Jane has rat-cunning and street-smarts, having grown up in the back alleys. Despite her impoverished background, she is highly intelligent, having taught herself to read while caring for her mentally unwell mother. Up until recently, Jane has been living at a hellish boarding house where she was forced to steal for her ‘owner’ Mr Merton. When Phryne first encounters Jane on the Ballarat train she is reminded of her younger self – a good liar with a good heart. After an initial battle of wills that almost has Phryne outwitted, she fights to take Jane into her guardianship.
Jane has an analytical mind and is interested in Phryne's work as well as forensics, science and Dr Mac's work.
In the TV series Jane appears in much the same manner but Phryne names her Jane after her deceased sister (a plot line invented for the TV series) Jane is played by Ruby Rees-Wemyss in the series. Jane appears throughout the first series and is at boarding school in most of the second. She returns back home from a Paris trip in the last episode of season 2. In the third series Jane does not feature and is not mentioned we can only assume she's still at boarding school.
In the tv series her name is Jane when Phryne meets her - and she comments on it.
ReplyDeleteIn the Books, Jane's ambition is to become a Doctor.
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