   philip henslowein his lifetime, "henslowe was spelled 'henslowe' or 'hinshley' (and variations thereof) with no apparent rhyme or reason. in a single document (the 1587 deed of partnership with john cholmley) the name is spelled 'hinshley,' 'henslow,' and 'hinshleye'; henslowe himself sometimes signed his name 'henslow,' sometimes 'hensley'..." david kathman. "the spelling and pronunciation of shakespeare's name: pronunciation." (c. 1550 â 6 january 1616) was an elizabethan theatrical entrepreneur and impresario. henslowe's modern reputation rests on the survival of his diary, a primary source for information about the theatrical world of renaissance london. he was portrayed by actor geoffrey rush in the academy award-winning film shakespeare in love. ==life== henslowe was born in lindfield, sussex, of a family with roots in devon. his father, edmund henslowe, was appointed master of the game for ashdown forest, sussex, from 1539 until his death in 1562. before edmund hensloweâs death, his daughter margaret had married ralf hogge, an ironmaster who had risen from humble roots to operate his own mills. henslowe maintained links with sussex throughout his life, through his business interests and his family, most of whom lived there. by the 1570s, henslowe had moved to london, becoming a member of the dyers' company. henslowe is recorded working as assistant to henry woodward, reputed to be the bailiff of viscount montague, owner of cowdray house and battle abbey in sussex. henslowe married woodwardâs widow, agnes, and from 1577 lived in southwark, opposite the clink prison. his elder brother edmund, a merchant, also owned property in southwark. it was at one time assumed that his wife's inheritance gave henslowe his start in business, but there is no evidence for this. his success at business appears to have brought him some social prominence. by the early 17th century, he was a vestryman, churchwarden and overseer of the poor in st saviourâs ward in southwark. during the reign of elizabeth i, he was a groom of the chamber. under james i, he served as a gentleman sewer of the chamber. henslowe also served as a collector of the lay subsidy. henslowe died in 1616 in london, still actively involved in the theatre. ==business interests== henslowe developed extensive business interests, including dyeing, starch-making, pawn-broking, money lending and trading in goat skins. he owned property in east grinstead and buxted, sussex, where his brother-in-law, ralf hogge, lived. b
1550s_births 1616_deaths 16th-century_English_people 17th-century_English_people British_drama Burials_at_Southwark_Cathedral English_businesspeople English_diarists Impresarios People_from_Lindfield,_West_Sussex People_of_the_Tudor_period Theatre_in_England