Category Archives: Stratford-upon-Avon

Celebrating Shakespeare and the Birthday Play

I recently wrote about the launch of Shakespeare’s Celebrations, a new organisation that is breathing new life into the celebration of Shakespeare’s Birthday in Stratford-upon-Avon. The story can be traced back to David Garrick’s Shakespeare Jubilee even though, taking place … Continue reading

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A new chapter in the history of Shakespeare’s Celebrations

I’ve spent much of the past year or so researching the history of the celebrations of Shakespeare’s birth in Stratford-upon-Avon.  It’s a long and complicated story with its origins in the 1769 Garrick Jubilee, and I’m happy to report that after a few … Continue reading

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Shakespeare, politics and the history of Stratford-upon-Avon

The Shakespeare Club’s October meeting consisted of a lecture by historian Nicholas Fogg on  Shakespeare and politics. It was perhaps no surprise that he had decided to look at the subject through a historical perspective, suggesting that to understand Shakespeare’s views … Continue reading

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Stratford-upon-Avon’s historic Town Hall

Standing at the busy junction of Sheep Street, Chapel Street, Ely Street and High Street is Stratford’s Town Hall. From the outside it’s a dignified building built of Cotswold stone and facing towards the High Street, in a niche, is … Continue reading

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Two Shakespeareans remembered: Donald Sinden and Jeffery Dench

I was sorry to hear of the death on 11 September 2014 of Donald Sinden, like Jeffery Dench who died in March an actor who had made a considerable contribution to productions of Shakespeare’s plays in Stratford-upon-Avon. Both men will … 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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David Garrick’s Jubilee

The story of Stratford’s rise from being a typical market town into an international tourist destination is often said to start in 1769 when the greatest actor of the day, David Garrick, put on a three-day celebration of Shakespeare. The fact … Continue reading

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Mary Anderson, an American actress abroad

On the 29th August 1885 a special performance took place at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre. The famous Mary Anderson and her Company staged As You Like It as a Benefit for the Shakespeare Memorial Fund. Although her name is now … Continue reading

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Keeping Shakespeare’s spirit alive at New Place, his final home

In August 2014 a further consultation is taking place on the future of New Place, Shakespeare’s last home, the final public consultation day being 30 August. Since the first consultation last year, I’ve spent a lot of time reading about … Continue reading

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The pioneering Flowers of Stratford-upon-Avon

Today there are few places where you will see the name of Flower in Stratford-upon-Avon apart from in a pub, but a hundred or even fifty years ago Flowers Brewery was one of the major employers in the town with … Continue reading

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