Not as well known as the lace trade but a Great Marlow industry nevertheless. It was a trade subject to the whims of fashion and rose and fell over time. Straw plait was traditionally stitched together by females, often little girls before child labour laws forbade it. The wholesale price of straw plait in 1849 locally was £1 for 100 yards of it. The biggest centres for straw plait manufacture in the area were Chesham and Luton. A market for it was held in Aylesbury.
Some of the straw hat or bonnet makers I found in Marlow were:
Mary Clifford, High Street. Pigot's Directory 1844. Born 1824. Daughter of Sarah and Theophilus Clifford. To read about Theophilus see the post here and the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu for all mentions of the family.) Mary and her family lived within a few doors of Matilda Newell, straw hat manufacturer below. Later in 1844 Mary returned with her parents to Theophilus's native Oxford. Mary married Henry Quarterman a carpenter and builder. She died aged 40. The Oxford Journal reported that she was "respected by all who knew her". [December 5th 1863].
Elizabeth Hawes "Oxford Terrace" [in Oxford Road] 1844 Pigot's Directory.
Charlotte Hobson, straw hat maker, High Street 1839 Robson's Directory and 1844 Pigot's Directory. Not in her own premises at least 1833 +. Age 30 and living in the High Street 1841 census though ages on that census are rounded and only approximate. Had also lived in Cookham Berkshire. Widow of John.
Matilda Newell- Pigot's Directory 1831, Robson's Directory 1839, Pigot's Directory 1844. All High Street. In 1833 property she occupied was on the Pound Lane / Brewery side of the High Street and consisted of a house and garden with an estimated value of £8 a year. She had not been in the same property in 1826. She was a straw bonnet maker aged "25" on the 1841 census apparently in the same property. Ages were rounded on the 1841 census. Matilda was actually 28 in 1841. She was the daughter of Hannah (née Hester) and William Newell and moved to Marlow with them as an infant. She was born in Bledlow in 1813. It is interesting to see Matilda occupying property on her own account and being in business ditto aged just 20 in 1833. Unusual for a young woman with living parents (they were in West Street). By 1851 she was back with them however, listed just as a farmer's daughter and living in West Wycombe. After their deaths Matilda was able to live as an annuitant rather than work. She died eventually at Naphill, Buckinghamshire on the 25th April 1883.
Elizabeth East Pusey- 1852 Slater's Royal Commercial and County Directory, Chapel Street. On 1841 census Spittal Street [these two streets run into each other and the boundaries of neither were ever consistent. I haven't yet analysed property occupations in this street but feel it possible at least Elizabeth was in the same premises in fact 1839 and 1841]. Born circa 1793. The wife and eventual widow of Samuel, a chair maker. Samuel was the brother of William Pusey straw hat maker come straw plait dealer come chair maker below. Elizabeth and Samuel moved from Marlow to High Wycombe where Elizabeth East Pusey died in 1888 aged 95 on the 15th April. Samuel had died in 1867. Elizabeth does not seem to have continued in her own trade in Wycombe.
Elizabeth Pusey, 1852 Slater's Royal Commercial and County Directory, High Street. Born 1796 on 1851 census. She was the wife of chair turner come straw hat maker William Pusey. See below. Elizabeth is censused as having been born in Rye Sussex.
William Pusey- straw hat maker, West Street 1839 Robson's Directory. In 1833 a William Pusey was in Quoiting Square where his property consisted of a house, washhouse, shop, yard and large garden worth an estimated £11 a year. The parish tax assessors got into a right pickle in the vicinity of Quoiting Square so while the description of this William's occupied property in 1833 will be accurate it is very possible that like several other properties his was listed as Quoiting Square but was actually in West Street. That street is where they were 1841 and 1844. William was married to Elizabeth Pusey, straw bonnet maker above. He was listed as a chair turner by 1830 and continually thereafter but was also in joint enterprise with his wife in straw hat making at least 1839-44. They lived in the High Street 1851. He was then censused as being born 1787 in Penn Buckinghamshire. Brother in law of straw hat maker Elizabeth East Pusey above and brother of Samuel Pusey also above.
Charlotte Rose- West Street, Pigot's Directory 1831 and 1844. Lived on 1841 and 1851 census at the West Street Post Office with her sister Ann Tyler, William Tyler the post master and Ann's husband plus Charlotte and Ann's mother Elizabeth who is listed as a milliner. Elizabeth was at other times referred to as a dressmaker as well. Ann was earlier a milliner and dressmaker too. Charlotte, who was also a cambric cap maker, died in 1870. She is buried with her mother at All Saints, Marlow. I will post a photo of her grave in the future.
Ann Sinclair. West Street Pigot's Directory 1844.
Charlotte Suthrey - High Street, 1831 Pigot's Directory. Not in own premises 1833.
Hannah Wright, Chapel Street. 1831 Pigot's Directory.
Researched and written by Charlotte Day.
©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to use this research for family or local history purposes if you credit this blog and link here.
Sources:
Robson's Directory 1839
Pigot's Directory 1831 and 1844. These both University of Leicester Archives.
1852 Slater's Royal, Commercial and County Directory.
Property records in my family.
Death certification Matilda Newell and Elizabeth East Pusey.
Censuses my transcription from microfilm except West Wycombe which was from Aidan O'Brien. Census information always remains Crown copyright.
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