BONNETS, BALLS & BOOKS!

On what would have been Jane Austen's 250th birthday, her fans are celebrating

- Words: Emma Levett.

'I GREW UP IN JANE'S HOUSE!'

When people meet Caroline Knight they sometimes burst into tears. She admits it’s nothing to do with her, but because of her relation to Jane Austen, an author who 250 years on, still holds a very special place in many people's hearts. As her fifth great niece, Caroline says her famous aunt has had a huge impact on her life.

“I grew up in Jane Austen's house, Chawton, and it attracted tens of thousands of visitors so I don’t have a first memory realising she was special - I always knew she was important,” Caroline, 52, tells Woman's Day. “Aged 12 I worked in the tea room at the house so I had continuous exposure to Austen fans, clutching their dogeared copies of Pride And Prejudice. Many were moved to tears there.”

When she was 18, her family’s financial situation meant they lost Chawton House and, devastated, Caroline didn’t tell a soul about her Austen connection for the next 25 years.