Gilbert Shakespeare (bef. 1566 - bef. 1612)

Born before 13 Oct 1566 in Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire, England

Ancestors

Died before 3 Feb 1612 at about age 45 in Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire, England

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Biography

Gilbert Shakespeare was born in Warwickshire, England.

Gilbert Shakespeare was the fourth child and second son of John Shakespeare, glover, of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, and his wife Mary Arden.

He was born two years after his brother William and was possibly named after the Shakespeare family's neighbour on Henley Street, Gilbert Bradley, a glover and burgess of Stratford.^[1]

He was baptised on 13 October 1566 at Holy Trinity, Stratford, and entered in the parish register in Latin as "Gilbertus filius Johannis Shakspere."^[2][3]

He worked as a haberdasher in the parish of St Bride's, London and in 1597 acted as bondsman in the Court of Queen's Bench for a William Sampson of Stratford.^[1] He returned to Stratford by 1602 when he is recorded as taking possession of 107 acres of land purchased by his brother William.^[4]

He is thought to have lived in Stratford for the rest of his life. In 1609 he was summoned to appear in the Court of Requests, although it is not known why.^[1][5] In 1610, he is recorded as a witness to a deed for the sale of a house in Stratford.^[6]

He was buried at Holy Trinity, Stratford, on 3 February 1611/2. The parish register describes him as "Gilbert Shakspeare, adolescens,"^[7][8] which is thought to indicate his status as an unmarried man.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} S. Schoenbaum, William Shakespeare A Compact Documentary Life, Oxford University Press, 1977, pages 26-7. Internet Archive (accessed 20 Apr 2020)
2. ↑ Richard Savage, The registers of Stratford-on-Avon, in the County of Warwick, Baptisms, 1558-1652 , London: privately printed, 1897, page 12. Internet Archive (accessed 19 Apr 2020)
3. ↑ 'Parish register entry recording Gilbert Shakespeare’s baptism', 13 Oct 1566, Shakespeare Documented, Folger Shakespeare Library (accessed 19 Apr 2020)
4. ↑ 'Shakespeare purchases Combe property: Conveyance from John and William Combe to William Shakespeare of 107 acres in Old Stratford', 1 May 1602, Shakespeare Documented, Folger Shakespeare Library (accessed 19 Apr 2020)
5. ↑ J. O. Halliwell, The Life of William Shakespeare, London: J. R. Smith, 1848, pages 28-9. Google Books (accessed 21 Apr 2020)
6. ↑ 'Gilbert Shakespeare, William Shakespeare’s younger brother, witnesses a Stratford-upon-Avon deed', 5 Mar 1610, Shakespeare Documented, Folger Shakespeare Library (accessed 19 Apr 2020)
7. ↑ Richard Savage, The registers of Stratford-on-Avon, in the County of Warwick, Burials, 1558-1622-3 , London: privately printed, 1905, page 81. Internet Archive (accessed 19 Apr 2020)
8. ↑ 'Parish register entry recording Gilbert Shakespeare's burial', 3 Feb 1612, Shakespeare Documented, Folger Shakespeare Library (accessed 19 Apr 2020)

See also:

• Wikipedia: Gilbert Shakespeare