1582 - 1592: William Shakespeare's Marriage, Parenthood and Early Occupation

William Shakespeare - Marriage and parenthood

When Shakespeare was eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway from the nearby village of Shottery; she was eight years older than William.

The Bishop of Worcester issued a special marriage licence in November 1582, as there was not time for the ‘calling of banns’ three times.

More on calling banns: Calling banns is a process whereby the names of those wishing to be married have to be declared to the parish congregations on three Sundays preceding the wedding.

The haste was because Anne was already three months pregnant. In May 1583 their first child, Susanna, was born and two years later they had twins, Hamnet and Judith.

William Shakespeare's Occupation

There have been many theories about what Shakespeare did for a living as a young man in Stratford; some suggest he was a schoolmaster. There is also a well-known legend that he had to leave the town after poaching deer.

Nothing is known for certain about his life after marriage, except for the births of his children, until he turns up in London in 1592, having left Anne and the children behind in Stratford.

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