John Morris started his business as a linen and woolen draper on these premises (bow windowed part) in 1809. He took his son, also called John into business as a partner in 1833. That year the premises consisted of a house, yard, storehouse and garden and were assessed as having an annual value of
£20. The shop would of course in those days have just been part of the house.
The next year a William Harrison got two months in jail for picking the pocket of John Morris and making off with a handkerchief. Whether the victim was John Junior or Senior the records do not say.
In 1839 the duo took out an ad in the Reading Mercury telling us they are in full not only linen and woolen drapers, but silk mercers, haberdashers, hatters, hosiers and makers of thread lace. They sold sundry items like blankets, sheets and cloths as well as fancier items, not to mention a large selection of mourning items.
John Senior died in 1843. His will which was written two years earlier left £19 19 shillings to his servant Elizabeth Middleton who had been with him since at least the time of the 1841 census. His live - in shopman Thomas Watson received £40. The will also tells us that his recently widowed niece Frances was the widow of George Davis late publican of the Chequers Inn right next door to the Morris's premises. Other legacies went to his widowed sisters and to his son John Junior.
Interestingly, the shopman Thomas Watson was also a beerseller in West Street when he wasn't in the shop. He should not under the law have lived off premises, and is censused at the pub. Earlier Thomas is given as first a grocer (1833-35) and then draper's assistant so it may mean that his employer meant to say "former live in assistant" in the will or that Thomas was spending some time living in at the drapers because John Senior was ailing despite the risk to Thomas's beer license in so doing.
John Junior decided not to continue with the drapery business in Marlow and he out it up for sale in 1844. He eventually moved to Clayton Cottage at Bourne End/ Wooburn where he died. By then he had married. His own will tells us that prior to their marriage he and his wife Margaret [née Washbourn] had had two illegitimate daughters Claudia and Alice, the latter of whom had not been baptised at the age of 5. There was also a son John Walker Morris.
John Junior received a legacy of £19 19 shillings from the 1848 proved will of 91 year old Martha Cleobury of Chapel Street. His father had been appointed one of the will's executors but died before the testator.
Margaret Morris returned as a widow to live in the Marlow High Street property. She earned a living from rental properties in the town and from taking in lodgers. Claudia never married and became a governess. She appears on the 1861 census away at school as a pupil herself in Lambeth. Alice worked as as a music teacher. In following a course in the sphere of education these women were part of a long tradition in their mother's Washbourn family. For information on the school ran by their aunts in Marlow see our Schools post.
Photo taken January 2021.
I determine historic occupancy of buildings by cross referencing multiple sources including wills, censuses, property records, photographs historic advertisements etc. For some buildings in Marlow I can determine occupancy back into the 1700s. I will post photos and information here as and when I can.
Related Posts:
To find every mention of an individual or family here see the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu.
To find out about other historic shops and businesses see: here
For recreated trade directories for the 1600-1800s Great Marlow, and posts about everyday life in old Marlow see the index here
Additional sources:
1833 Parochial Assessment notebooks. Original record held by my family and transcribed by me.
Will of John Morris 1843 and John Morris 1849. Both PCC wills held at the National Archives and transcribed by me.
Will of Martha Cleobury. Transcribed by me, as above.
1841 census transcribed from microfilm by Jane Pullinger.
1861 census from Familysearch website ran by the LDS (Intellectual Reserve Inc) accessed March 2021.
Reading Mercury 1st April 1833 and 12th October 1839. Copies held at the British Library Archives library. Accessed via the BNA March 2021.
South Bucks Standard December 3rd 1897 [Margaret's obituary], as above.
Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette 24th November 1849, as above.
Kelly's Post Office Directory of Buckinghamshire 1854 published by Kelly's Directories Limited. From Leicester University Archives.
GRO Death Registration Index, online.
© Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to use this image or research for family history purposes if you credit this blog and link here so that my sources do not lose credit for the information they provided. Thanks.
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