A WINSFORD historian has published a new book looking at the life of a Cheshire woman who could have been 'Shakespeare's Dark Lady'.
Since retiring from a career in public services, Tony Bostock, who lives in the Swanlow area, has written more than a dozen books on the county's history.
And in his latest publication, 'Queen Elizabeth I's Maid of Honour and Shakespeare' Dark Lady', Tony takes a look at the life of Mary Fitton.
The identity of Shakespeare's Dark Lady, referred to in a number of his sonnets, is a topic of much debate, however Tony believes Mary is that woman.
He said: “I was rather intrigued that Mary could be the 'Dark Lady' of Shakespeare’s sonnets, which I then started investigating.
“I am quite convinced that she is the 'Dark Lady, and I wanted to tell her story, because she had such an incredible and interesting life."
Mary Fitton was born in 1578 in the village of Gawsworth and grew up to become a confident, intelligent and vivacious young woman.
Tony's book chronicles her life as a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I and many of the gentlemen of her court.
Before her death in Perton, Staffordhire, in 1641, Mary's eventful life saw her engage in numerous affairs, one of which resulted in a pregnancy and a threat of being imprisoned in the Tower of London.
Unlike other books and articles, which refer to the academic arguments about her and Shakespeare's Sonnets, Tony's concentrates on her life as a maid of honour, mistress, wife, and mother.
The book features 23 images, including three of Mary, and the book summarises some of the arguments for and against her candidacy as Shakespeare's 'Dark Lady', concluding she is the most likely contender.
Since his retirement, Tony devotes his time to researching, writing and lecturing on local history, genealogy, and heraldry.
He added: “The research for all my work is done on the Cheshire Archives at Chester, because they hold all of the ancient documents.
“I’ve had an interest in Cheshire history since I was at school when I started to look at my own family history, and realised my family was linked to a lot of Cheshire history."
Tony's latest work is available from Pen & Sword, and on Amazon Books, where you can also find most of his other books.
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