I imagined Jane and her sister helping each other get ready for their balls…

Monica Kauffman, manager of the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation team of Literacy Mentors, shares her exciting first trip to Jane Austen Regency Week in Chawton, England, where Jane lived and wrote.

Please, someone pinch me so I can tell if I am really awake. It is going to take me a very long time to come down from the cloud that I have been floating on. I was blessed to have just experienced the most amazing week with the most incredible people! Who would have imagined that being part of the Jane Austen Literacy Mentor program would have provided me this life changing opportunity?

It all started on January 17, 2022. I was on a Zoom call with Caroline Jane Knight, fifth great-niece of Jane Austen, and founder and chair of the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation. Caroline had mentioned that the dates were out for the Jane Austen Regency Week in Alton & Chawton, Hampshire, UK. She asked me if I would like to go as an ambassador to represent the Foundation at the festival. I remember trying to keep my composure as I wrote down the dates, June 18-26, 2022. Inside, I was jumping for joy. Caroline is patron of Jane Austen Regency Week and explained that among the 45 events over the 9-day festival, there would be a Parade for Literacy and a Regency Picnic, which would be hosted by Caroline and her family to raise funds for the Foundation. All Foundation volunteers pay their own expenses to attend events, as 100% of the donations raised go directly to fund literacy programs and materials for children in developing and war-torn communities.

Once I got off the call, I ran to my husband in the other room and told him everything. He has always known that my lifelong dream is to go to England and walk in Jane Austen’s footsteps, so he insisted that I go. Over the next six months, I planned out my trip with the help from other volunteers in the Foundation. Through my work with the Foundation, I have been so fortunate to have made such deep connections with people online from all over the world.

I arrived in London! This was my first time overseas, and I was traveling on my own to experience the trip of a lifetime. I was both nervous and excited. On Friday, I headed to the Jane Austen Regency Festival 2022! Julia Grantham, who lives in England and is a Foundation ambassador and volunteer, and author of A Mole Like No Other, came to pick me up with her lifelong friend, Geoffrey, who was joining us for the festival. Geoffrey has always been a great friend of Julia’s, and now I can say a great friend of mine, too. 

We first arrived at Prowtings in Chawton, now offering accommodation. Mr. Jeremy Knight, Jane Austen’s fourth-great nephew, recommended this place to Julia, who was staying there. He has a theory that Prowtings, Chawton House, and Berry Hill near Winchester, may have been an inspiration to Jane Austen’s novel, Emma. He believes that Chawton House (the Knight family home) is portrayed as Donwell Abbey (Mr. Knightley’s Home) and Prowtings is Hartfield House (the Woodhouse Family Home). Mr. Knight believes that Jane would have been to Berry Hill and that she changed the name to Box Hill. The descriptions and distances in the novel lead me to believe in Mr. Knights’ theory.

Later, Geoffrey drove me to my hotel, The Swan, in Alton. Jane Austen would have known this place as a coaching inn. It was beautiful with all its charms. After settling in, I began walking up the street to meet some of the Foundation volunteers for dinner. As well as Julia and Geoffrey, there was Caroline, who had just arrived from Australia where she now lives, Carla from the US, and Hazel and Keith, who had come from Denmark. This was my first-time meeting everyone face-to-face. My inability to contain my exuberance led me to spontaneously squeeze everyone with big hugs. Ahhh! I was so excited that I was having dinner with the people I admire most. They had all met in person before, but for me, I was feeling starstruck. I tried to talk slowly and calmly (for anyone who knows me, this is very difficult) but I’m sure that didn’t happen. They hadn’t seen each other in a few years because of Covid, so they were all very happy to see each other again. I was sitting in this restaurant looking around in amazement that I was here in England enjoying a wonderful dinner with the best people. Little did they know they played an integral part of helping me bring my dream to reality!   

I woke up Saturday and got ready for The Jane Austen Regency Week Marketplace. I put on my long white dress, black spencer jacket, and shoes, then headed out the door to help set up the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation stall. It was magical as everyone set up their stalls, and High Street transformed to a Regency time. We were in the middle of the market, right next to Hazel’s stall, where she was selling beautiful Regency clothes she had made. I was in awe all day listening to Caroline Jane Knight describe the Foundation to visitors at our stall and signing copies of her memoir about growing up at Chawton House. I enjoyed meeting people and strolling up and down the street looking for a new bonnet. Later in the day, I went on a horse and carriage ride through the town of Alton with Geoffrey. My first Regency Marketplace was a great start to the day.

Later that same day, I attended a dance workshop to learn some Regency dances for the ball. I am so grateful that Geoffrey took the dance workshop with me. I had so much fun, and we laughed the entire time. I wasn’t sure that I was fully ready to dance the night away, but I was ready to try. After the lessons, I walked back to my hotel and got ready for my very first ball. I imagined Jane and her sister helping each other get ready for their balls as I put on my dress and fixed my hair.

In the evening, I walked up the street to the Assembly Rooms. As I think back to this night, my smile returns, and I am immediately reminded of the immense joy I experienced that evening. Everyone was dressed in their finest Regency attire. The ball was everything and more to me. Not exactly like the movies. There weren’t any candles lit or chandeliers, but everyone I have been meeting with online for the past few years was there in person with me. There were tables and chairs set up around the dance floor. As the music played, I watched the Regency dancers glide across the floor. I recognized them from my earlier workshop. I waited anxiously for the one dance that Geoffrey and I were had learned, however, our friend Julia had other ideas and encouraged us to dance straight away. I will be forever grateful for my dance partner. The spectators might not have looked at us with fondness or been impressed with our moves, but they knew we were there to have fun and enjoy ourselves. I recall only smiling and laughing the entire night. My first ball was a huge success!

On Sunday morning, I got up and prepared for the Regency parade and picnic. Once again, I was enthusiastic because I had never attended these events. Carla was staying at my hotel in Alton and offered to drive me the short distance to Chawton. We arrived early so we could visit Jane Austen’s cottage. It was incredible! Everywhere I looked, I could envision Jane being there. I was so excited that I think anyone who saw me knew it was my first time there because it was written all over my face. I was beaming! When I stepped outside of the cottage, I noticed a gentleman on the path. I had read and heard many things about him. Unfortunately, this gentleman had no idea who I was, and in all my excitement I ran up to him and introduced myself. It was Mr. Jeremy Knight, fourth-nephew of Jane Austen and Caroline’s father. I’m certain that I came across as a crazy American who doesn’t know her boundaries, but it was difficult to control all my emotions. I can only imagine his first impression of me and hope it changed as he got to know me better throughout the week. By this time early in the morning, I had already had the best day! 

I joined people who began to gather in front of Jane’s Cottage to prepare for the parade. There were lots of other Foundation volunteers and supporters in the crowd. Caroline spoke, explaining what the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation does and that this event was a fundraiser to provide literacy boxes for children forced to flee Ukraine (more details below). The parade began and we all started our walk to Chawton House. This is where Jane’s older brother Edward lived and where Caroline grew up with her family. As we all walked up the road in the parade, I looked around and was amazed to see everyone dressed up and brought here together by Jane Austen and Caroline Jane Knight. My adrenaline and anticipation of what was going to happen was high. We were on a road and suddenly turned left. My heart swelled and tears came to my eyes. This was the driveway of Mr. Edward Knight and many others after him, including Mr. Jeremy Knight, Carol, and Caroline, who I was now with. The house was extraordinary, and I wasn’t expecting the emotions that came over me. I’ve seen it in pictures but in reality, it was breathtaking. 

Once we all arrived, Caroline, spoke about the house and the church. Mr. Knight showed me the graves of Jane’s mother and sister. The whole time I was thinking please don’t wake me up because I was in the most perfect dream. I was so lucky to have walked along the beautiful country path from the great house to the old barn with Caroline’s parents, Jeremy, and Carol. They are wonderful and easy to talk with. I was walking arm-in-arm with a gentleman and his wife, staring at sheep dotted higgledy-piggledy in the most spectacular landscape that I had ever seen. Once everyone arrived at the barn for the Regency picnic, we sat down and began to eat our lunch. I was in heaven sitting with all my new friends, including Mr. & Mrs. Collins (I never thought I would say that). We ate, talked, and of course laughed the whole day! How did I ever get so lucky to have this incredible experience? The empty picnic boxes were cleared away, and Dr. Helena Kelly entertained us all with a fascinating talk on fathers in Jane Austen.

Every year, The Jane Austen Literacy Foundation has a short story writing competition. The theme for this year’s competition was ‘Inspired by Jane Austen’. The three finalists had travelled to be at the picnic and were waiting with anticipation for the winner to be announced by Foundation Ambassador and chair of the competition’s panel of judges, Jane MacKenzie, who had travelled from France. There was also a special surprise. Susannah Harker, who played Jane Bennet in the 1995 Pride & Prejudice, was there to read the winning story. Susannah arrived with her family, including her mother, who played Jane Bennet in the 1967 Pride & Prejudice. 

The winner this year was Sheila Walker, from Germany, who wrote The Boxed Set. Susannah sat and read her story. Picture this: I was sitting outside in front of a barn that was hundreds of years old, looking upon a field of sheep in this beautiful countryside and listening to Susannah read aloud. My smile could not be any bigger! I could imagine Jane Austen outside this very place reading to her family. It was so surreal. I couldn’t believe that each day has brought me more new and unimaginable experiences. I feel so blessed and fortunate!

This experience of attending the Jane Austen Regency Week allowed me to meet so many people who share the love of Jane Austen. The group of amazing people in the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation have changed my life and have given me so much happiness and joy, much more than I deserve. “I must learn to be content with being happier than I deserve,” Jane wrote in Pride & Prejudice. I will be forever grateful to my friend Caroline who has inspired me in so many ways. She invited me to fulfill my lifelong dream and I will treasure these memories forever!

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. 1813

©️Monica Kauffman 2022. Monica Kauffman is an Elementary Educator, Manager of the Jane Austen Literacy Mentors, Mother of 3 amazing adult children, and a Janeite for life. She lives in Florida, USA.

We Made the News!

Jane Austen Regency Week made the Alton Herald July 7th.

The money raised by the Foundation at Jane Austen Regency Week 2022 will be donated to the Bookmark Box for Ukraine Appeal:

As the crisis in Ukraine unfolded, Bookmark launched an emergency Bookmark Box for Ukraine appeal to support Ukrainian child refugees and their families arriving in the UK. It is estimated that two million children have fled Ukraine. These children and their families are fleeing from war, leaving their loved ones, homes, education, and belongings behind. They now need to start a new life while healing from trauma.

The aim is to help these children feel welcome, comfortable in their new surroundings, and able to build their familiarity with the English language. That’s why with the help of literacy experts, Bookmark created reading themed Bookmark Boxes for Ukrainian children aged 5-9.

The boxes have been designed to provide:

·       Tools to adapt: Helping refugee children to see themselves in their surroundings is vital as it could be an unsettling time. The Bookmark box for Ukraine will include fun Ukrainian storybooks as well as books that reflect the challenging experiences they have faced

·       Comfort and healing support: Sensory play and arts and crafts is recommended to support refugee children in early education. We have included playdough, pipe cleaner games, finger puppets, and stickers

·       Language tools: To celebrate the children's home language as well as to build their familiarity with the English language as they settle into the UK

·       Community: The Bookmark box for Ukraine will simultaneously welcome the children to our community whilst providing them the mobile data allowance to stay in touch with friends and family displaced around the globe

·       Something of their own: The box itself will be illustrated with a personalised Squibbles colouring sheet so that the children can make it their own. At a time when these children have left so much behind, this box will be their very own to keep forever

The boxes also include a tablet each loaded with language and literacy apps as well as e-books in both Ukrainian and English. The box encourages a shared family reading experience and is filled with resources to support their wellbeing through storytelling and therapeutic play.

Thanks to the support of the Association for Polish Family, Bookmark was lucky enough to hand deliver the first 30 boxes to Ukrainian children and families through a partner organisation in Merton. Each family was given one of the specially curated boxes to take home and keep forever.

Bookmark has worked closely with Slawek, CEO at Association for Polish Family to bring these boxes to Ukrainian children and families. Slawek said;

"You should have seen the surprise in the children's eyes when they saw the books in Ukrainian. Absolutely priceless, it made us so happy. There was no hesitation at all as they started flipping through the pages."

Since then, Bookmark have delivered over 3,000 Bookmark Boxes through partner organisations including primary schools, Barnardo’s, and the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, to name a few.  All of money donated by the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation will be spent on resources for the literacy boxes.

“It is only thanks to our partner organisations and community of volunteers and supporters that this has been possible. They have helped us to design the boxes, pack and prepare them, distribute them to children, and made generous donations. Truly, none of this would have been possible without their support. Special thanks to everyone who was part of the celebrations of Regency Week and supported the Bookmark Box for Ukraine appeal, we’re hugely grateful to you.” Bookmark, UK

Make a donation below to support the Bookmark Box for Ukraine Appeal: