1579

William's sister Anne dies

FlowersAs if he wasn't already under enough pressure, watching his social status crumble, his livelihood dry up, his hopes for his oldest son's education erased, and the threat of religious persecution hanging above his family's head, now John Shakespeare had to contend with the death of a child.

William's sister Anne's death must have been a crippling blow to John, and the loss of a sister and the visible humbling of his father a terrible and indelible influence on Gentle Will.