I have written elsewhere about the convenient – and possibly suspicious - deaths of the men who were engaged to be married to Jane Austen’s sister Cassandra and J M Barrie’s sister Maggie.
In both cases, the bereaved young women remained available to their siblings as their main source of companionship, emotional support and admiration. In other words, both Jane Austen and J. M. Barrie benefitted from the deaths of the men who would have been their brothers-in-law.
I have found two more cases of interest, with similar elements.
Alice Mayor and F. M. Mayor
In both cases, the bereaved young women remained available to their siblings as their main source of companionship, emotional support and admiration. In other words, both Jane Austen and J. M. Barrie benefitted from the deaths of the men who would have been their brothers-in-law.
I have found two more cases of interest, with similar elements.
Flora Macdonald Mayor wrote novels and short stories
under the name F. M. Mayor, mostly between 1913 and 1929. She had an identical
twin sister, Alice. Just like Jane Austen, Flora had brothers but only the one
sister.
Flora spent some time at university, where she did not do
particularly well. She spent the next seven years looking for an occupation.
She hoped to succeed as a professional actress, but that too did not turn out
very well. The life was hard, the glamour faded, and she became tired of the
lifestyle and the squalid lodgings.
People in such situations often dream of deliverance.
Salvation came in the form of a young architect called Ernest Shepherd, who,
just like Cassandra Austen’s fiancé, could not afford to get married
immediately so hoped to make his fortune overseas.
He was accepted for a well-paid job in India, and this enabled him to propose to Flora. He then left for India. Although she was not happy at the prospect of being separated from her family, Flora agreed to join him later in the year: they would then get married. Unfortunately, he died of typhoid fever out there while she was still in England.
He was accepted for a well-paid job in India, and this enabled him to propose to Flora. He then left for India. Although she was not happy at the prospect of being separated from her family, Flora agreed to join him later in the year: they would then get married. Unfortunately, he died of typhoid fever out there while she was still in England.
Alice MacDonald Mayor had not been in favour of the
marriage. She was desolate at the thought of losing her twin to India. Just
like the Austen sisters, the two Mayor girls lived closely together for their
remaining years. Flora died at the age of 59; Alice lived on for another 29
years.
