Hello,
I'm not actually a Canning, but I'm studying English at the University of
Pennsylvania with a particular interest in the history of the book and print
culture. I recently did some research on a 1613 Canning family Bible that
contains some very interesting forged signatures of various members of
Shakespeare's fmaily. The book was once owned by the bibliographer G.R.
Redgrave (whose interesting note from the fly-leaf I reproduce below) and prior
to that, was apparently the family bible of the Canning family of Stratford.
Unfortunately, I have been unable to find much information on the Cannings of
Stratford and was wondering whether anyone here knew anything about the
family. I am in London through August 12th and was contemplating coming up to
Stratford and Warrwick early next week to do some digging at the record offices
there, so if there are any members of this list who are from that family, I'd
love to meet and learn what I can about the family's and the bible's history.
I'd also be hapy to share by email with anyone who'se interested the
preliminary paper I wrote on the book, as well as a number of interesting scans
of the relavent pages.
Many thanks,
Tom Lay
Redgrave's note on the flyleaf of the Canning Bible:
Sum ex libris.
Gilbert R. Redgrave
London.
March 1886.
Note
This bible was presented to me by Mr. Charles
Canning of Stratford on Avon. In the accompanying
letter he tells me that it has been handed down
in his family for many generations and that it is
known to have belonged to John Shakespeare the
brother of the poet whose name it bears. With this
valuable book, Mr. Canning gave me the Worcester
China transfer-printed Mug, which was indeed used
by David Garrick to pledge the memory of Shakespeare
at the Jubilee at Stratford banquet in 1769. Also
some relics of Garrick.
G.R.R.