The Fillongley Shakespeares

Little research has been done so far on this family - much of the information below comes from a descendant, Chris Brand of British Columbia, whose ancestor Jane Shakespeare, born in Arley, Warwickshire, was the daughter of Solomon Grosvenor Shakespeare born 1805 in Fillongley. The significance of Solomons name will be seen below.

Chris's information gives the following 'family tree':

Solomon Grosvenor Shakespeare appears in the 1851 Census:

Jane appears, after her marriage, in the 1881 census (there seems to be a discrepancy with her age):

During a conversation with his Grandfather (Max William Grosvenor Overton), Chris made the following notes from original documents in his Grandfathers possession (which have, sadly, since disappeared):

1. Settlement by Soloman Grosvenor and Thomas Shakespear on his intended marriage to Anne Dugdale widow and a daughter of Soloman Grosvenor. Dated 23/9/1737
2. Inventory by Anne Dugdale, widow of William Dugdale, of the latters goods. Dated 18/6/1733
3. Indenture between Adrian Shakespeare and Thomas Shakespeare. Dated 4/4/1694
4. Indenture from Isabella Dugdale to Anne Dugdale. Dated 10/9/1735
5. Account of John Dugdale for his (minor) brother William Dugdale. Dated 1714 to 1723
6. Letter from Judith Dugdale to her son John Dugdale. Dated 8/4/1733
7. Account of estate of William Dugdale. Dated 5/4/1734
8. Account by Anne Dugdale of payments. Dated January 1735
9. William Grosvenor Shakespeare’s Will dated 20/6/1902, proved 5/11/1904
10. Draft marriage settlement between Soloman Grosvenor and his wife Anne, and Thomas Shakespeare on his marriage to Anne Dugdale, widow of William Dugdale and a daughter of Soloman Grosvenor and Anne.

The Fillongley Monument

Near this place in the Middle Be Lieth the Body of GEORGE SHAKESPEAR Gent who Departed this Life the 23d day of January 1699 Aged 45. And also the Body of MARY SHAKESPEAR the Wife of GEORGE SHAKESPEAR who~ Departed this Life the 26th day of Feb.1732, Aged 73. She was Eldest Daughter of PHILIP ORTON of Church Bicknell Gent. who had Issue two Sons, and one Daughter, GEORGE, THOMAS, and ELIZABETH. Here also lieth ye Body of GEORGE SHAKES PEAR who Departed this Life the 28th Day of March 1734, Aged 50. And also the Body of JANE SHAKESPEAR, the Wife of THOMAS SHAKESPEAR, who Departed this Life June 7th 1736 Aged 53. She was the Daughter of THOMAS WRIGHT of Neather Whitaker, Gent. And also THOMAS SHAKESPEAR Gent. Son of the above Named GEORGE SHAKESPEAR Gent. who departed this Life May ye 7th, 1763, Aged 73 by whom this Monument was erected in a pious regard to the Memory of his Father Mother Brother & first Wife And also Francis his Son, who Died in its Infancy whom he had by his Second Wife. She was Daughter to SOLOMON GROSVENOR Esqr

The monument gives the following 'Family Tree':

The connection between the names on this monumental inscription and the documents originally in the possession of Chris's Grandfather is obvious, as is the significance of the name Solomon Grosvenor Shakespeare, and it is highly probable that the Thomas Shakespeare, who married Elizabeth Smith at Fillongley in 1794, is a grandson of the Thomas on the Monument: indeed, there is a baptism on the IGI: 21 April 1769, Thomas son of Thomas and Mary Shakespeare.

The age on the monument does not quite agree, as it would give George a birthdate around 1655, but he is most probably the George baptised 1658 at Little Packington, son of Thomas and Grace Shakespeare.

There is another Shakespeare tomb in Fillongley Church: on the floor of the nave of Fillongley church is a flat stone, inscribed – “To the memory of Thomas Shakespear of Fillongley, in the County of Warwick, gentleman, who departed this life May ye 7^th, 1763, in the 73^rd year of his age.

‘Afflictions sore long time I bore,

Physicians were in vain,

Till death gave ease and God did please

To ease me of my pain.’

‘Dear Christians for Jesus’ sake forbear

To disturb the dust that slumbers here’ “

(Note the similar last two lines to those on William Shakespeare’s own epitaph in Stratford.) A summary of this Thomas's will is available.

However, the inscription on the above stone was copied by John Shakespear (descendant of the Keresley family) in the 1980's and the full inscription contains further details (some words are missing due to the stone being worn):

The parishes of Fillongley and Little Packington are adjacent, and the Shakespeare families in both used the then relatively uncommon christian name George, as did the family at Arley, where later members of the Fillongley family are known to have lived - this may indicate a possible connection between these families. Note also the information from the indenture dated 1694 between Thomas Shakespeare and Adrian Shakespeare: there is a baptism recorded 31 March 1671 at Arley of Adrian son of 'Thomae and Mariae Shakespeere.' This may be the same person.

William Shakespeare of Arley (son of Thomas & 'Mariae'), who died in 1729, is referred to as 'kinsman' in the will of Thomas Shakespeare (died 1763) the son of George Shakespeare of Fillongley. Hence George (1654-1699) may be a brother of Thomas Shakespeare of Arley who died in 1719.

There is also the earlier record of a will dated 26 April 1610 which mentions Adrian Shakespeare, son of Thomas Shakespeare of Little Packington. The date of this will, however, seems to be in error, and may be an estimation of this Thomas's date of birth - no will is listed in the indexes for this date at Lichfield or elsewhere: the will referred to is more likely to be one of two listed for the 1680's for Thomas Shakespeare, of Little Packington. Another reference to Adrian Shakespeare, said to be of Stratford, is a claim for him to be a member of the same family as the Poet. Curiously, both the families at Fillongley and Little Packington seem to have used the same Coat of Arms as the Poet's family.

This is the current status of research on this line - the Fillongley Parish Registers have not yet been examined, and given the family's status there are probably wills and records of land ownership yet to be found. Since writing the above further information has been received from John Shakespear, a descendant of the Keresley family, who has investigated the Fillongley Shakespeares, including a number of wills held at Lichfield Record Office, for a possible link with his own. This confirms the connection between the family on the monument in Fillongley church and Solomon Grosvenor Shakespeare:

Note: Chris Brand has also provided transcripts of later legal documents concerning the Shakespeare family and their descendants the Overtons.

Revised September 2004