John Heminges
John Heminges entered the world on the 25th of November 1566. His name appeared in the register of St Peter de Witton Church in Droitwich, Worcestershire. A local priest recorded his baptism that same day. The boy grew up in a quiet English town before moving to London at age twelve. He left his family home to begin a nine-year apprenticeship with John Collins. Collins was a grocer operating within the City of London. Young Heminges learned the trade of selling spices and dried goods during those years. By the 24th of April 1587 he had become a freeman of the Grocers' Company. This status granted him full rights as a merchant in the capital. He married Rebecca Knell shortly after gaining his freedom. Her first husband William Knell died fighting an actor named John Towne at Thame in Oxfordshire. The couple settled into the parish of St Mary Aldermanbury. They raised at least thirteen children between 1590 and 1613.
Heminges's theatrical career began by 1593. Records show him working alongside Augustine Phillips for Lord Strange's Men. The following year both men joined the Lord Chamberlain's Men. This group later became known as the King's Men. Shakespeare wrote plays specifically for this company throughout their history. Heminges remained with them until his death on the 10th of October 1630. Privy Council records from that final year reveal he received £100. The money helped relieve the company during a period of plague. In August 1604 the actors served at Somerset House. They worked as grooms in the household of Juan Fernández de Velasco y Tovar. He was the Spanish ambassador holding the title Duke of Frías. These duties likely involved simple hired labor rather than special royal favor. The actors performed in magnificent households appointed for visiting dignitaries. No evidence suggests they received unique honors beyond standard employment wages.
Heminges maintained his role within the Grocers' Company while acting professionally. On the 13th of December 1608 he became one of ten seacoal-meters for London. Citizens held these appointments to measure coal imported into the city by sea. He soon took John Jackson on as his deputy. Both men acted as trustees when William Shakespeare purchased the Blackfriars Gatehouse in 1613. Between 1595 and 1628 Heminges accepted ten apprentices under the Grocers' Company rules. Eight of those apprentices appear to have performed for Heminges's theatrical company. Alexander Cooke was one such apprentice who played both boys and adult roles. Heminges also built and operated a taphouse located directly at the Globe Theatre. This business venture intertwined his commercial interests with his stage career. Legal documents discovered by American researcher Charles William Wallace mention his name repeatedly. These records detail lawsuits regarding shares left to beneficiaries without regard for company welfare. In the case known as Heminges v Ostler, his daughter Thomasina sued him over a share of the company. Surviving records do not specify the final outcome of that suit. His shares in both the Globe and Blackfriars theatres passed to his son William upon death.
Heminges died in October 1630 within Southwark. He received burial at St Mary Aldermanbury parish church on the 12th of October 1630. His will requested interment close to his wife Rebecca. Richard Burbage and Henry Condell appeared alongside him in Shakespeare's will. Each man received 26 shillings and eightpence to buy mourning rings. Burbage died before the publication of Shakespeare's First Folio. Heminges and Condell became credited contributors to the book instead. They wrote a preface titled To the great Variety of Readers. Their text stated they wished the Author himself had lived to oversee his writings. They also mentioned their own care and pain to collect and publish the works. Their editorial efforts preserved many plays that might otherwise have been lost. Jonathan Bate notes this work in his biography Soul of the Age. Paul Edmundson discusses their specific contributions in The Shakespeare Circle. These documents prove vital to understanding how Shakespeare's legacy survived into print.
The extent of Heminges's acting remains unclear to modern historians. He performed in Ben Jonson's Sejanus alongside Shakespeare. He also acted in Every Man in His Humour with the same playwright. An inscription from the 1616 Jonson folio lists him playing Corbaccio in Volpone. Nathan Field appears on the same list despite joining the King's Men only in 1616. This suggests Heminges continued acting at least intermittently into his fifties. Edmond Malone reported seeing his name associated with Falstaff. No other evidence substantiates this connection regarding the role. Claims later made by an actor to Alexander Pope lack supporting documentation. Court documents generally list Heminges as recipient of money due the company. Henry Herbert records indicate he sometimes served as contact between the group and Master of the Revels. He owned a structure abutting the Globe Theatre possibly used as an alehouse. His activities as manager remain better documented than his performances on stage.
Up Next
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When was John Heminges born and where?
John Heminges entered the world on the 25th of November 1566. His name appeared in the register of St Peter de Witton Church in Droitwich, Worcestershire.
What role did John Heminges play in Shakespeare's First Folio?
Heminges became a credited contributor to the book alongside Henry Condell after Richard Burbage died before its publication. They wrote a preface titled To the great Variety of Readers and collected the works that might otherwise have been lost.
How many children did John Heminges raise with Rebecca Knell?
The couple raised at least thirteen children between 1590 and 1613. They settled into the parish of St Mary Aldermanbury after their marriage.
Did John Heminges own property near the Globe Theatre?
Heminges built and operated a taphouse located directly at the Globe Theatre. He also owned a structure abutting the theatre possibly used as an alehouse.
When did John Heminges die and who buried him?
John Heminges died in October 1630 within Southwark. He received burial at St Mary Aldermanbury parish church on the 12th of October 1630.