William Golding born 1597 and christened at St Leonard – Shoreditch – Middlesex – England

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William Golding, probably born in January 1597 (or December 1596), was christened at St Leonard, Shoreditch, Middlesex, England in January of 1597.

His father is listed in the parish registry as Edward Golding. I have not been able to learn more about the family.

Golding - William - 1597 Jan - son of Edward Golding - christened St Leonard - Shoreditch - Middlesex - England
Excerpt of entry for 1597 christenings.
William Golding appears about 3/4 of the way down on the leftside page of the St Leonard parish book shown below.

Golding - William - 1597 Jan - son of Edward Golding - christened St Leonard - Shoreditch - Middlesex - EnglandLife when William Golding was born, 1597

From Wikipedia:

In 1576 James Burbage built the first playhouse in England, known as ‘The Theatre’, on the site of the Priory (commemorated today by a plaque on Curtain Road, and excavated in 2008. Some of Shakespeare’s plays were performed here and at the nearby Curtain Theatre, built the following year and 200 yards (183 m) to the south (marked by a commemorative plaque in Hewett Street off Curtain Road). It was here that Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet gained ‘Curtain plaudits’ and where Henry V was performed within ‘this wooden O’. In 1599 Shakespeare’s Company literally upped sticks and moved the timbers of ‘The Theatre’ to Southwark at expiration of the lease to construct The Globe. The Curtain continued performing plays in Shoreditch until at least 1627.

The suburb of Shoreditch was attractive as a location for these early theatres because it was outside the jurisdiction of the somewhat puritanical City fathers. Even so, they drew the wrath of contemporary moralists as did the local:

“… base tenements and houses of unlawful and disorderly resort’ and the ‘great number of dissolute, loose, and insolent people harboured in such and the like noisome and disorderly houses, as namely poor cottages, and habitations of beggars and people without trade, stables, inns, alehouses, taverns, garden-houses converted to dwellings, ordinaries, dicing houses, bowling alleys, and brothel houses.” (Middlesex Justices in 1596 cited in: Schoenbaum 1987: 126)

Other Goldings associated with this parish

Walter GOLDING was born in 1831 in Boxted, Suffolk, England. He was baptised on 23 July 1831 in Boxted, Suffolk, England. He was a Farmer of 110 acres employing 3 men in 1861 in Cross Green, Cockfield, Suffolk, England. He was a Dealer in 1864 in Lawshall, Suffolk, England. He was a Farmer in 1867 in Lawshall, Suffolk, England. He was an Agricultural Labourer in 1881 in Milden, Suffolk, England. He died on 24 February 1915. He was buried after 24 February 1915 in Beck Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk, England. Parents: Edward GOLDING and Mary Ann VINCE.

He was married to Georgina DEEKS on 31 March 1859 in Bradfield Combust, Suffolk, England.

He was married to Eliza Ann GLADWELL on 3 Jun 1863 in St Leonard’s parish church, Shoreditch, London, Middlesex, England. Children were: Harry Golding GLADWELL, William Golding GLADWELL, Priscilla Mary GOLDING, Arthur John GOLDING, George Edward GOLDING, Ellen GOLDING, Kate Martha GOLDING, Ernest Albert GOLDING, Walter Gladwell GOLDING.

St Leonards as it looks today (foto 2006). The parish suffered a ‘great fire’ in 1666 and this version of the church was built in 1700s. (Foto from Wikipedia)

1746 Survey of St Leonard Parish

St Leonard  Parish 1746 layout - Shoreditch - Middlesex - England
Explore St Leonards as it existed in 1746. The British Library has created a zoomable map of the parish inventory of buildings and the community as it existed in 1746.
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