John Shakespeare | |
|---|---|
 Arms granted in 1596 | |
| Born | c. 1531 Snitterfield, Warwickshire, England |
| Died | 7 September 1601 (aged 69–70) Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England |
| Spouse | Mary Arden |
| Children | 8, including William, Gilbert, Joan and Edmund |
| Father | Richard Shakespeare |
| Family | Shakespeare family |
John Shakespeare (c. 1531 – 7 September 1601) was an English businessman and politician who was the father of William Shakespeare. Active in Stratford-upon-Avon, he was a glover and whittawer (leather worker) by trade. Shakespeare was elected to several municipal offices, serving as an alderman and culminating in a term as bailiff, the chief magistrate of the town council, and mayor of Stratford in 1568, before he fell on hard times for reasons unknown.[1] His fortunes later revived and he was granted a coat of arms five years before his death, probably at the instigation and expense of his son, the actor and playwright.[2][3]
He married Mary Arden, with whom he had eight children, five of whom survived into adulthood.[4]
- ^ Campbell & Quinn 1966, pp. 751–3; Schoenbaum 1987, pp. 39, 42.
- ^ Schoenbaum 1987, p. 227.
- ^ "The Parents of William Shakespeare". www.william-shakespeare.info. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
- ^ Campbell & Quinn 1966, pp. 752.