Friday 15th November 2024 – Sunday 23rd February 2025

From November 2024 – February 2025, Jane Austen’s travelling writing desk was exhibited at God’s House Tower, on loan from the British Library.

Gifted to the author around the time of her 19th birthday by her farther George Austen, the portable, mahogany desk was designed to fold into a case for ease of traveling and has a secret draw where Austen stored her most treasured possessions – her letters and manuscripts.

In Training for a Heroine told the story Jane Austen as a young, ambitious writer at the beginning of her career, the travelling writing desk symbolising a world of opportunity and possibility. Extracts from Austen’s letters provide an insight into her life and her time in Southampton where she lived briefly in 1783 and from 1806-1809.

Jane Austen’s travelling writing desk is at the heart of a year-long celebration of Jane Austen’s 250th birthday in Southampton, and across the world.

This exhibition was part of the Jane Austen at GHT programme, which also included a contemporary art commission, No Notion of Loving by Halves by Jocelyn McGregor. You can read more about the commission here.

This exhibition was free to attend.