Updated March 2024
I glean every possible will and property record to gather the names of those who lived in Chapel Street, often called Chapel End, in the 1700s. The date next to each name is the date I find reference to them in Chapel Street but they may have been there earlier and later too. This post focuses on the occupiers rather than the owners of property. In most cases in the 1700s the two were not the same thing. The precise buildings cannot usually be identified but I am working on it! Getting the names of any occupiers at all is an enormous task.
I likely have more people to add once I have sifted through my mountain of research notes and will update this post as I can.
Note: the boundary of Chapel Street and Spittal Street was very fluid so some properties in Chapel Street can appear in records as being in Spittal Street and vice versa. It was not uncommon in the 1700s and earlier for Spittal Street to be entirely ignored as a street address and for all properties there to be described as Chapel Street or Chapel End even down as far as the Market Square end.
William Baker, a grocer. Occupier 1797. Unknown if owner. On the site of a shop used as a grocers for over 100 years previously to that. I am trying to identify more precisely which property this was.
Francis Beck. Tenant of a cottage 1744.
James Bird. Tenant.
Robert Bristow / Bristowe. Tenant of a cottage South side 1791.
Edward Broadway. Tenant 1782.
Martha Camden [nee White] 1795. Her mother Amy White below part owned this property. Who owned other part/s unknown. Sister of Jane White below.
John Collins tenant of a cottage 1798.
Mark Cutter. Tenant 1743 of a cottage. In 1733 the same cottage had been in the occupation of John Phillips.
Thomas Davison. Occupier North side 1710.
Widow Eagle. Tenant, Chapel End 1795.
George and Ann Faux. Alias Fox. George was a schoolmaster who had his own private boarding school. Resident 1750s- death 1797. Prospect House which was often given as Chapel End in the 1700s but was really more at start of Wycombe Road / Little Marlow Road. Wife Ann survived him.
Widow ?Gray? 1730. Not the owner of the property.
John Hammerton. Owner of house there in his will 1716. Basket Maker. Wife Jane inherited life interest in the property then it went to their son.
Thomas Hester. Occupier 1748.
Robert Howard. Occupier North side 1745, East of the White Hart. This may be Robert Howard junior son of Robert Howard Senior of Bisham. Robert Junior inherited two cottages in Chapel Street from his father the same year.
William Hubbard. Tenant of a cottage 1744.
Thomas Langley. Owner and occupier 1723. A sawyer.
John Lawes tenant, Chapel End 1760 and 1798. This may not be the same property on both occasions and it is possible given the 38 year gap in dates that the earlier John Lawes is the father or uncle etc of the later John Lawes rather than the same man. His premises were previously occupied by Joseph Loveless and Thomas and Mary Sears. See below. Note Added September 2021: this property was actually in Spittal Street, though described as Chapel End. As I said above there was no consistency when describing properties in these two streets which run into each other.
Joseph Loveless alias Lovelace. Appropriately given that name he was a "laceman". Tenant of a house 1754, which had previously been occupied by Thomas Sears whose business he had bought. Probably but not definitely North side. Property later occupied by John Lawes. Note added September 2021: this property was actually in Spittal Street which as I explained above was routinely described as being part of Chapel Street in the past. The two roads run into each other.
Robert Menday. Tenant of White Hart, North Side 1732. A Mr Menday was there 1745 which may be Robert also.
John Phillips. 1733. Not owner. By 1743 his cottage was occupied by Mark Cutter above.
Mary and Thomas Sears. He a lace maker. Occupier 1748. Unknown if owner. Home and business premises in one. Mary was a widow and occupier of the property alone in 1751. She was no longer resident there in 1754. Joseph Loveless alias Lovelace had bought her husband's business and taken over occupation of the Sears' premises. By 1760 the occupier was John Lawes. See above. Note added September 2021: this property was actually in Spittal Street.
William Stevens, bargeman. Will proved 1730. Owned his own home.
Thomas Taylor. Occupier North side 1745.
Richard Tovey. Occupier North side 1710.
Thomas Wal*er. Tenant. Chapel End. 1798. [Walter? Walker?]
Ann and John Warner. Tenants 1788.
Carter Webb, a cordwainer. Occupier 1748. Unknown if owner. He was no longer resident in the same premises in 1760.
William Weedon. Or possibly Wooden. Tenant of a cottage South side 1791.
Amy White, widow. Owner and occupier of a cottage. 1795. Will proved 1796. Left this property to her daughter Jane White.
Jane White. 1795. Her mother Amy White above part owned this cottage. Who owned other parts unknown. Sister of Martha Camden above.
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I have previously published a post on the 1700s residents of Quoiting Square here and Dean Street here. High Street 1700s residents are here and Oxford Road here.
My recreated trade directory for 1700s Marlow and Little Marlow is here
Researched and written by Charlotte Day. Additional research by Kathryn Day.
©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to reuse this research for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog and a link here.
