A Reticule not Quite a Pocket
credit: the author

The Secret Lives of Pockets

by

Jennifer Staples

Event:   JASNACWNY September 2026 Meeting

When:   September 19, 2026 1:00 pm

Where: In person, Barnes and Noble Pittsford, Community Room

From the speaker:

One of the most innocent pieces of clothing ever made is the lowly pocket or so we are led to believe! Did you know that the lowly pocket, which all modern women yearn to own, was a woman's safe, her storage locker, her place of business, her food cupboard and many other things during a time when women had very few rights. Pockets allowed women to take charge of their lives to the greatest extent possible which is why modern women desire them so!

About the speaker:

Jennifer Staples, a self-made historical tailor and seamstress will discuss all the interesting tidbits and dark secrets of pockets and their history, including and especially during the lifetime of Jane Austen.

Hope to see you there!

 

JASNA CWNY February Meeting - A Book Pairing!

Lady Susan and Leonora with Susan Harris-Gamard Saturday, February 21, 2026, 1:00 pm EST via Zoom Join us for a lively discussion comparing two epistolary novels, Lady Susan (Austen) and Leonora (Maria Edgeworth) led by CWNY Regional Coordinator Susan Harris-Gamard. Haven't read the books but want to before the meeting? Both books can be accessed via PROJECT GUTENBERG: Lady Susan: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/946 Leonora: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35638 To get the Zoom link for the meeting, sign up here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/-E6RT4mlQnalk_60oBcd8g#/registration Mark your Calendars for our March and April Meetings! Saturday, March 21, 2026, 1:00 pm EST via Zoom A virtual tour of the recent Morgan Library exhibit “A Lively Mind” with Juliette Wells. Sign up for the Zoom link will be sent in March. To learn more about the exhibit and see a select number of images, visit the Morgan Libraries exhibit page at https://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/lively-mind-jane-austen-250 Saturday, April 18, 2026, 1:00 pm, Pittsford Barnes & Noble Community Room Jane Austen and Thrift - an exploration of thrift in Jane Austen's life and works with CWNY member Marie Sprayberry. To explore the topic early, see the book Jane Austen's Guide to Thrift by Kathleen Anderson and Susan Jones and the article "To be above Vulgar Economy: Thrifty Measures in Jane Austen's Letters" by Susan Allen Ford, Persuasions 30 (https://jasna.org/persuasions/printed/number30/ford.pdf) Coming in May - War of 1812 Weekend at Genesee Country Village & Museum Genesee Country Village & Museum, Mumford, NY, War of 1812 weekend is May 16 and 17 and they have invited JASNA-CWNY to be part of the event. Mark your calendars now - more information is coming soon!

January Meeting

Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 1:00 pm on Zoom. Jane Austen's Garden with Molly Williams and Jessica Roux To get the Zoom link for the meeting, sign up here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/25FcZHEDRDifhpt-49JL0g#/registration

Jane Austen Day in Brighton, NY

Town of Brighton, New York-Government Today is 250th anniversary of famed English author Jane Austen's birth. Brighton, NY shares a connection with the author as our town is named after Brighton, England, a town frequently noted in Austen's work. As such, today is proclaimed as Jane Austen Day in the Town of Brighton!