Charles Shakespeare

of Bulkington and Coventry

Some of Charles' descendants are listed in 'Ancestral File' on the Latter Day Saints Website, notably William Robert Shakespeare and his children. Further research has revealed the Charles seems to have married twice: firstly at Holy Trinity, Coventry, in 1785, to Eleanor Benton  - two children, Eleanor (born 1793) and Mary (born 1797) were baptised at Bulkington. Charles' second marriage, to Mary Millership, took place at Bulkington in 1800 - their son, Charles, was baptised at Bulkington the following year. Charles senior is almost certainly the one baptised in 1759 in Coventry, the son of Thomas Shakespeare and Elizabeth. Further information on Thomas and his descendants can be seen in the Keresley section. Prior to his two marriages Charles had a bastard child of Elizabeth Arnitt of Allesley in c1778 when he was under age. His father had to promise to pay the Parish of Allesley one shilling a week to maintain the child.

The Charles Shakespeare born 1801 is the one who appears in the 1851 census, living in Coventry:

Charles Shakespeare & Mary Millership had other children. One of these, Thomas was born about 1812 in Keresley, according to the census. No baptism has been found for him, but the records of Moorgate Cemetery where he is buried are quite comprehensive and give his birthplace as Coventry and parents names as Charles & Mary Shakespeare. The same burial records give Thomas's full name as Thomas George Shakespeare. The identification of Thomas's parents is further confirmed by an apprenticeship record, from a transcript by the Coventry Family History Society. This records that in 1825 Thomas Shakespeare of Bulkington aged 13 was apprenticed to Charles Shakespeare, Weaver, (possibly his father, or his older brother). His masters parish is given as Coventry, his fathers name Charles and parish St Michaels Coventry. Some of this Thomas's descendants are to be found in Rotherham, Yorks. It seems that Charles and Mary (nee Millership) moved a number of times - hence children baptised in several parishes - and may have other children whose baptisms have not been found: one of these may be a George Shakespeare born around 1811, who, at the time of the 1841 census, lived in Hertford Place, a small street  in Coventry. Also living in Hertford Place at this time were two of Charles and Mary's known children - ie Thomas and Charles. All three of these Shakespeares living in Hertford Place were Ribbon Weavers, and all served apprenticeships in Coventry - in the case of all three their parish of origin is given as Bulkington in the apprenticeship records.

Another son of Charles & Mary, William Robert Shakespeare born 1824 in Coventry, had two sons, Reuben and George, who moved to Wales and left descendants there.

Perhaps another Shakespeare/Ward connection is

indicated by the baptism at Liverpool, St Peter, 4 April 1839,

of Catherine Shakespeare Ward, daughter of Charles

Ward/Maria.

John Shakespeare, born 1823, appears in the 1851 Census:

Charles Shakespeare, born 1852, appears in the 1881 Census:

Ruben Shakespeare, born 1856, appears in the 1881 Census:

It appears that Jane, nee Ward, also survived until 1881, although her age does not tally with the information in 'Ancestral File' - that of her son, Mark, does - this appears to be the correct census entry as Jane's marriage certificate gives her fathers name as Thomas, and there is a baptism recorded at St Michael, Coventry, of Jane daughter of Thomas & Maria Ward - note the mother's name (Maria) given as Shakespeare in the census is probably an enumerator's error:

Information supplied by John Shakespear and Tracey Briggs