Cassandra, first child of Fanny and Charles Austen, was a Christmas baby. She was born in St George’s, Bermuda on 22 December and her birth was announced to the Austen family in a joyous letter written by her father on Christmas day, 1808. A healthy baby was surely the best gift that the young couple could have wished for. Cassy’s life as a naval child and niece of Jane adds to our appreciation of the women of the Austen family. My January post will explore Cassy’s story. Meanwhile, in the place of a December post, I send you greetings, in the words of Charles Austen, for a “merry and happy” holiday season.
Sheila