American Toby Jug Museum 

William Shakespeare & Anne Hathaway thimbles produced by Francesca China of Longton, England, circa 1985. William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is usually considered the greatest dramatist the world has known, as well as the finest poet who has written in the English language. No other writer's plays have been produced so many times in so many countries, and no poet's verse has been so widely read. His works have been translated into more languages than any book except the Bible. Anne Hathaway (1556-1623) was the wife of William Shakespeare, an English poet, playwright and actor. They were married in 1582, when Hathaway was 26 years old, and Shakespeare was 18. She outlived her husband by seven years. Very little is known about her life beyond a few references in legal documents. Her personality and relationship to Shakespeare have been the subject of much speculation by many historians and writers.