Unless stated those listed are the Head Gardeners of the places listed. Domestic gardeners only in this post, more on the nursery gardeners of Marlow in future. There were a great many of those. Dates next to a name show when I have concrete evidence of a person being in the job. They may have been there earlier or later too. Many more names to add as time permits. Spelling as per original source which can lead to some interesting variations! *Updated by Charlotte October 2024*
Head Gardener Alan Day working on the New Kitchen Garden at Remnantz, 1991. The old brewery chimney can be seen poking over the yew hedge - a hedge which was over a century old already at that point © Marlow Ancestors
Beechwood, Henley Road
1859 - House then known as Beech Lodge - Thomas Gibson
1881- George Smith. Not the same as the George Smith at Suffolk Lodge.
1883 - Alfred Lambourne
1898 - E Keene
1901- E Keene (head), Thomas Brown and George Mealing
1907 - E Keen qv and T Brown.
1911-16 - George Henry Moores. Lived in a 4 room cottage on the estate. This was said to be part of the original older Beechwood house. With a stucco front, "rustic porch" and veranda it certainly sounds more impressive than the usual staff quarters. From at least 1911-13 the assistant gardener was George Harris who lived in the Lodge at Beechwood. Though the rates for the lodge were paid for by his employer Thomas did not have the use of the cottage as part of his job and paid rent out of his wages to live there.
Bohemia
1899- 1917 Mr Thomas William Jordan. Was a domestic gardener living in Marlow High Street by 1891 probably working at Cromwell House. Wife Louisa. Grave of their daughter and her husband here.
Bisham Abbey
1846 - Mr Sutton
1866 - Mr Henderson. Wife Ann dies this year age 60 after falling down stairs while making a visit to a friend.
1901,03 - G Martin .
Unknown dates- Joseph Curtis who was later at Bridge House Marlow and who died in 1905.
Blounts, Bovingdon Green
1894 - Alan Axten
1903-39 at least - J Platt (Head) - (to Walter Wethered then A R A Heath Esq) Blounts Cottage. Frequent winner of classes at the local Chrysanthemum show.
Bridge House
To early 1905 from unknown date Joseph Curtis who had previously worked at Bisham Abbey. Ill health forced his retirement. Lived at time of his death 1905 at Platts Row Marlow.
The Cottage, Oxford Road (a large size house not a little cottage and not the same as Oxford Cottage)
1861-1874 Dennis Wargent. Moved to Hurley by 1881 (probably 1878 ish) where he was also a gardener. He was there a churchwarden too. A detailed biography is available here
1898 - E Harvey?
Court Garden House
1827- John Stewart. Died that year. His will was subject to a fraud which caused a nationwide sensation. More on that here
1861- 1864 William Neighbour and see Harleyford below. Lived in the lodge, Pound Lane. Wife Emma. For more see here and biography here
1866-1872- T Lockie. Probably moved on to Oakley Court, Windsor. Placed an ad in the Gardeners Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette May 1872 seeking a new position after 5 years at Court Garden. Says he had been brought up to a garden from childhood. "First class testimonials" available. A champion cucumber grower!
1874 - D S Gillett
1871-1881 John Waitman. Not necessarily head gardener. Lived in the lodge with wife Eliza 1871. Later lived in rooms above the stables Court Garden (set of three rooms). Retired gardener living at Glade Road and widowed 1901.
1881 - Charles Swadling.
1901, 1902- Robert Gibson
Cromwell House
1893 - Mr Jordan (later at Bohemia)
1895 -1900 Mr Weaving
1898 - William Soley (assistant).
Danesfield.
1846 : Henry King
1850-1859 Henry Wood. His family were Catholic converts. His sister Lucy Anne who lived with him briefly at Danesfield was a troubled young woman who struggled to hold down a job and was widely rumoured to, having become a nun, eloped from her nunnery with a baron. While the marriage to the Baron de Camin (or perhaps "baron") looks to have been true Henry insisted his sister had never been a nun. De Camin was generally regarded as an imposter himself. Henry was a grower of "extraordinarily fine fruit". In 1858 he won two silver medals at the Royal Botanic Society Show held in Regents Park, London.
1861 - Garden apprentice is 14 year old Robert Columbine, whose family lived at Albion House, West Street. Dad Colour Sergeant James Columbine. More on this family here
1860- 1901 Head - Edward Croker. In 1867 Danesfield hosts the Marlow Horticultural show and rural fete, and Mr Croker carries off a number of prizes. Wife Arabella. Biography here
1889 - Henry Bennett. (Assistant gardener)
1898 - William Murray Geddes (head), William Dalton (foreman)
1899-1904 James Gibson. At first the Under Gardener, then Head Gardener from 1901. James was regarded as an authority on "vegetable culture" and lectured on this subject to regional horticultural institutions. Also won many prizes for carnations. When advertising his desire to seek a new position in 1904, James tells us that he has the "highest testimonials for "ability, sobriety and civility" as well as experience in estate re modelling - Danesfield was extensively altered during his time there.
1905- Mr O Smith.
1906-07 Mr G.W Smith
1910-1913 Webster Hillier. Wife Mabel. Moved eventually to Reigate, Surrey. Gardener to A H Lewis. Assistant gardener :Arthur Weller (1912)
1910-William Buck assistant gardener (foreman of glasshouses). Died 1 week into post. Committed suicide on estate by jumping into the water tower. Had suffered a nervous breakdown a little before.
1910 - Assistant gardeners: Arthur Cook, George Plumridge.
1930,31 - Arthur Friend. Received £500 from the will of Danesfield owner Mrs Helen Hornby Lewis, allegedly the richest woman in Britain. She left many generous bequests, to her staff and others.
Field House
1921 - William Grimsdale
Gossmore House
1921 - Joseph Grove (lived Mill Rd)
Gyldernscroft, Henley Road.
1862 - Mr Adams. Assisted by Thomas Harris.
1861 - Robert Thomas (probably assistant gardener) Lived Croft Lodge.
1881-1883 Alfred Maxim. Lived Croft Cottage / Lodge nearby. Wife Amelia. Left Marlow by 1891.
1888 -1903 - Walter Lawrence - head.
1901 - George Langley
1910-1920 William Brigden, originally from Tooting. His employer in 1916 tried unsuccessfully to get him exempted from war service.
Harleyford House
1822-43 Mr Kirby. Not sure if head gardener (but likely).
1846,7 - John Cheetham
1861 - William Hunt, gardeners boy age 15.
1861 - William Blackman.
1869 - Sir William Clayton has a telegraph system installed with 3 miles of underground cabling to allow him to communicate with the gardeners, lodge keepers and other staff.
1866-1872- William Neighbour. See also Court Garden above. Biography here
1869 - 1879 - Stephen Goldswain, under gardener. Stephen's employment comes to an abrupt end when he is convicted of stealing potatoes from the gardens, along with 2 garden labourers. He received 1 month in prison for this with hard labour.
1875- Mr Harding
1879- 1888 Charles Knowles. Lived in the Gardener's Lodge. Wife Elizabeth. In 1879 one of the assistant gardeners Stephen Goldswain who had worked on the estate for ten years was found guilty of stealing potatoes from the garden after Charles gave evidence against him. Two casual labourers in the estate had also stolen some. Stephen was jailed for a month with hard labour.
1879 - Thomas Brewer and William Thatcher. Garden labourers. Unfortunately they are convicted along with Stephen Goldswain above for stealing potatoes from the gardens. William had a previous conviction so recieved a 6 week sentence with hard labour, while Thomas was sentenced to 4 weeks, also with hard labour.
1881 - Walter Garner (under gardener) and Frederick Stratfield ditto. Frederick Cheetham / Cheethman is gardener's labourer.
1886 - J Fletcher age 22, under gardener. Seeks position elsewhere this year as second gardener or "first journeyman in the houses". In other words he is looking to further his career by moving to another garden in a more senior role. The houses refered to are the glasshouses or greenhouses. Some large estates had gardeners whose main role was to tend to the vast amount of plants grown under glass. Experience in caring for these was valued and Fletcher says he has experience in this field.
1888 - Alfred Myson, head. Possibly left 1890.
1895- 1909 James Sharpe. Wife Millicent. Manages to grow bananas on the estate, harvesting 60lb of them in 1903.
1915 - Walter Barklam
Highfields
1881-1883 James Munday.
1903 - John Weaving. Lived in a four room cottage Highfield's Lodge.
1907 - T Weavin. Possibly a mistake for J Weaving.
1911 - John Weaving.
1929 - J E Jones.
The Lawn, Mill Rd
NB not the same as Thames Lawn
1921 - Henry Smewing
Little Marlow Manor
1861 - Edwin Anstead? Might be at Westhorpe now.
1863 - Edwin Anstead.
1897-98 - George Cooper
1920 - George Latchford
Little Mead / Littlemead (New Town)
Probably the house formerly known as Rivermead(s)- if not they were very close together.
1921 - Albert Brooks
Marlow Place
1739 - Robert Rudkin (to "Madam Wallop") [Alice/Alicia]
1921 - Benjamin Trendall
Medmenham Abbey
1911 - James Aird, head gardener for Col Douglas Frederick Dawson.
New Court, off High Street.
Uriah Piggott who died in 1906 was said to have worked there for over 30 years. Wife Ann. In 1881 he is listed as a coachman of Platts Row and in 1871 as a groom.
1907/8- Mr Turnedge. Under gardeners- Mr Brinsden and Mr Silver.
The Orchard(s), Bovingdon Green
Richard Evans by 1907 to Mr H Slattery. By 1913 to at least 1915 gardener to Mrs Slattery his widow.
Remnantz, West Street
John Neighbour - 1850s. Read more here
1871-1889 Alfred Hitchcock. Lived 83 West Street next to Remnantz. He lodged with Charlotte Rose, a laundress employed by the family at Remnantz. Alfred died 1889. Wife Catherine (m 1878, née Orme). William was one of those who gave evidence as to the damage done during the election riots of 1880, of which more here
1891 - assistant gardener, Walter Trim. Killed this year in an accident while climbing a tree (not at Remnantz) in pursuit of a magpies nest.
1903 - Samuel Fisher. Lived at Remnantz Lodge/Cottage.
1911- William Farthing. Lived at Remnantz Cottage (81-83 West Street, old numbering.)
Rookery
1863 - Richard Ward
1872 - G Frith
1888-1899 at least - George Frith. Brings the fruit garden into a state of perfection, with renowned pear trees.
1914 - T Allaway, arrives after spending 7 years as second gardener at Englefield Lodge, Englefield Green.
Seymour Court
1883-1890 William Andrews, lived Eton Place rather than on site. Left 1890. Is still censused as a gardener later in Marlow but I don't know where he worked.
1890- 1891 William R Williams (yes his name was William Williams). Head gardener. Lived Dean Street 1891 which would be about a mile walk to work for him each day, and home again. Born in Wales. You'd think William Williams would not be a common name but there was also another man of the same name in Dean Street 1891 in a different household! Moved to Seymour Court from position as garden foreman at The Cedars, Wells, Somerset, and prior to that was at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew.
1899- 1902 Walter Parsons.
1901 - George Giddings?
Spinfield Lodge / House (original demolished, but a 1930s house replaced it)
History of the house and the occupants of it is available here
1841- Thomas Piggott?
1847- H. King.
1853- Mr MacKeith
1860- Mr Clews. Oversaw expansion and significant improvement of the gardens and grounds.
1863- William Neville
1873- H Heath. Seems to be under gardener or garden labourer.
1881 - William Thurman. Head Leaves this year to take up position at Fairthorne Park, Botley.
1881 - John Heath - garden labourer
1882- W. J Clarke. Moved from Kilkerran, Ayrshire to take the job.
1883- Abraham Hubbard.
1887- John Kent. Lived in the lodge. Unsure of position within garden staff.
1891-1899 William Shorter. Was in his 70s and shortly after this became the lodge keeper at Spinfield instead of gardener because of his ailing physical condition. He died at the lodge aged 81 in 1900. Wife was Rebecca who after his death became a ladies maid at Spinfield. She was some years younger than him. William had at his death worked for the wider Murray family 60 years plus and they thought the world of him. Assistant gardener Mr Finch (1898)
1892-93 Mr Cole. Moved 1893 to Swallowfield Park Berkshire. Effectively the head gardener on a day to day basis but the elderly William Shorter was officially still the head.
1898- 1916 Thomas Blackmore. Rose specialist and florist who provided floral decorations for many public events in Marlow. Judge regularly at local horticultural shows. A native of Devon. He gave some talks to the local boy scouts on horticulture in 1914. He also provided the plants for some formal planting displays at Marlow Cemetery in the years after it opened. He lived in a 4 room cottage on the estate. The under gardener lived in the Lodge house in 1911.
Suffolk Lodge, off what is now Station Road. Later called Marlow Lodge (There was also a Marlow Lodge at Little Marlow)
1840 - George Davidson
1868- Edward Hancock. Died suddenly this year.
1869 - Mr J Meakes. Wins prizes at the "floral fete" held at Harleyford this year.
1871 - Bartholomew Dingle
1874-1875 F Russell.
1881- George Smith. Wife Margaret a servant in the house. Both live in. Not same George Smith as at Beech Lodge above.
1882 - Mr Edwin, and a "boy".
1907-1911 Herbert Elkington. Lived in the gardener's cottage with wife Florence.
1917 - A Frith.
The Sycamores, Mill Lane
NB not the same as Sycamore House West Street.
1921 - Sydney C Rye.
Temple House, Temple.
1835-1852 - George Davison./Davidson.
1853 - Charles Adams. Features in the press as the American Aloe plant at Temple is 30ft tall including its flower stem.
1861,1862- Henry Payne.
1880, 1886- George Keates. Wife Charlotte.
1888 - R Cooper (journeyman age 21)
1890-1909 George Grove(s) (head) moved there from the Rangemore Gardens in Burton on Trent where he was foreman. Meticulously monitored a weather station at Temple and so provided many meteorological reports to local newspapers as well as trade journals. In 1900 George's "magnificent melons" were used to illustrate the Sutton's autumn catalogue. He'd managed to produce 4 melons from one plant weighing in total just over 31lbs.
1891 - Arthur Williams (under) . Moves to be head gardener for Mr H. Willan at Albion Lodge, Maulleys Castle, Worcs.
1891-1892 Albert Pearce. Moved to Summer Hill House, Kidderminster.
1892 - 6 gardeners kept. Has bothy and gardeners perks including pick of vegetables.
1893-Thomas Watson. Under.
Thames Bank, Riverside.
1846-1870 Mr Robert Hobbs. Pear grower extrordinaire. (In 1862 one of his trees produced 320 pears, with some extraordinary specimens measuring 13" round. The tree was photographed by Marlow photographer Rebecca Blake.) When fellow gardener (not at Thames Bank) Ford of the nearby street South Place committed suicide by hanging himself in 1867, Robert was the first one on the scene responding to the cries of the dead man's sister. He cut the deceased down and gave evidence at the inquest. More on the case in this post. Assistant Mr Hollis.
1871 - John Rose
1872-c1892 -1894 Albert George Bridg(e)man of Wiltshire. His toddler son William drowned in a water cistern while "helping" dad water the garden with a toy watering can at Thames Bank in 1875. Albert won many prizes for his produce. Later became a seedsman. Wife Elizabeth died 1888, second marriage was to Susannah. Biography here
1895- Mr Hobbs. Is it Robert back or a relative?
1901 - C Anderson.
As LYMBROOK -
1921 - . Albert G Earis (possibly the head), Thomas Blewitt & George Hester
Thames Cottage
1921 - Robert Davies /Davis, George Thorne.
Western House, West Street
1862- Mr Tait.
1874-1875 James Rimmell. Also spelt Rymel. Organised a horticultural show in the grounds of Western House in 1874.
Early 1900s- Mr Absalom who had a sideline in taking photographic portraits of children.
Westhorpe House, Little Marlow
1869 - G. Davis.
1890- George Davis.
1911 - William? Davis
1915 - George Davis (to Major Herbert Spencer Gordon)
Additional research by Charlotte Day.
To find other posts about general Marlow history, see the index here
People of Potlands post lists many gardeners: here.
©Marlow Ancestors.
Sources:
Journal of Horticulture, Cottage Gardener, and Home Farmer, collected, 1882 and 1890.
Journal of Horticulture and Cottage Gardener Article by George W Johnson FRHS and Robert Hogg LLD. Digitized by Google.
1883 Kellys Post Office Directory of Buckinghamshire, published by Kellys Directories Limited.
1911 Kelly's Directory as above
Reading Mercury 25th April 1868.
The Gardener: A Magazine of Horticulture and Floriculture, 1871.
South Bucks Standard September 9 1902, February 21st 1908, 11th August 1905, 14th March 1912.
Journal of Horticulture And Practical Gardening, Volume 26 1893. Digitized by Google.
History and Topography of Buckinghamshire by James Joseph Sheahan. Published by Longman, Green, Longman and Roberts 1861.
Bucks Herald 1862 22nd November, via the BNA / British Library Archives.
Reading Mercury 7 June 1867
Census, Charlotte's transcription from microfilm.
Royal County Directory of Beds, Bucks, Berks etc 1876 by J.G Harrod and co.
Gardener's Chronicle, 1882, 1886, 1888, 1890 & 1894
Private letters.
Marriage Cert Alfred Hitchcock.
A Letter To The Editor Of The Hampshire Chronicle Regarding The Winchester Nunnery by Ignatius Collingbrooke, published in book form by the Catholic Publishers and Booksellers Company 1858. Digitized by Google.
Clipping "Morning Leader" March 1905, provided by Percy Colter with thanks.
Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire 1915 (Kelly's Directories Ltd)
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