John Shakespeare
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John Shakespeare (1529 – c. 1601) was a glover, farmer and alderman in Stratford-upon-Avon. He was the father of William Shakespeare; there is evidence that he may have been a closet Catholic.
As with his son William, only a limited amount is known about John Shakespeare's life. It is possible, although not certain, that he was the son of a Mr. Richard Shakespeare of Snitterfield who was given land for his services to King Henry VII of England.
John Shakespeare was a very successful man during the early part of his career. On October 2, 1556, he purchased a large house in Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, which would later be the birthplace of William. He also married Mary Arden, one of the Ardens of Warwickshire, a local gentry family. It is not known when they married, but a date around 1557 is assumed as there is a baptismal record for a "Joan Shakespeare, daughter to John Shakespeare" dated September 15, 1558. By 1564, John was an alderman, a member of the Common Hall of Stratford, and it was in this year William was born. In 1568 John was appointed High Bailiff.
However, John later seems to have fallen on hard times. He was recorded as among several local men who stayed away from Church services for fear of being arrested for debt. Because of this, he eventually lost his position as an alderman. Records suggest that he was also prosecuted for illegal dealing in wool. Such illicit trade would have been profitable to his glove business by avoiding the middleman. He is last mentioned in the local records in 1597 when he sold some property to George Badger, a draper. It is possible that he died shortly after that time.
In the eighteenth century, a tract signed by John Shakespeare, and promising to remain a Catholic in his heart, was found in the rafters of the house on Henley Street. It was seen and described by the scholar Edmund Malone. However, it has subsequently been lost, and thus its authenticity remains uncertain.
