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Charles Austen's Family Edith Ada Austen. [4] Account of her life from a local newspaper: Educated at St Michaels College, Wantage, the late Miss Austen joined the Gilvern staff in 1920, and since then two generations of children have had the benefit of her skill, energy and ladylike example. Many of her former pupils are now married women with children of their own and wished for nothing better than that their children should be taught by the late Miss Austen – as indeed some were. She was extremely successful with young children. She realised the power of dramatization as a factor in education – when not producing plays, her everyday method of teaching reached out to the actualities of real life – her classroom would have given joy to many a businessman. Although she made no boast of it she came of the same stalk as the great novelist, Jane Austen, and possessed of some of her illustrious relative's personal jewellery and letters. Before coming to Gilvern the late Miss Austen taught at Ascot, Bristol and Weston-super-Mare, where she was enthusiastically active in the War Savings movement. When the Gilvern School Savings Association was formed in 1923, Miss Austen became its honorary secretary – a position she held until her death. It was largely through her influence and untiring efforts that the sum of approximately £18,000 has been saved through the Gilvern Association. On each occasion when a special effort was called for over £1,000 was invested through the School – during the 'Salute the Soldier' week £2,750 passed through Miss Austen's hands. All this entailed a great deal of work for the secretary, who felt well rewarded by the Military Authorities naming a tank 'Gilvern' – and by being chosen to attend a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in June 1946.' She died unmarried, April 10th 1949 – and was buried at Shalbourne. previous page [189–191] |