An afternoon of songs, readings, and music on a nautical theme celebrating Jane Austen and Matthew Flinders, performed by Gillian Dooley, accompanied by Laura Klein. The concert will take place at St Thomas Church on Wednesday 16 July at 2pm (doors open at 1.30pm).

This year is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen, one of the greatest English novelists. Her works include ‘Sense and Sensibility’, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘Emma’.

Gillian Dooley has spent many years researching Jane Austen’s musical world, and recently published a book ‘She played and sang: Jane Austen and music’. Laura Klein is a professional pianist, founder of The Jane Austen Playlist, a historical music project featuring the music of the Austen family.

Together they will play and sing some of the songs Jane Austen is known to have sung.

Matthew Flinders was contemporary of Jane Austen, an explorer who was the first man to circumnavigate Australia. One of Jane Austen’s brothers was a naval colleague of Flinders. His wife Ann is buried in the churchyard at St Thomas Church.

Tickets are only £10 and include afternoon tea. They are available to buy from http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/st-thomas-church