Barmoor Farm Marlow Occupiers And History Timeline

Barmoor Farm 

Description= 2 miles from Marlow. In 1895= 295 acres with  farmhouse and 6 cottages. 1937 = 328 acres with house and 8 cottages. Consisted mostly then of pasture but also had a small wood and for plantation attached. Earlier a mixed farm. Farm no longer exists (it is under Booker Airfield).

1250 - a Barmoor Manor existed in Marlow which may be the origin of Barmoor Farm. It was seemingly a minor manor. First known mention of the farm as Barmoor Farm was in 1672.

Occupiers - these are not usually the same as the owners. Gaps in dates are current gaps in our knowledge=

1758 - part of the farmland (only) occupied by Moses Medwin.

1798 - Mr Brangwin 

1833 - 51 George Brangwin who was born Hambledon circa 1791, as was his wife Mary. The owner of the farm was then Sir William Robert Clayton. George also rented Red Barn Farm next door from the same owner.

1859 - 61 Isaac Wane son in law of George and Mary Brangwin. Wife Eliza. Isaac was born circa 1821 in Fairford Gloucestershire. He had previously been running Red Barn Farm for George Brangwin. Both Isaac and Eliza were members of the Salem Chapel in Marlow, entering that church in 1845.

1863 - 68 George Brangwin back in charge though Isaac Wane seems still to have been involved. He continued to rent Red Barn Farm too. George died in 1868 aged 75.

1868-82 Following the death of George Brangwin Isaac was back as the lead farmer and had the lease in his own name. In 1872 his daughter Clara passed the Cambridge Exam. She and her siblings had had the benefit of a governess who taught them French and more. Isaac's widowed mother in law Mary Brangwin also lived within his household. In 1868 James Faulkner labourer was convicted of poaching at Barmoor Farm and was fined 30 shillings. In default 1 month in prison. [Bucks Herald 1869 Feb 13th, British Library Archives via the BNA]. Isaac gave up the lease in 1882. He stayed at Red Barn until 1892 when he retired from farming altogether. He died circa 1893. More on Isaac and Red Barn here.

1882-95 James Elliott who also rented Red Barn Farm towards the end of that period. He was elected as one of the parish overseers in 1889. James made a significant income from growing mushrooms in his fields but struggled with thefts of them. Mushrooms were extremely popular in late Victorian England for making into the condiment mushroom ketchup as well as using in soups etc. In 1895 both farms were put up for sale by auction. James made a bid for Barmoor but it wasn't high enough. Red Barn Farm did not reach its reserve price. James's wife Elizabeth had died earlier that year aged 67. 

1897- 98 W Lee. He gave up the farm in 1898 and sold off his stock. This does not seem to have been substantial. He raised sheep.

1899- 1936 Thomas Lacey Morris born circa 1871. He occupied the farm until his death age 65. His wife was Emily. Owners and occupiers in one. Both were from West Wycombe according to the census. Their baby daughter Kathleen died at the farm in 1899. Another daughter Margaret married William Pinches of Field House / Pinches Farm in Marlow. Thomas bred and sold shire horses at the farm.

1937 - the house, farm and "sporting estate" of Barmoor put up for auction by the executors of Thomas Morris at the Crown in Marlow. It is sold for £10,500. 358 acres, a fir plantation, a wood, pasture land and eight dwellings.

1938 - the farm is used to film the film I Met A Murderer (originally intended to be called Deadwater) directed by Roy Killino and starring James Mason as a murderous farmer and Pamela Kellino as the woman he meets. The farm shire horses Boxer and Ronnie feature as plough horses in the film. Filming is difficult because of muddy conditions on the farm and the sheep running away from the strangers when they are meant to be in shot. The film is a low budget film noir. The owner of the farm is unknown to me but he was an owner occupier and advised on the accuracy of scenes of thatching shot on the farm. 

1939 - W Thomas. Later that year Watton Aviation Limited have the farm and it is to become part of the future Booker Airfield.

Compiled by Charlotte Day from research by both Charlotte and Kathryn Day.

Selected Sources=

William Page (ed). 1925. A History of Buckinghamshire (Victoria County History) Volume III. Volume 3. p74.

Census of England and Wales 1841-1901 transcribed from microfilm by Charlotte Day and Jane Pullinger.

The Aeroplane. (1939). United Kingdom: Temple Press.

Canadian Moving Picture Digest. Volume 30 (1938). Canada.

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0031464/ 

Shire Horse Stud Book. United Kingdom, n.p, 1932. English Cart Horse Society.

International Directory of Pedigree Stock Breeders. (1928). United Kingdom: Tillotsons Publishing Company.

Marlow Directory 1891 

Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire etc 1899 and 1939 editions published by Kelly's Directories Limited.

Duttons Directory of Buckinghamshire etc 1868.

May 28th 1937 edition of the Bucks Advertiser (sale of Barmoor).

Barmoor sale catalogue=

https://testslbuckinghamshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SETLVL=&BRN=558967

Country Life, 26th June 1937. 

Maidenhead Advertiser 27th October 1886 (mushroom theft problem).

Parish surveyors notebooks for 1833 and 1834 in my possession.

GRO death and marriage registrations online

Private letters.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use our research for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog.

Grave Charlotte Dyall

 

Grave in the town cemetery of Charlotte Dyall who died aged 60 in September 1922.

Probate records show she left a will with Eliza Ann Dyall the main person mentioned in it. "England and Wales, National Index of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1957", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPLC-NC64 : Sun Mar 10 15:24:49 UTC 2024), Entry for Charlotte Dyall and Eliza Ann Dyall, 13 October 1922.

Photographed October 2020.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use this image for family or local history purposes, with credit to this blog.

Will of Benjamin Griffin Esq 1761

 Will written and proved in 1761

Of Great Marlow. Says is indisposed of body but sound of mind and memory. 

Asks to be buried in whatever parish he dies in and that funerary expenses should not exceed £50. 

Gives all wearing apparel both linen and woollen to his manservant Benjamin Beaver. If Benjamin is still living with him at time of testator's death he gets £100 too.

To all other servants living with him at time of death £10 each over and above any wages due to them.

All freehold messuages, tenements, lands and hereditaments with their appurtenances in Great Marlow to kinsman Samuel Norman of Henley on Thames Oxfordshire and his heirs in trust for benefit of testator's nephew William Griffin son of his brother Nathaniel. He is to get annuity of ten pounds to be paid out in quarterly installments that is 25th march, 24th June, the 29th September and and the 25th December. First payment to be made on the first of those days occuring after his death. Also trust to pay yearly sum of £20 from profits of these messuages etc towards the maintenance of kinsman Benjamin Griffin Jackson son of testator's niece Hester Jackson paid in such manner as the said Samuel Norman shall feel most fit and proper for him until he reaches the age of 21 at which time the £20 annual payment for the benefit of Benjamin Griffin Jackson shall cease and he will get the property instead. That is the messuage or tenement with outhouses, gardens and appurtenances in Great Marlow in testator's own occupation (which was lately two tenements) discharged of the annuity to nephew William Griffin.

 If Benjamin Griffin Jackson shall die before the age of 21 Samuel Norman to convey the property to the testator's brother Nathaniel and his heirs (in trust that they will discharge the estate of the aforementioned £10 and £20 legacies and pay all charges and repair costs pertaining to the property and all costs arising from the execution of the trust vested in the hands of Samuel Norman) and pay over all the "overplus rents and profits" to Nathaniel and his heirs. From them on the aforementioned annuities shall cease.

To nephew John Griffin eldest son of brother Nathaniel and his heirs all messuages or tenements with outhouses and hereditaments in Oakingham Berkshire. These are lately purchased from John Hibbert and are now in the occupation of the said John Griffin or his under tenants or assigns. John also to receive £1000 within 12 months of testator's death. Interest is not to be paid to him in the meantime.

Brother Nathaniel and Samuel Norman, their heirs and executors to receive £10,000 in trust to be invested. The profits and dividends from that investment to brother Nathaniel for the term of his life and then after his death to Nathaniel's son John and then the whole investment and it's profits to go to Samuel Norman himself and his heirs for their own use.

To the widow of brother Jacob Griffin an annuity of £10 for life split into half yearly payments. This to start within six months of testator's death. After the widow dies if testator's niece Hester Jackson is still alive she is to get the annuity instead. Hester is in any case to have her own £5 annuity free from all deductions. This is to be paid in twice yearly installments, beginning within 6 months of the testator's death. 

If Benjamin Jackson lives to 21 he gets £100 without any interest accrued before it is paid out. It is supposed however to be paid out immediately. If he does before 21 the money just to be considered part of the general estate of the testator.

Benjamin Beaver as mentioned above is to have £100 in trust for the maintenance, clothing and education of Mary Hawkins niece if Benjamin Beaver. Whatever is not spent at the time of her death goes to Benjamin Beaver or his executors or administrators.

All residual estate to brother Nathaniel and his heirs. Nathaniel and Samuel Norman to be executors of the will.

Witnessed by Richard ?Sincons?, John Wakeling, Richard Sutton.

Will transcribed and then summarized here from an original at the National Archives Kew by Charlotte Day and Kathryn Day.

Notes by Charlotte:

Benjamin was originally from Wokingham, the son of Ann (nee Gyles) and Benjamin Griffin, a mercer. Brother Nathaniel remained in Wokingham. Samuel Norman of Henley was the testator's maternal cousin. The widow of Jacob Griffin as mentioned in the will was Elizabeth. 

Benjamin Griffin Jackson appears in an interesting Old Bailey case concerning whether keeping someone in poor prison conditions could constitute murder if that someone died. It is available on the Old Bailey Online website here. See also another related case on the same website here and yet another linked case amongst the Justices' Papers on the London Lives Website here. 

Some of this family were Baptists.