The Origins of the

'Black Country Shakespeares'

Until recently the earliest Shakespeare to appear in the 'Black Country' was thought to be Edward Shakespeare who first appeared in the Parish of Rowley Regis, Staffordshire in February 1604 when the baptism of his son William was recorded. This son died for another William is recorded in September 1605. It is from this William that all of the present day 'Black Country Shakespeares' descend. The only other child of Edwards recorded at Rowley Regis was a daughter, Mary, born in October 1612. There is one other Shakespeare record in the Rowley Regis parish registers - this is for Ann the daughter of John Shakespeare, born in 1609. Presumably this John was a brother of Edward. These are all the entries for Rowley Regis. The next record we have of the family is in the neighbouring parish of Dudley, Worcestershire, where William Shakespeare married Joyce Price in 1625.

However, in February 2003 a discovery on the IGI revealed a marriage in 1581 at Sedgley, Staffs., of Thomas Shakespeare and Ann Gibbons - the original register entry reveals no further clues as to origin.

The facts concerning Edward.

An analysis of the possible origins of Edward are detailed elsewhere. However, the following notes are the only concrete recorded facts about him, with speculations in red italics:

• Edward had three children baptised at Rowley Regis in 1604, 1605 and 1612. There is, additionally, the record of a James Shakespeare, who married at neighbouring Halesowen in 1629 - one of this James daughters married in Rowley Regis and left descendants. In the absence of other possible parents (except, possibly John [see below]) this James is probably another child of Edward.

• There is the record of the baptism of Ann, daughter of John Shakespeare, at Rowley Regis, in 1609. This John, because both John and Edward suddenly appear in Rowley Regis, obviously from elsewhere, at around the same time is presumed to be a likely brother  (or possibly son) of Edward. This is the only known record of this John and his daughter - after this they simply disappear from the pages of history.

• Edwards burial took place at Dudley in 1634, where he is recorded as 'Old Edward Shakespeare.' Similarly, there is the record of the burial of 'Old Anne Shakespeare' in 1636. This may be presumed to be Edwards wife - there is also the possibility that it may refer to his mother, if, as is thought likely, his mother was the Anne Gibbons who married Thomas Shakespeare at Sedgley in 1581. Presuming Edward and his wife to have been born around 1581 this would make them around 53 and 55 years old respectively - it is interesting to speculate that the marriage entry at Sedgley in 1581 has an incorrect recording of the groom's name and that this may actually be Edward and Anne [this did happen occasionally, but may be impossible to prove!] which would be more in keeping with their descriptions as 'old' in the burial entries - this would also raise the possibility of the John recorded at Rowley Regis being not a brother, but a son of Edward - which would partly fill in the twenty year gap between the 1581 marriage and the baptisms at Rowley Regis.

• It is interesting to note that the Rowington Shakespeare family held land at Rowley Regis as late as the mid 1700's. It is not unusual that a landowning family would still own the same land 150 years and 4-5 generations later. The Rowington Shakespeares also seem to be linked with the family at Lapworth [or vice versa], which is where the only other reference to an Edward Shakespeare at this period occurs.

William Shakespeare and Joyce Price:

William and Joyce Shakespeare had nine children, five of whom left descendants. One of these, Henry moved to London for a time, for here he married in 1663 and had two children in 1664 and 1668. He was back in Dudley by early 1669, for here another child was born in March, followed by a fourth child in 1672. Henry remarried in 1688, but apparently had no more children. What had he been doing in London? The family trade at this time (and for most of the next 2 - 300 years) was nailmaking, or associated occupations such as that of Blacksmith - perhaps his metalworking skills took him there for some reason.

John, a great grandson, of William Shakespeare and Joyce Price moved to the neighbouring parish of Kingswinford in 1719 and is the ancestor of most of the Shakespeares in the Kingswinford, Brierley Hill, and Himley, Staffordshire area. It is one of these descendants, David Shakespeare, born 1827 in Sedgley, who is the direct ancestor of all the Shakespeares in Utah, U.S.A., having converted to the Mormon Faith and emigrating to Utah in the 1850's.

Back in Dudley is where we also meet up again with Edward Shakespeare, the founder of the line, for this is where he died in 1634 - the St. Thomas Parish Register records 'Old Edward Shakespeare buried.' His wife Ann survived him by two years, being buried in 1636. Many of his descendants, of course, remain in Dudley to the present day.