Jane Austen Festival 2018- Meet the Denizens of Spring Grove Cottage (Part I)

The year is 1814, and the town of Meryton is overjoyed to see sailors and soldiers returning from the wars.  That dreadful Napoleon defeated at last, never to return!!! Huzzah for the Empire! 

Below you will meet the denizens of Spring Grove Cottage, who are receiving guests into their parlour in Meryton for games of whist, good conversation, and general hospitality. 

Miss Elizabeth Tattman was born in Canterbury, though her father took his young wife and daughter to Bristol shortly thereafter. Engaged in the shipping business, he was for a time quite successful. When Elizabeth was nearly 16, her father suffered several setbacks, and lost his business. She was forced to withdraw from school, and the family only maintained a basic gentility through the help of her mother’s generous relations. Her father however, determined that his young daughter should have every opportunity despite their reduced circumstances, schooled her at home.  Eventually Mr. Tattman was able to attain a position working for another shipping firm, and he and his family settled in a comfortable, if less impressive, sort of life. At 18, Miss Tattman became a teacher at a local academy for young ladies. 

Photo courtesy of Laurie Tavan

When Miss Tattman was nearly 20,  she was able to attract the attentions of a man in his early 30’s (Ah, the sweet follies of youth!). He proposed marriage soon after, but the event continued to be postponed and never came. Finally the engagement was broken off, with quite a healthy settlement made upon a young woman of reduced circumstances who was no longer quite so young, and might have no other prospects.

Miss Tattman fancies herself a bit of a bluestocking, and loves to hear the latest news about the London theatre, and any story about "Dear Doctor Johnson" (whom, of course, she never met). She now keeps house with her cousin, 


Mrs. Margaret Thornberry, widow of Lieutenant James Thornberry, who died in March 1801 when his ship, the HMS Invincible, was damaged in a storm off the coast of Norfolk and sank taking 400 lives with it. 

Photo courtesy of Fox & Rose Photography

"I'm not sure why the navy would tempt fate by naming a ship "Invincible," when we all know that nothing is invincible!  We had been married but a few years and had two small boys, John and Benjamin.  Since Mr. Thornberry died while in the service to the empire, I receive a small pension on which to live.  My boys joined the military like their father before them and are both fighting in that unpleasantness with the American Republic. I worry constantly for their safety and cannot wait for their return.  John is in the army somewhere down by New Orleans, and Benjamin is on a ship off the coast of Virginia.  I have some of their letters if you'd like the latest news from the war.

When Mr. Thornberry was alive, we'd host the most wonderful parties, and I missed those so much.  Music and cards and dancing!  Oh, it was so much fun!  My pension was enough to support my boys and me but not enough to allow for any of those wonderful diversions of the past.  Now that my dear cousin, Miss Elizabeth Tattman, and I keep house together,  we have the means to properly enjoy the company of our wonderful friends again and entertain them in the way in which I was once accustomed. "

Photo courtesy of Asha Ananda 

"Won't you please join us in a game of whist?  I confess, I am terrible at it, so you may not want to be my partner, but I can promise all of the latest news from town while we play!"

Setting up house together has allowed the ladies an agreeable degree of independence and gentility (which they might not otherwise enjoy). Living in this state, they are more comfortable and secure than say, dear Miss and Mrs. Bates, though still in awe of the grandeur displayed by Caroline, Lady Linnington. Their parlour is an hospitable and merry, if somewhat provincial place, full of good company and good conversation. 

You are hereby cordially invited to join us !

Miss Tattman entertains guests.

Photo courtesy of Janet Abell.

**************************************************************

These characters are fictitious, constructs of our own active imaginations. We have endeavored to be inspired by history and literature, while creating a story which fit what we wanted to do for the event. Miss Tattman's story is heavily influenced by Hannah More, had she never run off to London to move in the same circles as Dr. Johnson and David Garrick.  The 'Invincible' did in fact sail, and sink, in the time and places listed above. Sharron and I have both taken our names from family history ('Liebert' was just a bit too french for this setting!).

Overall, this is our tribute to Jane Austen, with a hint of Cranford thrown in. We hope you will come play with us! 

Part II Here 

Miss Waterman's Diary

Miss Waterman recalls her engagement, as well as a strange dream in which Miss Tattman apparently begins a strange, new fashion.....

Miss Tattman and the Doctor share an unspoken sentiment. 

Miss Tattman's Year in Review Pt II- in which we meet the gentlemen....

 Part I here.

From left to right; Mr. Cushing (the Dreadful Cousin, hereafter referred to as the D.C.), Mr. Tumbusch, Mr. Ramsey, and the Doctor

Portrait by Toni Tumbusch. 

August 23, 181—

My Dearest Emily,

My Aunt and Uncle Downward and I have arrived safely in New York, where my uncle informs us we shall spend nearly a month before returning (all without the D.C., thank goodness, but more on that later). I was sorry to spend so little time in your part of the country, but it was most cheerfully spent for all that!

Uncle Downward. 

Portrait by Stephen Jacobson.

I was so pleased to finally observe all those dear folk whom you had written to me about in their natural habitat, as it were. Mr. and Mrs. Hedgewood are just as you have made them out, and it is clear that Mr. H. especially regards you as his own dear child. As for Mister Ramsey, he is as dear and kind as I fully expected, and you were right about his delightful wit!  

Mr. Ramsey immortalized.

My cousin is everything and nothing I expected. I was surprised to find you so well acquainted. I must say, it is rather a hard thing to find one’s ally and one’s intended foe at parley before one arrives on the field! He was exceedingly attentive to me during my entire stay- despite my repeated assurances that such devotion to familial duty was not necessary. He met me promptly upon my arrival, and insisted upon repairing to lodgings he had reserved that I might rest, then poured more tea into my poor stomach than I believe I had room for. I am surprised it was not running out my ears. The entire journey to Nashville I swear his gaze scarcely left me - a most vigilant jailor, I must say!

At the ball I actually had to remind the man that proper manners dictate I dance with more than just the one partner. Luckily Mister Ramsey was there to rescue me for a dance, and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. I suppose one might find the D.C.s attention charming, had it not been predetermined that the man is Dreadful. However under the circumstances I must say it vexed me very much!

The Dreadful Cousin....being annoyingly affable and charming...

For all that I will admit the man has a keen and sensitive mind, which did provide some relief and give us things to talk of. He is a great reader, and supplied me with many books. A most peculiar man, all in all.

There was one last person whom I was most pleased to finally make an acquaintance with. Your Doctor has finally materialized off the pages of your letters and proven himself to be just as handsome and  and dignified in reality as you made him out to be. I must say, my dear, that he pleased me very much. He was a fine dancer, and a most enjoyable conversation partner. In particular, he seemed keen to hear stories of our lives growing up, and was, I believe, most happy for all intelligence I could be prevailed upon to provide about my dear Emily. 

The Doctor enjoys a civilized respite after his labors. 

Portrait by Toni Tumbusch 

My cousin informs me that the Doctor is well liked among all those whom he serves with and attends upon, though of late the he has been of a strange and taciturn mood......... yet he did not seem so afflicted when we were all met together. I have taken a keen interest in him, and shall be most  interested to see how the matter sits when I return from New York next month........

Until then I remain,

Your Faithful Eliza

N.B. My Aunt and Uncle send their love, as does Mrs. Collier via post. 

Miss Tattman's Year in Review - Part I

A selection of Miss Tattman's letters to Miss Waterman in the preceding months....

Photo by Judy Potter

April 30, 181--

My dearest Emily, 

I write to you with what you will assume to be a heavy heart, but one which I must assure you has been lightened immensely. The long-ill engagement is now officially dead. I shall never be Mrs. John Harrington, and for that I must say I heave a sigh of great relief! What is more, I have been bought off, and handsomely at that! I have a healthy sum all of my own, plus a respectable annuity. I feel as though I have gone through a great trial and come out clean. I am to have the best of both worlds- the independent fortune of a widow, without ever having to go through the pains of marriage. May I live and die an old maid from here on out, I shall be quite a happy one. Indeed, I think I can safely promise you never again to fall in love.

                                Ever your faithful friend,

                                                                Elizabeth Tattman

Miss Waterman corresponds with Miss Tattman.

Photo by Toni Tumbusch.

June 5, 181--

Emily,

It is all settled, I am to come and join my dear girl in the wilds of America! Father has finally consented to the trip........... Until then, I am so ready to be done with Bristol, where my finally broken engagement is such a story of interest, that I have applied to Miss Jessica to allow me refuge with her in Surrey once more.

I shall take your advice about love under consideration, but I am afraid you may find me a hopeless case. I am too fond of my newly found freedom to even think of another entanglement. And you must remember that by now I am quite an old maid, and settled in my contrary ways.

Of course, I do not expect my friends to live by the same creed. I think, in fact, that I may safely assume that my dear Emily will not be following Beatrice and I to the gates of Hell....And yet neither do I fear losing her to some wild American…… Or perhaps I am merely indulging in fancy, since I have not had the ability to see you with my own eyes for so long. In either case, I know you will forgive your dear Eliza.

Your loving friend,

                                Elizabeth

P.S. There is one proviso attached to my American Adventure- I am to have my third cousin, Mr. Cushing, serve as my escort once I land. He settled there last year after his ship was dry docked or some such calamity. 

I confess I approach the arrangement with a certain dread. The last time I saw him I was a mere twelve and he fourteen, and I certainly felt he used my would-be girlish devotion most cruelly. However I shall endeavor not to let it ruin my spirits, and I believe with your help we may devise several schemes for eluding and outwitting my would-be jailor. 

I'm not LARPing, I swear......

Since I clearly must find a suitable place for myself in Maggie's World (tm), I have created a character for myself to go out there. The last name came from my father's grandparents (Liebert was just tooo damn French I thought). I also borrowed kind of heavily from my research on Hannah Moore. I'm so glad my graduate work is coming in handy for something ;-)

Edit:  In addition to fitting nicely into some things I had already researched for school, The Bristol part is also a tribute to Surrey.

Biography of Miss Elizabeth Tattman

Born in Canterbury, my father took his young wife and daughter to Bristol shortly thereafter. Engaged in the shipping business, we were for a time quite successful. It was during this time I attended school with Miss Waterman in Bristol. When I was nearly 16, my father suffered several setbacks, and lost his business. I was forced to withdraw from school, and we only maintained a basic gentility through the help of mother’s generous relations. Eventually Father was able to attain a position working for another shipping firm, and we settled in a comfortable, if less impressive, sort of life.

 When I was nearly 20, I was able to attract the attentions of a man in his early 30’s, which at the time I confess to finding very romantic in my youth and foolishness. He proposed marriage soon after, but the event continued to be postponed and never came. Finally the engagement was broken off, with quite healthy settlement made upon a young woman of reduced circumstances who was no longer quite so young, and might have no other prospects.

With this affair- which had long since ceased to be a matter of love- finally settled, I resolved upon a most unusual next step in what was already a rather unusual sort of life. To visit my aunt and uncle- Mr. and Mrs. Downward - in America, and just as importantly, my dearest Emily, Miss Waterman.  Through his business my father had come into familiar acquaintanceship with the captain of a ship sailing for New York and his wife, who might serve as my chaperons for the voyage, and so he consented to the trip- upon the condition that I also agree to having my third cousin, who had settled their a year earlier, serve as my escort upon my arrival.

Miss Tattman peruses a letter from Miss Waterman

(Photo by Judy Potter)