William Shakespeare was born on April 23rd, 1564 in Stratford upon Avon. He was baptized on April 26th. He was the third child and first son of John and Mary Shakespeare. John Shakespeare was a whittawer, a maker of leather goods. He was also a prominent man in Stratford. William attended the Stratford King’s Grammar School where boys were taught basic reading and writing. William married Anne Hathaway of Stratford on November 28th, 1582 when Anne was 26 years old.