Tag Archives: William Tompkins

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 divine Sarah Bernhardt’s Hamlet

On Radio 4 Francine Stock is currently investigating the concept of charisma. This week in Pinning down the Butterfly: the It Factor, she looked at an actress whose fame spread across Europe and North America, the divine Sarah Bernhardt. Bernhardt … Continue reading

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There’s rosemary

It’s the official celebrations of Shakespeare’s Birthday here in Stratford-upon-Avon. For me, the part of this ceremony that really matters is the laying of the flowers on Shakespeare’s grave. The simple ritual was initiated by the boys of his own school, which … Continue reading

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