This month, our founder Caroline Jane Knight shares details of an extraordinary gift and the life of Maureen Bathgate, an Austen bookworm and book collector.

A few weeks ago, I received a message from Christine Bathgate, who I didn’t know, and we subsequently spoke on the telephone. Her sister Maureen Bathgate had sadly passed away on 29th January after a courageous battle from an extremely rare form of cancer. Maureen was a collector of many things especially anything antique or of vintage nature. This included ornaments, beautiful furniture, gorgeous cup and saucers, scrap booking items, material, postcards, doilies, and stamps, but most of all Maureen liked collecting books, and she had amassed a collection of over 230 copies of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. Before Maureen died, Christine asked her what she would like to happen to the collection and without a moment’s hesitation, Maureen said “give them to the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation, a charity run out of Victoria.” 

She was right, the head office of the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation is here in Melbourne, where I now live. Maureen had attended an event at Geelong Library, in July 2018, where I spoke about my childhood at Chawton House and the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation. Below is Maureen’s social media post after the event, with sister Kathleen on the right (Maureen was one of six sisters).

Realizing we live within easy driving distance of each other, Christine and I agreed to meet. I wanted to know more about Maureen and would collect the books, 9 boxes in all. We were joined by Helen Bathgate, Maureen’s older sister.

Maureen was a storyteller, a talent she had inherited from her father. She could talk about an extraordinary array of topics and was an encyclopedia of knowledge. Her love of books had come from the girls’ mother. One of Maureen’s favourite pursuits was visiting Op Shops (as we call them here in Australia; second hand stores run for the benefit of charities), and book fairs looking for bargains. She would always read the blurb on the back of a book before deciding. A book needed to sound different in some way, with an interesting or unusual hook. Maureen often chose too many books but would always find a quiet corner and edit her final selection to her favourite ones before going to the counter. At book fairs she would half fill a folding trolley cart with an array of books including all manner of fiction, non-fiction, cooking, and health. Maureen would buy a book for the illustrations alone. The most exciting finds of all were old copies of Jane Austen’s novels, particularly Pride and Prejudice, Maureen’s favourite book, by her favourite author.

Maureen was a great lover of animals particularly cats, adopting several herself who she named after famous authors or characters; Bronte - Emily Bronte, Darcy - Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, Pip - Pip in Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, Oli (Oliver) - Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. 

Other interests included the theatre and art exhibitions. Maureen was a great photographer and took a large bag of photographic equipment on her travels.  She had enjoyed many overseas trips, working on Oxfam projects. Having started as a journalist, Maureen’s career was centred around communications, content, PR and media, including 13 years at Oxfam and, most recently, five years at Neighbourhood Watch Victoria as Content and Marketing Lead.

She had a wonderful creative ability with words and had intentions of writing a book when she retired, either a crime fiction novel or a biography about her paternal grandmother, Evelyn Bathgate. Maureen had completed extensive research on ancestry.com and in record archives of her family history and was fascinated by her grandmother’s life.

“I’m a Mallee girl born and bred. I was born to write and tell stories. I’m a bookworm, crazy cat lady, tea lover, creative soul and a passionate voice for the care of animals and the planet. Nature is my respite, animals are my best friends, I’m a bit partial to gin and laughter, and chocolate is my vice.” These are the words Maureen, or Mauzy to her family, used to describe herself on social media platforms. Mallee is a northwestern region of Victoria. 

In her eulogy, Helen described Mauzy as funny, incredibly intelligent, fascinating to listen to with a spontaneous sense of adventure and friendly disposition. Mauzy was as “tough as old boots,” stubborn, strong and resilient with a “can do” personality, but just below the surface she was kind, sympathetic, gentle and caring. Mauzy had the same sense of silliness and fun as their father.  Like him, she believed that “you’ve gotta have a good laugh every day”, as is the Australian way.

Fairness, justice, equality, and caring for each other and our planet in all walks of life regardless of race or religion were always at the forefront of her mind. Maureen was highly regarded by all that knew her. She was never one to “big note” herself in any way and always let her results speak for her. Her sisters tell me that it says a lot about Maureen that none of them knew that she had either won or was runner up in eight reporting and media awards across Australia, throughout her working life.

And now she will forever be highly regarded by us, the worldwide Jane Austen community.  We didn’t know Maureen Bathgate personally, but her collection represents a lifetime of passion and love for Jane Austen, and a generosity of spirit of which Jane herself would have approved. I am deeply touched by Maureen’s belief in the Foundation and our literacy mission and wish for us to be the recipients of her precious collection. It is a tremendous gift and boost to our efforts, and I sincerely thank Maureen and her family.

The collection itself is a delight. A treasure trove of Pride & Prejudice published from the 1890s (the earliest I have seen so far), and about 2010. Many of the older books are undated and it will take time to photograph and research. I have included a few photos of some favourite finds, and the full collection will be shared with you all digitally in 2025, as part of a special worldwide literacy initiative we are planning in honour of Maureen.

Caroline

© Caroline Jane Knight 2024, Jane Austen’s fifth great niece and the last of Jane’s nieces to grow up at Chawton House on the family’s ancestral estate where Jane herself lived and wrote. Business owner, Jane Austen Literacy Foundation founder & chair, Patron of Jane Austen Regency Week, author of Jane & Me: My Austen Heritage

The Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Writing Competition 2024 is open!

Write an original short story, between 1000 - 2000 words, inspired by the theme ‘The Art of Listening’. Three winning stories chosen by the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation judges will be recorded as an audiobook by multi-award winning Austen narrator, Alison Larkin, and published worldwide. The overall winner for 2024 will be chosen by the public.

Free to enter and open to new and experienced writers around the world. Entries close midnight on Sunday 28th April 2024.

Click below for more details about our unique writing competition and for Entry Guidelines.

Help name the Chawton Chickens!

In exciting news, Millie Piper Knight, 6th great niece of Jane Austen, and niece of our founder & chair, Caroline Jane Knight, has recently moved into a cottage in the grounds of Chawton House, with her soon to be husband, Jai, and their 18-month-old daughter, Priseis, Jane Austen’s 7th great niece.

Millie has recently introduced chickens and a cockerel to the Chawton House estate once more and would like the help of the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Community in naming them. You can join the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Community for free, and have your say, click below.

A Cup of Tea with…..

Join Melissa, the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Community Manager, for a cup of tea and a chat with Shannon Reed, English professor and author of the best-selling and A Good Housekeeping Reads pick, Why We Read.

Live and free on the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Facebook page and YouTube channel.