New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-23
A STAFFORD CHRONICLE.
VARIOUS AFFAIRS IN sHAKESpEARES TOWN.
RESTORATION OF THE GUILD HALL-cHASGEs
AT THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES ELY PALACE
PORTRAIT OF sHAKEsPEARE-RELIcs
OF OLD sTRATFoRD-THE SHAKE
sPEARE JUG AND CANE



Stratford-upon-Avon July 81.
The ancient Guild Hall at Stratford is TO be
restored, as TO its exterior at the expense and
under the direction of Charles Edward Flower,
already the chief benefacter of Shakespeare town.
The plaster upon that building, il has been ascer-
,ained, was placed there in 1906 Upon its re-
mOval the old timbers will be exposed to view,
and fne picturesque aspect of the structure will
he greatly enhanced. 1t is not proposed TO alter
The building. but only to relieve it Of dishgure-
peuts that have been foisted upon it in COM
parstiyely modern times The interior. in the
upper part of which the school Of Thomas Jolyffe
and Of Edward the Sixth is still maintained, re
mains substantially as il was when Shakespeare
went there, schoolboy On the walls of the
Council Chamber, row used as the head-master's
room, two frescoes of large roses have recently
been discovered-possibly commemorative OF the
close Of the wars of the roses in August, l465
One interesting relic Of the Shakespeare PERIOD
and indeed, of a much earlier period-must, prooa-
bly, be sacrificed. That relic Is the old
cottage in the rear Of the Unld
Bal which is known as "The Schoolmasters
House and in which lived Walter Roche, who
il is believed was ShakeSpeare's teacher His
Signature, exceedingly rare. Is on deed OF 1878,
relative TO a tenement in Ely-st., Stratford, pre-
served in the precious collection made
BIZ the late T. o. Halliwell- Phillips This cottage
has suffered so much, beneath the ravages of time,
that il is little better than q wreck. The chapel
Of the Guild also stands in need of careful restora
ton but when that building is touched, the most
careful and reverent care should be taken to pre-
serve intact the aspect Of venerable majesty
which now makes il one Of the most impressive
characters in England Fortune favors the an
tieuary. in this instance, because the clergyman
who presides over the Guild the head-master of
the grammar school. the Rev R. 5. DeCourcy
Iafair-is a scholar. Shakespearean, and man
Of feeling and taste and it is certain that in this
building no such desecration will be permitted
IS that which has despoiled the church of Shake
speare's sepulchre
Mr. Joseph Skipsey. the Newcastle poet, who
IN the summer Of 1889 succeeded Miss Maria |
Chataway as custodian of the Shakespeare Birth |
place. has resigned that Office and will withdraw |
from il at the end of October. Mr. Skipsey in |
tends 10 return to Newcastle and 10 devote him |
self exclusively 10 literary pursuits. No true sue
cessor TO the Chataway sisters has been found. or
is likely 10 he found for the office of custodian of
this venerable and interesting house. The Chat
away sisters il will be remembered, retired from
their post in June, 1889, after seventeen years of
service. The elder. Miss Maria, who held the
Office was seventy-eght years old the younger
Miss Caroline was seventysX II was Miss Caroline
who usually escorted the visitor through the prn-
cipal rooms and told, in such a quantity character
istic way the story of the building as = relic of
Shakespearean days and il certainly seems not like
" that any body else win ever tell the tale so well
The Chataway sisters, leaving the Shakespeare
Birthplace. took up their abode in a cosey house in
the road from StratfOrd TO Warwick Miss Caroline
still lives there Miss Maria Chataway died on
January 81 1891 TIE entire duties of superin-
tending the cottage VIII devolve upon the excel
sni librarian and antiquary, Richard Savage
TR assistants, at present, are Mr.. Baker and Mr.
Auscle
Neither the Mary Arden cottage nor the Alice
hathaway cottage has yet been bought by the
directors OF =" the Amalgamated Trusts of Shake
cares Birthplace. the Museum and New Place.
'oth OF those buildings ought TO be purchased, in
rder that they may be preserved forever among |
ne Shakespeare shrines The Arden cottage was
be home of the poets mother: the Hathaway cot.
lse was the home of his wife. Both are in a
ecayed condition from great age No argument
i0uid be needed to prove that they ought TO be
wed. Ibe owner of the Hathaway cottage de- g
ands fancy price for it, and this for the present
ops the way of a sale The trustees of tho
r'hpiace' however, are authorized by a re-
mt act of Parliament. TO use the funds I
lat have accumulated in their hands for tbe a
lrchase Of other Shakespearean property. and no {
'ubt they would buy the Arden and Hathaway ;,
buses if they could buy them upon obIe h
rITs Mrs. Baker continued to reside in rho ii
athaway house and 70 show the ancient bod =
cad and furniture, the dresser and the wansco+ i
e settle and the fireplace, with which il is he g
eved that Shakespeare and his Annie were lone t
ID pl5 asantly familiar Ms. Bakers lineage, as the t
scendant and representative of the Hathaway .
mily of Shakespeares time, Is interesting. and c
Is set down as follows in her old family Bible ?
Susan Hathaway. William Taylor. r
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