Inside the November Issue: Editor's Note p. 1)  They Say It's Your Birthday p. 2)  100 Greatest Britons p. 3)  Tea News Bits p. 4)  The Complete and Utter (Sorta) History of British Comedy           Part III: The 1980's...continued p. 5)  100 Worst Britons p. 6)  Becoming Jane Austen:           The True Love Story That Inspired the Classic Novels p. 7)  Tea Advisor: Aspects of Tea Production p. 8)  Mystery of the Month p. 9)  England's Calendar of Events: November p. 10)  Recipes: Awesome Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing p. 11)  Afternoon Teaisms    Printer-friendly Version

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Editor's Note

As Veterans Day is this month, we especially want to send our heart-felt thanks to all veterans for serving our country. Know we will all be thinking about what you accomplished regardless of in which War you served.

The Greatest; The Worst - we have it all for you this month. The BBC took a poll of the 100 Greatest Britons and we have the list for you. Not to be out done, Channel 4 took a poll for the 100 Worst Britons and we have this too. It's a lot of names to go over but fun to look through.

This month we also bring you the second installment of the British Comedy history from the 1980s, and we begin a new series inspired by the book Becoming Jane Austen by John Spence. Don't miss the first installment! By the way, Jane Austen rated #70 for the 100 Greatest Britons.

It's Thanksgiving so, of course, we've included a holiday recipe - Awesome Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing. We hope your holiday is fantastic!

The Tea Times Newsletter Staff

1 

They Say It's Your Birthday!

Do you share a birthday with any of these people?

November 13, 1850
Robert Louis Stevenson – writer

November 15, 1932
Petula Clark – singer

November 20, 1932
Richard Dawson – actor, game show host, Hogan's Heroes

November 23, 1887
Boris Karloff – actor

2 

100 Greatest Britons

In 2002, the BBC conducted a vote to determine whom the general public considers the 100 Greatest Britons of all time.

Some notable non-British entrants include three Irish nationals, (Bono, Bob Geldof and James Connolly), and Freddie Mercury, who was born in Zanzibar to Indian Parsi parents. Alfred the Great and Boudica are from an era where "Britishness" was a concept of the future.

The top 19 entries were exclusively of self-declared English origin (though Sir Ernest Shackleton and Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, were both born into English families settled in Ireland when that country was still part of the UK.). The highest-placed Scottish entry was Alexander Fleming in 20th place, with the highest Welsh entry, Owain Glyndwr, at number 23. None were from Northern Ireland. Over half (60) had lived in the twentieth century.

The resulting series, Great Britons, included individual programmes on the top ten, with viewers having further opportunities to vote after each programme. It concluded with a debate.

Ringo Starr is the only Beatle not on the list.

The Greatest Britons List
Due to the nature of the poll used to select and rank the Britons, the results do not pretend to be an objective assessment. They are as follows: (People marked (*) also appeared on the 100 Worst Britons list compiled by Channel 4.)

1. Sir Winston Churchill, Prime Minister during the Second World War, statesman, solider, author, orator
2. Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859), engineer, creator of Great Western Railway and other significant works
3. Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997), first wife of HRH Charles, Prince of Wales (1981-1996) and mother of Princes William and Henry of Wales.
4. Charles Darwin (1809-1882), naturalist, originator of the theory of evolution through natural selection and author of The Origin of Species
5. William Shakespeare (1564-1616), English poet and playwright, thought of by many as the greatest of all writers in the English language
6. Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727), physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, and alchemist, regarded by many as the greatest figure in the history of science
7. Queen Elizabeth I of England (1533-1603), monarch, (reigned 1558-1603)
8. John Lennon (1940-1980), musician with The Beatles, philanthropist, political activist, painter
9. Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson (1758-1805), naval commander
10. Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658), Lord Protector
11. Sir Ernest Shackleton (1874-1922), polar explorer
12. Captain James Cook (1728-1779), explorer
13. Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell (1857-1941), founder of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides
14. Alfred the Great (849?-899), King of Wessex, (reigned 871-899)
15. Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852), military commander, statesman and Prime Minister 1828-1830 and 1834
16. Margaret Thatcher (*3) (born 1925), Prime Minister (1979-1990)
17. Michael Crawford (born 1942), actor
18. Queen Victoria (1819-1901), monarch (reigned 1837-1901)
19. Sir Paul McCartney (born 1942), musician with The Beatles
20. Sir Alexander Fleming (1881-1955), pharmaceutical innovator
21. Alan Turing (1912-1954), pioneer of computing
22. Michael Faraday (1791-1867), scientist
23. Owain Glyndwr (1359-1416), Prince of Wales
24. Queen Elizabeth II (*10) (born 1926), reigning monarch (1952-present)
25. Professor Stephen Hawking (born 1942), theoretical physicist
26. William Tyndale (1494-1536), English translator of the Bible
27. Emmeline Pankhurst (1858-1928), suffragette
28. William Wilberforce (1759-1833), humanitarian
29. David Bowie (born 1947), musician
30. Guy Fawkes (1570-1606), English revolutionary
31. Leonard Cheshire, Baron Cheshire (1917-1992), aviator and charity organiser
32. Eric Morecambe (1926-1984), comedian
33. David Beckham (*91) (born 1975), footballer
34. Thomas Paine (1737-1809), political philosopher
35. Boudica (died c.60), leader of Celtic resistance to the Roman Empire
36. Sir Steve Redgrave (born 1962), Olympic rower
37. Sir Thomas More (1478-1535), English lawyer and politician
38. William Blake (1757-1827), author and printer
39. John Harrison (1693-1776), clock designer
40. King Henry VIII of England (1491-1547), monarch (reigned 1509-1547)
41. Charles Dickens (1812-1870), author
42. Sir Frank Whittle (1907-1996), jet engine inventor
43. John Peel (1939-2004), broadcaster
44. John Logie Baird (1888-1946), television pioneer
45. Aneurin Bevan (1897-1960), politician
46. Boy George (born 1961), musician with Culture Club
47. Sir Douglas Bader (1910-1982), aviator and charity campaigner
48. Sir William Wallace (c.1270-1305), Guardian of Scotland
49. Sir Francis Drake (c.1540-1596), English naval commander
50. John Wesley (1703-1791), founder of Methodism
51. King Arthur, legendary Celtic monarch
52. Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), nurse and charity campaigner
53. T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) (1888-1935), Arabist and soldier
54. Robert Falcon Scott (1868-1912), polar explorer
55. Enoch Powell (1912-1998), politician
56. Sir Cliff Richard (*29) (born 1940), musician
57. Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922), telephone pioneer, placed 9th in the Canadian version
58. Freddie Mercury (1946-1991), musician with Queen
59. Dame Julie Andrews (born 1935), actress and singer
60. Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934), composer
61. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother (1900-2002), Queen consort
62. George Harrison (1943-2001), musician with The Beatles
63. Sir David Attenborough (born 1926), broadcaster
64. James Connolly (1868-1916),The Scottish born leader of the Irish revolution
65. George Stephenson (1781-1848), railway pioneer
66. Sir Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977), comic actor
67. Tony Blair (*1) (born 1953), Prime Minister (1997-2007)
68. William Caxton (c.1415~1422-c.1492), English printer
69. Bobby Moore (1941-1993), footballer and Captain of England 1966 World Cup winning team
70. Jane Austen (1775-1817), author
71. William Booth (1829-1912), founder of Salvation Army
72. King Henry V of England (1387-1422), monarch (reigned 1413-1422)
73. Aleister Crowley (1875-1947), occultist, writer, and social provocateur; founder of Thelema
74. Robert the Bruce (1274-1329), King of Scots
75. The Unknown Warrior, soldier of the Great War
76. Robbie Williams (*17) (born 1974), musician and former member of Take That
77. Edward Jenner (1749-1823), pioneer of vaccination
78. David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd George (1863-1945), Prime Minister (1916-1922)
79. Charles Babbage (1791-1871), mathematician and pioneer of computing
80. Geoffrey Chaucer (c.1343-1400), English author
81. King Richard III of England (1452-1485), monarch (reigned 1483-1485)
82. J.K. Rowling (born 1965), author
83. James Watt (1736-1819), developer of the steam engine
84. Sir Richard Branson (*86) (born 1950), businessman and adventurer
85. John Lydon (Johnny Rotten) (born 1956), musician
86. Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (1887-1976), military commander
87. Donald Campbell (1921-1967), water speed world record challenger
88. King Henry II of England (1133-1189), monarch (reigned 1154-1189)
89. James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879), physicist
90. J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973), author and philologist
91. Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618), English explorer
92. King Edward I of England (1239-1307), monarch (reigned 1272-1307)
93. Sir Barnes Wallis (1887-1979), aviation technology pioneer
94. Richard Burton (1925-1984), actor 1
95. Tony Benn (born 1925), politician
96. David Livingstone (1813-1873), missionary and explorer
97. Sir Tim Berners-Lee (born 1955), Internet pioneer and inventor of the World Wide Web
98. Marie Stopes (1880-1958), promoter of birth control
99. John Cleese (born 1939), Comedian and actor.
100. Sir Clive Sinclair (born July 30, 1940), Entrepreneur and inventor

Several of these also appear in the list of 100 Worst Britons, due to strongly polarised views on their works, lives or legacies.

¹ There is some question as to whether the Richard Burton listed is the actor or the explorer. A BBC press release makes it clear that the Burton so honoured is in fact the actor.

www.wikipedia.org

Related links

3 

Tea News Bits

November Programming Notes

Don't miss Masterpiece Theatre: The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard as it continues to air on Sunday evenings November 4 at 9:00 p.m. and November 18 at 8:00 p.m.

Two back-to-back Maryland Public Television produced programs will enhance your Sunday evening of November 11. At 6:30 p.m. watch Maryland Generations: The War. Maryland Public Television captured stories and Veterans' interviews of how World War II directly affected our State. This is followed at 8:00 p.m. by The United States Air Force 60th Anniversary: A Musical Celebration. Enjoy the music that was performed at Strathmore Hall in honor of this big anniversary for the US Air Force. You don't want to miss either of these!

On Wednesday evening, November 28 at 9:00 p.m., enjoy Great Performances: Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Fesitval. We know there are many Eric Clapton fans out there so be sure to tune in. The 2004 festival also includes performances by Carlos Santana, Joe Walsh, James Taylor, John Mayer, and many others!

Stalk of the Town

First there was Jack and the Beanstalk, now there is Sophia and the Sunflower. This enormous plant was grown by green-fingered five-year-old Sophia Moradi, who caught the gardening bug after watching her favourite cartoon character, Gordon the Garden Gnome.

With the help of her mother, Ludmila, the youngster has watered the plant every day, accelerating its growth to a height of about four metres. The budding Charlie Dimmock said: "I have enjoyed watering it. We use a watering can."

www.thisislocallondon.co.uk

Record Breaker Has the Wight Stuff

Record-breaking Potters Bar teenager Michael Perham may never top his achievement as the youngest person to sail the Atlantic. But he was back in action last month, putting in an impressive performance in one of the world's most famous yachting races, the Round the Island race.

The 50-mile course, around the Isle of Wight, attracts sailors from across the globe every year.

Michael was one of more than 1,800 people to take part, and raced against such sailing luminaries as Sir Robin Knox-Johnson and Dame Ellen MacArthur. His top-third finish was perfectly respectable, particularly for such a young competitor.

The Oakroyd Avenue resident made front pages all over the world in January when, at the age of just 14, he arrived in Antigua on his 28-foot yacht, Cheeky Monkey, after completing the 3,500-mile crossing.

Following the Round the Island race, his spokesman, Kizzi Nkwocha, said: "Michael was one of the youngest sailors to take part in the race. The fact that he not only completed it, but also finished in the top third, proves just how remarkable a boy he is."

It had been thought the youngster would not be able to compete on Cheeky Monkey again, after he was told it could cost as much as £10,000 to bring the boat back from the Caribbean. Luckily, Campbell Fleming, managing director of race sponsor JP Morgan, agreed to foot the bill and reunite the sailor and his vessel.

www.thisislocallondon.co.uk

4 

The Complete and Utter (Sorta) History of British Comedy – Part Three: The 1980's (continued...)

ARE YOU FREE...?

Meanwhile, John Inman was now a major star thanks to his role as Mr. Humphries in AYBS? He branched out during the 80s with two series. Sadly, neither of them were to be successful.

Inman's first starring role, as a Blackpool fish-and-chip shop owner in Odd Man Out, saw him play up the camp aspect of his personality, but without the chemistry of the AYBS? Cast it never quite jelled.

Inman then went on to Take A Letter, Mr. Jones. He played Graham Jones, personal secretary to a high-powered businesswoman Joan Warner, played by Rula Lenska. Inman toned down the camp for this one. The lessened energy plus poor scripts were the reasons the show only lasted six episodes.

Meanwhile, his AYBS? Cohort Mollie Sugden had better luck with her sitcom That's My Boy. She played Ida Willis, who is somewhat similar to Mrs. Slocombe - very domineering and plain speaking. Ida is a housekeeper who finds employment with a young doctor and his beautiful wife. Little does she know that he's the son she gave up for adoption when he was a baby. Her son then has to deal with his adoptive mother, who is rich and snobby, and his biological mother, who is much more working class.

Mollie brought her own sort of charm to a character who wasn't exactly affable and helped the series last for five years. After that she starred with her husband, William Moore, in the less successful series My Husband and I.

MORE POLITICS

While stand-up comics during the 80s gave an often loud, angry look at current affairs, a sitcom came along that skewered the political climate in a much more erudite, sophisticated - and perhaps more effective - manner.

Yes, Minister was written by Antony Jay and Peter Lynn, both of whom were part of the satire boom of the 60s. Jay was especially knowledgeable about the inner workings of the government, which may account for what is possibly the most accurate portrait ever of how government works.

Jim Hacker (Paul Eddington) is elected minister and naively thinks that he's going to be able to make some changes. He believes in cutting bureaucracy, minimizing red tape and saving money. Streamlined, efficient government is what he wants. His appointment as Minister of Administrative Affairs appears to be his ticket to achieve those goals.

But what's a Minister to do when he's given a personal secretary like Sir Humphrey Appleby? Hacker wants to change the status quo. Appleby (Nigel Hawthorne) is just as committed to maintaining it, yet has to at least appear to be working in the Minister's best interest. Watching these two go at it - and Appleby scheming to get his own way - highlighted Yes, Minister and its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister.

What sets this series apart is the intelligence of the scripts and the beautiful interplay between Eddington and Hawthorne. The show became Prime Minister Thatcher's favorite and at a tribute following the recent death of Sir Nigel Hawthorne, a Liberal Democrat cultural spokesman said that the character of Appleby opened "a window on Whitehall...What a lot of people thought was meant to be humorous was horribly near the truth." That sums it up perfectly.

MORE FROM WHITEHALL

Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister weren't the only 80s sitcoms to feature the inner workings of British government. There was also The New Statesman, starring Rik Mayall as Thatcherite boy toy Alan B'Stard MP.

The New Statesman was alternative comedy's answer to Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. The humor wasn't as sophisticated nor the characters as intelligently drawn, but in its own raucous, puerile and exaggerated way, The New Statesman was as effective a satire as YM.

Let's just say that Alan certainly lived up to his last name. He's a former secretary of the Friends of South Africa, a man who believes in dumping nuclear waste in a children's playground and enjoys "dining out on other people's money" as well as "grinding the faces of the poor." Other pastimes included torturing his poor colleague, the weak-willed Piers Fletcher-Dervish, and catting around on his wife, who in turn had her own affairs.

Rik Mayall obviously had a blast playing B'Stard, the youngest member of Parliament representing the constituents of Haltemprice in North Yorkshire. Writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran (who also wrote Birds of a Feather) clearly had a great time writing such an evil character.

The New Statesman lasted five series from 1987 to 1994, when it ended with a special entitled Alan B'Stard Exposed.

SPITTING IMAGE

It couldn't have been easy being a British politician in the 80s. They got it from every side - stand-up comedy, sitcoms and even a puppet show called Spitting Image.

Ahhh...but Spitting Image was much more than a "puppet show." Granted, the latex puppets were amazing and provided brilliantly grotesque caricatures of politicians, celebrities and even the Royal Family. Yet credit for the show's success also goes to the enormous stable of writers who took no prisoners and provided some of the best satire British television has ever seen. Everyone from Mrs. Thatcher to the Queen Mum was open to ridicule and no sacred cow was spared. (In fact, many public figures considered it an honor to be lampooned on the show.)

Another thing Spitting Image had going for it was that the puppets were voiced to perfection by some of Britain's most talented impressionists, including Chris Barrie, Steve Coogan, Rory Bremner and Harry Enfield.

Spitting Image would never have appealed to a wide American audience because of its topical nature and our unfamiliarity with many British politicians. Even if we don't get the references, however, it is hard not to watch this show with admiration for the technical skill of the puppeteers and the incredible puppets themselves.

WELCOME TO PECKHAM

The 80s saw the beginning of another long-running sitcom that became a British institution. Only Fools and Horses is the story of the Trotter brothers, who hail from a working class area of South London called Peckham.

If there's one character the British like as much as a snob it's a charming, slightly shady wheeler-dealer. Del Boy Trotter (David Jason) certainly fits that bill. That's why when you look at lists of all-time favorite characters on British television, Del Boy is usually near the top.

In short, Del Boy dreams of getting rich by selling whatever he can get his hands on from the back of his three-wheel van. Much of the time what he's trying to pawn off on others is useless. Sometimes, however, it's Del Boy himself who gets taken. A good example is when he purchases 25 executive briefcases at a "bargain" price. Only later does he find out why they were such a bargain - he doesn't have the combinations needed to open any of them.

OFAH is also very much the story of Del Boy and his relationship with his brother Rodney, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst. The two were left to fend for themselves at an early age, so Del - being Rodney's senior by thirteen years - had to hustle to make do for them.

OFAH lasted as a series from 1981-1986 but is still seen occasionally as specials, especially around Christmas. The 2001 Christmas special was the highest rated special of the holiday season, so there is still a very soft spot in the hearts of British people for this show and its stars.

BLAST OFF

Convoluted plots were a staple of another long-running comedy that took off during the 80s. Red Dwarf was an extremely effective blend of science fiction and comedy and, as such, has attracted a rabid fan base that analyzes every scene and every character in the show.

Yes, Dwarfers can tell you almost every detail about the show and may even know it better than creators Rob Grant and Doug Naylor. In fact, fans have created the Red Dwarf Plot Inconsistencies Project, which has a list of all the little niggling inconsistencies found in the plot.

Even if you're not a sci-fi fan RD is enjoyable. Like The Young Ones and so many other sitcoms, it takes very dissimilar folk and puts them into a situation where they are forced to live together. However, RD is set aboard a spacecraft adrift in space, so there's no chance that these guys - well, make that one guy, a hologram, a sarcastic computer, a mechanoid and a creature descended from cats - are going to get away from each other very soon. (Don't worry - I haven't forgotten Lister's love Kochanski, who came on board as a regular during Season 7. You can stop writing that letter to the editor now.)

As RD begins, Dave Lister emerges from stasis (a sort of suspended animation) to find that he is the only "human" (if you can call him that) survivor of a radiation leak aboard the starship Red Dwarf.

Ummm...ok...I'll stop right there. You know the premise and the characters, right? (If you don't, go buy yourself a video and catch up!) So let me tell you a few things that maybe - just maybe - you don't know.

• FACT #1: A precursor to RD was a recurring skit called "Dave Hollins - Space Cadet" that Rob Grant and Doug Naylor wrote for the radio sketch comedy series Son of Cliché. In this embryonic version of RD the man who would become Rimmer, Chris Barrie, voiced the role of Hab the computer, who would become Holly.
• FACT #2: Robert Llewellyn (Kryten) is married to Judy Pascoe, who played Kryten's love interest Camille in the episode of the same name.
• FACT #3: David Ross, who voiced the character of Talkie Toaster, was also the original Kryten. Ross was unable to take the role when Kryten was brought on as a regular character, so Robert Llewellyn was hired.
• FACT #4: For her role in the episode Holoship, Jane Horrocks based her character, Nirvanah, on the real life Joanna Lumley, her co-star on the hit show Absolutely Fabulous.
• FACT #5: The working title for the episode "Stoke Me a Clipper" (in which Ace Rimmer returns) was "Natural Born Rimmers."

There...feel smarter? Hope so. The story of Red Dwarf is not over. A movie is in the works, and who knows about a ninth season? The production team seems to love to keep the fans guessing, but no doubt the fans will stay with RD wherever it takes them.

THE PYTHONS

The Pythons were also busy during the 80s but mainly on the big screen, releasing Live at the Hollywood Bowl in 1982, followed a year later by the masterful The Meaning of Life. Terry Gilliam was especially prolific, directing Time Bandits and the controversial Brazil. The decade ended on a tragic note for the troupe, however, when Graham Chapman shuffled off this mortal coil in 1989. Chapman, who had trained as a physician, unfortunately could not heal himself of the cancer that took his life.

SO TO SUM IT ALL UP...

Young people like Rik blamed Margaret Thatcher for everything. Yet without her and the conservative government there might not have been the anger and frustration that fueled a decade of exceptional comedy. Her departure from office in 1990 not only changed England but also the world of comedy.

by Michelle Street, The Insider, March 2002

Related links

5 

100 Worst Britons

100 Worst Britons We Love to Hate is one in a series of "100 Greatest..." shows shown on British TV.

The poll by the British TV station Channel 4 in 2003, was inspired by the BBC series 100 Greatest Britons, though it was less serious in nature. The aim was to discover the 100 Worst Britons We Love To Hate. The poll specified that the nominees had to be British (unlike the BBC poll, which had contained three Irish people), alive and not currently in prison or pending trial, although enough respondents ignored this for a fictional character and a pop band to be listed among the "winners".

The results of the vote were shown on Channel 4 in an evening-long programme presented by comedian Jimmy Carr. The programme was a countdown from No. 100 to No. 1, featuring TV clips of the Britons in question, together with various commentators suggesting why they had made the list.

The results reflected the opinions of those who voted on the Channel 4 website. As with many similar polls, little or no effort was expended to prevent people voting more than once. Harry Potter was included in the list despite being a fictional character. Jimmy Carr defended this by stating that "The Queen is German and therefore technically not British". He also stated that the only real restrictions to who could be up was that they must be perceived as British and must not be either dead or incarcerated in prison - therefore Harry Potter was eligible to be on the list, and Jeffrey Archer at the time was not eligible because, as Jimmy Carr explained, "sadly he's in prison, and not dead." (Since the show has aired, Jeffrey Archer has been released from prison.)

1. Tony Blair , Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 -2007
2. Jordan , Katie Price, English glamour model
3. Margaret Thatcher , Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979-1990
4. Jade Goody , British reality television celebrity
5. Martin Bashir , British journalist
6. Gareth Gates, English pop singer
7. Alex Ferguson , Scottish football manager and former player
8. 'H' from Steps , Ian Watkins, Welsh pop singer
9. Geri Halliwell , English pop singer and songwriter, "Ginger Spice"
10. The Queen , Elizabeth II
11. Liam Gallagher , English singer and tambourine player for Oasis
12. Chris Evans , there are several Chris Evans - we don't know which one
13. Victoria Beckham , English singer, "Posh Spice"
14. Rik Waller , English singer, finalist on British Pop Idol
15. Anthea Turner , English television personality
16. Bernard Manning (since deceased), English stand-up comedian
17. Robbie Williams , English singer-songwriter
18. Peter Stringfellow , multi-millionaire businessman
19. Neil and Christine Hamilton , English barrister (and wife) and now television personalities
20. Jim Davidson , English comedian
21. Charlotte Church , Welsh singer (sorry PBS)
22. Darren Day , English actor, singer, and television presenter
23. Lady Victoria Hervey , English socialite
24. Prince Charles , eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II
25. Anne Robinson , Englsih television presenter and game show hostess
26. Edwina Currie , former British member of Parliament
27. Chris Moyles , English disk jockey
28. Jamie Oliver , nicknamed The Naked Chef, English celebrity chef
29. Cliff Richard , English singer, actor and businessman
30. Max Clifford , English publicist
31. The 3AM Girls , collective title of English gossip columnists for the British tabloid newspaper the Daily Mirror
32. Naomi Campbell , English supermodel, actress, singer and author
33. Simon Cowell ,British artist, repertoire, exec for Sony BMG
34. Sara Cox , English television presenter and radio DJ
35. Harry Potter , fantasy novels written by British author J.K. Rowling
36. Tara Palmer Tomkinson , English television personality, presenter, commercial model, columnist and pianist
37. James Hewitt , suspected liaison of Diana, Princess of Wales
38. Andrew Lloyd Webber , English composer of musical theatre
39. Catherine Zeta Jones , Welsh actress
40. Prince Edward , youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II
41. Tracy Emin , notorious English artist
42. Lawrence Llewelyn Bowen , English interior designer and television personality
43. Mick Hucknall , British singer, songwriter
44. Michael Winner , English film director and producer
45. Pete Waterman , English record producer
46. Prince Naseem Hamed , British boxer
47. Ainsley Harriot , British celebrity chef
48. Trinny and Susannah , British fashion gurus
49. Peter Mandleson , British Commissioner for the European Union for Trade
50. Ken Livingstone , British policeman who became Mayor of London in 2000
51. Darius Danesh . English songwriter, recording artist, West End actor
52. Amanda Holden , English actress
53. Zoe Ball , English television and radio personality
54. Martine McCutcheon , English singer, television personality and actress
55. Elton John , English pop/rock singer, composer, pianist
56. Ant and Dec , presenters of light entertainment television programs
57. Alastair Campbell , Director of Communication and Strategy for the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2003
58. Ozzy Osbourne , lead vocalist for the heavy metal band Black Sabbath
59. Byers and Moore , British politician and his political advisor
60. Richard Madeley , British daytime television star
61. Vinnie Jones , footballer and film actor
62. Alan Titchmarsh , English broadcaster
63. Countess of Wessex , wife of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
64. Chris Tarrant , English radio broadcaster and television personality
65. Ben Elton , English comedian, writer and director
66. Jeremy Clarkson , English broadcaster and writer
67. Jeremy Spake , British television presenter
68. Carol Vorderman , English television personality
69. David Dickinson , English antiques expert and television presenter
70. Frank Skinner , English writer and comedian
71. Paul Burrell , Footman for Queen Elizabeth II and butler for Princess Diana
72. Tom Jones , Welsh popular music singer
73. Sarah Ferguson , Former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York
74. Carol Smilie , Scottish television personality
75. Liz Hurley , English actress, fashion model, producer and designer
76. Princess Anne , only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II
77. Guy Ritchie , English writer-director
78. Delia Smith , English television chef
79. Johnny Vaughan , English writer and broadcaster
80. Peter Tatchell , human rights activist
81. Sting , English musician
82. Gordon Ramsay , Scottish celebrity chef
83. Mick Jagger , English rock musician, songwriter, actor, record and film producer
84. Damien Hirst , English artist
85. Julie Burchill , English writer
86. Richard Branson , English entrepreneur
87. John Prescott , British Labour Party politician
88. Judith Chalmers , English television presenter
89. Cherie Blair , English Barrister, married to former Prime Minister Tony Blair
90. Nigella Lawson ,English journalist, culinary writer, broadcaster and television presenter
91. David Beckham , English profession midfield footballer
92. Will Young , British singer and actor
93. Vanessa Feltz , English journalist and broadcaster
94. Anne Widdecombe , British Conservative Party politician
95. Davina McCall , English television presenter and actress
96. Chris Eubank , boxing legend and British celebrity
97. Lord Irvine , British lawyer and political figure
98. Craig David , English R&B performer
99. Iain Duncan Smith , British politician
100. Atomic Kitten , English girl group from Liverpool

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6 

Becoming Jane Austen
The True Love Story That Inspired
the Classic Novels

by John Spence

This month we begin to explore the circumstances that helped mold Jane Austen.

Legacies

In 1704, the presumed heir to the Austen family fortune, John Austen, lay dying of consumption at the age of thirty-four. He was leaving behind seven children and was troubled by what might happen to his daughter and five younger sons. He was his father's only son, but he feared that his father, also named John Austen, would now leave everything to the eldest grandson and do little to provide for the other children.

Old John Austen was in the wool trade, as the family had been for several generations, providing wool to weavers, overseeing the processing of the cloth, and selling the finished product to cloth merchants. When, after his son's death, old John made his last will he referred to himself as John Austen, Clothier, but to his late son as John Austen, Gentleman.

Young John's widow, Elizabeth Well, later wrote an account of the family circumstances so that her children would know exactly what had happened. She believed her father-in-law had made the eldest son rich and left the older children "but as if servants." The bulk of the estate was left to her eldest son, Jack. His sister received £400, and his younger brothers £40 apiece for an apprenticeship and £200 each as their stake in life when they reached the age of twenty-one.

Even in a society in which primogeniture was an established tradition, old John Austen's will was unusual. Common as it was for the eldest son to inherit the bulk of the estate, younger sons (or grandsons) of a rich man would be left the means to establish themselves in a profession. Daughters would be provided with sufficient dowries to give them a certain independence or to attract husbands who were gentlemen. Old John Austen, though, was determined to make his eldest grandson rich and to leave the other children to make their own way in the world.

Jane Austen

Jack was only nine years old when his grandfather died and would not have personal control of his inheritance until he was twenty-one. Elizabeth hoped that he would undo what she considered the injustice of her father-in-law's will when he came into the property. When Jack reached the age of twenty-one, he would have a choice. He could keep everything for himself as his grandfather had wanted, or he might accept an obligation to provide for his sister and brothers as his father had wanted him to do.

Elizabeth's father-in-law had foreseen the possibility that she might try to persuade Jack to diminish his wealth by helping his siblings, and he designed his will to prevent this. The will demanded that the boy be removed from his mother's care and placed under the guardianship of his uncles. If Elizabeth refused to give Jack up, which she had a legal right to do, the boy would receive no income from his inheritance until he was twenty-two. In her already straitened circumstances, with six other children to bring up and very little money for the purpose, Elizabeth could not afford to undertake the support of her eldest son, so she had to agree to his being separated from her and the other children.

In her father-in-law's eyes she was the enemy because she wanted Jack to provide for his sister and brothers. As Jack's mother she would have the power to influence him to consider this his duty. Having Jack removed from her care was meant to put an end to her influence. But it also cut Jack off from his siblings, leaving little opportunity for forming bonds of affection that would make him want to help them. The deepest evil of the old man's will was not its material injustice but its studied intention of destroying the affection that unites a family into a single entity. The scheme was successful.

Jack seems to have been indifferent to the plight of his brothers and sister. He was educated by tutors and was sent to Cambridge, as befitted a gentleman of means. At the age of twenty he married his first cousin, a daughter of his guardian uncle. He died even younger than his father had, and left only one son, who inherited the fortune. Jack's only son was long-lived, not dying until 1807 at the age of ninety-one. He had failed to produce a son, and his only child, a daughter, had died unmarried. He left the fortune to a grandson of his father's second brother.

When Jane Austen heard about the will of Jack's son (also, as usual, called John) in 1807, she wrote to her sister Cassandra:

We have at last heard something of Mr. [John] Austen's will. It is believed at Tunbridge that he has left everything after the death of his widow to Mr. Motley Austen's third son John: & as the said John was the only one of the family who attended the funeral, it seems likely to be true. Such ill-gotten Wealth can never prosper!

Jane seems to have known the whole sorry story, begun when the family fortune had been in one stroke transformed into the "ill-gotten wealth of a single individual."