|
Harry Shakespeare
of Coventry
Harry is not the progenitor of the line, merely the starting point for the research below.
Harry Shakespeare, at the time a sewing machine salesman, appears in the 1881 Census:
| Dwelling: 16 Alma St Census Place: Coventry Holy Trinity, Warwick, England Source: FHL Film 1341733 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 3073 Folio 35 Page 33 Marr Age Sex Birthplace William H. RUSSELL M 37 M St Pancras, Middlesex, England Rel: Head Occ: Bricklayer Ann RUSSELL M 42 F Lutterworth, Leicester, England Rel: Wife Occ: Dressmaker William RUSSELL U 17 M Coventry, Warwick, England Rel: Son Occ: Hairdresser Edward C. RUSSELL 7 M Coventry, Warwick, England Rel: Son Occ: Scholar Samuel H. RUSSELL 7 M Coventry, Warwick, England Rel: Son Occ: Scholar Mary Fanny RUSSELL 4 F Coventry, Warwick, England Rel: Dau Occ: Scholar Laura A. RUSSELL 8 m F Coventry, Warwick, England Rel: Dau Harry SHAKESPEARE U 16 M Coventry, Warwick, England Rel: Lodger Occ: Agent For Sewing Machine Co |
Harry had the following children:
Edith May Shakespeare born
1884 Coventry
Amy Shakespeare born 1889 Coventry
James Shakespeare born 1892 Coventry ( no descendants, believed to have 'died
during war' - which war is not known)
Harry's birth certificate confirms his parents as James Shakespeare, a master butcher, and Susannah nee Wheeler:
James Shakespeare & Susannah Wheeler had the following children:
Susannah born c. 1855 (she married William Hawley)
Harry born 16 April 1864, 57 Queen Street, Coventry (married Amy Checklin born 1866 Walsgrave on Sowe)
Elizabeth baptised 28/10/1866 at Holy Trinity, Coventry.
Walter John born 27/06/1869, baptised 09/08/1869 at St. Michael's Coventry
Edith Emily baptised 05/11/1871, St Michael's Coventry
James and Susannah married at Edgbaston:
This confirms James's father as being a W Shakespeare (probably William!). Note that the Registration District where this marriage took place was Kings Norton, which was then in Worcestershire, although Edgbaston is now part of Birmingham. This may be significant as another entry on the 1881 Census is for an Ann Shakespeare, born in Coventry in 1836 but living with a cousin born in Kings Norton - further examination of the Kings Norton records may provide further information:
| Dwelling: Truggist Hill Census Place: Berkswell, Warwick, England Source: FHL Film 1341729 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 3054 Folio 34 Page 6 Marr Age Sex Birthplace Mary HINMAN W 59 F Kings Norton, Worcester, England Rel: Head Occ: Laundress Elen E. HINMAN U 19 F Berkswell, Warwick, England Rel: Daur Occ: Assistant Laundress Ann SHAKESPEAR U 45 F Coventry, Warwick, England Rel: Cousin Occ: Late Housekeeper |
W. Shakespeare's occupation is given as 'Comb Maker', so presumably he was involved in the Coventry ribbon making industry.
It seems that James had died by 1881, for he does not appear in the 1881 Census. Another indication of this is that his two younger daughters, Elizabeth and Edith, were living with their older sister, Susannah, and her family at this time:
| Dwelling: 35 Cow Lane Census Place: Coventry St Michael, Warwick, England Source: FHL Film 1341732 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 3067 Folio 27 Page 11 Marr Age Sex Birthplace William H. HAWLEY M 24 M Coventry, Warwick, England Rel: Head Occ: Watch Finisher Susannah HAWLEY M 26 F Coventry, Warwick, England Rel: Wife Edith May HAWLEY 1 F Coventry, Warwick, England Rel: Dau Lilly HAWLEY 4 m F Coventry, Warwick, England Rel: Dau Elizabeth SHAKESPEARE 14 F Coventry, Warwick, England Rel: Sister In Law Occ: Scholar Edith SHAKESPEARE 9 F Coventry, Warwick, England Rel: Sister In Law Occ: Scholar |
Presumably James died between 1871 (when his youngest daughter was born) and 1881. A copy of his death certificate should provide his age and, hopefully, an address which may lead to him being found in the 1871 census which should give his place of birth.
All of this information gives us the following:
 |
Information supplied by Stephanie Bland
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|