Episode 53: Happy Birthday, Shakespeare! Let's Talk Coat of Arms with Paul Edmondson

We are celebrating Shakespeare’s birthday this week by taking a look at how Shakespeare became a gentleman. One of the ways William Shakespeare achieved the status of a gentleman was in the procurement of the family Coat of Arms. This process was something of a mystery because history shows us that Shakespeare’s father had been eligible for a coat of arms, but never received it. Later, his son William would successfully acquire the arms for the family, presumably a source of pride for his father, as well as a firm establishment of respect and status in the community. This week we are happy to welcome back to the show for his second time as a guest here at That Shakespeare Life, the distinguished Dr. Paul Edmondson, Head of Research and Knowledge at Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, who joins us to be our guide into the history of Shakespeare’s coat of arms, heraldry, and the Shakespeare family.