Description:A indenture between William Flavell of Coventry, cordwainer, and Thomas Shakespeare of Rowington and Thomas Shakespeare, his son concerning premises in Coventry.
Dated 13th November 1654, this clearly written document is an indenture, that is a legal contract that reflects a purchase or debt of obligation. In this case it is a marriage settlement and was an agreement between William Flavell, Thomas Shakespeare the elder and Thomas Shakespeare, his son concerning a settlement of property in Smythford Street on William Flavell's son Samuel Flavell, who was marrying Elizabeth Shakespeare, daughter of Thomas Shakespeare the elder.
The premises concerned were in Smythford Street in Coventry, once a main shopping street in the heart of the city. Following bombardment in the Second World War this area was redeveloped and the street was lost forever, being replaced by a shopping precinct.
A cordwainer is a shoemaker, that is someone who makes new shoes from new leather, as distinct from a cobbler, more accurately associated with mending existing shoes.
328878 DV 270