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taken from 'Shakespeareana Genealogica', Parish Registers, Census, the IGI, and information provided by David Wingate
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Chart supplemented with information from the IGI and the Clerkenwell parish registers. It seems from documentary evidence surviving among the descendants of this family that John Shakespeare who married Martha Seeley was thought to have been born in 1612 and not 1619. This, of course would refute the earlier generations on the above chart - however it is now thought that the connection with Mathew Shakespeare is correct, as one of the grandchildren of John Shakespeare & Martha Seeley was also called Mathew, and the name Mathew also occurs in later generations of this family. The book which records this evidence seems to have been written in the mid 19th century, almost contemporary with George Russell French and may have been the source of much of his information on this family.
The family has a long tradition of descent from the same family as the Poet, and were using the same Coat of Arms at least as far back as the late 1600's. This descent is quite possible, as Gilbert, the Poets brother, was resident in London, and tradition both in Stratford and among the Stepney family is that Gilbert lived to advanced old age - which precludes him from being the Gilbert Shakespeare 'adolescens' (surely referring to a much younger individual) buried at Stratford: this burial possibly refers to a son of Gilbert.
A curious connection with Warwickshire is that the first wife of John Shakespeare (1619-1689) was a widow named Margaret Judd (the register entry and IGI spells this 'Jude'), nee Craven. Her first husband, John Judd, was the son of Valentine Judd, a London Goldsmith born in Little Packington. The Shakespeare family of Little Packington, and the surrounding area (eg Fillongley), like the Stepney family claimed descent from a brother of the Poet and used the same Coat of Arms.
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The family lived and died for many generations in Stepney, where many records relating to them occur at the Parish Church of St Dunstans. Here, at 'Rope Walk' they carried out their ropemaking business. A number of apprentice records document the family both as masters and apprentices.
A long record of military service seems to commence with Arthur Shakespear:
Sir Richmond Campbell Shakespear, a grandson of John Shakesepear and Mary
Davenport, is commemorated on an
inscription
He also appears in the Dictionary of National Biography.
He was a grandson of William Makepeace Thackeray (born 1749), through his mother Emily Amelia Thackeray. However, the connection with the Thackerays does not end there - Emily Amelia's brother, Rev. Francis Thackeray (1793-1842) married Mary Anne Shakespear, a sister of Amelia's husband. This means that Sir Richmond Campbell Shakespear was first cousin on both sides of the family to Francis and Mary Anne (nee Shakespear) Thackeray's son Colonel Sir Edward Talbot Thackeray V.C., K.C.B.
Two of Sir Richmond Campbell Shakespear's descendants were Richmond Campbell Shakespear Waller, a cricketer, and John Campbell Shakespear Miles.
Other members of this family, who died during their service in India include Henry Alexander Shakespear, William Ross Shakespear and William Talbot Shakespear.
Captain William Henry Shakespear was born in India, and is buried in Kuwait, where he was killed in action in January 1915. A book about him 'Captain William Henry Shakespear', A Portrait by H V F Winstone, was written in1976.
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