Jane Austen, 'Sanditon' and the Reality of Race in Regency England

Mrs. Griffiths was a very well-behaved, genteel kind of woman, who supported herself by receiving such great girls and young ladies as wanted either masters for finishing their education or a home for beginning their displays. She had several more under her care than the three who were now come to Sanditon, but the others all happened to be absent. Of these three, and indeed of all, Miss Lambe was beyond comparison the most important and precious, as she paid in proportion to her fortune. She was about seventeen, half mulatto, chilly and tender, had a maid of her own, was to have the best room in the lodgings, and was always of the first consequence in every plan of Mrs. Griffiths.

If you’ve watched Masterpiece drama Sanditon you may have wondered about the mysterious Miss Georgiana Lambe and the other characters of African descent in the series. What evidence did Jane Austen draw on for these characters, and were they inspired by real-life people?

It’s a fascinating subject because Britain had a large population of people of color -- some twenty thousand or more -- during Austen’s time. They are portrayed widely in the art of the period: On the crowded streets, aboard ships, in the military, and as household servants, and musicians. A sailor whose birthplace was listed as Africa was aboard Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory for the Battle of Trafalgar, one of nine men of color in the crew. Austen, the sister of two career naval men, who spent time in London and Southampton (a major naval base on the south coast), would certainly have been aware of those cities’ diverse populations.