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Shakespeare’s birthplace nearly shipped to US by Barnum
William Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon was nearly bought by American showman P.T. Barnum in 1847 and shipped to New York as a theme-park attraction. The Times of India reports that Barnum wrote…
The Story in Brief
William Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon was nearly bought by American showman P.T. Barnum in 1847 and shipped to New York as a theme-park attraction. The Times of India reports that Barnum wrote in his 1855 memoirs that he dispatched an agent with cash to buy the Henley Street house. A committee including Charles Dickens raised £3,000 through donations and a bank loan to outbid Barnum at a public auction on September 16, 1847.
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust now owns and runs the house as a museum and international literary landmark. Prince Albert donated £250 to the purchase fund. Barnum had visited Stratford in 1844 while touring Europe with his show, which drew 400,000 visitors a year.
The Indian Opinion
The story is often told as a narrow escape from Yankee commercialism, but that side misses the point. Barnum and the Stratford committee were both showmen, one wanted the house for a theme park, the other for a literary shrine. Each saw value in the same relic. The real test is whether the trust that bought it for £3,000 can keep the house relevant without turning it into a Barnum-style attraction itself. How many of today's visitors actually read a play after the selfie?
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
