Lane End Chairmakers

Lane End within the parish of Great Marlow for a time was home to a large number of men, women and children working in the chair making industry. The village specialised in not only domestic chairs but in church seating too. There was a pub there called the Chairmakers Arms.

Below is listed with as much detail as my notes contain everyone I have ever come across working as a chair maker in Lane End whether as a business owner or a labourer.

I have been compiling this list for years from court cases, censuses, adverts, wills, etc that I was looking at for other research reasons. There are more to upload both in terms of references to individuals already listed and of new individuals to list. The names below will just be the tip of the iceberg in terms of involvement in the trade.

Dates next to any name are when I found reference to them as being both a chair maker and in Lane End. The person listed may have operated earlier or later too.

Allen, Albert. 1894.

Allen, Isaac. Accused of poaching 1876.

Avery, Daniel. 1890.

Bennell, Henry. Accused of assaulting John Sharp (Reading Mercury, 12th October 1872 via the BNA / British Library).

George Biggs. Accused of poaching. 1876.

Bird, Richard. Chair turner 1893.

Bishop, Henry. 1910, 13.

Bishop, Ralph Spence. 1902.

Catton, Amos. Chair manufacturer. 1861- 1893. In 1871 employed 37 men and 27 boys. Born circa 1832.

Catton, Joseph. 1876.

Collier, A. Manufacturer at Moor Common. Garden as well as indoor furniture. 1910.

Cooper, John : In 1897 John suffers a serious accident while working on a "reeding machine" at Mr E Smith's chair factory. This machine has knife blades within it, and John's hands are drawn into them, resulting in injuries to 4 fingers. One is subsequently amputated. This was nevertheless considered a miraculous escape. 

Cutler, Charles AKA Charlie. Chair maker 1881, 91. Wesleyan. Trained as a preacher. Son of Reuben and Sarah. Dad also chair maker. Brother of chair maker James.

Cutler, Edwin. Born circa 1835. Chair maker 1861, 1871. Wife Frances who was a lace maker. Parents Ann and William. Brother of Elizabeth, Isaac, Jane, Reuben too.

Cutler, Elizabeth. 12 year old chair caner on 1861 census. Daughter of Ann and William Cutler. Mother dead by 1861. Father also chair maker. Sister of chair makers Edwin, Isaac, Jane, Reuben.

Cutler, Isaac. Chair maker 1871. Son of Ann and William, also a chair maker. Wife Elizabeth a lace maker. Brother of chair makers Edwin, Elizabeth, Isaac, Jane, Reuben.

Cutler, James. Born circa 1866. Chair maker 1891. Son of Reuben, a chair maker, and Sarah. Brother of chair makers Charles, Owen and Walter.

Cutler, Jane 15 year old chair caner on 1861 census. Daughter of Ann and William. Dad also a chair maker. Possible marriage for her West Wycombe Albert Stephens 1866. Sister of chair makers Edwin, Elizabeth, Isaac, Jane, Reuben.

Cutler, Owen. Chair maker 1881. Chair back maker 1891. Born circa 1862. Wife Mary. Moved to Bolter End. Son of Reuben, a chair maker and Sarah. Brother of chair makers Charles, James, Walter.

Cutler, Reuben. Prominent Lane End Wesleyan, involved with the Wycombe chapels too. Member early 1900s of Lane End Parish Council. Prize winning cottage gardener. Specifically chair back maker. Son of Ann and William, who was also a chair maker. Brother of chair makers Edwin, Elizabeth, Isaac, Jane, Reuben. Wife Sarah lace maker early in marriage.

Cutler, Walter. Born circa 1861. Chair maker 1881. Son of Reuben, a chair maker and Sarah. Brother of chair makers Charles, Owen, James.

Dunn, Harry. Fined for being in a pub after hours. 1879.

Ellis, George. Born circa 1825. Apprentice chair maker 1841. Chair maker 1851,61. Born West Wycombe. Son of Alice and Stiles Ellis. Wife Sarah. Father of chair maker Sarah Jane.

Ellis, Sarah Jane. A 15 year old chair caner 1861 census. Daughter of chair maker George and Sarah his wife.

Fletcher, William. Charged poaching Stokenchurch 1869.

Gill, Charles. A 16 year old chair maker census 1861. Brother of chair maker William.

Gill, William. A 14 year old chair maker on 1861 census. Brother of chair maker Charles.

Gray, Richard. Drinking in a pub after closing time. 1879.

Jarvis, James. 1843-52.

Jarvis, Joseph. Grocer and chair manufacturer 1861-83. Born circa 1824 Reading according to census. Wife Sarah who was buried Lane End 1903 and was nee A..ns (Atkins?) Father of chair makers Leonard and William.

Jarvis, Leonard. 1881-92 when became insolvent. Born 1857 West Wycombe to Joseph, also a chair maker. Mother Sarah. Wife Charlotte.

Jarvis, William. Chair maker 1881. Born circa 1862 to Joseph, also a chair maker and Sarah. Brother of chair maker Leonard.

Jones, Joseph. Fined for being drunk and disorderly. 1879.

Plumridge, George. Born circa 1848. Was a 13 year old chair maker 1861 census. Brother of chair maker Henry. Child of James and Susannah.

Plumridge, Henry. 15 year old chair maker 1861 census. Son of James and Susannah. Brother of chair maker George.

Rolfe, William. 1877.

Rose, John. In a pub after hours 1879. (Bucks Herald. 10th May 1879. Via the BNA / British Library)

Savage, John. 1843.

Savage, William. 1852.

Sears, Emmanuel. Born circa 1833. Parents Henry and Hannah. Chair maker 1851, 1861. Wife Ann lace maker. They moved from Lane End. Emmanuel died 1908. Siblings Henry, James, Mary Ann and Richard all chair makers.

Sears, Henry (1). Born circa 1810. Chair turner. 1861-9. Wife Hannah. Father of chairmakers Emmanuel, Henry, James and Mary Ann and Richard. Hannah died in Maidenhead aged 81 in 1892.

Sears, Henry (2) born circa 1846. Chair maker 1861 census and 1868. Beer retailer and chair maker 1872-1883. Pub was Bricklayer's Arms Moor Common. Son of Hannah and Henry. Dad a chair turner. Brother of chair makers James, Mary Ann and Richard.

Sears, James (1). Old offender fined for drunkenness 1865 ( Bucks Herald/28th Jan 1865).

Sears, James (2). Born circa 1844. Chair maker 1861. Parents Henry, a chair turner, and Hannah. Siblings Emmanuel, Henry, Mary Ann and Richard also chair makers.

Sears, Mary Ann. A 12 year old chair caner 1861. Daughter of Hannah and Henry Sears. Dad a chair turner. Sister of chair makers Emmanuel, Henry, Richard and James.

Sears, Richard. Born circa 1837. Chair maker 1861. Son of Hannah and Henry. Siblings Henry, James, Mary Ann all chair makers.

Sears, Samuel. Chair maker 1861 census employing 60 men, 10 boys and 15 girls. Owned Brickmakers Arms Lane End 1872. Still chair maker and also grocer 1883. Wife Anne. Samuel was born circa 1816 and died 1890.

Sears, Thomas. Accused poaching 1876.

Seymour, George. 1918. Employed by Mr Smith.

Smith, Richard. Owned chair making business from circa 1892. Sued 1896 for unpaid timber bill of £50. Sued for alleged damage at Twyford caused by him carting timber over the land of Francis Bulkeley (Bucks Herald 7th Aug 1897, via the BNA and British Library) Bankrupt 1904.

Stevens, Thomas. 1880.

Trendall, John. 1877.

For more Lane End content see "Other Places" on the menu.

All mentions of an individual on this blog can be found under the Person Index.

©Marlow Ancestors.