Richard Arthur Austen-Leigh

Richard Arthur Austen-Leigh (1872–1961) was an English biographer closely connected to the Austen family tradition of writing about Jane Austen. He is chiefly known as the co-author, with William Austen-Leigh, of Jane Austen, Her Life and Letters: A Family Record, first published in 1913.

That book drew on family papers, letters, and recollections to build a fuller picture of Jane Austen than earlier memoirs had offered. Because of that, his contribution became part of the foundation for later Austen scholarship, helping to pass family knowledge into the public record.

Although not a widely famous literary figure in his own right, he remains important to readers interested in Jane Austen’s afterlife, reputation, and family history. Archival records also identify him simply and fittingly as a biographer.