Tombstone Tuesday ~ Brother to a famous Playwright

This tombstone was photographed at the Southwark Cathedral in London, England

EDMOND

SHAKESPEARE

DIED DECEMBER

1607

Early in his career at the nearby Globe Theater, William Shakespeare was a parishoner of the Southwark Cathedral in London, England.  The original Globe Theater was very close to the cathedral, and the new reconstruction which opened in 1997 is a bit further away.   In the 1600s there were many theaters in this area. 

Edmund Shakespear (1580 - 1607) was William's younger brother.  He was an actor.  He died young, and William paid the funeral cost of 20 shillings, and for the tombstone which is in the choir.  It is next to the Shakespeare stained glass window and effigy.  According to the cathedral website "The service took place in the morning 'with a forenoon knell of the great bell' and young Edmunc was buried in the church.  His morning funeral allowed his theatrical colleagues the chance to perform in the evening."

Once a year William Shakespeare's birthday is celebrated in the cathedral.   This is the link to the cathedral website:  http://cathedral.southwark.anglican.org/ 

A TRIBUTE FROM ENGLISH AND AMERICAN ADMIRERS OF THE POET WHOSE WORK AND

GLORY ARE THEIR COMMON HERITAGE

THE WINDOW ABOVE A GIFT OF SIR FREDERICK WIGAN, THE INSCRIPTION TO THE GLORY OF

GOD IN GRATITUDE FOR HIS GOOD GIFT TO MEN IN THE GENIUS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE.

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Tombstone Tuesday ~ Brother to a famous Playwright", Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 12, 2017, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/12/tombstone-tuesday-brother-to-famous.html: accessed [access date]).