Harris Bigg-Wither Proposes to Jane Austen

Harris Bigg-Wither proposes marriage to Jane; she first accepts, then withdraws. In 1802, Jane and Cassandra were invited to stay at Manydown by the Bigg sisters Alethea and Catherine, who were the Austen sister's childhood friends. Here Austen spent time with the family and Harris before he proposed to Jane in December. This is the only marriage proposal Jane Austen receives within her lifetime (that we are aware of). She initially accepted his proposal because she had no independent income and was in want of financial security, but the next morning she realized she did not want to go through with it as she did not love him and withdrew her acceptance. Bigg-Wither was 5 years younger than Austen, who was 26 at the time, and he was the second of 9 children.  The day after she withdrew her acceptance of his hand in marriage, she and her sister left Manydown to go back home. 

("Marriage Proposal from Harris Bigg-Wither." Digital Austen, www.digitalausten.org/node/26. Accessed 14 Nov. 2022.)

Associated Place(s)

Event date:

2 Dec 1802

Parent Chronology: