For my own interest I have gathered some facts about events in Deane. I hope it may be of interest even to other members.

Why did Mr Austen settle at Deane? He had been given the rectory of Steventon already in 1761. The simple answer was that the Steventon rectory was in such a bad state. And since Mr William Hillman,the rector of Deane choose to live more comfortably at Ashe Park,he could rent the parsonage house to Mr Austen. Even if that house wasn't that much better,it was acceptable. The Steventon house needed repair and it took it's time, and besides I think he needed to borrow money for that.

So they settled in Deane, and in February 1765 Jane's eldest brother James was born. At the christening at All Saints'church the following godparents was present: Jane's grandmother Jane Leigh, Francis Austen, the benevolent great uncle from Sevenoaks, and a Mr Langford Nibbs Esq. a friend of Mr Austen from his time in Oxford. Probably a valuable friend to have since he was a rich young man,a heir to a West Indian plantation in Antigua. He later sent his son to be a pupil of Mr Austen.

I knew about the custom of leaving the young children with
fosterparents the first couple of years, wich also the Austen family followed. But I wasn't aware that it is known who these fosterparents were. It seems to have been the same family that took care of the Austen children, John and Elizabeth Littleworth at (probably)Cheesedown farm nearby. And even if that is a strange custom to us, it obviously didn't affect the children in any bad way. And it is said that the parents regularly visited them and sometimes brought them home.

It is still unclear to me what the purpose of it was. But I wonder if it didn't originate among the upper classes who often had someone else to nurse their children?

In this same year George Austen's sister 'Phila' came back from India with her husband Mr Hancock and their daughter Eliza(later married de Feuillide)onboard the 'Medway'. The trip had cost £1500!
On 4 January 1752 when only 22 she had sailed out to India on the 'Bombay Castle' and arrived six months later in August the same year! That must have taken some courage.It wasn't exactly a luxury trip in those days. I suppose they must have stopped several times on the way. How she then met her husband I don't know. That's another story.

Next year 1766 the second son George was born. Among the godparents present was Mr Hancock. I don't think it was untill later they discovered that there was something wrong with him,he was epileptic, and he was put up with some family. It may not have been so bad, because he lived to be 71.

And in 1767 followed the third son Edward. So named for his godfather Dr Edward Cooper,(married to Mrs Austen's sister Jane,who is said to have been a beauty). Another so called 'sponsor' was James Leigh(-Perrot), Mrs A's brother.

The year 1768 is interesting because there is something of a mystery about what happened. Many of you have probably read about the event when the Austen family moved to Steventon. How Mrs A wasn't well and she travelled on a featherbed upon some furniture on a carriage.
And most books have that to 1771. And the source is he 'Memoir'by J.E.Austen(-Leigh)Jane's nephew. He clearly mentions this year twice. But in the book 'Jane Austen a Family Record'by W.Austen-Leigh and R.A.Austen-Leigh the move to Steventon is described to happen in 1768!

Kathleen(elder)here obviously believes this to be true, and so do I. As they describe it in 'the Record' it sounds right.But one thing makes it totally confusing. In their notes they also refers to J.E.Austen's Memoir as the source! But they also says
that Mrs Austen(may have) miscarrieged! So they thought that she was pregnant in 1968!
Does any one have other information wich can clear up this contradictions or confirm either of these dates?

One thing that happened in 1768 was that Mr Austen's sister's husband the physician had to go back to India, and sadly, he never came back.
Old Mrs Leigh also died in 1768 and was buried at Steventon.
It could suggest that they had moved to Steventon. Perhaps she would have been anyway, since that was Mr Austen's parish.

I'd better stop here before it gets too long. Anyway they move to Steventon rectory. And more about that later hopefully.

Leif Gn