Updated September 2023
Spade Oak Farm near Bourne End. Address usually given as Little Marlow in historic sources. Part of the Westhorpe estate.
Sources for my farm occupation listings: adverts, property documents, census, court cases, wills etc.
Description:
Near the site of an old and once important riverside wharf. Farm house built 1600s. It has been speculated that the farm house was originally part of the buildings of the wharf. Mixed farm.
1860= 265 acres. 1881=324 acres. 1917= 157 acres -then described as dairy or animal farm but most earlier descriptions show it to be a mixed farm. With 2 worker cottages and farm house 1917.
Known occupiers (who did not necessarily own it) and history timeline:
Dates next to a name are for when I can find reference to a person being there- that person may have occupied the farm earlier or later too.
1829-32 Mr Horwood. In 1832 it is stated that Mr Norwood had lost 3 employees through accident in the last few years, the most recent Joseph Boddy who was run over and killed by the cart and team he was driving near Cores End.
1835 John Bunce. Leaving that year
1841- probably Robert Morris brother of William Morris Junior below.
1851-71 Willam Morris [Junior born circa 1799, his father William Morris Senior who died in 1856 was also a farmer at Little Marlow in 1851 though apparently in his 90s!]. Wife Ann. In 1848 William Boddy and Edward Munro transported for stealing a ram from a William Morris but is that him or William Senior? The date is earlier than William Junior's known presence at the farm.
William Junior's sons Stephen, Charles and William all worked for their parents at least at times but son Charles below seems main partner in the farm and by 1863 is the listed main occupier. In William 1851 employed 16 people on the farm. In 1860, two employees of Morris were due to be married after which it seems they had intended to leave his service. Unfortunately they helped themselves to a leaving gift of a great number of articles from the house and farm which were subsequently found on them. Edward Hodges and Elizabeth Stone plead guilty and were sentenced to 3 months each in solitary confinement at Aylesbury Gaol.
1860-71 Charles Morris son of the above, working alongside his father at first but from at least 1863 it is his name that appears as the main occupier of the farm. Offered Summer pasture and rest for hunt or hacking horses. Possibly went bankrupt 1873.
1876- 1881 Joseph Elliott. He was a churchwarden so his fields were used several times for picnics and fun events for Sunday School children. In 1881 sold off farm stock as his lease had expired. Wife Catherine. Note their son Edward Elliott also farmer at Spade Oak Farm by 1878.
1881- farm to let. Had been used for corn and sheep.
1882-95 Arthur Dyson. In 1886 his employee John Smith was convicted of stealing 6 eggs from him. Arthur was one of the Little Marlow parish councillors. Sadly he also organised hare coursing meetings.
1895 Mrs Dyson. Sold off her stock that year.
1896- William White worker there taken suddenly ill in field and died. Worked for Mr Roberts.
1899- 1907 Thomas Roberts. He died 1907 age 70. His meadow used for a ladies versus gents cricket match in 1900- with the men having to wear skirts too when they had to run. Sons John and G. Percy already involved in running the farm before his death.
1906-1921 at least John Roberts and G. Percy Roberts (tenants) operating as Roberts Brothers. Dairy farmers. Also let rooms to holiday makers in the Summer. Farm bought by Robert Burroughs 1917. A Richard Burrough qv is listed at the farm 1920.
1939- Ralph Burroughs.
Post about Spade Oak ferryman William Round here.
To search for all mentions of any person on the blog use the Person Index option on the menu. Thousands of people are mentioned. Go to the Nearby Places option to see what else we have on the Spade Oak or Little Marlow area.
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