1779 - 1852

 

Charles Austen was a man of the navy like his elder brother Frank, however, he never reached the same height of achievement. Though he was fairly successful in his own right, achieving Rear-Admiral and received the Companion of the Order of the Bath. 

 

Charles was Jane's youngest sibling and was a favourite of Jane and Cassandra's. Much like the scene in Mansfield Park, Charles bought both his sisters topaz crosses. Jane mentions Charles often in her letters, following his career during the Napoleonic War, and refers to him as her "own particular little brother".

 

Charles married Frances Palmer in Bermuda in 1807 and the two had three children together. Sadly Frances died giving birth to their fourth daughter, who also died four weeks later in 1814. Six years later, Charles married her 

sister Harriett and the two had four children.

 

Charles commanded the British Expedition of the second age of the Anglo-Burmese War but died of cholera at Prome in 1852. He kept daily journals and diaries during his career that are now kept at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England.