]Mrs Elton does specifically deny any involvement in the slave trade. ......."if you mean a fling at the slave-trade, I assure you Mr. Suckling was always rather a friend to the abolition."

So I thought I would have a look at the history of the unusual name Suckling. I found the poet, Sir John Suckling, of whom JA might have known. If you look at the link you'll find that he "took an acitve part in the royalist plot to rescue Strafford from the Tower.".

Now last month I categorically denied that JA was related to the Straffords "nothing to do with the Strafford family" (Sir Walter Elliot in Persuasion). According to "The Life of Jane Austen" by John Halperin, JA was related to the Straffords. (John Halperin not 100% reliable as an authority; same book wrongly states that Mary Russell Mitford was the Lefroy's granddaughter!!!!)

Then I tried to look up some genealogical information on John Suckling. I can only find one possible marriage so far - to a Miss Jane Hawkins.

If it's the right marriage then it seems like a pretty enormous coincidence.

Anyone know any more about Sir John Suckling and his family?