Thomas Austen

Thomas Austen (1775 – 23 July 1859) was a British soldier and politician.

For those of a similar name, see Thomas Austin (disambiguation).

He was the second cousin of Jane Austen, the novelist, and lived at Kippington Park, Sevenoaks. He was educated at St John's College, Cambridge.[1]

As a soldier he fought in America with the 40th Foot regiment. He was made Aide Principale to the Viceroy of Ireland, leaving the army with the rank of colonel.

In 1823, he was appointed Sheriff of Kent and was Member of Parliament (MP) for West Kent from 1845 to 1847.[2]

He was an avid cricketer and played in the Duke of Dorset's team known as the "Gentlemen of Kent"

He married twice: firstly the rich heiress Margaretta Morland and secondly in 1826 the young Caroline Catherine Manning, daughter of William Manning.[3] He had no children and his heir was a nephew, John Francis Austen.

References
  1. "Austen, Thomas (ASTN793T)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  2. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "K" (part 1)
  3. Galerie Sedelmeyer (1913). Illustrated catalogue of the twelfth series of 100 paintings by old masters of the Dutch, Flemish, Italian, French, and English schools, being a portion of the Sedelmeyer Gallery : containing also a general index of the 1500 pictures described in the 13 catalogues of the Sedelmeyer Gallery published to date. Getty Research Institute. Paris : The Gallery.


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