Inside the story
Meet Miss Deborah Jenkyns
Miss Deborah Jenkyns is the formidable elder Jenkyns sister and daughter of Cranford’s former rector. A leading authority in the town’s female society, she governs its social standards with strong opinions, including a firm preference for Dr Johnson over Dickens.
On the page
Tall, angular, imposing elderly spinster with strong, severe features and a commanding, dignified expression; wears stiff, dark, old-fashioned gowns with a high collar and a rigid bonnet or cap; upright, authoritative posture.
