5 December 2025
- 14:00 to 15:00
Talk
The real Jane Austen
Discover the real Jane Austen through a history of everyday objects.
- Date
- 5 December 2025
- Location
- Online
Who was the real Jane Austen? A retiring spinster content with quiet village life? Or a strong-minded woman who chose to remain unmarried and to fashion herself as a professional writer?
Since her death, people have got Jane Austen wrong. Based on her book, The Real Jane Austen: a Life in Small Things, bestselling biographer and internationally renowned Jane Austen scholar Paula Byrne will uncover a very different Jane Austen to the Jane of popular imagination.
Event details
Dates for this event
How to join online
What you need to join
This event will be live streamed on the website of our streaming service, Vimeo.
When you book, you will receive an email that includes the link you need to join the event. This link will also be shared with you in a reminder email in advance of the event.
- Vimeo provide guidance on How to watch a live event.
- You do not need a Vimeo account to join. If you do sign up for a Vimeo account, please be aware you may be asked to verify your age. You can find out more here: About age verification in the UK and EU
- You can join from your browser from a laptop or mobile device.
- For the best experience we recommend using either a laptop or desktop computer.
Help during the event
To access the live event, click on the link in the Eventbrite confirmation email you received when you booked the event. Vimeo will open in your web browser.
- If the live event hasn’t started at the advertised start time, please refresh your browser window and click the play button on the event again. If that doesn’t work, try closing the browser window and clicking the link in your confirmation email again.
- You can enable live subtitles by clicking on the ‘CC’ button at the bottom of the video player. ‘CC’ stands for ‘Closed Captions’.
- When you join the event, you may have to click on the sound icon at the bottom of the video to unmute the sound. If there is still no sound, please make sure that you have got your speakers turned up to full volume.
- If you have a query that has not been answered above, please email us at whatson@nationalarchives.gov.uk
Watch after the event
This talk will be available to watch after the event, using the same link you will receive to join it live. It will remain available for a limited period of 48 hours after the event has finished, unless otherwise stated.
