Pigeon House Farm Little Marlow

Historic Occupiers and history.

Description:  1784=194 acres. 1872=180 acres, arable.

Occupiers is as in those who farm there. They were not usually the same as the owners of a farm in those days, but may be:

1784= Thomas Allen. Probably the same man who had leased Handy Cross farm in 1780. 

1829= unknown farmer suffered a fire which damaged a barn and some peas and barley. Thought to have been started by thieves trying to get in. Farm also used to raise pigs and chickens then.

1841-1854= William Wethered. In 1842 constables tracked the footprints of a man who had stolen a sheep from the farm in order to arrest him. Also had Northern Woods Farm Little Marlow in 1846 when it suffered a massive fire destroying two barns, stables, a wood house and cart house as well as stored crops [Windsor and Eton Express 17th February] The horses were sadly killed in their stable. His executors sold stock and equipment off in 1854, including 7 cart horses, 2 wagons, a dog cart, 2 winnowing machines etc. Wife Ann predeceased him. Their son William junior died in 1842. 

1858-61- Joseph Carey. Wife Jane. He quit 1861 & sold off his equipment such as a hand operated threshing machine and a turnip cutter then. Joseph was a Catholic and in 1858 was prosecuted for refusing to pay his Church Rates which helped with the upkeep of the Church Of England parish church.

1864- 1869 John Baylis. Also had a farm Hurley. Kept Sheep. He had a farm bailiff called Alfred Kebble 1863-1865.

1869- Mrs Baylis

1871- For Sale. Presumably with sitting tenant.

1872- Mr Baylis Junior at the farm then. Fined for assaulting Marlow baker Mark Wells during a fractious corn dealing transaction.

1880-1884 James Fryer who did not live on the site. Four sacks of barley stolen from him by his two carters William Aldridge and George Southby in 1882. Two ricks caught fire one evening in 1884. Marlow and Maidenhead Fire Brigades both went to put the fire out, pumping the farm pond dry in the process. The fire could be seen for miles. [Buckingham Express 4th October 1884].

James Fryer was also at Well End Farm, where he lived. In 1881 agricultural labourer William Ridgeley and his wife Charlotte lived on site at Pigeon House Farm with their son William and a couple of other workers. 

James grew wheat and raised sheep on the farm.

1889- farm for sale as was Well End Farm.

1891- 1895 William Rolphe who also had Well End Farm, near Little Marlow. Wife Janet. 16 year old live in employee on farm 1892 George Goddard.

1901- no farmer in actual residence. But the farm's carter Hezekiah Bowler, his wife Rose and children lived on site.

1912. D smith.

1939- Percy Smith.

Farm occupants are found by me by studying property records, censuses, adverts, court cases, letters, trade journals, wills and more.

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