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Lt Cmdr William Eustace RN Retd tells the story of HMS
Worcester
THE fi rst ship to be named HMS Worcester was by Cromwell in
commemoration of his victory at the Battle of Worcester 1651.
On the restoration of Charles 11, in 1660, the ship was renamed
HMS Dunkirk, a name of a place with which a later HMS Worcester was
to be closely associated.
Six further warships were named HMS Worcester, being launched
successively in 1698, 1735, 1769, 1843 and fi nally in 1919. Two
other warships were renamed HMS Worcester and used as Training
Ships between 1877 and 1968.
Nelson served on the Fourth HMS Worcester, a 64 gun warship
launched in 1769 with a complement of about 500 engaged at the time
on convoy duties in the Channel under Captain Mark Robinson.
In 1782, HMS Worcester was involved in a series of engagements
with the French around southern India culminating with the Battle
of Trincomalee off Ceylon/Sri Lanka.
The last seagoing warship named HMS Worcester was
launched in October, 1919, built by Samuel White of Cowes and
commissioned in 1922, spending the interwar years in the
Mediterranean. On May 25, 1940, her Captain, Commander JH Allison
was ordered to proceed to Dover and to prepare for the evacuation
of troops on the beaches of Dunkirk. On June 1, badly damaged by
bombing, she returned to Tilbury and resumed convoy escort duties
in the Channel and later the
Arctic. On December 23, 1943, she struck a mine in the North Sea
and after repairs and relocation to London as an accommodation ship
was renamed HMS Yeoman.
No Royal Navy warship has since been called HMS Worcester.
Other storiesThere is not space enough in this edition to reveal
enough about many other citizens associated with the City and
County of Worcester who have served with the Royal Navy.
However, to indicate the tales that can be told, mention is made of
Admirals Britten and Tomkinson serving in WW1 and of Commander
Bullock of HMS Nelson and Fleet Air Arm Commander Bruen serving in
WW2 and Admiral Tennant ‘The Beach Master on D-Day 1944’. There are
many others of all ranks and one day we hope their stories can be
proudly told.
Surgeon Commander Paul Houghton FRCS by John Black FRCS former
Consultant General Surgeon Worcester and President RCS, London.PAUL
Houghton became Consultant General Surgeon at Ronkswood Hospital,
Worcester in 1948 and remained until he retired in 1976, although
continuing to work in Worcester and in other countries in Africa
and the Caribbean and Nazareth, Israel.
His career with the Royal Navy started in 1940 with the
destroyer class HMS Zulu and convoy duty on the Arctic Convoys. In
1941, he joined the battleship HMS Nelson which was torpedoed on
September
27, 1941, and he found himself trapped below decks whilst the
change of weights on board raised the bows until the torpedo hole
was out of the water and the watertight door could be opened.
He treated everything from tuberculosis to missing limbs, head
injuries, fl ash burns, splinter wounds and survivors of HMS Eagle,
the aircraft carrier, who had skinned themselves sliding down her
barnacled hull as she rolled over.
He was present when his ship conducted sunset burials at sea and
his photograph of those most poignant of ceremonies was a reminder
of his wartime experiences.
FROM the London Gazette October 8, 1982, on the award of the
Distinguished Service Cross.“DURING the evening of May 25, 1982,
Royal Fleet Auxiliary Sir Galahad was struck by a 1000 lb bomb
which failed to explode.
“Lt Bruen, Offi cer in Charge Fleet Clearance Diving Team, was
tasked with its removal. The bomb was lodged in a diffi cult
position, surrounded by broken batteries which had splashed acid
around the compartment. The decision was taken to raise the bomb to
the vehicle deck and dispose of it over board.
“This diffi cult and dangerous task was successfully
completed in the early hours of the following day. During the
operation, Lt Bruen showed great personal courage and impeccable
leadership.”
Nigel was born in 1946 and lived in The White House, Great
Witley, Worcestershire. He worked at the Cadena Café, Worcester, as
a waiter and as a labourer for Worcestershire County Council,
Highways Department before a student career in arts and drama
presenting his own invented ‘hytesenemic lighting shows’ at
concerts for The Animals and The Yardbirds and The Cream and Jimi
Hendrix followed by joining Britannia Royal Naval College
Dartmouth, beginning
a distinguished career ending as Commanding Offi cer HMS
Gavington in 1988. He was awarded the MBE and DSC.
ITN Reporter Michael Nicholson wrote on the cover of Bernie
Bruen’s book Keep Your Head Down (The Book
Guild): “The Falklands Spirit. There is one man I will always
remember as portraying it. His name was Lt Cmdr Bernie Bruen. He
was a RN salvage diver by profession, but in San Carlos Water he
did a little more. He was a big man with reddish beard and he was
never without one, his pipe and two, his fi ddle. It took him 22
hours aboard the Sir Galahad the fi rst time she was hit, cutting a
way out for the 1000 pounder. When it was safely over the side,
Bernie went straight away to another ship to help get rid of a
second bomb. The last time I saw him fi ve Paras were being buried
and Bernie played a Scottish dirge in the pouring rain.”
ACCORDING to Battles of the British Navy by Joseph Allen in
1852, “The atrocities committed by the Algerines, and the barbarous
massacre of the crews of more than three hundred small vessels on
23 May 1816 at Bona induced the British government to prepare an
expedition to act against the forts and shipping of Algiers.”
One of the ships which reached the site for the bombardment in
August, 1816, was the brig HMS Heron on which served Commander
Herbert B. Powell. After bombardment for two days the Bey of
Algiers agreed treaty terms with the delivery of “upwards of 1,200
Christian slaves and restoration of 382,500 dollars for slaves
redeemed by Naples and Sicily and peace with the Netherlands and a
public apology for the detention of the British Consul.”
Powell later became a Rear Admiral and lived in Worcester at the
home he named and which is still known as Heron Lodge, London Road.
He died on December 20, 1857, aged 73 and was buried in Whittington
Chapel and to which he bequeathed £200 for repairs and £80 to
purchase the clock in the tower.
Carrying our name across the seas
Sunset burials Bomb hero of the Falklands
Slaves set free
WORCESTER
HMS Worcester pictured in 1919.
Lt Cmdr William Eustace.
Nigel “Bernie” Bruen.
Ron Smith & Co.www.ronsmith.co.uk
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Berrows QuarterlyEdition 3Publisher: David HallmarkEditor: Paul
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WORCESTER
Societies: Professionals:TWO of the oldest local societies are
the Worcestershire Archaeological Society
(www.worcestershirearchaeologicalsociety.org.uk) founded in 1854
and the Worcestershire Historical Society, founded in 1893
(www.worcestershirehistoricalsociety.co.uk) of which
internationally renowned historian Professor Christopher Dyer is
the current President, succeeding celebrity historian Professor
David Cannadine now at Princeton University, USA.
The biennial Transactions of the former contain many articles on
topics of Worcester history, archaeology and architecture. Many of
the 69 volumes it has published relate to Worcester topics,
including the Chamber Order book 1602-50, the 1678-80 Hearth
Tax
collector’s book, the Civil War diary and papers of Henry
Townshend, early education in the city and many of the deeds and
records from the Cathedral archives. The Worcester Industrial and
Local History Society (www.wialhs.org.uk) is also a focus for
research and activities as is the Worcester Civic Society
(www.worcestercivicsociety.org.uk). The Battle of Worcester Society
(www.thebattleofworcestersociety.org.uk) promotes all things local
related to the Civil War and works very closely with The Commandery
with its strong Civil War connections. Those wishing to promote
local institutions can join a variety of Friends organisations,
including ones for the Cathedral, the County Archives, and the
Museum. The University of the Third Age (U3A) has very active local
history groups.
THERE are many current authors actively engaged in research.
The Story of Worcester by Pat Hughes and Annette Leech is a
recent overview and Dr Hughes, together with Debbie Overton,
produced a
lovely children’s book, Stories of Worcester published by the
Archive and Archaeology Service. Jeff Carpenter is a respected
writer on Worcester history.
The 1973 work of Alan Dyer on 16th C Worcester was a significant
academic study, and Baker and Holt’s work on the church and the
urban
landscape has expanded our understanding of the medieval
city.
Malcolm Atkin has published extensive studies on the Civil War;
Ute Engel produced a magisterial architectural study of the
Cathedral, to add to the studies by Philip Barker and Chris Guy,
and the history of two famous
Anglo-Saxon bishops, Wulfstan and Oswald, has been the subject
of volumes of essays.
Darlington’s edition of the Cartulary of Worcester Cathedral
Priory for the Pipe Roll Society in 1968 is a treasure trove of
information on the people and places of early Worcester.
The journalistic tradition
has been continued by Mike Grundy with his popular People and
Places articles. Books of local photographs are very popular also,
and the Changing Face of Worcester initiative by Clive and Malcolm
Haynes has gathered priceless images, curated by the WAAS and
available via the Tudor House Museum website.
Suz Winspear has published the definitive account of the Theatre
Royal; Mick Wilkes has opened our eyes to the impact of WW2 and
Martin Carver explored Medieval Worcester in 1980. On a lighter
note, Bob Blandford’s extensively researched volumes on public
houses have been very well received.
THE last half-century has seen a major impact on the study of
the City from institutions and their professional staff. The City
Museum (www.worcestershire.gov.uk/museums) currently led by Ian
Rutherford and Philippa Tinsley has produced work by Latta on The
Commandery and Mundy and Bridges on pictorial evidence from their
holdings.
Other specialist museums sponsor articles and publications,
including the Regimental Museum, the George Marshall Medical Museum
(www.medicalmuseum.org.uk), the Tudor House Museum
(www.tudorhouse.org.uk) with Elizabeth Pimblett and the Dyson
Perrins Museum of Royal Worcester
(www.museumofroyalworcester.org.uk).
The City Archaeology Service
(www.worcester.gov.uk/archaeology)
under James Dinn actively produces reports and articles and the
County Archive and Archaeology Service
(www.worcestershire.gov.uk/waas) led by Victoria Bryant has
produced major reports on The Deansway and Newport excavations, for
instance, as well as many articles on the City’s archaeology in the
Transactions of the Worcestershire Archaeological Society. Chris
Guy and David Morrison lead much research activity focussed on the
Cathedral, and Paul Hudson, Adrian Gregson and Lisa Snook
co-ordinate the collecting, research and outreach activities of the
county archives. The influence of the fast-growing University of
Worcester has also been felt, with the late Gerry Douds and now
Prof. Schwarz playing an active role as is her colleague Professor
Maggie Andrews.
WITHOUT the dedicated work of those mentioned here, we would
know very little about the past of our city. They are…
THE founder county historian is the antiquarian Thomas
Habington, but at his death in 1643 his papers were unpublished
(and remained so until the 1890s).
He greatly influenced succeeding historians, including Dr
Thomas’ 1736 Survey of the Cathedral Church of Worcester and Dr
Nash’s great county history of 1781 Collections for the History of
Worcestershire.
The first dedicated history of the city is Valentine Green’s
two-volume History and Antiquities...of Worcester (1796). Many more
books appeared in the 19th C. Dr Prattinton continued the
antiquarian tradition , his papers ending up with the Society of
Antiquaries.
John Noake, a journalist (and mayor of Worcester), published
newspaper articles and books in mid-century.
The 20thC saw a number of specialist books, including Willis
Bund’s on the Civil War, McMenemy’s History of Worcester Royal
Infirmary and Philip Barker’s ground-breaking work on city
archaeology, started in the 1960s.
Industrious collector Bill Gwilliam published two seminal
volumes on ‘Old Worcester’.
F.V. Follett wrote a history of the Royal Grammar School and
W.R.Chignell produced two volumes on the County Cricket Club up to
1968.
The history makersThe past:
Robin Whittaker.
A gathering on August 1 of some of the City’s historians, in no
particular order. Mike Grundy, Iain Rutherford, Victoria Bryant,
Lisa Snook, Jim and Margaret Panter, David Morrison, Chris Guy,
Miriam and Godfrey Harvey, Jacquie Hartwright, Barbara Jenkins, Val
Hibbitt, Mick Wilkes, Richard Shaw, Vaughan Wiltshire, Clive
Haynes, Paul Hudson, Robert Loveless, David Nash (hidden), Tom
McSweeney, Sandy Cale, Roberta Davis, Howard Robinson, David
Hallmark and the WAAS Field team, Tim Cornah, Simon Woodiwiss,
Linda Griffin, Graham Arnold, Richard Bradley, Rob Hedge, Aidan
Woodger, Tom Vaughan, Carolyn Hunt, Liz Pearson, Derek Hurst, Laura
Templeton, Elspeth Iliff, Andy Walsh and others, apologies from
Robin Whittaker, Adrian Gregson, James Dinn, Philippa Tinsley, Pat
Hughes, Malcolm Haynes, Tony Spicer and Malcolm Atkins, Tim Bridges
and others.
By Robin Whittaker (immediate past County Archivist) and
Chairman of Worcs. History Society and President of the Worcs.
Local History Forum and editor of Worcs. Archaeology Society
Transactions.
Today
Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of
Commercewww.hwchamber.co.uk
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By David Hallmark. IN August, 1651, King Charles II required The
Clothiers of Worcester to provide Red Tunic for his troops.
The Invoice sum was £453. The debt remained unpaid until the
intervention of the Lord Lieutenant of Worcester, the late Michael
Brinton. On June 8, 2008, HRH Prince Charles settled that Royal
Debt by paying the sum to The Clothiers in the Commandery.
Many Royalists fl ed to Europe and in 1656 assembled in Bruges,
and perhaps still wearing their Worcester-made Red Tunics,
re-formed as the Royal Regiment of Guards, of which the Grenadier
Guards are descendants and who wear red tunics.
The present Lord Lieutenant, Lt Col Patrick Holcroft, who had
served in the Grenadiers, and Regimental Archivist Major Philip
Wright at RHQ Wellington Barracks addressed the question of whether
the Red Tunic of Worcester can be linked to subsequent colours or
was it just an evolutionary moment
for an existing colour custom.Research included the book,
British Military Uniforms, by military historian WY Carman, who
concludes that the use of red by most British soldiers after the
1660 Restoration was the result of circumstances rather than
policy. Might those circumstances be the colour set at
Worcester?
The Clothiers of today wear red waistcoats as part of their
formal Livery made by local tailors Armstrongs est 1767.
WORCESTER is a City of Historians and this third WRBQ Supplement
emphasises the individuals and societies who want to share their
stories. These citizens are the champions of the city’s history and
Robin Whittaker is their exemplar. Their contributions provide the
platform for the Civic promoters to market history and
heritage.
The links between Worcester and the Royal Navy – with the
Worcester Sea Cadets remaining as a symbol of the surviving and
thriving relationship - indicate that we need another HMS
Worcester.
The play Macbeth will never be the same again, now we know it
was based on the Gunpowder Plotters from Worcestershire. It shows
events have consequences - the 1605 plot had a counter purge as
also happened in 1944 with the Hitler bomb plot and 1000 executed
and now in 2016 with the counter coup in Turkey and 10,000 suspects
identifi ed.
On September 2, 2016, historian Professor Stephen Roberts will
be lecturing on “Consequences of the Battle of Worcester,
1651.”
Publisher David Hallmark
WORCESTER
By Don GilbertPURITAN minister and author Richard Baxter is
mainly associated with Kidderminster but, in his autobiography, he
makes a large number of references to Worcester, not all
complimentary.
In 1642, with anti-Puritan feeling high in Kidderminster, Baxter
sought temporary refuge in Gloucester. On his way he “passed but
through a corner of the suburbs of Worcester …they that knew me not
cried ‘Down with the
Roundheads’, and I was glad to spur on and be gone”.
Parliament troops entered Worcester in September, 1642: “The
civility of the Earl of Essex’s army was such that among them there
was no danger (though none of them
knew me). And there was such excellent preaching among them at
Worcester that I stayed there among them a few days...”
In June 1645, after the victory at Naseby, Baxter joined Col.
Whalley’s regiment of New Model Army as its chaplain. That regiment
eventually formed part of the army which besieged Worcester in
1646.
On June 17, 1646, there was a truce during which the two armies
fraternised. They talked and drank together; and Baxter even had a
formal disputation with Dr. Thomas Warmestry (the future Dean of
Worcester) on the nature of a church.
(My biography Undeserved Mercies, £15, £17.50 if sent by post,
from 27, Mason Road, Kidderminster, DY11 6AF)
ON the evening of Thursday, August 21, 1651, the Mayor and
Sheriff of Worcester requested an urgent meeting between the City
Council, the Garrison Commanders and the City Chamber.
Although we regard Worcester as “The Faithful City” due to its
support of the Royalist cause, it was taken by the Parliamentarians
in 1646 and had contained a Roundhead garrison of 500 soldiers.
Charles Stuart, with a mainly Scottish army of 15,000 troops,
was marching towards Worcester to gather support and march into
London to restore the monarchy abolished after his father’s
execution in 1649. Oliver Cromwell had set off from Scotland in
pursuit.
It was probably one of the most heated council discussions ever
in Worcester - and I’m sure there have been a few. Parliamentarian
Commanders were in favour of resisting until Cromwell could arrive,
but the Civilians, remembering the ravages of a two month siege in
1646, argued that a garrison of 500 could not hold off 15,000
attackers and there was no expectation of reinforcements.
In a surprising act of democracy – you would have thought that
the army had the power and authority to make
the big decision – the matter was put to a vote and the
civilians won.
The garrison retreated to Gloucester and to impress the fast
gathering Scottish army, some Worcester citizens fi red on the
retreating rearguard.
The next evening, August 22, the gates were opened and the
Royalist army marched in. The population of Worcester was only
5,000 at this time so this clearly had a devastating impact on the
food supplies.
Charles Stuart preferred a grand entrance the following day.
Mayor Thomas Lysons presented him with the keys of the city and the
mace and was knighted in return. Charles was proclaimed King in a
show of great pomp, ceremony and perhaps sycophancy. But Oliver’s
army of 30,000 was on the horizon. The rest, as we say, is
history.
The city wasn’t always Faithful. Richard Shaw of the Battle of
Worcester Society has the story of a big last-minute swing
Mixed reception for Puritan minister
Toughest council meeting ever?
Richard Baxter.
Simon Hyslop of Armstrongs and former High Master of The
Clothiers.
Flight of King Charles along Friar Street. Painting by David
Birtwhistle. Does anyone know where the whereabouts of this
painting?
Remembering the Fallen
Famous red line leads back to city clothiers
EVERY September 3, the Battle of Worcester Society holds a
Drumhead Service in remembrance of the 3,200 British soldiers who
died in 1651 – more British deaths than on D-Day and at
Waterloo.
This year it falls on a Saturday and a civic parade, led by 20
Civil War re-enactors will leave the Guildhall at 6pm and
march to the Commandery, where there will be a 17th century bar,
but with 21st century prices!
At 6:45pm there will be a parade to Fort Royal Park for a short
service and a minute’s silence marked by a volley of muskets.
The event is free and all are welcome.
Aiming to keep the past alive
Working to build a connected, creative, dynamic economy that
delivers increased prosperity for all those who choose to live,
work, visit and invest in Worcestershire.
www.wlep.co.uk @worcsLEP
Armstrongs of Worcester Ltdwww.armstrongs.co.uk
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Visit Worcestershirewww.visitworcestershire.org
WORCESTER
Paul Hudson, Learning & Outreach Manager of Worcestershire
Archive & Archaeology Service, tells the tale of the
playwright’s wedding.WE HAVE just commemorated the 400th
anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare.
Although he lived in
Stratford-upon-Avon, there are rare documents in the archives in
Worcester about both Shakespeare and his father-in-law.
In the 16th Century, Stratford was in the Diocese of Worcester
and so people had to travel to Worcester if they needed to attend
the Bishop’s court, for instance to obtain a marriage license or to
prove a will. These documents are still owned by the Diocese and
cared for in The Hive by Worcestershire Archive & Archaeology
Service.
In 1582, Shakespeare, as many are aware, married Anne
Hathaway. Instead of getting married by banns though, as was
usual, he obtained a marriage license to enable him to marry
quickly.
This may have been due to Anne being pregnant and needing to get
married sooner. In the archive we have the marriage bond which
records this, along with the people giving a guarantee that there
was no lawful reason for the couple not to marry.
It was also entered into the Bishop’s register a day later,
although the clerk may have got confused as he recorded that
William married
Anne Whateley. We don’t know where
they married, as, having obtained a license, they could have
married anywhere. A number of churches claim Shakespeare married
there but the registers haven’t survived.
One possibility is Old St Martin’s in the Cornmarket,
Worcester.
The pages for that date have been carefully removed, causing
some to wonder if this could be location, although without proof
that is only a possibility, along with the other contenders.
William Shakespeare and his family had a strong connection with
the city.
by Paul Hudson410 years ago in 1606, four men were executed
outside the Worcester City boundary for their links with the
Gunpowder plot.
In the archives held at Worcestershire Archives and Archaeology
Service there is the Warrant sent to the Sheriff of Worcester
instructing him to proceed with the execution of Humphrey
Littleton.
The four were from houses in Worcestershire as Humphrey
Littleton of Hagley and John Winter of Huddington and Father
Oldcorne with his servant Ralph Ashley who came out of hiding at
Hindlip.
After the Gun-Powder Plot to blow up Parliament and King James
and the Court was foiled in November 1605, the plotters fl ed.
The various houses which had been the homes of the plotters were
searched by the
Kings troops.At Holbeache
in South Staffordshire, there was a fi ght but Stephen Littleton
and Robert Winter escaped and sought sanctuary with Humphrey
Littleton. However, they were reported by the domestic staff and
the authorities arrived on 9 January 1606.
Stephen and Robert were later executed in London.
Humphrey was interrogated and disclosed his knowledge of the
hiding of two Jesuit Priests Father Oldcorne and Father Garnet at
Hindlip.
They too were discovered and arrested together with their
servant Ashley. Garnet
went to London to be executed.
This information by Humphrey Littleton did not – as he hoped -
save his life as the Warrant from the Lord Chief Justice declares
there is no reason to delay his execution.
After Trial in Worcester, he was executed on 7 April 1606.
By David HallmarkON January 30, 1606, Robert Winter of
Huddington Hall near Worcester was executed after being convicted
of the Gunpowder Plot to murder King James and the Court at
Westminster Houses of Parliament.
The next day, his brother Thomas Winter was executed with Guy
Fawkes and others. Their heads were placed on London Gates. In
April, other executions took place at Worcester. But where does
Shakespeare fi t into this story?
Author James Shapiro in his book 1606 writes “this suggests the
Plot left traces on Shakespeare’s work with its most obvious impact
on
his next play Macbeth which begins and ends with the killing of
a Scottish king, as was King James.
When James addressed Parliament on November 9, described those
who had tried to kill him as “the rarest of monsters”. Shakespeare
has Macduff say to Macbeth “we will have thee, as our rarer
monsters are, painted upon a pole.”
Further, the use of small fi reworks made of brimstone and
salpetre in the opening scene must have smelled like gunpowder.
“Shakespeare’s Macbeth exploits deep cultural anxieties risen to
the surface after the Plot.”
THE marriage bond is such an important document that it only
left the safety of the strong rooms three times in the 35 years I
worked at the Worcestershire Record Offi ce.
In the 1990s, it was displayed at a Three Choirs reception at
County Hall and I recruited my brother-in-law to help stand
guard.
In 2002, I was interviewed
in the cathedral by Michael Wood for his documentary on
Shakespeare and he was amused and impressed when I arrived in the
back of a gold Mercedes with a hired bodyguard!
Later, it was loaned to the National Portrait Gallery and as
part of this exhibition, went to the USA for a spell, sadly,
without me. Robin Whittaker.
By Dr David Morrison Librarian Worcester CathedralIN 1613
Susannah Hall, the daughter of William Shakespeare, went to court
over a case of defamation.
The case was heard in the Bishop’s Consistory Court, located at
the west end of the south aisle of the nave of Worcester Cathedral,
where the font now stands.
Susannah Hall brought the case because of her neighbour, John
Lane, who had made malicious public allegations against her
concerning adultery in Stratford. When Mr Lane failed to appear in
the court at Worcester Susannah won the case and Mr Lane was
excommunicated.
At the time of the trial
Henry Parry was the Bishop of Worcester (1610-1616). He had been
chaplain to Queen Elizabeth I, and preached before King James I and
the King of Denmark. Bishop Parry was also an investor in the
company which settled Virginia. His tomb is now in the south aisle
of the Cathedral.
Susannah’s husband was Dr John Hall. Co-incidentally, one of Dr
Hall’s patients was John Thornborough, Bishop of Worcester
(1617-1641). Thornborough’s tomb is now located just opposite where
the court would have been. Both men held Puritan sympathies.
The trial has been turned into a successful modern play by Peter
Whelan called The Herbal Bed.
All’s well for the Bard’s marriage
Four executed after coup fails
Gunpowder, treason – was this the plot?
An archivist’s tale
Daughter in court fi ght to save her reputation
Warrant for the execution of Humphrey Littleton.
King James from the Bible of Bishop Prideaux with Worcester
Cathedral – the plot victim.
Part of the text, in modern language, reads: William Shagspere
[Shakespere] and Anne Hathwey [Hathaway] of Stratford in the
Diocese of Worcester maiden may lawfully solemnise matromny
together and remain and continue man and wife. Picture by kind
permission of the Bishop of Worcester.
Carter Graphicswww.cartergraphics.co.uk
FT Imageswww.ftimages.co.uk
Lansdowne Rodway Estates Ltdwww.lre-chd.co.uk
Worcester City Councilwww.worcester.gov.uk
