Widmere Farm, Marlow is on the site of the former Widmere Manor and contains remains of an ancient chapel. My concern here however is the use of Widmere as a farm. Aka Widmer, Widmore
WIDMERE
1747- Daniel Moore bought the manor of Widmere including the farm but he did not himself farm. He was a merchant and M.P who was not that often actually in Marlow.
1793- 1822. Thomas Oxlade. Also had Munday Dean Farm. Some of the land in 1811 seems to have been used by Joseph Webb.
1829- John Webb late of Widmere Farm died.
1833-37 John Lovegrove. Described in 1847 as a man "proverbial for his laconic and good humoured face" and in 1835 as that "most respected agriculturist". On his way home of an evening from Wycombe Market in 1835 was set upon by four men, dragged off his horse, bludgeoned about the head and robbed of £32 plus a few personal items. 3 men arrested at St Albans. [Bucks Gazette 13th June 1835. British Library]. In 1833 the farm was 361 acres and owned by William Clayton though occupied by John. He subsequently moved to Beckings Farm, Marlow. In 1842, Mrs Lovegrove has her arm broken in two places when she is thrown from her pony chaise on the way back from Windsor. Her friend also in the chaise has slight injuries. The pony had shied at an unknown sight. John went on to run the Kings Head, Wycombe but was declared an insolvent debtor in 1847. At this point he was living in Stoke Row but his wife and family were said to still reside in Wycombe where they had continued at the Kings Head for a while.
1843 James and Richard Lovegrove selling up the farm stock. In 1833 Richard was at Beckings Farm instead.
1843-49 Richard King. He died 1849. Moved from Chisbridge Cross Farm. Also had Burford Farm Marlow Bottom 1843-1849 but resided Widmere. In 1843 hosted a ploughing match on the farm. Turnips stolen from his field 1844. In 1848 his employee Levi Silvery / Silvey won a prize for being an industrious worker. Such prizes were given out at regular intervals by agricultural associations[Bucks Herald 11th November 1848, Via the BNA].
1849-51 Mrs Sarah King. Her employee in husbandry Frederick Tilbury was convicted of misconduct in his job and fined 18s including costs in 1850. She retired by 1860 and her son Thomas (see below) took over. She continued to live with him. She also had Burford Farm after his death until 1851. The 1857 wedding of Miss Sarah King of Widmere to Mr J Blakemore of Birmingham at All Saints was described by the Windsor & Eton Express as a "grand and inspiring" bridal ceremony that was "never excelled, if equalled, in this town." The entrance to the church was decorated with ivy. So many people turned up to observe the arrival of the 7 carriage bridal party at the church that not only the church was filled to bursting, but the churchyard too.
1858- 91 Thomas King. He also had Copy Farm, Copy Green. Marlow churchwarden. Married Frances Hewett of Swallowfield Berkshire. In 1858 a seven year old child George Harris employed by Thomas was admonished but not further punished by the magistrates for setting a fire to keep himself warm and in the process accidentally setting fire to some hay. George was still working for Thomas King as a teen. In 1871 employee Charles Bradfield was killed instantly after being crushed by a runaway cart on the farm. He was only 27 years old and a father of 3 small children. His widow Fanny married Charles Lee two years later.
Thomas was farming a total of 400 acres 1861 with 20 staff. In 1881 had a total of 565 acres. Marlow churchwarden.
Early in 1891 Thomas died so the farm stock was sold off and the farm put up to let. Farm then 360 acres arable with 2 worker cottages and a farm house. Wheat, oats, barley, beans and peas grown on the farm. It seems that not long before his death he had moved to a farm in White Waltham and was winding down his Marlow farm.
1900-1920+ David White and sons. Raised pigs and dairy stock. One son John White. Another son Thomas married Florence Morris whose family had Cressex Farm near High Wycombe. A David White was also at Seymour Court Farm in the early 1900s I am uncertain if this is the same man. Occupying multiple farms at once was not uncommon in this period. David White & Sons were certainly at Seymour Court Farm in 1920.
1939 - William Arthur White.
End of period blog deals with.
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Ongoing research. I will update as I sift my old notes.
Dates next to a name are when I have found evidence of a person occupying the farm. They may have been there earlier or later too.
Farm occupants are determined by me from property records, court cases, wills, letters, censuses, adverts and more.
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