Anna Lefroy (née Jane Anna Elizabeth Austen; 1793–1872) was the niece of Jane Austen by her eldest brother James Austen, and a contributor to her life-history via the so-called Lefroy MS.
As a writer, Anna received many of Austen's letters regarding literary matters.Ronald Blythe, Introduction, Emma (Penguin Ed.) p. 10
Life Known in the family as a naughty child,R A Austen-Leigh, Jane Austen: A Family Record (London 1989) pp. 161–162 Anna became a lively, outgoing adolescent. Her aunt described her as "quite an Anna with variations", in reference to the unexpected cropping of Anna's hair.Deirdre Le Faye ed., Jane Austen's Letters (Oxford 1995) p. 184 (and p. 170)
At the age of twenty, Anna became engaged to a family connection, Benjamin Lefroy, and despite family opposition the pair were married in 1814.Deirdre Le Faye ed., Jane Austen's Letters (Oxford 1995) p. 425 and p. 546 The marriage seems to have been a successful one, and by 1817 the pair had two young daughters, and Anna was apparently pregnant again: "Poor Animal, she will be worn out before she is thirty", wrote her aunt.Deirdre Le Faye ed., Jane Austen's Letters (Oxford 1995) p. 336 and p. 327 The couple had a total of seven children before Anna was widowed in 1829.Deirdre Le Faye ed., Jane Austen's Letters (Oxford 1995) p. 546
Writings Niece and aunt had bonded over a love of 'bad' romantic fiction, such as that by Rachel Hunter; and when during her engagement Anna began writing a novel – known as Enthusiasm or Which is the Heroine? – it was natural for her to share it with her aunt.Deirdre Le Faye ed., Jane Austen's Letters (Oxford 1995) p.443 and p. 267
Anna also tried her hand at continuing an early Austen story called 'Evelyn';L Bree, Jane Austen's Manuscript Works (2012) p. 5 and p. 591 as well as (later) the unfinished Sanditon.K Sutherland ed., A Memoir of Jane Austen (2008) p. 260
See also Cassandra Austen
References
External links A. A. L. – A Believer in True Love