Other Genealogical References to the Poet

The Stratford Parish Registers, as would be expected, contain a number of references to the Poet's family - in fact, apart from the following;

• The marriage of John Shakespeare, the 'Shoemaker' to Margery Roberts

• The burial of the above Margery

• Three children of John, the 'Shoemaker'

• The burial of Thomas Green, alias Shakespeare

• The baptism of a daughter of Anthony Shakespeare

all other references to Shakespeares are members of the Poet's family.

Of the exceptions noted above:

• Thomas Green, alias Shakespeare, was Town Clerk of Stratford, and according to the Dictionary of National Biography entry for William Shakespeare, claimed to be a cousin of the Poet (ie his mother or more probably his grandmother was a Shakespeare) and in 1609 he rented part of 'New Place' from William.

• Anthony Shakespeare appears to have settled in Hampton Lucy - according to French he 'was of Snitterfield in 1569, but appears to have settled at Hampton Lucy' - the Stratford Parish Register records the baptism of his daughter: 10 Feb 1583/4 Elizabeth d of Anthony Shakespeare of Hampton. This Anthony, by virtue of the will of John Shakespeare, can be proven to be a brother of John and Thomas Shakespeare, of Snitterfield, and therefore also a brother of Henry who had died before the date of the will. These were all children of Richard Shakespeare of Snitterfield who therefore cannot be the Poet's grandfather, as John Shakespeare, son of Richard of Snitterfield - long held to be the Poet's grandfather - was actually the writer of the Clifford Chambers will, and therefore cannot be Williams' father, who was a glover in Straford from at least 1552.

This latter is interesting because supposedly Williams family were from Snitterfield, and his 'supposed' uncle Henry had a connection with Hampton Lucy, and of course, his Thomas Shakespeare had a son, John, baptised at Snitterfield in 1586.

An analysis of the arguments for John the 'Shoemaker' being a brother of the Poet can be seen here.

Further contributions to this section of the site are invited - something might provide the vital clue to proving or disproving the theories regarding unrecorded siblings of the Poet!

Revised June 2005