Hamnet Shakespeare

Hamnet was, by 1599, the only son of William Shakespeare. He was taken by the Black Death (TV: The Shakespeare Code) at the age of 11, (PROSE: A History of Humankind) while his father was away. His passing caused Shakespeare to question the futility of his own existence. (TV: The Shakespeare Code)

Hamnet, and his twin Judith, were born in 1585 to William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway. He had an older sister named Susanna. (PROSE: A History of Humankind)

Shakespeare mentioned him, believing it was time he wrote a play about fathers and sons in his memory. Martha Jones questioned the name as Shakespeare would later go on to write a play called Hamlet. (TV: The Shakespeare Code)

Hamnet died in 1596. Upon their arrival in 1601 Shoreditch, the First Doctor, Barbara Wright, Susan and Ian Chesterton came across a gravestone marked "H.S.", with a quote from Shakespeare's King Lear, and with 1596 marked as the date of death. Ian and Barbara suspected it might be Hamnet's. (AUDIO: The Hollow Crown)