The World of Jane Austen: All-Day Symposium
24 May @ 10:30 am – 4:30 pm
A full day of talks & discussion as part of BRLSI’s World of Jane Austen series.
10.15am: Welcome & Introductions – Betty Suchar, BRLSI
10.30am: The Austen family’s contemporaries at the Abbey – Cathryn Spence, Curator & Archivist at Bath Abbey
The Abbey has almost 1,500 memorials to doctors, sailors, musicians, an actor and an international businesswoman all linked to Jane Austen and her family. This talk explores the rich history and connections between the Abbey and the Austens.
11.45am: Publishing & reading in Austen’s time – Nicky Lloyd, Senior Lecturer in English Literature, Bath Spa University
This talk will include publishing and privately-owned lending libraries in Bath which were heavily used by readers at the time of Jane Austen.
1-1.45pm – lunch break (lunch not provided)
2pm: Fashion & Jane Austen – Elisabeth Murray, Senior Curator, Fashion Museum, Bath
Fashion is central to the literary world Jane Austen creates and is regularly brought to life through stage and screen adaptations. This talk will explore fashion trends during this period, drawing on examples from the collections in Bath’s Fashion Museum.
3pm: Art inspired by Jane Austen – Anna McNay, writer, editor & curator
It’s not just great artists who influenced those in contemporary times, but also great authors, with Jane Austen being a case in point. This talk introduces just a few examples of artists working today who look to Austen for inspiration and subject matter.
4pm: Closing remarks & finish – Ian Gadd, BRLSI Chair
