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Jane and Cassandra arrive at Abbey School in Reading.
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Jane Austen is born at the Steventon Rectory in Hampshire. She is the seventh child of George and Cassandra Austen.
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Jane and her sister Cassandra leave home for Mrs Crawley’s boarding school. They return home soon after, having both caught Typhus fever.
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Jane and Cassandra return home, due to financial constraints on the family. The rest of her education is completed at home.
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Jane writes ‘Love and Friendship’, which is generally perceived to be written with the aim of entertaining her family.
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Jane writes her first serious novel, ‘Lady Susan’, in epistolary form.
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Jane begins work on another novel entitled ‘Elinor and Marianne’, which is almost certainly the predecessor of ‘Sense and Sensibility’.
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Tom Lefroy, the nephew of their neighbours, visits Steventon. Letters to Cassandra at the time indicate that Jane fell in love with him and spent a great deal of time in his company.
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Tom’s family cuts off the relationship, which is deemed impractical, as neither party has any money.
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Jane completes the first draft of ‘First Impressions’, which goes on to become ‘Pride and Prejudice’.
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Jane begins work on what will eventually be called ‘Northanger Abbey’.
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Jane begins work on ‘Susan’, a satire on the popular gothic novels of the time. This went on to be published under the title of ‘Northanger Abbey’.
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George Austen announces his retirement from ministry and the whole family moves to Bath.
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Jane sold the rights to her novel ‘Susan’ for £10 through her brother Henry. However, the London bookseller Crosby & Co decided against publishing it.
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George Austen dies, leaving his wife and sisters financially dependant on his sons.
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After moving out of rented accommodation in Bath, the women spent a great deal of time visiting relatives. They also stayed with their brother Francis and his new wife on and off from 1806 to 1809.
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Another of their brothers, Edward, inherited their parent’s estate. He invited them to settle in one of his cottages in Chawton, Hampshire. Accompanied by their friend, Martha Lloydd, they led a quiet life and Jane revised her drafts while her brother Henry negotiated with the publishers.
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‘Elinor and Marianne’ is revised and published anonymously under the new title, ‘Sense and Sensibility’. Sold on a commission basis, it earned her £140 pounds.
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‘First Impressions’ is renamed and published under the title ‘Pride and Prejudice’. She sold the copyright for £110, and the novel enjoyed instant popularity.
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'Mansfield Park' becomes another success once published, although it's neglected by the critics.
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Jane begins to write another novel, ‘The Elliots’, which was later published as ‘Persuasion’.
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Jane is invited to the Prince Regent’s (later King George IV) London home by his librarian. It is suggested that she dedicate her next novel to him, as he is a fan of her work. Austen would rather not grant the request, as she disapproves of his moral character, but is unable to say no.
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'Emma' is published, and dedicated to the Prince Regent.
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Henry’s bank venture fails and the Austens once again experience financial hardship. This delays the publication of ‘Persuasion’ and ‘Northanger Abbey’.
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Jane falls ill and Cassandra takes her to Cheltenham to seek medical care.
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Jane and Cassandra return from Cheltenham and Jane continues to work on ‘The Elliots’.
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Henry repurchases the rights to ‘Susan’ from Crosby & Co, and intends to publish it as ‘Northanger Abbey’.
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Jane's illness confines her to her bed. She writes her will.
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Jane passes away in Winchester aged 41.
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Jane is buried in Winchester Cathedral.
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‘Northanger Abbey’ and ‘Persuasion’ are published. Henry pens a biographical note identifying the work as Jane Austen’s for the first time.