon, Hampshire, England

Jane Austen was born in 1775 in the Steventon rectory. Steventon is a small village in Hampshire, England.

Answer: True

Although JA lived all her life in England and never traveled outside of England, she led an interesting, varied life, contrary to popular belief.

Answer: Bath

Austen family tradition holds that JA and her sister had been away visiting when the decision was made by her parents to move to Bath. When JA heard the news she fainted, which was very out of character for her. Her parents liked Bath. Not only had they been married there at Walcot Church, Mrs. Austen's brother and his wife lived there part of the year.

It seemed an excellent place to retire to, but Jane herself did not care for living in a city and wasn't enthusiastic about Bath.

Answer: Edward Austen Knight

Edward was formally adopted by the childless Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Knight II in 1783. He changed his name to Knight many years later after Mr. Knight was deceased as part of the agreement in order to inherit the Knight properties.

Answer: "The Juvenilia"

Written during the years 1787-1793, these stories include "The Beautifull (sic) Cassandra", "Catherine, or the Bower", "The Visit - A Comedy in 2 Acts", "The History of England from the reign of Henry the 4th to the death of Charles the 1st", A Collection of Letters", "Love and Freindship (sic)", "Frederic and Elfrida" and "Lesley Castle".

They are all perfectly hilarious and often have mock dedications to friends and family members.

Answer: James Edward Austen-Leigh

James Edward Austen-Leigh's "Memoir" of Jane Austen was published in 1870, over 50 years after her death. He, together with his sisters Anna and Caroline, used their collective memories of their aunt to write a loving memoir of her life.

Anna, James and Caroline were the children of Jane Austen's eldest brother, James. Anna was his eldest, born to James Austen and his wife Anne (nee Mathew). James was next, then Caroline, both born to James' second wife, Mary (nee Lloyd).

The younger James Austen changed his name to Austen-Leigh after inheriting from his Great Uncle and Aunt Leigh.

Answer: Harris Bigg-Wither

Harris Bigg-Wither was 21 years old, 6 years JA's junior when he proposed to her quite out of the blue while she was visiting his sisters at Manydown. He is reported to have been an awkward young man but perhaps because she was taken by surprise or maybe because it was everything tempting in being secure and living in a house she was so familiar with, with people she already loved, she said yes. However, overnight she realized she could not marry without love and quickly rejected Harris the next morning. Happily, this did not create a breach with Harris' sisters.

Two years later, Harris Bigg-Wither married another; Jane, of course, never married.

Answer: James

James was the eldest sibling in Jane Austen's family. He succeeded to his father's position as the rector of Steventon Church, and like Jane, was fond of writing, though his writings reflected his more serious bent of mind.

Answer: True

Much is made of this romance but the truth is, anything beyond what Jane had to say about it (and later Mr. Lefroy) is pure conjecture. There is no evidence that they ever saw each other again after Tom left Steventon. We do know that Jane was 20 and enjoyed this first love until it ended and from her letters likely thought of him again for the next year or so. In later years, Mr. Lefroy told a nephew that he had once been in love with Jane Austen, but that it was a 'boyish' love.

Three years after his romance/flirtation with Jane, he married and had seven children. He died in 1869, at the age of 93. He became Lord Chief Justice of Ireland and held the post until he was aged 90.

Answer: Playing the pianoforte, sewing and taking long walks

Jane was very proud of her ability as a needlewoman. She was known for her neat, tidy stitches and she could make a shirt for her brothers quite quickly. She enjoyed her pianoforte, and practiced every morning; she also enjoyed long walks on a regular basis.

Answer: Madame Lefroy

Anne (Madam) Lefroy was the aunt by marriage to the same Tom Lefroy that JA had a romance with. Anne Lefroy was the wife of the Rector of Ashe and was a very cultured woman who recognized Jane's unique talent and extraordinary mind. She died on Jane's birthday (December 16) in 1804, when her horse bolted, throwing her to the ground. Madame Lefroy mentored Jane in her love of literature and the written word, and was a published poetess herself. Jane wrote a memorial poem about Madam Lefroy, calling her an ornament to humanity and an Angelic Woman.

Answer: Regency

The Regency period was between the years 1811 and 1820. This is the period of time in which the Prince Regent (later King George IV) ruled the Empire due to George III being deemed unfit to rule due to illness.

Answer: Chawton

Jane's brother Edward offered his mother and sisters the choice of living in one of two houses in his ownership. One was in Kent and the other in the Hampshire village of Chawton. Because Hampshire was their home county, they chose the house at Chawton, which is now referred to as Chawton Cottage. Chawton Cottage houses the Jane Austen Museum.

Answer: Godmersham Park

Godmersham Park and Chawton Great House were both in Edward's inheritance but he lived mainly at Godmersham Park in Kent. Both Jane and her sister Cassandra spent long visits at Godmersham where they were able to partake of the priviledged life of the landed gentry. Godmersham Park and Chawton Great House are still in existence.

Answer: Francis

Francis Austen was one year older than Jane and entered the Navy when he was only 12 years old. He married Mary Gibson and fathered 11 children before she died. In later life he married Jane's very good friend, Martha Lloyd. Francis (Frank) died at the age of 91, outliving all his brothers and sisters.