The building on the left with the blue door was the site of Ann Washbourn(e)'s school for girls, giving both general education and specialist embroidery lessons from circa 1853. Ann was a real expert having been one of only two Marlow people in any profession to exhibit at the 1851 Great Exhibition. She showed children clothes which she had embroidered. In the school she was assisted by her sister Elizabeth. For a short time previously to this Elizabeth had been helping another sister of hers, Mary, to run a day school in the same premises.
You can find out about other historic Marlow schools including other West Street ones in my special schools post here.
In 1860 a 12 year old girl, perhaps herself a pupil, stole capes and hats from the pupils in the school.
As well as for a school the premises were used by Ann Washbourn(e) as a Christian Knowledge book repository and reading room.
Ann died in 1879, Elizabeth in 1889. Their sister Margaret had a relationship with and later married John Morris of the Morris drapers family of Marlow. A post showing the location of their premises and giving information about them and Margaret is available here.
After the death of Elizabeth Washbourn the premises were run briefly as a school for girls by Mary Pinson.
Occupying the other half of that building as it appears today was a butcher's shop which later expanded to fill the whole. This will form a separate post, time permitting.
The brick building operating as Mandarin Stone at the time of this picture (November 2020), was the site of John Sadler's butcher's shop in the 1830s and 1840s before it became a stationery shop ran by young widow Caroline Anthony from circa 1851 until her death following a lingering illness aged just 38 in 1862. This property was owned by the Hammond family. From 1852 she too was running a school for girls. She also sold books and decorative wallpaper.
The premises were put up for sale in 1859, with the fact that it had an "occasional room" fitted up as a school one of the property's selling points - along with a view over Quoiting Square. The rent was then £18 a year. The sale didn't effect Caroline's occupancy of the premises and she continued there until her death.
After that the contents of her house and business were sold including a pianoforte, mahogany and rosewood furniture and her school desks.*
Noah Bartlett had a grocery shop there by 1881 until after 1904 when two little boys stole a can of corned beef from out of his shop*. Noah was a member of the nearby Congregational church and supervisor of their Sunday School. His wife Ellen (née Coster) died in 1876 a little over a year into their marriage. However he seems to have remarried and had a family. Ellen is buried and has a visible gravestone in the graveyard of the church in Quoiting Square. See here for more posts related to the people of this church.
Later in Edwardian times Noah's premises became a cycle shop, one of at least two in West Street at the time.
The white building further right was a shoe and boot makers and will also have it's own post in future.
©Image and text Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to reuse either if you wish provided you credit this blog.
I identify occupancy by cross referencing property papers and surveys, wills, censuses (though properties are sadly not usually visited in them in strict order), photographs, adverts, letters, court cases and anything else I can.
*Report of sale South Bucks Free Press over several issues August 1862. Copy held at the British Library. Accessed by me via the BNA November 2020.
*South Bucks Standard 30th September 1904. Accessed as above.
Also consulted: GRO death Index online, Great Marlow Parish registers my old transcription from the originals, 1851 Great Exhibition Catalogue.
Image provided by Kathryn.
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