The surprising early history of the Masonic Centre, Marlow part 2

 This is the second part of the story of the curious building currently known as the Masonic Centre in St Peter Street Marlow. As mentioned in part one here , it was originally built and licensed as a place of worship for a break away group of worshippers from the Salem Chapel. We've passed through its history as a lecture hall, girls school, Music Room and cinema and now we are resuming the story in the time of the First World War. It was then usually known as the Public Hall and it's owned by a small company of Marlovians. 

Jerome K Jerome treads the boards 

As previously mentioned the building had a stage at one end right from the start. While that may have been intended as a platform for speakers and preachers, for the last half century at least it had been more commonly used by musicians, artistes and actors. One such was the author and playwright Jerome K Jerome who lived at Marlow Common. In 1914 he put on his play "Robina in search of a husband" at the Public Hall. Jerome filled one part while his daughter Rowena reprised the lead role that she had previously performed at London theatres. Other cast members were mostly local amateurs. The performance was a great success and raised funds for the Marlow Cottage Hospital and the Marlow cricket and lawn tennis clubs. 

At this point retiring rooms for both ladies and gentlemen and lavatories had been added to the hall facilities. 

During the First World War 

During the war, the hall put on a number of entertainments by troops stationed at the Bovingdon Green and Marlow Common area camps - sometimes in aid of their YMCA tent, sometimes to benefit local causes or military charities.* Most of the soldiers housed locally would have been familiar with the hall partly for this reason. But it was also used by locals as a space to show their gratitude for the men passing through. At Christmas 1916 local fundraisers organised two free smoking concerts in the hall. Some 90% of the men in camp at Marlow would get no festive home leave that year. All those attending were given some cigarettes and the hosts even managed to rustle up some Christmas puddings to share. Let's hope it provided some happy memories in the dark days ahead. 

Between the wars 

Although these events stopped the hall falling into disuse, the number of regular bookings dwindled to a trickle. Too many men were absent to keep up the kind of clubs and societies that used to fill the hall with their concerts and shows. As a result when the war was over the directors and shareholders of the Marlow Public Hall Co found their finances in dire straights. They decided to put the freehold up for auction in 1919 but unfortunately there were zero bids. So the directors decided to carry on but there were frequent reports that the company would be happy to receive offers for the same. In 1922 they approached the urban district council to see if they'd like to buy the freehold. They said no, the town coffers could not afford such a scheme. 

In 1935 the hall was opened for use by the Marlow lodge of the Freemasons. They had been present in Marlow for some time before this - for many years their lodge room was upstairs at the Institute, now Marlow library. Local groups such as the St Martin's Players felt the loss of the only public building with a proper stage and dressing rooms. They were forced to use the much more cramped facilities of the Church Hall in the Causeway - until what is now Liston Hall was secured and later adapted for plays. (In 1935 the future Liston hall was about to be adapted for use as the library and labour exchange. It had recently housed the Salvation Army while their new citadel was being built.) 

In World War Two 

During the war the Freemasons made their hall readily available to help various groups in the town connected to the war effort. 

At first it's main use was as a recieving centre for evacuees and as emergency accomodation, under the supervision of Chief Billeting Officer and boys school head Victor G Kibblewhite. Some of those arriving with their families were voluntary evacuees, eg those not arriving under a government scheme. Victor had a difficult job in finding accommodation for all and although he was required to provide for them for only two days, many were forced to stay in the hall longer. 

The hall also housed the Infant Welfare Centre but this was forced out when it was decided to start a Bucks County Council "War Nursery" there in 1941. Operating from 7.30am to 6.30pm six days a week the nursery catered for about 25 children of women who were engaged in war work. Or who would be prevented from "doing their bit" by child care difficulties. The youngsters were provided with their own little overalls to wear and were given three meals a day plus a simple cot to sleep in.

Written by Kathryn Day 

Related Posts:

Life for the soldiers at Bovingdon Green Camp in World War One here

Will of George Gordon 1825

 George Gordon of Beech Lodge Great Marlow, written 1814 proved 1825 by which time he had moved to Great Milton Oxfordshire.

A very long will which is summarized here.

All debts, funeral and probate expenses to be paid.

Appoints trustees his dear brother James Gordon paymaster of His Majesty's 2nd regiment of foot, John Elmslie Esquire senior of B...Street, Oxford Street, Middlesex [London] and Charles Forbes Esquire of Fitzroy Square Middlesex [London]. They are to sell his house at Red Pits Marlow [Beech Lodge] and the land and appurtenances belonging to it by private sale or public auction for the best possible price, separately or in one lot.

They also get in trust all his moneys (including the house sale profits), debts, securities for money, stocks and funds and any residual property of his not left to  anyone elsewhere in the will. This is also all to be sold for profit. All monies realized from this lot to be invested and the profits to go to his dear wife Jane while she remains unmarried for the maintenance and education of his children while they are under 21 [who are not individually named]. If she remarries and has not previously appointed someone to receive these profits in her place for the children or if she dies without leaving a will or other instructions as to the same then the trustees take over this aspect [e.g they keep the money and use it themselves for the children's care]. When the children reach 21 or earlier if they marry they themselves get equal shares of the money.

Jane gets £200 for her own immediate needs as soon as possible after her husband's death. She also gets all the household goods and implements, furniture, plate [silverware], trinkets, wearing apparel, pictures, china,glass, wine, liquors,and linen in his house at his death except his watch which is to go to his eldest son (not named).

Executors of the will his wife while she remains unmarried and the trustees. She is guardian to the children while married, otherwise the trustees.

Witnessed by Roland (Wimburn?) of Chancery Lane, George Spence his clerk, and John James Webb.

Codicil written 1814=  trustee John Elmslie has died so in his place James Elmslie of [place left blank] is appointed in his place. Also specifies that his wife I'd to get the investment profits in quarterly payments. The executors are each to receive £20 for a ring. Testator signed but had no witnesses.

Second Codicil 1824= testator is now of New Milton Oxfordshire. If the investment profits amount to more than £1000 a year the excess is to be divided between his children. Once again there were no witnesses to this codicil.

At a probate hearing Roland Wimburn? and Adam Wallace Elmslie appeared to swear to the authenticity of the handwriting and signature of the deceased in the submitted will and codicils. They say that they went to the house of .... Cruickshank after the death of the testator with testator's daughter Jane Gordon and retrieved the submitted will and codicils from a portmanteau. It is not explained why these papers were in Cruickshank's possession.

Transcribed and then summarised from a will at the National Archives, Kew by me Charlotte Day.

Note:

George Gordon was originally of Banffshire Scotland.

Jane his widow died in London in 1867, aged 83, never having remarried. She was the daughter of John Elmslie Esquire, probably the deceased trustee mentioned in the will. George and Jane's daughter Jane married John Wallace Harris and died of scarlet fever in 1842. On the same day her daughter Charlotte succumbed to the same disease, as did days later her son Harry. Source= The Patriot, 10th October 1842, British Library Archives accessed via the BNA.

Beech Lodge was already let to others by 1819 and it looks like the then tenants went on to buy it after George Gordon's death.

©Marlow Ancestors. 

Andrewes Grave Marlow Cemetery

In Marlow cemetery - Walter Ford Andrewes - born in Reading March 12th 1854, died in London May 24th 1923. 

"Two things stand like stone, kindness in another's trouble, courage in your own" 

ALSO OF:

Francis Mary Louise, his dear wife. Died June 20th 1950 age 79

Note Walter was living at Beech House, Station Road when he died, and formerly was of Cromwell Cottage, Cromwell Gardens. He was a retired director of Consolidated Goldfields of South Africa. 

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For other grave images see the index 

here

Index of posts about general Marlow history here

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