If your ancestors lived in Marlow at any point up to the early Edwardian era, Marlow Fair would likely have figured largely in their lives. The fair was an old one, but this post isn't the story of the granting of charters and the like. Instead we want to concentrate on describing what living in the town was like when the fair arrived, and what it was like to visit the event. There was also a May Fair but this post is concerned with the October event, which survived the longest.
Originally held on October 18th, St. Luke's Day, it was extended to 3 days and then reduced to 2 in the 1770's, by which time it had also moved date to October 29th. It moved back to a 3 day event at the end of it's life.
Most of the descriptions we have of the fair come from the last decades of it's existence when many considered it had become an embarrassing anachronism not least because it was held in the town centre streets. These descriptions were given mainly by those who wanted to abolish the event, the councillors and journalists whose day job as town centre traders left them with little love for the fair. Reading these, it can leave you with the impression that the fair was so despised that the showman and traders travelled great distance to attend an event in tumbleweed strewn streets, watched perhaps by pickpockets and drunks with everyone else staying home waiting for the horror to be over. In reality, traders kept coming back because trade was good, and while the original purposes of the fair may have changed, business was brisk enough. I hope to make this description as balanced as possible and also give a voice to those who looked forward to October 29th with more joy than trepidation, using original sources.
Surviving images of the fair leave no doubt that it was disruptive to traffic, with booths and caravans or "vardos" lining the streets. It occupied the High Street, Causeway, West Street, Quoiting Square, Oxford Road, Spittal Street, Station Rd and Chapel Street, as well as Crown Meadow, or Riley Recreation Ground as we now know it. For traders in the High Street area, getting on with business during these few days was clearly going to be a problem. References to the unsanitary arrangements of the horse drawn caravans, who obviously had no plumbing, give an insight into another practical difficulty! Many of the traders got fed up with looking out of their shop windows on crowds spending their coin elsewhere, and with disruption putting off others from venturing out at all, several shut up their shops for the two days. Others took the precaution of boarding up their windows in areas where livestock was sold, in case a runaway beast should do any expensive damage. Horned cattle were eventually banned, and restrictions were also placed on the sale of pigs. Sheep feature mainly in pre Victorian descriptions if talking about large numbers of them, but they did continue to be traded throughout.
Those writing about the fair at the time often struggled to square the circle of their own opinion (the fair is dirty and disliked by all, trade is dull) and the contrary evidence before them. For example in 1898 we are told by the writer in the South Bucks Standard that the fair was opposed in all influential quarters and continued to "defy public opinion" by turning up at all. He hoped the event would soon die from indifference. However he also noted the streets were crowded on the first day despite heavy downpours and remained so until late at night. So many people making an effort to turn out in the rain to an event nobody wanted to go to! And despite saying trade was poor, he admitted almost all of the horses put up for auction found a buyer.
WHAT YOU COULD DO AT MARLOW FAIR
In its early incarnation the fair was there to allow the sale of farm stock and produce but there was always a pleasure element. Each day was technically devoted to the sale of certain categories but as time went on, this became more blurred. The first day was usually devoted to horses and cattle, and also formed a statute day for hiring of farm servants. If your ancestor was seeking a long term job on a farm, they would head to the fair, wearing a symbol of their skilled agricultural trade, or carrying a tool to indicate what they did. Farmers could then approach them, conduct an interview and conclude a legally binding arrangement for employment for a fixed term such as 6 months or a year. The hiring aspect tends to get mentioned most pre 1830's but there are plenty of examples of people gaining casual work there until the fairs street based end. Helping to erect or take down the booths or manage the horses were popular ways to earn a little extra.
Farmers and businessman travelled from all over the region to buy the horses and stock on offer. Marlow fair was regarded as somewhere to buy the very finest Welsh ponies and cobbs. In 1839 it was called "one of the first marts in England for the number, quality and superior breed of cart colts." The sellers could be more sure here of a good price and ready sale than almost anywhere else. Description of the trade done was considered worth reporting in the papers far and wide. In 1849, a good 2 year old colt would cost you between £32 and £35. Gradually trade decreased from this height but it was subject to lots of fluctuations reflecting the agricultural economy as a whole. It was still a place people met dispersed family - an annual family reunion for farming folk as one contemporary put it - describing how many attended in their best clothes.
Day two (and three when it existed) was for "all kinds of wares." Cheese, butter and hops get frequent mentions, along with toys and clothing in the late 18th and early 19th century. As the 19thc goes on, there were more side shows, rides and entertainments on offer, not to mention the traditional gingerbread and cake stalls. In the 1887 the goods for sale were summed up as "all things dear to the heart of little children." Another stall offered cheap art prints of the finest quality. Or so they said.
In 1892, a journalist reminiscing on Marlow Fairs past, noted it was once renowned for it's onion sales, with heaps of them to be seen in every direction. Vegetables also featured in vast quantities early on, less so later.
There was also a time when traders, especially smaller ones, welcomed the fair for other reasons - stocking up their own shop supplies. The South Bucks Standard Marlow guide of 1891 noted that the older inhabitants "still remember a time when the Gipsy dealers bought in large stores of all kinds of merchandise, which in great part provided the shop keepers with their goods for the year."
MENAGERIES AND MOVING PICTURES
George Stevens, a Marlow man who wrote a series of nostalgia pieces for the local press in the 1890s, reflected too on the 1840s fairs. He recalled the excitement of seeing Wombwell's Menagerie, complete with elephants and other wild animals. They paraded down Henley Road, proceeded by a band, a day before the fair proper. Setting up in Quoiting Square, the shows took place in a tent with Crown meadow used for some of the vehicles. Space must have been at a premium. The less well off probably seized the chance to catch a glimpse of the exotic beasts as they arrived, as admission was regarded as a bit more expensive than to other shows. (1 shilling in 1869, with reductions for those under 10.) Wombwells visited Marlow for decades, under different owners and had the distinction of claiming Royal patronage in the 1860's - they had exhibited before Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle twenty years before. It also visited outside of fair time, on a regular basis, usually setting up in Crown Meadow. The same can be said of some of the other attractions.
Wild animals unfortunately continued to pop up throughout the Victorian period, with a lion keeper in 1898 narrowly escaping with his life after a lioness attacked him. This man, Monsieur Viola, was part of Biddalls Menagerie this time using the Market Square. He recieved large lacerations to his torso and legs and his clothes were left in shreds. A surgeon was called and it seems he survived his injuries. (Incidentally Biddall's gave an entertainment at the 1890 fair in aid of the Marlow cottage hospital raising over £4 and Mr Bailey whose roundabouts filled the Causeway also made a substantial donation to the same cause in 1891, while Mrs Wilson, roundabout proprietor occupying Strong Beer Acre 1898 sent the entirety of her Friday afternoon takings to the same cause. This is just a selection of fundraising by the fair people occuring every year the late Victorian period. Mrs Wilson gave a generous charitable donation at every place she went to in fact.)
Quite how the farm animals felt with predators caged close at hand must be wondered at! (An account of the 1867 fair says the hugely popular Manders Menagerie "somewhat interfered with the cattle fair". ) The ponies were exhibited in Oxford Road, with cart horses in West Street and cattle and other livestock took up Crown Meadow. A separate auction of working animals and vehicles was carried on at the Crown, taking advantage of the gathered crowds. West Street was also the place to go for equestrian accessories stalls selling items such as whips.
Swing boat rides feature in 1840's descriptions and were still mentioned in the final fair to be be held in the streets in 1903. They were regarded then by some as a sort of nostalgic throwback to fairs of yore. Originally placed in Quoiting Square once the horse sales were over, they later tended to occupy spots in the Causeway and Spittal Square, or the Common Slough as that was then known. Plum spots were regarded as the Market Place and the Spittal Square, because they could house the larger and most exciting attractions.
Knife throwing acts were perpetual favourites, with Biddall's show in the Market Square regarded as the most popular attraction in 1892. (The show was also stationed in Spittal Square on occasion.) A lady stood in the traditional manner while knives were thrown - hopefully - around her outline. Breaks is another knife throwing entertainment that came to Marlow, also occupying Market Square. Biddalls also offered feats of "jugglery", and rope dancing performed by a young girl. An occasional waxworks joined the fun such as Sedgwick's Menagerie and Waxwork in 1889.
Travelling theatres featured heavily in the first three quarters of the 19thc eventually giving away to peep shows, cinematoscopes and moving picture shows. George Stevens, mentioned above, earned extra money by painting scenery for these theatres while they were in town. The theatres did not produce plays in the main, but included things like comic performances, and in 1838 a pipe smoking wheelbarrow wheeling monkey featured in William's theatre!
Here's an idea of some of the other attractions of 1880's fairs - In Quoiting Square was Taylor's Naval and Military warfare exhibition plus "Birds Galloping Horse Circus" while in Market Square you could encounter boxing booths, and see models of steam engines and silk machines shown by Mr Gregory. The Causeway was the place to go for Baileys Steam Circus while food stalls, photography tents and "cocoa nut throwing" booths popped up all over. A steam powered roundabout with "galloping horses" set up outside the George and Dragon in 1886 when it was the top attraction of that years event. In the 1890's there's more mention of steam powered roundabouts, as well as shows in booths, whose nature can be seen by the fact the public "were informed by printed placards that females would not be admitted." Apparently putting up these signs caused a rush of men to the shows concerned. The show people were clever marketers after all! Other peep shows included "The Horror of War" outside the Chequers in 1889, and an "Exhibition of Startling Events" in Market Square in the same year. In 1902 "animated photographs" joined the attractions. (Before Marlow got it's first cinema basic films were also shown at the Music Room in St Peters Street with special showings at times like Easter). In 1903 a bioscope is mentioned for the first time - more moving pictures.
Side attractions included "machines" to weigh you (best used before a visit to the sweet stalls), wheels of fortune, throwing at nine pins (to win a prize of a quantity of nuts) and darts competitions (hit the bullseye for a prize). All of these cost a penny a go in 1872.
Shooting Saloons were forbidden after 1887, after a bullet from one positioned in the Causeway during the summer regatta smashed a bedroom window in a house next to the George and Dragon, causing much alarm but no serious injuries. (Many of the rides that came to the fair also came for the Regatta, causing "great obstruction" around the Causeway with one roundabout also setting up in St. Peters Street. The council was much less vocal about this issue than the fair, despite the same proprietors attending both. If you see an old photograph labelled as Marlow Fair, have a look at bystanders costumes. If it's summer clothes, it's likely to be a photo of the rides attending the regatta rather than the late October Fair.)
One last performer to mention - an unnamed "wonderful man" who was born without arms but who nevertheless demonstrated his wood carving, neat letter writing and concertina playing abilities. This 1889 "act" could be found in West Street at the junction with Quoiting Square.
"A DELIGHT OF ANTICIPATION FOR YOUNG AND SOME OF THE OLD"
So is the fair described by George Stevens, looking back to the 1840's. He described the mounting sense of excitement as the date approached and the town began it's preparations. For some traders this meant stocking up on extra provisions to cater for the increased trade. Yes, for every shop that complained of a loss of income occasioned by the rival attractions outside, there were others who looked forward to a bumper few days trade. For example, in 1891 - the Messrs Myrton Bros had laid on "extra stock of provisions to deal with increased demand caused by visitors to Marlow fair" according to their advertising. And in 1896 Death the bakers of West Street advertised their special Marlow Fair ginger nuts and ginger buttons from 4d a pound with the very best quality a snip at 10d a pound - "rich, good, fresh".
Stevens also remembered speaking to a man named Gunnell who had been born in Marlow in 1770. This man had seen George Alexander Gratton, known as "the Spotted Boy," exhibited at Marlow Fair by showman John Richardson who also came from Marlow. Little George Alexander had black and white mottled skin and had been bought by the showman. He died age approximately 4, and is buried in Marlow. This is one of several references I have seen to Richardson exhibiting in Marlow. A full post on young George is available here
TROUBLE AT THE FAIR?
The perceived influx of ne'er do wells into the Town come fair time was one of the reasons presented as a reason to close it down. Pre and early Victorian records show that pick pocketing and the use of counterfeit coins were a frequent problem although reports of both actually declined as time progressed. Thomas Wyatt discovered £8 worth of counterfeit coinage in his strawyard in 1827, supposed to have been intended for use at the fair. On the other hand, in 1838 the Reading Mercury reported that while the pickpockets had arrived in Marlow, the activities of the officers meant "we did not hear that they had much success." And again in 1865 there was not one recorded incident of robbery or pickpocketing.
In fact when the parish constables put in a claim for their attendance at the 1868 fair, much grumbling was made as to why they needed to be there at all - there were 9 members of the Bucks constabulary present after all and this was considered more than enough to keep order by the naysayers.
Those who had been seen to do a few good sales were at risk of being followed on their way home and robbed of their profits. An unnamed local farmer was relieved of £40 in banknotes and 9 guineas in gold coin in this way in 1797. However Constable Thomas Hackshaw was on the case and apprehended the culprits who were sent off to Aylesbury Gaol.
Fast talking salesman or "Street Jacks" offering poor quality goods or confidence tricksters plying their scams were also a feature, both of these said to move on quickly in order to avoid dissatisfied customers. And of course drunkenness was also to be found. But despite the impression given in late Victorian times, things seemed to get much tamer as time wore on. An especially busy fair in 1886 due to fine weather saw "no disturbances" while the show people were said to have behaved themselves perfectly. In 1892 the local papers reported that while extra police were on duty, there had been not a single arrest for pickpocketing or drinking. They reported the same in 1901, that extra police had not been "seen to be called upon in any requisite." A trawl through petty session records supports these eyewitness accounts of declining crime associated with the fair. Mostly it relates to drinking, and the magistrates often took the approach of letting non locals off the hook if they promised to leave town. Not quite the scene of crime that's lingered in the popular imagination! In fact just as many cases of drunkenness were bought before the magistrates at regatta time and far more at Christmas.
Many of the beer sellers applied for permission to open early on fair days and this was generally granted. This recognised trading could start early in the morning. The White Hart, Greyhound and Coach and Horses were three establishments you could generally rely on to be open should you wish to have an early pot of beer. Clearing the crowded pubs at 11pm was a little more tricky. When it was reported in 1872 that a number of boxing exhibitions would take place at fair time, with a predicted increase in "roughs" attending, the landlords of the Greyhound (George Abbott), the George and Dragon (James Tilbury) and some others applied to the magistrates for the police to be ordered to clear their premises for them just before 11pm. The magistrates thought they would have to ask the chief constable not them, and the latter thought such action unnecessary. They would have extra police on duty and would attend any premises having difficulty if their attention was bought to it. But the victuallers solicitor Ralph Spicer pointed out it was difficult to find a policeman on such a busy day. To no avail. No trouble was in fact reported at closing up time and the only reported crimes at any point were two picked pockets. Incidentally Ralph, who lived in West Street, and Quoiting Square right in the thick of fair action, was absolutely against any plans to suppress the event. He saw "no harm in it."
Another cause of complaint was the fact the fairground rides and accompanying organ music continued late into the night. It was suggested in 1898 that the fair men could be asked to cut off their music at 11pm rather than the early hours of the morning! It had been determined that the council probably did not have the power to make a bye law to restrict the noise however. In 1896 the residents of Market Square complained they had been kept awake all night by the roaring of wild animals at a nearby menagerie! A description of the fair from 1879 does make it sound hard on the ears. Most of the stall holders and showman were using "voice trumpets" to make their cries carry further and one man was also using a gong, drum, pipes and a horn. And then there were the barrel organs.
Other troubles, like perhaps striking a bad bargain are harder to trace. There were also a few minor accidents, mainly relating to rides and attractions. A little boy belonging to one of the fair people, aged 4 or so, run down by a waggon in 1892 is one unnamed example. He was last heard of doing as "well as may be expected." And then there was the freak accident that resulted in the death of a young servant, Elizabeth Townsend in 1886. Elizabeth was walking close to a "strength testing machine" when the man using it lifted the mallet to strike the target and accidentally struck her a blow on the temple instead. She was knocked senseless. Reports then vary as to what happened next. She was either carried still unconscious to the High Street home of her employer Miss Ralfs or she recovered sufficiently on the spot to walk away up the street until she met Dr Culhane who sent her home immediately. Sadly her wound was more serious than first suspected and nothing could be done for poor Elizabeth and she died soon afterwards. Although it was accepted that the man welding the mallet was not guilty of negligence, he had ran off after the accident and I do not believe he was identified. At the inquest it was suggested he was a person temporarily put in charge of the strength tester by its owner who did not know his employees name. The owner had visited Elizabeth before her death to express his sorrow at the incident.
Lastly there was the problem of litter left behind. Confetti sellers had become a feature of the fair in the last decade of its existence and they also attended the regatta. This obviously left some mess to clear up. As for the refuse left by the fair people themselves, the Rev Whittingstall* was one of the few to point out that they had no means of rubbish disposal available to them and no effort had been made to provide a solution.
CLANDESTINE GOINGS ON
In 1879 some of the traders and gentry discovered that if just a few of them as rate payers wrote collectively to the Secretary of State to ask for the fairs abolition, the Secretary could consider their request. This needed to be signed by the magistrates, but did not need to be endorsed by an particular number of residents. So a meeting was organised in the Boys schoolroom in the Causeway. It was a private rather than public meeting and only those against the fair were invited. Word got out and some others attended, 40 people in all. 22 of those voted to petition the Secretary of State. However when the news spread of the action taken in their name, many of those not invited to participate were furious, even those supportive of its demise. A second petition was sent to the Secretary asking him to make no decision until a proper public meeting had been held to discover the town's wishes. A parish vestry was called, and those present at the earlier meeting were met in part with boos and hisses, and much criticism of their "high handed action" . While the idea of removing the pleasure aspect from the street in favour of another location seemed to gather much support, the out right abolition of the fair did not. It had now been ascertained that the Secretary of State could not order the fair to be moved from the streets to a less crowded location, and could not forbid just the pleasure part of the fair from continuing. He could only order it's complete abolition, and this was not supported. And so no further action was taken.
The abolition supporters said the cause had been ruined by an influx to the Vestry meeting of the denizens of Well End (Dean Street as we'd call it, not Well End, Little Marlow) and Marefield - in other words the working class. The Maidenhead Advertiser, which was probably the most balanced in its reports of the various camps, pointed out that these people had in fact been specifically invited and their opinions had just as much weight at a parish vestry (in theory at least) as the wealthy. In fairness it must be noted that many wealthier people did support the fair and/or did try to understand why others did. For example Owen Peel Wethered appreciated it was often the one holiday that labourers got and that they much looked forward to it.
The language used at the first private meeting, as regards the reputed evils and moral dangers of the fair caused amusement in some quarters even at the time. One letter writer to the Maidenhead Advertiser was quite baffled by these peoples description of the event - he said he'd never witnessed anything at all objectionable there. Of course for some any game of chance, of which the fair had many, was regarded as a form of gambling that would lead the poor into a downward spiral. Just seeing someone spending their money on an activity "debasing to public morality" was enough to make it objectionable in their eyes.
THE END IS NIGH
The amount of agricultural trade done at the fair declined from it's pre and early Victorian days gradually. It's demise in this guise was predicted from the 1870's as we've seen but it continued for decades. In 1898 those residents living in the streets immediately occupied by the fair such as Oxford Rd and West Street (up to Quoitings Square) had been asked to append their names to a notice either pro of against pursuing the abolition of the fair. The result was 15 persons for its continuance and 105 against. While considering the wishes of those most immediately affected by the fair was obviously important, it meant that the vast majority of Marlow's residents and in particular the poorer ones, had not had their opinions considered.
Later that year the Marlow Urban District Council wrote to General Owen Williams esq who had the right to collect the fair tolls, as without his support, cancelling the fair would be virtually impossible. (For example the tolls were 2d of each animal sold, 2d for a small booth, and 1s to 10s for larger ones in 1892.*) They did not receive an immediate response but Williams agent promised to speak to his employer about it. Williams had however replied to a query from the Marlow Rate Payers Association to say he had frequently recieved letters and petitions related to the abolition of the fair. But he had never acted on them as on closer enquiry it proved that "it was by no means the desire of the majority of the people of Marlow that the fair should be abolished." He added that for all those that were inconvenienced by the event, there were still more who were bought pleasure by it. He regarded himself as a "guardian" of this very old institution. Furthermore he said the fair was very well managed and the attendees "very well conducted". Abraham Baldwin of the aforementioned Ratepayers Association generally agreed. Abraham added that if there was a sanitary concern related to the holding of the street fair, why had the town's sanitary inspectors not used any of their powers to deal with it? He considered they had made no effort at all to this end. He also considered that if the fair was moved to somewhere further from the town centre, it would lead to an increase in immorality rather than the opposite. The goings on would be less public and open you see!
Not to be deterred, the council wrote again to Williams in 1899. He responded that he had received a second petition, this one in favour of KEEPING the fair. He noted that this latter had the support of many working class people and the smaller traders. Sweetly some worried children had added their names to this pro fair petition too. Williams thought that the working classes would overall be more interested in keeping things as they were, and asked if the council had actually asked the voters their views. It seems they still had not done so in a comprehensive way, as they then arranged a canvas of rate payers and electors. They went house to house and you could also vote in the Post Office. Turn out was very small but the tally such as it was read - For abolition 263, against 151, neutral 96, did not vote 300. This was enough for the council and they wrote again to General Williams. He had previously said he would act if this was the wish of the majority of the population. In the end he changed his mind, and accepted the vote in which a minority of the population had voted at all, let alone for the fairs abolition. He agreed to support the councillors proposal if he was compensated for the loss of income from the tolls. A subscription fund was set up in 1902 with this in mind.
In the meantime, the authorities decided to restrict what they could of the event. The police did not have the power to stop the fair while it had its charter, even if they wanted to. Rules were instead introduced by the local councils to limit when the stalls and show people could arrive in town and how soon they had to leave. Some did question whether they had the authority to ask the fair people to do the latter, as they were told to clear out by 10am on day three and many remembered that the fair had a three day charter even if they had not used the third day often in recent years. (Some stalls stayed and traded on day three regardless of the official arrangements. Eg in 1886 30 stalls were still present and open for business on the Monday, when the fair had started Saturday.) An attempt in 1903 to restrict the arrival time of the fair people to after 3pm did not work out well as the roundabouts and caravans were just forced to queue on the Berkshire side of the bridge, blocking passage of traffic. Nevertheless the subsequent setting up of stalls and rush for a good spot was said to be conducted in "an orderly manner."
In 1901 it was decided that no one could set up any kind of booth or tent that in any way involved disturbing the surface of the streets. At a stroke, this made it impossible to safely erect many of the rides and attractions. The fact that posts for tying horses to could no longer be knocked into the road caused chaos at the horse fair in West Street.
Alfred Ball, proprietor of the Market Square "Cinematograph" exhibit in 1901 was summoned for damaging the surface of the road which had recently been repaired with broken granite and steam rolled. He had driven in some small iron pegs to secure his large booth. In his defence, he stated that he had attended Marlow Fair for 20 years and had always used them. Any such restrictions would be the death of the fair he added, which no doubt was the point. He was fined 20s plus costs. The necessity of fixing booths properly was demonstrated in 1887 when an overnight gale knocked over several. No one was thankfully hurt.
NOT IN MY BACK YARD
When the circular asking for donations towards the Williams compensation fund was put out, a suggestion was included that perhaps the fair didn't need to disappear altogether but could be moved to somewhere off the streets, perhaps Crown Meadow (which was already used by the fair). This upset an anonymous letter writer to the South Bucks Standard who said that if the event was such a nuisance, why should moving it to a different part of town be considered a reasonable solution, as it was just handing on the problem to others. He or she also cast doubt on how representative the ballot on removing the fair had been - "from what I have seen in this neighbourhood of late, I am of the opinion that the working classes are more in favour of carnivals than ever."
Plans to make the abolition of the fair a memorial for the Coronation of Edward the 7th came to nothing. But in 1903 enough funds had been raised to pay off General Williams so steps were taken to apply formally to the Home Secretary for the axing of the fairs Charter. The last event to be held in the streets was therefore 1903. Local photographer J Badger went out and took many pictures, one appearing in the South Bucks Standard, with prints available from Mr Badger. He obviously felt there would be enough nostalgia for the event to make his efforts worthwhile!
The horse sale at this last street wide event was described as well patronised and good prices were recorded at the accompanying equine auction at the Crown.
In 1904 Williams received his money but what of the fair? It's fate had been described as "up to the fair people." But the horse and cattle fair was held in the Star Meadow in 1904 with the pleasure part in the Crown Meadow, complete with Alfred "Professor" Ball's Cinematograph after all. It is definitely not the case that the fair ceased to have any kind of agricultural function by the time it left the streets.
In 1908, Mr Porter's meadow off Dedmere Road was also hosting rides and the event was back to 3 days in length. From 1910, both the pleasure and much reduced cattle and horse fair were to be held in Star Meadow but just to confuse things, the animal sale and the greater part of the rides then switched back to Crown Meadow. They continued for a number of years there with Star Meadow taking the overflow. The former still saw rides and theatres take up residence at other times too. The show and ride proprietors continued coming to Marlow in October specifically until the outbreak of war saw the cancellation of the 1939 Marlow fair. We now associate the pleasure fair with the summer regatta only.
The fair could never have lasted long term in the streets in the motor car age, as it stood in 1903. The authorities actions only hastened the inevitable. But it was definitely mourned by many, including the children of Oxford Lane infants school which had previously closed during fair week. The teachers reported little attendance and those that did could scarcely concentrate over the noise of the steam organs in Quoiting Square.
* In some years in the first half or so of the 19th century, at times of agricultural depression, the tolls were remitted fully or partially. They were then under the control of the then Lord's of the Manor, the Clayton family of Harleyford.
To read about the Edwardian Fair see here.
Pets in Marlow History kept by those without an menagerie (but still including monkeys and the like) here.
Written and researched by Kathryn Day
Above - Bottom picture the memorial to enslaved child George Alexander Gratton, who was used as a show exhibit, and top picture the grave of the Marlow born showman John Richardson who exhibited him and had requested that they should be buried together. More on both here
*Rev Fearnley Whittingstall thought it would be better overall for the fair not to exist anywhere but he recognised that not everyone would agree. He thought that given that fact, it was desirable that the venue should remain somewhere in the town rather than outside it where there would be added difficulty in policing it thoroughly. He was also one of the few to express partial sympathy for the fair people themselves, who he pointed out were in his experience no more likely to contain villainous members than any other group of people. He thought it a pity too that their children should rarely have any schooling and so their "excellent qualities of heart and character" were not more often utilised for the public good.
Researched and written by Kathryn Day.
Sources:
Oxford Journal, 14 April 1764. Copy held at British Library and accessed via the BNA
Encyclopaedia Londinensis, Wilkes, John 1816, J Adlard, London.
The New British Traveller or Modern Programme of England and Wales, Vol 2, Dugdale, James. 1819 J Robins &Co.
Robson's Directory 1839
Pigots Directory 1831
Kelly's Post Office Directory 1854, 1883.
South Bucks Standard Marlow Directory, 1891. (Courtesy of Michael Eagleton)
The Ethics Of Performing Animals, Aflalo, Frederick George, 1900
Royal County Directory of Beds, Bucks and Berks, 1876
Maidenhead Advertiser 6th November 1872, 5 November 1887, 2 November 1898 - Bayliss Media Archive.
South Bucks Standard 17 July, 1896, 30 October 1891, 4 November 1892, 12 August, 7 October & 4 November 1898, 8 December 1899, 6 April 1900, 8 November 1901, 9 May 1902, 30 October & 6 November 1903, 30 October 1908, 6 October 1910, copies held at British Library Archive, as above.
Berkshire Chronicle 8 December 1827, 3 November 1849 as above
Bucks Herald - 6 November 1847, 28 March 1885, 6 August 1887 as above
Reading Mercury 17 November 1791, 03 November 1838, 26 October 1839, 02 November 1867, 25 April 1868, 20 March 1869, 8 November 1890 BNA as above.
Petty sessions reports, as above.
Slough, Eton and Windsor Observer November 6 1886, Slough Library.
©Marlow Ancestors.
