Shakespeare’s Ancestry Here in the Algarve

Finding out that the Algarve is host to Scott Kirk, the 13th great-nephew of William Shakespeare and a direct descendant of Joan, the Bard’s younger sister, is hugely exciting for a Shakespeare devotee like myself. I met with Scott, who now lives in the Algarve, to learn more.

Joan Shakespeare, whose married name was Joan Hart, was baptised on 15 April 1569 and buried on 4 November 1646. She is the only member of Shakespeare’s family whose known descendants continue the family line to the present day – hence the significance of Scott Kirk’s lineage, which is continued by his daughter Suzana. 

Scott is so proud of his famous heritage that he even has the family crest tattooed on his arm. He told me, “All three of my brothers have the Shakespeare coat of arms tattoo on our arms. At the time, we saw it more as a symbol of our immediate family. I only first realised it meant a lot more when I went to Stratford-upon-Avon and someone noticed it.”

Scott explained that, growing up, they were always aware of their ancestry, as the framed family tree was proudly hanging in the hallway entrance. After a snowball fight accidentally hit the family treasure and stained it, Scott painstakingly redid it in the same font, adding more recent descendants, including his daughter.This is now housed in the archives at Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon. 

Scott and his wife Dayane were in Brazil when they discovered they were going to have their first child, but returned to England, Scott’s home. 

Wanting to give their daughter the “greatest familial connection” from birth, they became volunteers at Mary Arden’s Farm, the home of Scott’s ancestral grandmother, Shakespeare’s mother. Waiting for their daughter’s safe arrival at the farm was, as Scott said, “a humbling experience, grounding me deeply to both my past and my future”. 

Suzana is Shakespeare’s 14th great-niece, so it was only natural that she was baptised in the same church as Shakespeare was buried in. She is even named after the Bard’s eldest daughter. 

The family then decided to continue their worldwide trip, travelling to India, Canada, the Bahamas, the United States and Brazil, all with Suzana in tow. Appreciating the dangers of Brazil with a young child, they were drawn to Portugal, as one of the safest countries in the world, perfect for family life with its beautiful beaches, Algarvian sunshine, good schools, and so much more.

Scott, an educationalist who has developed tools and games for schools for over 30 years, reflected, “One of my proudest achievements is the creation of 56 maths games, played by millions of children each year. It is games like these that enhance children’s minds.” However, since moving to Portugal and evaluating the property market, his focus quickly shifted from educational games to helping buyers purchase property. He has developed his own proptech company called BuyProperty.com, which is keeping him busy.

Scott is proud of Suzana, who is a gifted thespian with a natural stage presence. Despite being only 10 years old, her performances have already captivated audiences. On a recent return to Stratford-Upon-Avon for Shakespeare’s birthday celebrations, an annual event held around 23 April, Suzana was given the opportunity to perform by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and recited Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 in front of a crowd of visitors. The audience responded with “a rousing applause”.