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Proving Family Links to William Shakespeare

Lonnie Donoghue

proper brummie kid
Looking for information on my half brother and sisters father, William James Wilson (1934-1992) born likely Nuneaton but resided and married my mom in Birmingham in 1959 when I was four. I believe Williams mother was Letitia Haines and his father Thomas A Wilson both from Nuneaton. Letitia's maternal great grandmother is Sara Hart (1775-1849), she is a direct descendant of William Henry Hart (1569-1615) who was married to William Shakespeare's second youngest sister Joan. William had 18 siblings so I guess there will be a lots of great, great ++++ grandchildren around. Many thanks in anticipation. Lonnie.
 
Assuming it's not an error, then his name was William John Wilson, son of Thomas & Letitia. Living at 9 Coventry Road, Coleshill at the time of the 1939 register.
 
Assuming it's not an error, then his name was William John Wilson, son of Thomas & Letitia. Living at 9 Coventry Road, Coleshill at the time of the 1939 register.
There was an error somewhere as I had him in the family tree from 2004 (1369 names so far) as William John but later on much research on a number of other sites including a superb American site it came up as William James and still linked to Letitia. Confusing somewhat.
 
All I can say is that his death is registered as William John and the dob given matches the William J Wilson with Thomas and Letitia (Haines) in 1939.

It's always tricky trying to prove family links that far back due to the lack of records. If true they must have got around a bit as Letitia was born in Hull and her parents were born in Gloucester and Peterborough. And their parents appear to have been born in Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, Derbyshire and Huntingdonshire
 
All I can say is that his death is registered as William John and the dob given matches the William J Wilson with Thomas and Letitia (Haines) in 1939.

It's always tricky trying to prove family links that far back due to the lack of records. If true they must have got around a bit as Letitia was born in Hull and her parents were born in Gloucester and Peterborough. And their parents appear to have been born in Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, Derbyshire and Huntingdonshire
Yes, Got all that, I have Thomas A's tree going back to his G-Grandfather (George) B1825 in Warwickshire but Letitia's paternal family (Haines) G-G-Grandfather Edward B(C)1750 in Gloucester and her maternal back to easily 1450 and into the Shakespeare dynasty and thats why this is so important for me to prove. On another note my mom's brother in law George Rostill was first cousin to John Rostill of the Shadows pop group, I have a professional researcher checking that family line as George and John's G-G-Grandmother is Elizabeth Palmer who has a 28th generation link to Kind Edward III and ultimately William the Conqueror, its madness at the moment. I've been doing genealogy 22 years now and retired the last three so I think I have too much time on my hands. But thank you for you assistance. Kind regards Lonnie.
 
Possibly doing something wrong but I have this - Letitia Haines' mother Harriet Turner. Harriet Turner daughter of Edward Turner and Mary Ann Beeton. Edward Turner son of Edward Turner and Rebecca Hallam. Mary Ann Beeton illegitmate daughter of Sarah Beeton.

Making Letitia's maternal great grandmothers Rebecca Hallam and Sarah Beeton???
 
I have the Haines link going back to Hart and yes, I have Harriet Turner too but haven't developed that next generation back yet so thank you for that information Beeton/Turner/Hallam. that'll give me a good starter.

On the Haines side the lineage I have and need to prove is Haines/Whitehead, Whitehead/Hart, Hart/Richardson, Hart/Rickets. Hart/Mumford. Hart/Richardson, Thomas Hart/Margaret??, Hart/Shakespeare, Shakespeare/Arden. The data shown is professionally approved and just need the Letitia Haines link to my stepfather William J Wilson proved. Its draining work but exciting at the same time. If you need any help in anything don't hesitate to ask. Kind regards, Lonnie
 
Sorry, a bit of cross wires with in regards maternal. I thought you meant Letitia's maternal but obviously you meant George Haines maternal.

I assume Whitehead is a typo and you meant Woodward?
 
Last edited:
Sorry, a bit of cross wires with in regards maternal. I thought you meant Letitia's maternal but obviously you meant George Haines maternal.

I assume Whitehead is a typo and you meant Woodward?
Clara Amelia Whitehead (1839-1924) was married to Frederick Haines (1832-1899) (they were married 1860 at Tewkesbury, Gloucester), it is Clara's grandfather William Whitehead (1775-1856) who was married to Sarah Hart (1775-1849), they married at St Mary's, Tewkesbury, Gloucester 11-12-1798. Sarah is the direct descendant to William Henry Hart and Joan Shakespeare. It may be me thats confusing the maternal/paternal issues.

I'm in the process of putting every one of mine and my wife's cousins in the family tree two generations down and at least two generations up so my brain is a bit fried at the moment, I'm off this and back on curry making till late Friday tomorrow then when I will be back on genealogy searches again. Music practice Saturday and rest Sunday. Great fun this retirement thing.
 
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Oops again, I've jumped a generation. I was looking at Frederick's father Charles Haines who married Mary Woodward.
 
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