The city of London has long been a
magnet, calling the people of the countryside with promises of society,
entertainment, shopping, and work. It is no less for the characters in the
novels of Jane Austen, written and published in the late eighteenth to early
nineteenth centuries. I am proposing a mini-exhibition
for the Inspiring London display in the Museum of London, “London’s Jane
Austen”, providing visitors of all backgrounds with the knowledge and
information to fully appreciate London’s influence on one of Western
Literature’s greatest writers, hopefully giving them a greater understanding of
the time period and lives of the people who lived there.
Beginning with a brief introduction
of the period in which the novels are set, the display would cover from about
1790 – when Austen began writing – to 1816, when Emma was published, the last of her novels to be so during her
lifetime.
The display itself (Plate 1) begins
with the striking yellow carriage currently located in the archives, positioned
in such a way so it would front the public and be the first item encountered.
The introductory information could be displayed on a large poster-board set up
on an easel, with the text printed on an image of a city street as it would
have appeared around 1810.
Visitors move from the introduction
and the carriage in a counter-clockwise manner, to a large screen featuring a
digital map of London at the time, showing the important streets and well-known
landmarks, so modern visitors would have a sense of place and location.
This digital map would play on a
loop, with the map itself remaining static, while the streets themselves and
the houses lived in would be highlighted and brought forward, as a narrator
briefly tells of who lived there, their situation in life, and about the street
itself and that area of London, including why or how this information was significant
in Austen’s characterization.
Maps have been made of Austen’s
London before, (Plate 2) but it could easily be done again by the Museum’s
staff. The map referenced here focuses purely on location and who Austen assigned
to reside there (Plate 3), while the Museum’s map would dig deeper into the
city of London itself and the important role it played therein. When each
residency was highlighted, for example the Bingley’s residence in Grosvenor
Street, a period illustration or even modern photograph of any surviving
Georgian homes in that area could be shown on the screen as well, and as the
narrator continues telling about the sorts of people who lived there and the
activities that would have gone on in the local, period images of these could
be shown on the screen.
The second area is a series of
vignettes highlighting aspects of London life, coming to London or “Going to
Town”, consisting of a floating exhibit behind the carriage and a row of
“L”-shaped glass cases along two walls.
Society played a major role in the
London season, when there were many opportunities to go out, to see and be
seen. Some such examples are mentioned by Austen, like the party attended by
Eleanor and Marianne Dashwood in Sense
and Sensibility where Marianne made the mortifying discovery of
Willoughby’s unfaithfulness. The floating exhibit would consist of two cases,
the one directly behind the carriage containing two female mannequins, dressed
as if they were going to this party (preferably one dressed as Marianne and the
other as Eleanor), in the second case a male mannequin also dressed for the
party. (Willoughby? These wouldn’t be named as such but instead would provide a
point of reference for the curators and as a fun notion for the visitors who
are well-versed in Austen, without being distracting for those who are not.)
Attention to detail is key for both,
with accessories including shawls, head-dresses, jewelry, stockings, shoes,
fans, and gloves – maybe even some smelling salts - for the ladies, with shirt,
waistcoat, cravat, tailcoat, breeches, stockings, shoes, fob, gloves, and hat.
The information cards for each would have images of fashion plates of the time printed
on them as well, in addition to the text, the latter of which would describe
the importance of balls and parties and touch on some of the essential items of
every well-dressed man or woman attendee’s wardrobe.
Moving on from the floating display
and the map will be the “Going to Town” portion of the exhibit, consisting of
long glass cases running the length of the wall and forming an “L” shape to
continue past the corner and onto the next wall. The vignettes of the displays
making up these cases do not need to be separated, but they should blend
seamlessly into one another.
The first vignette will be of
every-day social interactions. Aside from balls and parties, socializing was
carried on in other ways, from leaving cards at the residencies of friends and
acquaintances to alert them to one’s being in town, to short visits made
throughout the day, and small evening gatherings for music, cards, and maybe
dancing.
Nearest the map on a table would be
a collection of calling-cards, invitations, and any other such memorabilia the
museum may have on hand. Hanging on the wall behind there will be a painting
common in the homes of people at the time, perhaps of a landscape, and in the
corner a window sash, either original or reproduction to add some visual
interest.
A
walking dress with appropriate accessories, the type one of Austen’s ladies
might wear when visiting her London acquaintance, would bridge the gap between
the visiting section and the entertainment area to follow.
Austen
mentions several entertainments that her characters amuse themselves with, the
three included here are very different from one another: the menagerie at
Exeter Exchange, from Sense and
Sensibility, when Mr. John Dashwood takes his son Henry to see the wild
beasts; Kensington Gardens, also from Sense
and Sensibility, where Nancy Steele goes with her friends and cousins; and
the Little Theater, mentioned by Lydia Bennet in Pride and Prejudice as being open, although she wasn’t permitted to
go.
Enlarged original images of the
locations would be on the walls, as would banners or advertisements if there
are any available. Any objects relating to the locations will be displayed in
front of the pertaining imagery, such as gardening tools, bonnets, and parasols
for Kensington; toys, souvenirs, and animal restraints used at Exeter; and
finally a good use for the theater collection, with programs, brochures,
costumes, and props put out.
This is where we come to the corner
of the glass case, with red theater curtain on the one side and drapery fabric
from a merchant on the other.
Shopping London for the latest styles
and fashions was just as commonplace then as it is now, and Austen writes of
characters going out on purpose of shopping or other forms of “business.” The
area devoted to shopping should be stuffed full of beautiful wares that would
have tempted Londoners both real and imagined, while conveying the way shopping
was done at the time. Department stores were not yet invented, and people would
go from specialist to specialist collecting what they needed as they went. This
is already very well done in the “Victorian Walk” exhibit in the Museum proper,
and would need to be done here on a smaller scale, and should also include an
ensemble of what would be worn by a shopkeeper of the period.
There will be focused areas
throughout the portion, one for haberdashery (hats), cobblers (shoes), drapers
(fabric), trims, buckles, gloves, basically anything and everything that will
fit and look lovely.
Business comes next. The section on
business and that of shopping can run together quite easily, for in many cases “business”
is in fact some sort of shopping errand, although I would choose to separate
them with a floor clock, something that can be both purchased and is functional
in the keeping of business appointments.
In Sense and Sensibility, Mrs. Jennings goes into Pall Mall to a
stationer’s shop where she has business, while Eleanor has her version of
business at Gray’s in Sackville Street, in the carrying on of a negotiation for
the exchange of a few old-fashioned jewels of her mothers. It is also at Gray’s
where the sisters first meet Robert Ferrars, as he gives orders for an ivory,
gold, and pearl toothpick case for himself. I would dearly love to find a
toothpick case in the museum’s collections to use here.
There were of course the aspects of
business involving banks and legal firms, the purchasing and selling of horses
and carriages, all involving lots and lots of hand-written documents. For
these, a desk could be set up as if it belonged to a lawyer, complete with an
ink well and pens, letter opener, a wax seal stamp and wax, with a chair set up
behind. A gentleman’s outfit suitable for a lawyer would be next to the desk at
the end of the glass case.
Two doorways in the Inspiring London
room create a little corner area separate from everything else, it is here I
would place a case devoted to the dark side of London, at which Austen hints in
two of her novels.
The first is the issue of
concealment, London as a place for sinners and the immoral to hide, lost in the
winding streets and crowds. In Pride and
Prejudice, Lydia and Wickham go to London after their elopement so no one
will be able to discover them, they are found due to Mr. Darcy’s knowledge of the
location of Wickham’s friend, Mrs. Younge, who has let a house in Edward
Street, likely in Soho, which even then had a reputation for immorality and
decadence. 2
The second is the issue of
illegitimacy and unwanted children, touched on in Emma 3: Harriet Smith is the natural daughter of
“somebody” 4 who paid for her to stay as a tenant in a respectable
house, while Jane Fairfax is an orphan who was taken in by a friend of her
father.
These topics will be covered through
images of the rougher sides of London at the time, such as of Soho and of St.
Clement Danes Church in The Strand, where Wickham and Lydia were married, and
of the Foundling Hospital located in Brunswick Square, founded in 1756 for
abandoned children. 5 An example of either the clothes typical of
poorer areas of the city, or a uniform or some such belonging to a worker at
the Hospital would be in the corner next to the walls. Children’s toys and/or
unskilled laborers’ gear can be included as well.
The final area, between the second
doorframe and a protruding wall, would hold another glass case containing the
“Working in London” display. Several of Austen’s characters’ work and live in
London, the most prominent of those being Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner of Pride and Prejudice. The Gardiners live
in Cheapside in the City, on Gracechurch Street, and Mr. Gardiner is in a line
of trade. Jane Austen doesn’t specify what line of trade he is in, only that he
lives “within view of his own warehouses.” 6 She does give both
profession and location in Mansfield Park,
when Dr. Grant, a clergyman, succeeds to a stall in Westminster and he and his
wife move to London.
This case would consist of two
parts, the tradesman half and the clergyman half, with the former being closest
to the doorway and the latter on the side of the wall.
The tradesman half would have the
ensemble of a respectable man of trade, like Mr. Gardiner, in the rear corner, and
an image of Gracechurch Street or Cheapside would be on the wall. In front on a
table would be various ephemera on the trades that went on in Cheapside, and
tools of the trades would be located on the floor or arranged around the
display.
For the clergy, a clergyman’s
ensemble would be in the other corner, with an image of Westminster on the
wall. On a table in front would be a Bible, hymnals, prayer books, and other items
a clergyman needs in the carrying out of his duties.
The end of the display would have a
concluding poster board, set up on an easel in the same fashion as the
introductory board, on the opposite side of the carriage (where they hitch the
horses) and across from the wall. To be found hanging on the wall are dress-up
clothes from the time period that children could put on: empire-waist dresses,
waistcoats, top hats, clip-on cravats, bonnets, shawls, and the like. A small
sign would invite the kids to do so, and recommend posing in front of the
carriage for a picture. The Museum could encourage parents to send the photographs
in via email, or tag the Museum in Tweets and Facebook posts that contain the
pictures, and the pictures could appear on the Museum’s website, getting people
involved and hopefully encouraging their friends and family to come out as
well.
This exhibit brings to the
forefront the important role London played in Jane Austen’s novels. All throughout
her works, London is there, whether mentioned in passing or instrumental in the
unfolding of events; always intertwined with the plots and characterizations,
ready to provide depth and insight into the people who move across the pages if
one knows how to find it, and this exhibit at the Museum of London will show
its visitors how.
Plate 1
My initial
rough plan for London’s Jane Austen. The idea was to create a circular flow
while establishing an idea of mystery: with the carriage obscuring a large part
of the exhibit from view and focal points directly behind, visitors will be
drawn into the display and then funneled along, finally reaching the dress-up
area and hopefully taking a picture in costume with the carriage to share with
friends and family.
Information
on the individual objects would be presented along the front of the cases, as
in the displays in the other permanent exhibits. Each category would have a
brief overview, with quotes from Austen’s books and letters punctuating the
curator’s text.
Plate 2
London in the time of Jane Austen 7
Jane
Axelrod of the Jane Austen Society of North America drew up this map showing
that Jane Austen was familiar with and provided the locations for many of her
characters’ homes and various dramatic situations in which they found themselves.
Buckingham
Palace, in the lower left corner, would have been known at the time as
Buckingham House or The Queen’s House. 8
Plate 3
Key to
London in the Time of Jane Austen 9
1. Astleys - EmmaA stadium used for horse shows in Westminster Bridge Road where Robert Martin joins the John Knightleys and Harriet Smith
2. Baker Street - Mansfield Park
The London address of the Andersons, friends of Tom Bertram
3. Bartletts Building - Sense and Sensibility
The address in Holborn of the Miss Steeles’ cousins where they stay upon arriving in London
4. Bedford Square - Mansfield Park
The residential square in London near the house of the Bertrams' cousin where Julia stays
5. Berkeley Street - Sense and Sensibility
The address off Portman Square where Mrs. Jennings lives
6. Bond Street - Sense and Sensibility, Emma
The address of John Willoughby
Where Mr. Elton takes Harriet Smith’s portrait to be framed
7. Brunswick Square - Emma
The address of the John Knightleys
8. Cheapside - Pride and Prejudice
A district and street between St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Bank of England
9. Conduit Street - Sense and Sensibility
The address of the Middletons
10. Covent Garden (not in a novel but a well-known London location)
11. Drury Lane - Sense and Sensibility
The common name for the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane
12. Edward Street - Pride and Prejudice
The address of Mrs. Younge, Georgiana’s ex-governess
13. Gracechurch Street - Pride and Prejudice
The address of the Gardiners in Cheapside
14. Grays - Sense and Sensibility
The jewelers in Sackville Street where Robert Ferrars purchases a toothpick case
15. Grosvenor Street - Pride and Prejudice
The address of the Hursts
16. Hanover Square - Sense and Sensibility
The address of the Palmers
17. Harley Street - Sense and Sensibility
The address of the John Dashwoods
18. Hill Street - Mansfield Park
The address of Admiral Crawford
19. Holborn - Sense and Sensibility
A district and street where the Miss Steeles stay in Bartletts Buildings
20. House of Commons - Persuasion
Where Sir Walter was with Mr. Elliot on two occasions
21. Kensington Gardens - Sense and Sensibility
Where Nancy Steele meets with Elinor to relate the overheard conversation between Lucy and Edward
22. Manchester Street - Emma
The temporary address of the Churchills
23. Pall Mall - Sense and Sensibility
Edward moves to Pall Mall after refusing to break his engagement with Lucy Steele
24. Park Street - Sense and Sensibility
The address of Mrs. Ferrars
25. Portman Square - Sense and Sensibility
A square in the fashionable part of London near Mrs. Jennings’ townhouse
14. Sackville Street - Sense and Sensibility
Address of Gray, the jewelers
26. St. Clements - Pride and Prejudice
Lydia and Wickham are married at St. Clements Danes Church in The Strand
27. St. Georges - Mansfield Park
A fashionable church in Hanover Square where Mary Crawford envisions Fanny and Henry getting married
28. St. James - Pride and Prejudice
The residence of the Royal Family in London
29. St. James Street - Sense and Sensibility
Colonel Brandon’s address
30. Tattersalls - Persuasion
A London club where Sir Walter must have been seen with Mr. Elliot
31. Temple Bar - Persuasion
Where young Mr. Elliot had chambers
32. Tower of London - Northanger Abbey
Henry Tilney tells Catherine that Eleanor believes the Tower of London is threatened with attack
33. Westminster School - Sense and Sensibility
Public school where Robert Ferrars was educated
34. Westminster Abbey - Mansfield Park
Dr. Grant succeeded to a stall at Westminster Abbey
35. Wimpole Street - Mansfield Park
Address of the Rushworths
36. Little Theater - Pride and Prejudice
Where Lydia wants to go during her stay with the Gardiners, one of the few places in London open in the off-season
The list
above is rather exhaustive and is merely illustratory of the scope of material
available to anyone interested in pursuing the connection between London and
Austen. By no means would the display need to include every item here, optioning
to use locations and names (like Grosvenor Square and Bingley, or Bond Street
and Willoughby) that will be familiar to visitors and that provide the most
scope throughout both the city locals and of the various characters.
Notes
1.
Kaplan,
Laurie. “London as Text: Teaching Jane Austen’s “London” Novels In Situ.”
Jane
Austen Society of North America. Accessed 20 July 2015. http://www.jasna.org/persuasions/on-line/vol32no1/kaplan.html
2. Ibid.
3. Austen, Jane. Four Novels: Sense
and Sensibility; Pride and Prejudice; Emma;
Northanger
Abbey. Canterbury Classics: San Diego, 2009. 424.
4. Cook, Samantha and Rob Humphreys.
Pocket Rough Guide: London. Rough Guides Ltd. London, 2015. 79.
5. Kaplan, Laurie. “London as Text:
Teaching Jane Austen’s “London” Novels In
Situ.”
Jane
Austen Society of North America. Accessed 20 July 2015. http://www.jasna.org/persuasions/on-line/vol32no1/kaplan.html
6. Austen, Jane. Four Novels: Sense
and Sensibility; Pride and Prejudice; Emma;
Northanger
Abbey. Canterbury Classics: San Diego, 2009. 279.
7. Jane Austen Society of North
America. “Map of Jane Austen’s London.” Accessed 21 July 2015. http://www.jasna.org/info/maps-london.html
8. The British Monarchy. “40 Facts
About Buckingham Palace.” Accessed 21 July 2015. http://www.royal.gov.uk/latestnewsanddiary/factfiles/40factsaboutbuckinghampalace.aspx
9. Wilson, Patrick. “Where’s Where
in Jane Austen . . . and What Happens There.” Jane Austen Society of Australia.
Accessed 21 July 2015. http://www.jasna.org/info/maps-london-key.html
Sources
Austen,
Jane. Four Novels: Sense and Sensibility; Pride and Prejudice; Emma; Northanger
Abbey. Canterbury Classics: San Diego,
2009.
British
Monarchy, The. “40 Facts About Buckingham Palace.” Accessed 21 July 2015.
http://www.royal.gov.uk/latestnewsanddiary/factfiles/40factsaboutbuckinghampalace.aspx
Cook,
Samantha and Rob Humphreys. Pocket Rough Guide: London. Rough Guides Ltd.
London, 2015.
Jane
Austen Society of North America. “Map of Jane Austen’s London.” Accessed 21
July 2015.
http://www.jasna.org/info/maps-london.html
Kaplan,
Laurie. “London as Text: Teaching Jane Austen’s “London” Novels In Situ.” Jane
Austen Society of North America.
Accessed 20 July 2015. http://www.jasna.org/persuasions/on-line/vol32no1/kaplan.html
Wilson,
Patrick. “Where’s Where in Jane Austen . . . and What Happens There.” Jane
Austen
Society of Australia. Accessed 21
July 2015. http://www.jasna.org/info/maps-london-key.html
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