Herne Grave, Hurley

 

In Memory of Basil Herne esq of this parish died 24 February 1807 age 76

At St Mary's Church, Hurley

© Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use this content for family or local history purposes if you credit this blog and link here.

Will Summary Richard Sawyer of Great Marlow 1699

Transcription and summary by me of a will held at the National Archives, Kew. ©Marlow Ancestors. Reproduction of or quotation from this summary freely permitted and very welcome providing you credit this blog and link here.

I have transcribed dozens of wills from Marlow and will upload them as time permits.

RICHARD SAWYER OF MARLOW Basket maker. Will proven 1699, written 1698.

Says he sick and weak but of sound and perfect mind and memory.

Commends soul to God.

Loving wife Mary all goods, chattels and household stuff that was hers before marriage.

Daughter Jane Sawyer the featherbed, bedstead, brass, pewter and "kittles" [probably kettles- they were often left in wills of the time] that were her mother's before marriage.

Same to daughter Elizabeth Sawyer [so it seems they did not have the same mother].

To the two daughters jointly 9 acres of land in Cookham.

Residue of his goods, chattels and personal estate jointly to his wife and two daughters and his wife, all of whom are the executors of his will.

Witnessed by: John Gidley, Mary Kilbey, and Thomas Hobbs.

Notes:

Beds and bedding were expensive items often singled out to be given as gifts in wills.

John Gidley was a Presbyterian minister, which may suggest that Richard was of that bent. Thomas Hobbs the witness above also was witness to the will of John Gidley in 1711.

Susanna Ashmead

 The only visible name on this grave, which has no headstone is Susanna Ashmead who died October 1st 1924.

Local death registrations details suggest a birth date of 1834 for Susanna. We have struggled to find anything else about her.

Grave photographed May 2021. Marlow Cemetery.

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

List of Landlords of The White Hart, Chapel Street

*Note: it is now clear that there were TWO early pubs called the White Hart, operating at the same time. Marlow people weren't very good at distinctive pub naming. There were two Three Horseshoes at the same time and both a Travelers's Rest and a Traveller's Friend, an Upper Crown and a Lower Crown existing along side one another.

White Hart number one, Dean Street side of the road.

1732- Robert Menday. Note: this White Hart building was standing by the 1670s but it is not until this date that I can say that it was certainly used as a "pub" and also certainly called the White Hart.

1732- Robert Menday.

1745- Mr Menday. Has its own brewhouse as many licenced premises still brewed on the premises. 

1761 - John Dormer "North side of Chapel End"

1823 - Mary Fletcher. She was the elderly widow of Charles Fletcher who may well have run the pub before her. A Charles Fletcher was listed as a Marlow publican in 1798. Mary's husband died in 1818. Mary was nee Huntingdon.

1824- Mary Fletcher

1831 Pigots Directory -  Mary Fletcher

1833 Mary Fletcher. She died in 1837.

1839 - T.O Fletcher. This was Thomas Oxlade Fletcher son of Mary above.

1840, March - pub suffered a break in with beer, mutton, and bread stolen. 

1844 - William Plumridge (also a bricklayer) May have taken over in 1839- he was certainly in Chapel Street from at least that year. William was responsible for building of the Wheatsheaf pub and adjoining cottages in what was then known as Strong Beer Acre. His son, also William, builds and runs The Duke of Cambridge, while daughter Amelia briefly ran the Star Of The Town pub with her husband Henry Judge and daughter Caroline became landlady of the Red Lion in West Street. 

1846 - William Plumridge fined 40s plus costs for allowing a "very extensive system of card playing" to be continually going on at his premises. The landlords of Cross Keys, Travellers Rest and The Nags Head were also caught in same sweep. 

1852 - William Plumridge

1854 - William Plumridge

1859 - 1. Mary and Henry Plumridge. 2. Edward James Flint

1861 -  Edward J Flint (born London, wife Ellen) Also embroider. 

1863 -  Edward James Flint

1869 -  Edward J Flint   

1872 -  Edward James Flint

1877 -  Ellen Flint, wife of above.            

     

1877 - Mrs Ellen Flint

1880 - 1. Ellen Flint 2. Thomas Parsons

1882 - John Chappell (see separate post here for more on him and his family)

 

1892 - Mr Chapel

1896 - Take a deep breath - John Chappell transfers premises in March to William Thomas Pearce (temporary) who transfers it to George Newman in November.  Newman is refused a permanent licence so premises goes to Arthur Wallace. 

1897 - Thomas Lay

1899 - Thomas Lay then W. Dominic Westcott, then Thomas Webb.

1903 - Thomas Webb

1907 - Thomas Webb. Transfers to James Pullen / Pullin (Incorrectly recorded as Thomas Pullin in one local paper.)

1908- James Pullen

1909- Closed under licencing reforms. Described as an "ale house" on its closure. Last tenant - James Pullen.

Second White Hart, Chapel Street - you could also call it in Spittal Square. This pub almost certainly became the Cross Keys circa 1839.

1823 -  Thomas Archer

1827- Mrs Archer "of the White Hart" died. This was Hannah Archer, wife of Thomas. She was aged 66 at burial. For more on this couple's granddaughter Emma, whose husband was transported see here and for their granddaughter Sarah see here.

1829 - Thomas Archer. Also posting house. In this year Thomas is fined 40s for keeping a disorderly house as he had allowed "loose women" and other troublemakers to remain on the premises while behaving in a disreputable way. 

1830 - Thomas Archer 

1831 - Pigots Directory  - Thomas Archer 

1833 -  Thomas Archer. He died in 1838 aged 76. 

See the Cross Keys landlords listing / history for probable continued history of these premises.

Researched by Charlotte Day with some research also by Kathryn Day.

SELECTED SOURCES

1853 Mussons and Cravens Commercial Directory. (Compiled 1852)

Marlow Directory and Almanacke 1907 , the Marlow Printing company.

Kelly's Post Office Directory 1859, 1863, 1864, 1877, 1899, 1903,1907

Robson's Directory 1839

Numerous cross referenced wills, property deeds, and the like. 

Pigots Directory 1823, 1830,1831,1844

Census 1871,1881,1891

Contemporary newspaper reports, licencing hearings, court case reports and advertisements accessed via the BNA:

Windsor and Eton Express, December 12th 1828, & Jan 9th 1909, held at British Library Archive and accessed via the BNA.

South Bucks Standard 22 May, 6 November, 18 December 1896, 19 May 1899, as above. 

Berkshire Chronicle, 24 February 1846, as above. 

Bucks Gazette 12 December 1829, as above

Bucks Herald 23 July 1859, 11 July 1874, as above

1833 Parish Assessment, Charlotte's transcription from original rough draft. 

©Marlow Ancestors. Use this research or the photo above for family history purposes if you like with credit to this blog and a link here. 

Turner Grave And Research

Willoughby Turner. Died June 26th 1927 age 60.

Also of Jennie wife of the above. 14th February 1929 aged 48.

Research Notes:

Jennie Longhurst married Willoughby Turner in the Wycombe registration district in 1918. Nothing else could be found out about her. Willoughby grew up in Princes Risborough Bucks but spent most of his working life in London as a carpenter and then builder's foreman. Local papers record him winning prizes at school in Princess Risborough several times. He moved to Marlow after 1911.

Photographed May 2021. Grave in Marlow Cemetery.

To look for other graves featured on this blog choose the Graves option on the menu.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to use this content for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog and a link here.

A Serving Maid's Inheritance

 John Duck of Great Marlow in writing his will in 1785 was keen to look after "my serving maid" Mary Lillington.  The following is a list of what she was left by him:

The bed, bedstead, sheets, blankets and furniture [bed curtains etc] of the linen bed.

The walnut bureau

The six chairs covered with linen

The matted chair in the kitchen

The stove

?malt? Shovel

Poker

Tongs

The two kitchen tables

The chest with two drawers in the shop

The shovel with holes in it [presumably this had a specific use?]

Two iron candlesticks

Tinder box

Snuffer 

The two flat irons and the box iron

A trivet

The collander

The least pot in the kitchen cupboard

The five cups and saucers

2 copper saucepans and tin saucepan

The least pottage pot [least presumably meaning smallest]

The tea chest

6 tea spoons

Two table spoons

The tea kettle

All the earth plates and dishes [earthenware]

All the coals and wood in his home at the time of his death

£10

For life all the interest earned from £350 he has invested.

John's sister Ann Bett or Hett I couldn't quite read it inherited his dwelling house and was the will's executor. She sold the house and the rest of the contents in 1786. The house was described as being in North East Marlow, only about 12 years old with a walled garden, four bedrooms and a large parlour wainscotted and papered "chin high" [Reading Mercury 8th May 1786. Copy held at the British Library Archives. Accessed by me via the BNA March 2021].

You can read the full will by ordering this PCC will from the National Archives. 

More wills on this blog can be found under Will Transcriptions on the menu. All mentions of a person can be found on the Person Index.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to use my transcription summary extract for family of other history purposes with credit to this blog.

Women Of Oxford Road Almshouses

The almshouses for widows which stood in Oxford Road had been a gift of John Brinkhurst in the early 1600s.

Here's something about a few of their Victorian residents who received entry into them by being voted for in a meeting of the trustees. Voting took place upon the death of an occupant. As well as their home the widows received a small weekly income from the charity. In 1893 this was 5 shillings. The minimum age for entry was 60. Residents could come from Bisham or Marlow.

Elizabeth Keen

Born Elizabeth Windsor circa 1818 to parents Thomas, a postman, and Mary. She worked as a satin stitch worker as a young woman like so many other Marlow women, including her sisters Fanny and Eliza.

Elizabeth was elected into her charity house in 1893 and continued as resident until her death in 1901 following a short illness. Her young granddaughter Mary Deane lived with her then. At the time of her election to the Almshouses Elizabeth was around 75 years of age and living in Eton Place, Marlow. Two years earlier in 1891 at the time of the census she was a widowed needlewoman living in Dukes Place with her daughter Louisa born 1847. Both Louisa and Elizabeth's son Edwin (1839) and other daughter Sarah (1835) had been born illegitimately to Elizabeth prior to her marriage in 1857 to John Keen / Keene. Sadly Louisa was an inmate of St John's Hospital in Stone, Buckinghamshire, an asylum for "pauper lunatics" by 1901.

Emma Boddy

Emma received the happy news that she had won a place at the Almshouses in 1903. She was circa 70 years old and the widow of brewery labourer George Boddy who died between the 1871 and 1881 censuses.

Emma herself had worked as a needlewoman during her marriage and as a charwoman as a widow. At the time of her winning an Almshouse she lived at Cromwell Cottage which I think was the old gardener's cottage for Cromwell House. At the time Cromwell House was no longer in domestic use. The garden cottage was behind the High Street*. 

The first home she lived in with George was perhaps in South Place where she appears on the 1861 census.

In 1870 they lived in Gun Lane (now called Trinity Road). Here Emma was assaulted during a heated argument with her neighbour Julia Martin. Emma took Julia to court where the guilty party was fined 5 shillings.

Charlotte Kilham

Admitted Autumn 1900. There until her death in 1910.

She was born as Charlotte Frith circa 1833 in Great Marlow according to the census. She may have been an inmate in the Bledlow children's workhouse as a child, otherwise her early youth is hard to trace.

In 1871 she was the unmarried housekeeper or perhaps "housekeeper" of Henry Kilham a widowed bricklayer in Little Marlow. She and he had a baby daughter Clara that year. The next year they married but Henry, who was 65 years old (26 years older than Charlotte) died within weeks of the ceremony.

Charlotte moved to Marlow and supported herself as a needlewoman. Before entering the Almshouse she lived in Trinity Road Marlow with Clara who was also a needlewoman.

More widows of these houses in this post. To find every mention on this blog of a person of interest to you choose the Person Index option on the drop down menu.

Researched and written by Charlotte Day.

* A description of a  "Cromwell House Cottage" in 1898 refers to a bigger premises however as it had a coach-house and three horse stable in addition to a small garden. (South Buck Standard 6 May 1898)

© Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use this material for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog and a link here so that my sources also remain credited.

Sources Included:

GRO Marriage and Death Registration Indexes. 

Census Great Marlow 1861, 71, 81, 91 my transcription from microfilm. National Archives, Kew.

1901 England and Wales Census Database Louisa Windsor in Stone record from https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9Y1-G5C. National Archives.

Little Marlow 1871 census Charlotte Firth [Frith] from England and Wales Census Database, Familysearch https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KXS5-262 National Archives Kew.

Newspapers in British Library Archives, via the BNA:

South Bucks Standard 26th October 1900 and 20th December 1901.

Will Summary Thomas Bowen of Marlow 1844

Late Victualer [of the Red Lion, West Street. His son Thomas Junior took it over when Thomas retired. Thomas Senior lived next door in his retirement]

Will proved 1844. Written 1842. He died 1843. 

Says he of sound mind.

After all debts and funeral expenses paid, to my son Thomas and daughter Mary wife of George Dorell my house in Quoiting Place [now called Quoiting Square]. This property was in the occupation of a Mary Dorell [seems like a different Mary Dorell?? Note Thomas's son Thomas junior had married a Priscilla Dorrel of Kingston Oxfordshire in 1832. You can see her grave here ] 

Also to daughter Mary a four poster bed, the furniture that goes with it [the curtains and hangings], a feather bed and two blankets. She had these items at her home already.

Executors: Robert Clark builder and George Wyatt farmer, both of Great Marlow.

Witnesses:

Robert Crake, George Wyatt and William ....

I transcribed and summarized this will from a copy ordered from the National Archives.

above.

Thomas Bowen, at All Saints. See other Bowen gravestones here

Note: Robert Clark was probably the man of that name that lived in Quoiting Square.

Robert Crake was of Chapel Street in 1833.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to reuse this summary for family or local history purposes if you credit this blog.

To see a photograph of the house where Thomas lived in after he retired from the Red Lion watch out for a post scheduled April 2025.

Lane End Historic Landlords #1

Compiled from adverts, court cases, property records (some unique), censuses etc

©Marlow Ancestors. If using this original research please credit this blog and link here but you are very welcome to do so for family or local history purposes.

The Earl Grey [just possibly became the Osborne Arms Q.V]

In the 1833 parochial assessment notebooks my family owns the premises consisted of a house, 2 large gardens and an orchard and were worth £10 10 shillings a year.

1833-52 Richard Oxlade. Moved to New Inn 1852. See historic landlords for thst pub in this post. Widow Elizabeth later returned to these premises.

1861- Elizabeth Oxlade see above. Appears to be related to the Grays below.

1871- Abraham Gray. He either moved to the Osborne Arms or renamed his Earl Grey premises the Osborne Arms by 1873 Q.V

Jolly Blacksmith(s), Ditchfield. 

Converted from a small cottage. AKA Blacksmith's Arms.

1881-86 George Joseph Meakes. Usually known by his middle name. Also a blacksmith, which seems his primary trade. First wife Elizabeth had died 1879. Married Kate Blackwell of Boyn Hill near Maidenhead 1880. Attempts to upgrade from a beer house license to a full license 1886 failed because the premises were considered too small. In fact in the same year, it's ability to exist at all was threatened as was rated below the minimum value then required to be a licensed premises. The same solution was adopted here that several Marlow pubs were forced to use in the same year. A neighbouring cottage was incorporated into the premises to nudge up the value. George's cousin James Meakes had the Plough pub in Marlow see here.

1888- Richard Bowles

1891- Back to George Joseph Meakes. Repeated coming and going from beer premises was very common in this area 1800s. George defined himself solely as a blacksmith 1896 but that doesn't mean that he- or his wife- wasn't selling beer too.

1901-15 William Meakes, son of George and Elizabeth above. Also a blacksmith. Wife Mary Ann.

1939 - Jesse Meakes

Osborn(e) Arms, High Street

Possible name change from The Earl Grey at some point 1871-73. See above. Just speculation.

1873-75 Abraham Gray / Grey

1875-76 Elizabeth Gray widow of last tenant Abraham Gray.

1881-85 Frederick Goodchild. Frederick moved to the Clayton Arms, Lane End. He had married in 1873 Jane the daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth Gray above. Possibly later at Olde Sun. 

1885- 1902 John Sears / Seers. Also a bricklayer. Wife Fanny. 

1902-06 John Lunnon.

1907 - John Lennon (poss Lunnon meant) 2. Emony Carter. 

1908- Mr E Carter. 

1909- E Carter.

1909- William Thomas Reynolds, temporarily.

1939- Walter Shadbolt.

Lots more Lane End landlords to come. For other pub related content see the Pub Related option on the top drop down menu. There is also a Person Index option to search for any individual mentioned on the blog. For general Lane End content see the Nearby Places option on the menu.

A Tribute To Our Bargemen *Updated*

This post is a tribute to some of the many Marlow people who worked on the river, and also to those of other towns that lost their lives on the Thames while passing through. 

The boatman and "bargees" had a contemporary reputation that was somewhat fearsome at times. They were often considered to be hard drinking, dishonest, dismissive of other river users and quarrelsome. The story behind the "who ate puppy pies under Marlow Bridge?" jest at the bargemen is well known. But the work they did was skilled, physically demanding, as well as frequently dangerous. Some of the people who ran barges did well out out of the trade, and were later described as "gentleman" - William Creswell who ran The Swan barge with his brother in the 1830's and 40's is one example. William was also a substantial farmer, but he continued to be described as a wharfinger and bargeman or barge master for many years. He may no longer work the barges himself, but having done so was not a bar to respectability. Many Marlow people had wealth that was supported or created by industries that was entirely reliant on the work of the bargeman bringing in their raw materials and taking away what they wanted to sell. I have also noticed that the pubs most frequently associated with being the drinking holes of those working on the river, such as the Swan (ran by George Creswell of the The Swan barge for many years, brother to William) and the Black Boy and Bargepole, generate far fewer traffic for the petty sessions than many of the other inns. So the story is not a simple one of bad, rough boatmen causing nothing but havoc. Industry would have ground to a halt if that was the case! It's also worth noting that picking a fight with the working boatman was also a Marlow tradition with some who should have known better. Apart from those who thought it funny to mockingly chant the "puppy pie" slogan at the men, (usually high tailing it in the opposite direction pretty quick afterwards), the young gentleman cadets of the Royal Military Academy had a running feud with the bargemen. A young recruit said the origin of the quarrelling was long forgotten but the boys liked to lay ambush and set upon the men when they could in order to give them "a thrashing" to remember. The odds were rather in the boys favour as they were 30 boys to one bargee, "and several of us 18 years old and up". In turn the  cadets could expect a beating if they unexpectedly came across a barge hand when alone. The boys wore a uniform at all times so could not escape attention easily.  Former cadet John Le Couteur, who joined the Academy at age 13 in early 1808, recalled the running battles with the bargeman vividly. The boys threw dirt and stones from the bridge wholesale into passing barges. At one point the bargeman had enough and prevented some boys on a rare half holiday from crossing the bridge, handling them roughly. When word of this got around, it was said 150 boys went to the bridge to exact revenge. We only hear the cadets version of events, which saw them victorious against an untold number of gathered bargeman three or four lines deep apparently. The latter were said to be armed with everything from oars to bludgeons. The boys came with cudgels, and a hidden armoury of stones and catapults which were allegedly responsible for the boys victory. A ten minute battle on the bridge saw many boys hurt rather badly, and the opposition likewise. Someone had alerted the adult officers at the college who promptly arrived to restore order but not before those on both sides were to be found lying senseless. The cadets were confined to college for the rest of the day and were ordered not to engage in any further acts of the kind. No charges appear to have been made against the bargeman. The event may have got embellished in the retelling by cocky youths but it's interesting how battles of this kind were remembered by more than one cadet. 

The language the bargemen used may not have been what the polite society was used to. George Monk Berkeley writing in 1797 and recalling a memory of his mothers, said that once the service at All Saints came to a halt because the voice of a bargeman using loud colourful language on the river outside could be heard within the church. The Rev Cleobury was the incumbent then. 

And Sarah Winford, of Thames Bank, complained that the crews of barges were commiting "great indecencies" while moored outside her garden wall. Her servant Samuel Clarke said sometimes Mrs Winford had been obliged to close the shutters of all windows facing the river. They said the situation had worsened since the new lock had been built, with boats now passing closer to her home and mooring near there for 2-3 days together. She petitioned parliament on the issue in  1774 and a committee looking into her complaint recommended that a clause be added to the Thames improvement and navigation bill which would forbid the creation of any towing path or wharf between her garden wall and the river and forbid the anchoring, mooring or resting of boats anywhere near her garden, other than at the proper wharves and only when loading or unloading cargo. To facilitate this, it was announced in July 1773 that a "pile would be drove against Marlow winch and another pile 30ft from the bottom of Mrs Winford's wall" and once they were in place if a barge master was to "suffer his barge or boat to lie, continue or stop under the said wall, in the passage between the said pound and winch" will be prosecuted by the Thames Navigation commissioners. [Sarah Winford erected a gravestone to the memory of Samuel on his death, you can see it here]

Flash locks were long regarded as dangerous, and Marlow one of the worst. There are surviving reports of Elizabethan fatalities of boatman who were attempting to navigate the lock. Some thought this was because the lock was poorly maintained. Others that the fall of water was too "sudden and immense" even for a flash lock. John Willis, a bargeman drowned navigating the lock in 1772 after falling overboard, a few years before the new pound type lock was finished. 

Henry Allnutt, writing in the Anglers Journal in 1886, described the dangers of the old flash locks. The boats were hauled through the lock with the aid of a capstan and rope on the bank. If the rope should break, "the poor fellows [operating the capstan] were cast off flying into the air by the tremendous increasing velocity of the capstan unwinding itself". It was tedious and "most perilous" work that required a lot of strength. Henry, and both his father and grandfather had fulfilled roles within the Thames Navigation Commission.

Some lives claimed by the river

When we think of boatmen we don't perhaps think of people like barge boy "Master White" age 14. An orphan, he had been found a position on the Hope Barge, owned by Thomas Jordan of Bath. In the autumn of 1826, the Hope was moored at Marlow. The crew went to get supplies and refreshment in the town, sending the boy back to the boat with some things. When they arrived back at the riverside, the boy could not be found. The water was searched but the lad's body was not recovered until the next morning, 4ft from the stern and in 14ft of water. It was believed he had slipped and fallen from the moored vessel in the dark. In the reports of his death and inquest, his first name is not given. It does not seem the crew actually knew it. 

Another hazard is illustrated by the death in 1829 of James Spokes. He was working horses towing a barge travelling from a wharf at Spade Oak to Marlow. The rapidity of the "stream" was believed to have pulled the horses towards the river and to have caused them to slip and fall into the water. James was dragged in and while he managed to grab a branch extending from the bank, it slipped from his hand and he was drowned, along with the horses. He left a wife and two young children.

The fact that habitual drunkenness was not compatible with the skill and co ordination required to operate a barge is shown by what happened to some who tried to work them while a little inebriated. In 1826, William Winter was working on the Helen Barge travelling between Bristol and London via Marlow. He went to haul a line in, despite the warning from his brother not to attempt it as he had been drinking. He over balanced, and although a strong swimmer, sank and died despite his brothers efforts to rescue him. His body was not recovered for 3 days**, found just 40 yards from where he sank. 

Those working on the the River in other ways could also loose their lives. William Sayer of Dean Street, working as an ostler at the time, drowned while swimming horses at the back of Marlow Lock near Marlow Point. He was exercising an injured horse by swimming it across the river to aid it's recovery. It appears the horse got into difficulties with William astride it's swimming back and he fell off. He could not swim and a strong current had been noted there. 

And then there was George Cox, an engineer managing a steam launch for the summer season who fell off the launch in 1884, and did not surface. There are many more names we could mention. 

One Robert Goldswain, bargeman of Great Marlow, experienced another boat mans hazard in 1778 when he was press ganged into the navy while taking a load of timber to the Kings ship yard in London. He had a protection order from the Naval Board that was supposed to have exempted him from this indignity, as he was on naval business after all. Unfortunately for Robert, the press gang had been ordered by the Admiralty to ignore Naval Board exemptions as they were especially keen to recruit men who knew what they were doing around boats. He was put on board the "Conquestadore" and after a bit of passing to and fro and a court case, was returned home after a little more than 3 months in naval service. The court was aghast that the authorities admitted issuing protection orders to boatmen with the express intention of lulling them into a false sense of security so they would venture out onto the river ready to be pressed into service! 

 *For more on the woman's riots of 1800 which was also said to have involved some bargeman see this post here 

** Or much later the same day according to one report.  

For a biography of the barge owning family the Sparks see here and the Cresswells here

Will of bargeman John Piggot 1695 here

List of Great Marlow and Little Marlow bargemen 1700s (ongoing upload) here and 1600s here and here

And more on the cadets of the Royal Military College junior branch see here

Child drowning victims of Victorian and Edwardian Marlow here

To search for any individual on this blog use the A-Z Person Index option on the top drop down menu.

More river related posts can be found in the General History index here

SOURCES

Anglers Journal, Vol 6 . Article by Henry Allnutt, 16 June 1886.

Bentleys Miscellany, Vol 20. (Richard Bentley, 1846)

Berkeley, George Monk - Poems (J N Nicholls, 1797)

Salter, John Henry - A Guide To The River Thames (John Salter, 1881)

Wright, William - Fishes and Fishing (Thomas Caultley Newby 1858)

St Paul's Magazine Vol 5, edited by Anthony Trollope. 1870. 

Parliamentary Papers, vol 33, Great Britain House of Parliament (Houses of Parliament 1866)

Journals of House of Commons Vol 34 (HMSO 1804)

Reading Mercury 13 April 1772, copy at the British Library and accessed via the BNA, August 2020. 

Windsor and Eton Express 15 April, 4 November 1826, as above. 

Berkshire Chronicle 26 September 1829, as above. 

South Bucks Standard 18 October 1907, as above.

Bucks Herald 30 August 1884, as above. 

Oxford Journal 17 June 1773. 

Kelly's Post Office Directory 1847 (Kelly's Directories Ltd, 1847)

©Marlow Ancestors. 

 .

Landlords Royal Oak Bovingdon Green

 

Updated by Charlotte October 2023

Historic landlords listings are compiled from censuses, court cases, advertisements, wills, property records (some uniquely held by us) etc.

The pub building dates from the 1600s apparently. In the 1800s it was often used for coroner's inquests and sometimes for auctions too. A lovely place now but a pretty rough establishment in late Victorian times. You can find out more about Edward Collins and the pub in general in my Bovingdon Green in the 1800s post here

1794- Mr Langton, the brewer leases it. 

1833-54 Edward Collins. Licence upgraded to alehouse from beerseller 1843. This was at first refused by the licensing magistrates as Edward had done nothing to stop two of his arguing customers from taking their disagreement out onto the green and brawling until one of them died. What's more he was alleged to have given the fighters lights to see by during the brawl. After the license upgrade refusal many Marlow and Bovingdon Green people wrote to the magistrates in support of Edward saying he was a man of good character who could be trusted to sell more than beer responsibly and they relented. There were greater standards expected of those who sold more than beer because other drinks were seen as more potent and thus more likely to result in addictive or unsavoury behaviour. Edward died 1854. In his will written in 1848 and proven 1854, he left all he had to his daughter Sophia Collins and niece Elizabeth ?Foley?

1859-61 Joseph Lee

1863- William Lee, James Lee both mentioned. James fined for being drunk at Bovingdon Green and "putting himself in a fighting attitude near the public pump" (?!?).

1867-69 James Leach

1869 - up to let for an annual rent of £15. 

1871-80 James Twitchen. Wife Alice nee Croxon. James later became a cattle dealer. James moved from the Prince of Wales pub in Marlow when he came to Bovingdon Green. A different, older James Twitchen was at the Queen's Head Little Marlow.

1881-83 William Robinson

1891-93 Henry Tilbury. Wife Fanny. Henry became a farmer at Fingest. In 1892 came to assistance of a badly burned worker following a fire at nearby Blounts Farm but sadly the man passed away in Marlow Hospital. The man with his fellow workers had been drinking in the pub earlier that evening.

1893-97 Leonard Wheeler. Wife Mary. Became a farmer at Copy Farm Marlow after he left the pub. He came from a farming family at Wargrave.

1897-1902 George James Baigent. (Often referred to as James) Also a building contractor who occupied a field next to the pub in that capacity. Grew peas in a field near the pub. Victorian pub landlords often had their fingers in many business pies! Sold up 1902 and later moved to Haddenham to run a pub (Ye Olde Cider House) and building contactor business but became insolvent 1906. In 1897 James finds a dead body in a meadow adjoining his field of peas. The man thankfully died of natural causes while out gathering firewood. It was 82 year old farm labourer Richard Harris of Oxford Terrace, Marlow. 

1905-11 Charles Chantler. Wife Elizabeth. In 1909 James Chantler the brother of Charles was killed in a fight with Charles in the kitchen of the Royal Oak that began after Elizabeth refused a drunk James any whisky when she was serving at the bar. He then insulted her in her kitchen calling her a "dirty skunk". She fetched her husband saying James must be turned out of their house. James tried to hit her and attack Charles himself and so Charles fought him. James died after hitting his head when Charles pushed him down. A coroner's jury decided James had died due to his own misadventure and Charles did not have to face a manslaughter or murder charge. He and Elizabeth emigrated to Australia in 1913. Afterwards Charles wrote a letter to one of the local papers here describing his long voyage to Fremantle via South Africa on an "assisted passage scheme" He travelled to St Pancras Station, thence to Tilbury Docks where he took a tender out to his ship the Demosthenes. After examination by a doctor, he is free to find his cabin which he finds rather nice. A stop at Plymouth sees many more emigrants arrive on board. He finds the food better quality on board than he expected if very monotonous. He is also pleasantly surprised with how he manages the heat at South Africa, and the fact they are allowed a full day off ship to do some sightseeing at Cape Town. Other pleasant surprises are the good humour the other passengers manage rolling sea conditions near Africa which sees many meals upset and the fact Charles himself does not seem to have been very sea sick. On the negative side he is surprised at how roughly the luggage is handled, with many trunks burst open before they've even left London. He also encounters several fellow passengers not traveling under the assisted scheme who say they did not want to travel on an emigration ship, and that emigrants should be put in their own vessel. Charles says they did not know he himself was an emigrant when stating their prejudices! The ship crew he says treat all third passengers the same (and well ) regardless of their status however. 

1915- Samuel Cluett

1920 - Herbert Church

1939- Hugh Bartlett

For more pub related content see the Pub Related option on the top drop down menu.

For all posts related to Bovingdon Green, Marlow Common and nearby see the index here

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to use this content for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog and a link here.

Raymond Grave, Bisham

 The below grave is in All Saints Church, Bisham

William Raymond - December 2 1869 age 55

"Be ye also ready for in such an hour /As ye think not the son of man cometh" 

If you are interested in the history of Bisham, we recommend this podcast In the shadow of the Abbey by Sheila Featherstone-Clark. 

©Marlow Ancestors Reproduction of these images is freely allowed for family or local history purposes if you credit this blog. 

Historic Confectioner's Premises Great Marlow

These sweet little premises (photographed late 2020 before this Halifax branch closed) were Benjamin Baines' grocery and confectionary shop before he went bankrupt in 1826. All his shop stock and implements not to mention his household furniture had to be sold. The Windsor and Eton Express carried an advert for this sale from which we know Benjamin sold biscuits in barrels, fish sauce, tea, sugar and pickles amongst other things.

He was able to pick himself up and continue in business in the same premises. This time he concentrated on being a confectioner.  

In 1831 he was doing well enough to advertise for an apprentice to learn confectionery, fancy bread making and biscuit baking from him.

In 1833 the premises were worth £20 a year and consisted of a house, bakehouse, stable, yard and garden.

Sadly by 1840 Benjamin was again insolvent.

He bounced back once more and continued as a confectioner here.

After his death in 1844, following a long and painful illness which the Reading Mercury said he "bore with Christian fortitude" his daughter Sarah Elizabeth (born circa 1816) took over the shop.

Her occupation is not stated on the 1841 census. She lived at home and may have already been assisting her father. He likely needed help in the home too in the final year of his life as his second wife Ann, Sarah's stepmother, died in June 1843 age 87. Less than 6 months later Ann (junior) Sarah's sister lost her battle with consumption at the age of just 24.  A matter of weeks after that came Benjamin's death. How important Sarah's strength and ability to keep the shop going must have been for her younger half siblings, the youngest of which was only 4 years old when he became an orphan.

Sarah's eldest sibling William Vincent Baines also became a confectioner at first. He ran a shop in Maidenhead High Street from at least 1838 to at least 1842. He later moved about a bit before settling at High Wycombe where he ran a coal business. He was a Wycombe Alderman, Councillor, Church Warden and Mayor at different times. In his will he left £100 worth of shares to pay for a yearly gift of coal to poor families of Wycombe. His son had the same name and operated as a coal, salt and building merchant in Marlow High Street in a now vanished building close to where the Baines' shop had been.

In 1846 Sarah witnessed two men break the window of her shop and steal 6 little cakes worth a penny each. Despite there also being another eyewitness to the incident (her sister Emma) the men were found not guilty of theft. However one of those accused broke her window again a little later and this time was convicted. 

Following Sarah's marriage in 1847 to Stephen Morris she retired from the trade. Stephen was a farm bailiff / farmer from Little Marlow. Her young half brother Henry lived with her and Stephen at the time of the 1851 census.

Baines family grave in All Saints churchyard Marlow. You have to get quite close in to this one to read it.

Main person on stone:

Sarah Baines wife of Benjamin. It says she was born 24th February 1788 and died 23rd March 1824.

Grave is also for her husband Benjamin, his second wife Ann and "their 7 children" (not named).

Benjamin it says was born 24th June 1781 and died 27th February 1844.

Ann born 17th January 1796 and died 19th June 1843.

Though the dead children are not named on the grave, the parish records do show the sad list of loss for the Baines family- Benjamin junior died 1819; Henry died 1820 (first child named Henry born to Benjamin, he later had another); Emma and Elizabeth both died 1823 but on different dates; Edward and Dorothy both died 1826 but on different dates; Jane died 1830. Some of these children were born to Benjamin and his first wife Sarah, some to Benjamin and his second wife Ann.

William Henry Brown took over the Baines' old confectioner's business. He also sold groceries. He was a native of Pontefract Yorkshire while his wife Sophia was from Middlesex. William came from Yorkshire to Bucks when his father got a job at Little Marlow. William started out in business as a grocer in Southampton before taking on a shop on the corner of the High Street in Marlow (where the Snappy Snaps photography shop is now) before the Baines premises became available. The Browns first shop was turned into The Hope beer-house which it remained until 1900, when it became a bank. 

Just before Christmas in 1862 the shop was burgled. Amongst the items stolen were Christmas cakes, wedding cakes and boxes of sweets. With stock like that if time travel is ever invented his shop is the first place in Marlow I'm going to visit / raid!

William died in 1899.

Post researched and written by Charlotte Day.

To find every mention of a person of interest use the Person Index option on menu.

Some sources:

1839 Robson's Directory. University of Leicester Archives.

Windsor and Eton Express Article 8th July 1826 [bankruptcy] Reading Mercury 20th June 1831 [apprentice sought] 13th December 1862 [theft from Brown]. Copies at British Library archives accessed via the BNA November 2020 and March 2021.

Great Marlow parish registers, my old transcriptions.

GRO marriage index also consulted online November 2020 for this post.

Parish High Wycombe in A History of The County Of Buckingham Vol 3 edited by William Pace London 1925. Www.british-history.ac.UK/vch/bucks/vol3/pp112-134

Death certificate Ann Baines.

Census transcriptions of mine from microfilm.

Researched and written by Charlotte Day.

I determine historic occupancy of buildings via research and cross referencing of property surveys, property transaction records, wills, photographs, court cases, adverts and censuses to name a few.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to reuse this image and research for family or local history purposes if you credit this blog and link here so that my sources also remain credited for information provided.

The Carr Family of The Compasses, Dean Street

 Richard Carr took on the licence of the The Three Compasses, Dean Street, Marlow - often called by the shortened The Compasses- in 1881. It was a small beerhouse converted from a cottage, which like many such premises in Dean Street also functioned as a lodging house. No earlier landlords are known for the Compasses which did not exist in the form of a licensed premises in 1872. Richard may have been the first landlord the pub ever had. He moved from a cottage in nearby Queens Road, where he had lived for at least 2 years. If you walked up Dean Street from the town centre, would have found The Compasses on the police station/ Wethered Rd side. It was about two thirds of the way between Wethered Rd and the post box opposite Queens Rd. In other words it was only feet away from the Nags Head, and almost next door to where the Fox and Pheasant used to be. 

Dean Street was an area dense with beer retailing competition and many licensees didn't last long at all.

One thing that can strikes you as odd about Victorian pubs and beersellers is how commonly people without any experience in the industry were given the running of these establishments only to give them up after a year or two and be replaced by someone else just as inexperienced! For many the attraction in getting a beer selling license wasn't selling beer-  meeting your costs was the best some could hope for in their tiny premises. No, what they wanted was the premises of the beer shop which so often came with sheds that could be used as workshops, yards, stabling etc. These the man in the family would use to run what he would consider his "real business" while his wife actually ran the beer selling part to meet their obligations to the brewery. His name would be on the license as it was his job to do all the legal business for the family. For a poor man it was an impossible dream to set up in business on his own account because of the impossibility of affording the rent of suitable premises. But if a pub became available with workshops etc.... 

Of course the dream didn't necessarily match reality and the pub part of the deal would often be more time draining than the family first envisaged and they could not manage the dual businesses.

Richard Carr was originally a shoe maker and cordwainer by trade like his own father Richard senior. Unlike many others without trade experience Richard did make a success of his beer business as well as shoe making. Going back 100 years, another Marlow Richard Carr was a licensed victualler so perhaps it was in the blood!

Living with Richard were his wife Elizabeth and children. Following the usual pattern Elizabeth ran the pub with him and he continued to work as a shoe mender while being the Compasses licensee. The premises had various outbuildings at the licensee's disposal too. The pub had unofficial long term lodgers, it did not offer accommodation for travellers.

Elizabeth had worked as a servant before marriage so she had experience of sorts in the service industry at least. Her maiden name was Moores.

Beer shops were generally too small to host lucrative events and lunches but the Compasses did manage to host the apparently well attended AGM of the Marlow Rovers football club several times in the 1890s. More on the many, many football teams we once had in Marlow here.

By the 1890s Richard was also using his premises as a grocery shop too.

Dean Street could be a lively neighborhood and you could get a fair amount of entertainment just looking out into the street! In 1897 Richard when standing in his own doorway, witnessed a tussle at the door of Mr East's beer house nearby and was called as a defence witness by the customer accused of assault (after being refused more beer). 

By the time of that case Richard was a widower. Elizabeth had died at home in 1893 aged just 56. Their daughter Emily was at home as a housekeeper in 1901. 

The pub was forcibly closed in 1909 with a number of other Marlow premises in an attempt to slash the beer consumption in the area. Both Richard and his brewery initially appealed the decision but the authorities showed determination and they were forced to admit defeat. Richard's premises were converted into a cottage. He became a domestic tenant in them. At auction the following year the premises are described as a old fashioned cottage residence which probably sounded better than former beer shop. Richard received a measly 10 shillings compensation for the loss of a business he had managed for nearly three decades, much less than the brewery and also less than other publicans similarly deprived at the same time. The premises has been demolished. 

Other publicans at the Compasses:

1881 - A Fulbrook (who gave way to Richard Carr). This was Andrew Fulbrook. Wife Sarah. 

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use my research for non commercial purposes with credit to this blog.

To find similar posts see the Pub Related menu option. All mentions of any person on this blog are under Person Index.

Sources Included:

South Bucks Standard 4th June 1897 (Richard witness court case) and 3rd August 1894 (footie AGM) Paper held at the British library, accessed through the BNA September 2020.

Census from microfilm transcribed by me.

Death certificate obtained from GRO.

Parish registers.

Marlow Guide 1903 & Marlow Almanack and Directory 1907. 

Caroline Piddington Grave Hurley

Caroline wife of John Piddington born October 1820. Died August 1861.

Photographed March 2021. Hurley churchyard.

Post by Charlotte Day.

Similar posts under Graves on the menu. For other Little Marlow content see Other Places.

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

Verney Arms History And Landlords, Dean Street, Great Marlow

Name spellings are as given in the original source, even if this differs from usual as this can help provide an alternative search term to use in other records.

The Verney Arms has been demolished. It stood on the Dean Street car park/Wethered Rd side of the road, not far from Verney Close. 

1858 - Date given for granting of first licence in 1872 list of pubs and their owners and occupiers in Bucks Archives. But must have had a different name then as the Verney Arms is said to have received the name from a popular but failed election candidate Captain Verney who stood in 1868 not 1858. Could be a slip of the pen. Multiple records actually show the pub opening in October 1869. These premises were new built.

1869- John Langley moved into the premises in October 1869. He had an opening dinner for 200 friends! They were entertained by a group of 6 singers bought down from London.  John gave up some but not all of his farming concerns when he started the Verney, selling off a large number of pigs, some cart horses, waggons etc. He maintained his business as a fruiterer however. The Verney Arms was then new built. John had been landlord at the Royal Exchange until a month before that, a smaller concern (but one that could still host a club dinner for 150) but left after a last unsuccessful attempt to upgrade its licence from just a beer one. Within a few weeks of John opening the Verney Arms police were called in to break up a brawl on the premises! This was probably why John's application for a wine license for his pub was refused. Read more about John and his son also John here

1871 - John Langley, also listed as a fruiterer, employing 8 men and 3 boys. Wife Ann. Their youngest child Kate, age 2, has the middle name "Verney". In 1872 he wanted to open the Verney Arms for longer hours during Marlow Fair but withdrew the application when he realised he'd have to pay for the privilege! 

1874 - John Langley - also farmer and fruiterer. The next year he applied for an alehouse license for the premises but was refused. Hosted a dinner at the pub for 40 of his workers plus some neighbouring farmers also in 1875. 

1879- Lodgers John Dennis and Benjamin Hatch have their work boots stolen from the stairs of the pub where they left them overnight. A not infrequent hazard of lodging in a Marlow pub! But as labourers, this was a hard loss for the men. Two men from Wycombe who were drinking at the pub on the evening concerned are suspects. 

1880 - Landlord John Langley still. A presentation is made at the pub this year to John Langley Jnr son of the landlord, who has just been released from prison for his part (or supposed part) in the 1880 election riots. Read more here

1881 - John Langley, wife Ann. She died shortly afterwards and John moved to the Crown, marrying it's widowed proprietor Susan West in 1883.  To read more about this see the post here He was killed in an accident at the Crown 1886. Also in 1881 John is described as a farmer of 230 acres employing 50 men and 8 boys. They sell potatoes at the Verney Arms along with the beer, although John is mainly a wholesale fruit and vegetable dealer. This was an off extremely common Dean Street occupation.

1886 - James Edwards. Came from Chairmaker's Arms Dean Street (more on that pub here). He was sent to numerous Marlow pubs to keep things going if a previous landlord quit, was having difficulties or could not have licence renewed.

1888 - John Langley (Proposed transfer to William Wallace Symes of Reading falls through). This John is the son of the above John Langley for whom you can read a full biography here. His wife is Ellen nee Bristow/Biggs. Also farmer and fruiterer. (See Ellen's grave at Holy Trinity church, Marlow  here. And read about Ellen's parents here) 

1889 - 1.John Langley 2. James Edwards again (temporary) 3. Thomas Bryce Robinson

1890 - 1. Thomas Bryce Robinson. Accusations that he allowed drinkers on the premises during prohibited hours lost him his license. He had earlier in the year escaped charges of allowing drunkenness on his premises 2. WJ Knight (hold over)

1891 - James Deverill, 2. Thomas B Robbins who moved to the Clayton Arms Chalfont St Peter. Sued next tenant Edwin Funnell for value items left behind for that tenant's use which he said he was supposed to be compensated for.

1892 -E R Funnell

1893 - Transfer from Edwin Richard Funnel to George William Beale

1894 - G W H Beale to William James Knight (hold over - see also 1890 above)

1895 - Transfer from James Deverall Junior and his wife who had become insolvent to James A Young. In some records James Herbert Young not James A Young. See SBS 1896 holding.

1896 - William E Young transfers to Henry Charles Gillett

1898 - Henry Gillett

1901- Herbert Alfred Mills transferred to John Richard Field. (Wife Sophia) Premises known then as The Arms. Herbert lived at Dukes Place in 1902 when he was accused of abandoning his wife and family. He made several further appearances over the next couple of years on the same charge and his wife applied for a separation order in 1904.

1901-1915 John Richard Field. Still sometimes known just as the Arms until 1910 when it is firmly back to Verney Arms. Attempted then to get a spirit licence. Uncertain if accepted. John Field probably still at the pub in 1920. He had a popular billiards table there and hosted the occasional tournament. 

1939 - Sophia Field, widow.

Closed in 1940 - Closed for good by the powers that be who were trying to reduce the number of licensed premises in town. Last landlady Sophia Ann Field. 

To look for similar posts see the Pub Related  option on the menu and to find all mentions of any individual person use the Person Index option on the top menu. More Dean Street related content can be found indexed here

Additional research by Charlotte.

SOURCES INCLUDE

1871,1881,1891 Census transcribed from microfilm by Charlotte.

South Bucks Standard 6th January 1893, 22 May 1896, 25 Jan 1912 . Bucks Herald 28th August 1875 and 10th Jan 1880. Reading Mercury 23rd October 1869. All held at British Library Archive and accessed via the BNA, September 2020 and May 2022.

Bucks Herald 22 August 1874, as above. 

Court Cases, trade directories, property transactions and adverts also consulted.

©Marlow Ancestors. 

Landlords Black Lion Well End

Landlords found from court cases, wills, adverts, census etc.

This pub was routinely used to hold coroner's inquest and auctions of  both goods and real estate. Earliest mention I have is 1839 but this doesn't give a landlord. The pub is a much older building so I hope eventually to find some names for earlier landlords.

1841-43 William Suthery /Suthury

1843 -63 George Tyler "late if Box, in the county of Oxford.". In 1844 Robert Lunnon of Well End was fined and bound over to keep the peace for a year for breaking a window of the pub and damaging the pub sign by shooting at them not to mention threatening to shoot Mrs Tyler, George's wife. Presumably this was Sarah who is on 1851 census. Perpetrator was apparently known for his drunken antics which left him "very violent"*. George was also one of the parish poor rate collectors for Little Marlow and Well End which could have led to tensions with some. Robert however was said in court to be comfortably off, in reciept of an income paid by the executors of an unnamed individual  who had desired the money to be dished out gradually so he wouldn't spend it too easily! 

1863-80 Stephen Nutt

Above, the grave of Stephen and Sophia Nutt in Little Marlow Church yard. Stephen died Sept 16 1880 age 65, Sophia "his beloved wife" died January 15 1887 age 62. 

1880-87 Sophia Nutt taking over from her dead husband Stephen Nutt. Pet canary stolen from her premises 1882.

1887 Edwin Alma Bruce for few weeks only, caretaker publican following death of Sophia Nutt.

1887-89 Robert Way. 

1889-96 Thomas Henry Jeffreys. 1891 census publican and gardener. Thomas suffered a serious assault in 1896 and is on the 1901 census as a gardener only.

1901-11 George Benjamin Hughes. Wife Sarah

1914 - Edward Walker, J Gilby at different times (holdovers) 

1915 - George Benjamin Hughes (see also the Carrier's Arms)

1920 - George Benjamin Hughes

*Windsor and Eton Express 27th April 1844, via the BNA / BRITISH LIBRARY 

Use the Person Index option on the top drop down menu to search for a particular person. There is also a Pub Related option on that menu. For more Well End and Little Marlow content in general see Other Places on the menu. New content uploaded daily. 

©Marlow Ancestors. 

Barnard Grave, Marlow

Harriet Barnard, the beloved wife of Arthur E Barnard, departed this life 1918 age 59. 

Also of:

The above Arthur E Barnard -Born Aug 24 1865, died May 17 1924 (Arthur was a grocer, hardware shopkeeper, cycle agent, bicycling instructor and talented musician. More on him here) 

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to reuse this content for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog and a link here.

Calcutt Grave, Little Marlow

 This grave is at St John the Baptist, Little Marlow. 

Harry Calcutt Died March 5th 1878 age 81. 

And wife Mary

Born September 6 1810

Died at Westhorpe Farm, April 8th 1881 age 70 years. 

Note: Harry's full name was Henry. 

*I am preparing a biographical post on Harry and Mary which will come online in the next few weeks*

For more grave photos from Little Marlow, Great Marlow and Hurley see the Graves option on the menu. For every mention of a person on this blog use the Person Index. General Little Marlow content can be found listed under Other Places on the menu.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to use this content for family and local history purposes if you credit this blog.

Corby Graves, Great Marlow

These graves are all in the parish church of All Saints in Marlow.

As you can tell, this grave is leaning precariously so this is the best image possible! 

This is the grave of James John Corby, son of John and Susannah Corby who died July 30th 1837 age 19 years. "A faithful son and brother dear"

Next to the previous, is the above grave of Susannah, wife of Thomas Corby who departed this life Apr 20 1838 age 62 years. 

Above, grave of Thomas Corby October (3?) 1853 aged 77

Above, Elizabeth, daughter of William and Sarah Corby who departed this life November 4th 1852 age 3 years. 

For another Corby Grave see this post here (Thomas Corby son of the Thomas above and Charlotte Gibbs nee Corby daughter of Thomas above)

To read about Marlow Hero Arthur Corby see the post here

And Thomas Corby Junior and Senior the builders here

Lots more on the Corby family to come on the blog in future. Check the imdex for the latest posts. 

To look for all mentions of a person of interest use the Person Index option on the drop down menu at the top. 

©Marlow Ancestors. You may use these images and transcriptions freely for family and local history purposes if you credit this blog and link here. 

No Rational Dress Allowed

This post is about the entertaining and sometimes bizarre history of the late Victorian and Edwardian Marlow men and women who took to up the cycling craze. It was a time when the cost of bicycles had come down and the comfort had increased thanks to the Safety bicycle with two equal size wheels. It gave new freedoms to the lucky woman able to buy or hire a cycle and must have made travel much easier for many working people. In 1910 even the parish surveyor got an allowance for the maintenance of his bike.

Join the Club

The Bicycle Touring Club (known as the Cyclists Touring Club after 1883) had a local headquarters in the George and Dragon. This was a national organisation that sometimes lead organised group rides as well as producing a magazine and route maps. Touring members could get advice on local roads from the representative, and they got preferential rates when staying at a HQ.  It's members wore a uniform, so they would be hard to miss on their jaunts. But they were not the only cycling club in town. 

Above, an example of an early Edwardian cycling map. One was also produced for Bucks.

In 1895, the Marlow Cycling club came into existence. They would be open not just to those intending to travel on two wheels but tricyclists as well. Tricycles were not so much a novelty in adult use as they seem to us.  Praised for their comfort and safety, they were the subject of a strong trend of their own. 

The first meeting was held in the new Coffee Room of the Chequers. There were important issues to discuss. Would women be allowed to join? Yes. Would these women be allowed to wear Rational Dress on club runs? Definitely not. What the Victorians called Rational Dress, we might call "practical" options. This meant bloomers/pantaloons or culottes for the women - "divided skirts". These were regarded as unfeminine, lacking in grace, and / or immoral by some. The alternative was to wear a skirt. Some woman had special cycling skirts with the hems stiffened with horse hair so as to lessen the risk of material catching in the mechanism of the bike or the pedals before that. Those who supported Rational Dress suggested that the slightly billowing nature of skirts loose enough to allow a woman to mount the bike in the first place could become unintentionally revealing as it floated outwards as the lady pedalled. There was also the argument that dispensing with skirts allowed women to use a wider range of bicycle frame types. But these arguments did not fly in Marlow as far as the Cycle Club was concerned. More on cycle outfits below. 

What everyone in the club would wear was a sort of uniform. No self respecting Victorian cycle club could be without one. Club colours were navy and gold and there would also eventually be a club badge in the form of a shield with scroll (from 1899). Subscription fees were set at 2s 6d a year, with membership open to those over 17. Their regular headquarters were to be at Timberlake's Cycle Depot in the High Street, from where trips would begin. 

Their first club run was to Henley on a fine May evening in 1895. In all 36 members went, led by Club Captain Ilsley and Sub Captain Miss Nellie Creswell. They arrived at the Catherine Wheel and spent time punting and boating, before returning home at 8 with gas cycle lamps lit. They dismounted at Timberlake's and congratulated each other on a successful trip with no punctures to contend with. 

And so they continued organising "gallant spins" to various local spots such as Beaconsfield and Windsor, with something like 30-40 men and women taking part each time on average. The Club also organised social events, even for a while an annual ball in the Crown. Then there was the "At Home" social gatherings in the large club room of Sycamore House, West Street, which was ran as a sort of private lodging house by Jacob and Hannah Ransome.  But after a while membership declined, and in 1902 the question arose as to whether to continue the club as few people attended on a regular basis but the existing members voted for yes. Their headquarters were now in Chapel Street. 

Mine's a "Marlow" model

There was a lot of places in Marlow which were eager to sell you a bicycle (or tricycle). Many of them started out in other guises but expanded into offering cycling "machines" and accessories. Many were actually manufacturing the bikes themselves either on the premises or elsewhere in the town. A lot also expanded into offering motor cycles. I'll mention a few. 

First up is Mr. W H Carter of Market Square who would offer to hire you a bicycle by the day, week, month or season. He also sold them, and now that cycling was ever expanding in popularity, he could be sure of offering a good supply of second hand machines as well. Repairs and replating would be done "at the lowest prices compatible with good workmanship." [1893]

Mr Barnard was advertising his Chapel Street shop as "the Cycle stores" in 1897. He offered lessons - ladies a speciality - with the assurance of his personal attention. He said he had taught many of the neighbourhoods distinguished residents to ride, and would come to you if the thought of taking your first steps in public was too off-putting. (Biography of Barnard available here)

Alternatively you could go to see cycle agent [Horace] Matthews in Station Road (where Hunts is now). A carriage builder as well, he was now specialising in bicycles. He had the distinction of being the official repairer for the Cyclists Touring Club and of course also offered lessons. In 1904 they claimed to be the cheapest shop in Marlow for cycle accessories. Bells would cost you 9d each and acetylene gas lamp 2s 9d. But they did not just offer cheap. They were the Marlow agents for the Coventry Cross Cycles "recognised by experts to be the best in the world."

Timberlake's Cycle depot was mentioned above. Their slogan was "first class goods at popular prices." Thomas Timberlake was a Maidenhead man and life long cycle enthusiast. In his premises in the High Street (no 18 & 19 in old numbering), you could see not only the very latest designs in bicycles but also one or two ancient models that Mr Timberlake himself had used as a young man. One, built in Marlow by Eustace O Jackson, had a 36" front wheel and rear of 24" both with puncture-less tyres made of steel. Next to this you could see the up to the minute 1899 Timberlake Roadster. If your existing bike was looking worse for wear then Timberlake said he could rebuild it for you so it would look as good as new, for 25s including enamelling and nickel plating. Timberlake also specialised in phonographs, a not uncommon pairing with cycles! 

Above, 1907 advert from the Marlow Almanac and Directory, printed by Marlow Printing Co for Timberlake's Cycle Depot. 

If you wanted the "Marlow" bicycle, it was to C J Bateman "Cycle Expert" in West Street that you needed to go. It would cost you from £4 in 1904 with a 5 year guarantee and was built in the town. By 1910 the bikes were fitted with Thames Tyres, guaranteed for 15 months.  He could offer other machines built to order from £6 10s and up or ones from stock could be bought from £3 15s. [Prices from 1904-1908. Models included Centaur, Hudson, Premier, Swift, and Unity] Part exchange was also available although you may not get a high price for the boneshaker at the back of the shed. 

George Hitchings of West Street (opposite Quoiting Square) distinguished himself in 1909 as a "practical cycle maker" which sounds much better than an impractical one! He, like Timberlake, also repaired phonographs, and gramophones as well as prams and mail carts. A second hand bike from Hitchings cost 30s and up in 1909. 

Jasper Collins, of the late Victorian bicycle warehouse in Chapel Street claimed his "Star" bicycles were like thoroughbreds with a graceful appearance and easy running. Jasper would also hire you a bicycle and offered bike riding lessons - ladies a speciality. He said he had the largest selection of models in this district. 

You could also buy or hire a bike from Batting and Sons or from Henry Harris saddle and harness maker of Spittal Street amongst others. 

Don't forget your woolies

Above I mentioned the Marlow Cycling Club uniform and their rational dress policy. I have not found any Marlow shops advertising ready made ladies cycling costumes that might have appealed to those not subject to the club rules but of course many ladies would have expected to buy material and make the items up themselves, or have someone else do it for them. One item that you could buy here was the Platinum Anti Corset, available from George Hide in West Street. It was the only type of corset to be considered for athletic pursuits according to George. Morgan and Sons could offer you cycling gloves and W B Langston's had cycling shoes available. These had soles which apparently allowed for more efficient pedalling. 

General outfit advice for would be cyclists stressed the importance of avoiding chills and suggested woollen underwear was by far the safest choice. Mr Jaeger's brand was perfect, and available from Morgans. 

If on the other hand, engaging in outdoor sport had left you dealing with sunburn or gasp, freckles, then High Street chemist William Baxter would recommend a  tube of his exclusive Burnolia ointment. At 6d a time it will cool and soothe your skin. Others recommended rubbing soap into the inside of your socks to avoid blisters on long runs. 

Overall, your cycling outfit should avoid anything "loud or conspicuous" - perhaps not so easy for some cycling club members. Instead it should be characterised by "the quietness that always characterises the dress of a gentleman."

Cycle gymkhanas and the rest

If taking a conventional spin was starting to bore our Marlow ancestors, there was plenty of other cycle based entertainment on offer. Perhaps they would like to take part in the annual cycle gymkhana. (Later called a Cycle Fete.) It occurred over several years as part of "Marlow Week" or "Fete week", a series of entertainments that finished with Marlow Regatta. The gymkhana was organised by the Marlow Cycle Club, and was intended to show off their proficiency. The 1897 show attracted some 300 entries over two days!  It occurred alongside the Fete Week horticultural show, in Alder Meadow (where Marlow Cricket Club is and adjoining field). So what sort of events does a Cycle Gymkhana consist off? 

There was a ladies only mounted egg and spoon race, a tortoise race (slowest rider wins, much harder than it sounds!) and obstacle races. The latter involved weaving in and out of poles stuck in the ground, and pedaling along a plank or two raised off the ground. The gentleman's races involved more weaving between markers as fast as possible. All of this was to the accompaniment of suitable music. There was also a tilting at a ring competition but no cycle jousting as far as I can see! Prizes tend to go to Cycle Club members - Nellie Creswell being the lady to beat in woman's events, and a fair few of the mixed ones. The number of entries some years would suggest the event was open to non members too, with the exception of the first which was more of an exhibition. The gymkhana continued until just before the First World War. 

If gymkhanas did not appeal, there was a bicycle polo team active around 1900 -1912, with S.J Smith as the Captain. Exhibition matches took place as part of the Cycling Gymkhana as well. And in 1903 a bicycle paper chase was held. This started on Marlow bridge with 4 human "hares" setting off down Pound Lane, ahead of the "hunters" and dropping a paper trail as they went. It was presumably not too windy as the "hares" were  successfully tracked across Alder Meadow up to Red Pits hill taking in 4 styles on the way, round by Danesfield and down by Medmenham Ferry. They crossed the Thames using the ferry boat, and finally finished at the East Arms Hotel in Hurley where 30 weary cyclists sat down to tea. Let's hope they all had the more modern bikes for this cross country route. 

Cycling problems

The Cyclists did not have uninterrupted pleasure on the roads. They could attract the ire of other road users when travelling en masse, snazzy Club uniforms not withstanding. Some came to the attention of police for not abiding by lighting up time regulations in 1897. Then there was the issue of poor quality road surfaces. In 1904 Mrs Hall of Bridge House went out for a ride with her husband, the former riding in the lead. While pedalling through Bisham, she considered the road to be in so poor a condition that she decided to retreat to the footpath to continue. An off duty constable saw this and called out for her to stop and give her name and address. She claimed she did not hear him, and on seeing a man jogging along after her and then attempting to bring her to a stop by grabbing at her bike, she pedalled faster. Her husband heard a commotion and turned back. At this point they understood their pursuer was indeed a policeman and surrendered their details. The magistrates remonstrated with the Constable for not clearly identifying himself earlier and risking an accident by trying to seize the ladies bike. So Mrs Hall escaped with a nominal 6d fine and a warning not to trespass again on the footpath. 

Things did not always run smoothly for the cycle sellers either. In 1914, Vincent Aubrey Herbert Timberlake, had gone bankrupt a year after taking over his father's cycle store in Marlow. He had previously managed it for the family who also had a branch in Queen Street, Maidenhead. Vincent's problem was they had got stuck with a stock of older, more expensive machines that no one wanted any longer. And they could not afford to buy or make the more desirable modern models until they had got rid of this old stock. The trend for cheaper models was good for cyclists but the Timberlakes were paying the price for changing fashion. 

One last problem to consider was how much cycling was considered safe, especially for females. While it was generally considered good exercise, within moderation, there were some dangers to avoid other than chills. The Victorian era Idler Magazine, co edited by Jerome K Jerome, offered some advice to female cyclists in 1895. The writer supported rational dress and agreed on the necessity of chill preventing underwear. He added that over fatigue combined with a timid cycling style had been known to cause severe cases of nervous prostration, sometimes long term in nature. You have been warned cyclists! 

Two 1905 ads.

For a post about Victorian/Edwardian gymnastics in Marlow see here 

Sources

Cyclists Touring Club Monthly Gazette, November 1895, Vol 13-14, (Cyclists Touring Club). 

The Idler Magazine, Volume 8, 1895, (Chatto & Windus)

Pemberton, Max 1895, The Season of The Lady Cyclist, as published in The Album July 29 1895. (Ingram Brothers, 1895)

Grace, William G. Outdoor games and recreation: An Encyclopaedia for Boys (Religious Tract Society 1892) 

Post Office Directory 1883, 1891, (Kelly's Directories Ltd.)

The Marlow Guide, 1905. 

South Bucks Standard 24 March 1893,12 May 1895, 21 August 1896,  21 May, 13 August, 9 & 16 September 1897, 19 May, 2 June, 14 July 1899, 12 & 19 January, 08 June, 28 September 1900, 18 April 1902, 7 April 1903, 15 January, 22 April 1904, 2 November 1906, 21 February, 27 March 1908, 25 June, 23 &30 July 1909,10 January 1910 - copies from the British Library Archive and accessed via the BNA September 2020. 

Maidenhead Advertiser 25th July 1910, as above. 

Bucks Herald July 18 1914, as above

For more on the history of the touring club see:

https://www.cyclinguk.org/about/history/ctc-history-timeline 

And cycle outfits:

https://www.cyclemuseum.org.uk/Cycle-Clothing.aspx

©Marlow Ancestors.