Tag Archives: Robert Bell Wheler

Remembering Garrick’s Jubilee in Stratford-upon-Avon

Imagine the scene in Stratford-upon-Avon on Saturday 9 September 1769, the morning after the night before, indeed after the three days of David Garrick’s Jubilee. There was an undignified rush to leave the town, but there weren’t enough carriages. A … Continue reading

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David Garrick’s Jubilee Ode, 1769

Today, 7 September 2019, is the 250th anniversary of the highlight of David Garrick’s Shakespeare Jubilee. In the specially-built amphitheatre Garrick delivered his Ode, a long piece of verse consisting of spoken sections interspersed with airs delivered by some of … Continue reading

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Shakespeare and St George in Stratford-upon-Avon

23rd April is celebrated as the special day of St George, the patron saint of England. He’s one of the most popular of saints, venerated in Romania,  parts of Greece, Catalonia and Egypt, among many other places. Perhaps because of … Continue reading

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Shakespeare’s ring

On 16 March 1810 “Shakespeare’s ring” was discovered near the Church in Stratford-upon-Avon. The story is told by Stratford historian and solicitor Robert Bell Wheler. “Upon Friday, the 16th day of March, 1810, this ancient gold seal ring, weighing 12 … Continue reading

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The rain it raineth every day

Over the last few weeks the news has been dominated by the dreadful and repeated flooding in parts of northern England and Scotland as a series of storms have swept across the UK. Cities have been swamped and ancient bridges … Continue reading

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Uncovering my Stratford roots

On 28 December 1798 William Tompkins was christened in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon. He was my great-great-grandfather. I came across this fact, as it happened, on 28 December 2015, reading the book written by my cousin, Carolyn Swain in which … Continue reading

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The Battle of Waterloo: a Shakespeare connection

2015 is a good year for centenaries. 800 years on, Magna Carta is probably the most important of these, and towards the end of October we’ll be celebrating 600 years since the great victory of Agincourt. Both of these have … Continue reading

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Robert Bell Wheler, “the historian of Stratford”

2014 is being celebrated as the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth, but in Stratford there is also another significant anniversary this year. It is just 200 years since Robert Bell Wheler published his Guide to Stratford-upon-Avon. Aged 21, Wheler had … Continue reading

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