W. H. Stevenson facts for kids

William Henry Stevenson (born September 7, 1858 – died October 22, 1924) was an English historian. He was known for his work on Anglo-Saxon England, which is the history of England from about 450 AD to 1066 AD. He often wrote under the name W. H. Stevenson.

Stevenson was born in Nottingham and went to school in Hull. When he was young, he worked as a researcher for the local government in Nottingham. He also wrote articles for a history magazine called the English Historical Review. He spent many years studying old official documents called charters. In 1898, he gave special talks at Cambridge University about how official papers were made in Anglo-Saxon times.

A Famous Historian

William Henry Stevenson was one of the first important experts in Anglo-Saxon history. His most important work was his 1904 book about Asser's Life of King Alfred. This book was about the famous King Alfred the Great.

Between 1892 and 1908, Stevenson also edited many volumes of old government records. These records were kept at the Public Record Office. He helped organize and summarize many old letters and documents.

From 1904 until he passed away, Stevenson was a special member and librarian at St John's College, Oxford. He also helped and taught another famous historian named Frank Stenton. One of Stevenson's greatest strengths was that he knew many old languages perfectly. This skill was very helpful for his research into ancient texts.

Shakespeare's Connection

In 1905, Stevenson made an exciting discovery. He was looking through old records at Belvoir Castle. He found proof that in March 1613, William Shakespeare and Richard Burbage were paid for a special job. Richard Burbage was a famous actor who was also good at painting.

They each received forty-four shillings in gold. This was a good amount of money at the time. Their job was to create and paint a special symbol for the Earl of Rutland. This decorative symbol was for a big celebration and competition. It was held later that month at Whitehall in London. The event celebrated King James I becoming king ten years earlier. This happened just a few months before the famous Globe Theatre burned down during a play.