JANE AUSTEN, UNCLE FRANCIS AND OZIAS HUMPHRY AT SEAL, 1788

The following is an excerpt from Terry Townsend's book, 'Jane Austen's Kent,' which was published in June 2015.

Mr Townsend's research is of great importance to the Rice Portrait.

It demonstrates that a clear connection existed between Ozias Humphry and the Austen family in 1788, when Humphry's portrait of Jane as a young girl was initiated.

His book is an entertaining and lively guide to the Kentish places that are so significant in the Austen family history, and we strongly recommend it to anyone interested in the real life of Jane herself.

On the 17 December 1775 Rev’d George Austen sat at his desk in the bow-windowed study of the Steventon rectory and began a letter to his sister-in-law Susannah Walter announcing the birth of his daughter Jane: ‘Last night the time came, and without a great deal of warning, everything was soon happily over. We now have another girl, a present plaything for her sister Cassy and a future companion. She is to be Jenny…’

Susannah Walter was the wife of William Hampson Walter, George’s half-brother, born to George’s mother Rebecca during her first marriage to William Walter. Between 1785 and 1811, William Hampson Walter and his family lived in Church Street, Seal, possibly in the Grey House. The Walters were always on very friendly terms with Jane’s family and during the 1788 visit to Sevenoaks the Austens called on their step-relations at nearby Seal.

Susannah Walter née Weaver came from Maidstone and bore her husband seven children. The eldest, Weaver, went on to become head boy at Tonbridge School and curate for Penshurst in 1799 where he married two years later.

The youngest child Philadelphia, born in 1761, was closest in age to Jane. Known in the family as Phylly, it is her letter to her cousin Eliza that provides us with the first account of Jane’s visit to Kent. Phylly married George Whitaker of Pembury late in her life and had no children.

An interesting Austen connection with the village of Seal involves Reverend William Humphrey. He was the younger brother of the artist Ozias Humphrey (he preferred Humphry) who painted portraits of Uncle Francis and the Duke of Dorset plus the portrait purported to be of the young Jane Austen.

William, who was rector of the adjacent village of Kemsing, had married Elizabeth Woodgate the daughter of a prominent Kentish family from Pembury. Ozias had petitioned the Duke of Dorset to give his brother the additional living at Seal, which was in his gift. The Duke reprimanded Ozias for importuning him over the matter, but having informed him that ‘Dukes never forget’, he did indeed present William with the living and made him his personal chaplain. In addition to obtaining the patronage of the Duke, Ozias also assisted William financially when he married Elizabeth Woodgate, and he was very fond of his many nephews and nieces.

Ozias travelled to Italy in 1773 with his great friend George Romney, stopping en route at Knole where the Duke of Dorset commissioned several works from him. His stay in Italy lasted until 1777. From 1785 to 1787, he travelled to India, producing many miniatures and sketches and when he returned home to England he stayed with his brother in Seal.

In 1788 Ozias painted a portrait of Madame Bacelli, the Duke’s mistress and their illegitimate son, John Frederick Sackville. He is also thought at this time, to have painted portraits of Edward Austen, Cassandra and Jane. In a small village like Seal and as the vicar’s brother, Ozias was obviously well known to the Walters, and he was actually resident in Seal during the visit of Jane and her family.

When William Hampson Walter died in April 1798 Jane sent the following letter of condolence to her cousin Philadelphia at Seal:

As Cassandra is at present from home, You must accept from my pen, our sincere Condolance on the melancholy Event which Mrs Humphries Letter announced to my Father this morning.- The loss of so kind & affectionate a Parent, must be a very severe affliction to all his Children, to yourself more especially, as your constant residence with him has given you so much the more constant & intimate Knowledge of his Virtues.- But the very circumstance which at present enhances your loss, must gradually reconcile you to it the better;- the Goodness which made him valuable on Earth, will make him Blessed in Heaven.

This consideration must bring comfort to yourself, to my aunt, & to all his family & friends; & this comfort must be heightened by the consideration of the little Enjoyment he was able to receive from this World for some time past, & of the small degree of pain attending his last hours.- I will not press you to write before you would otherwise feel equal to it, but when you can do it without pain, I hope we shall receive from you as good an account of my Aunt & Yourself, as can be expected in these early days of Sorrow.- My Father and Mother join me in every kind wish, & I am my dear Cousin, Yours Affectionately’.