THE BANK OF ENGLAND /THE BANK/ YE OLDE BANK
1840 - Described as "recently built" (of brick with slate roof) and "now licenced for the sale of beer" It is let to a "most respectable tenant". Leasehold with 3 years left on it is offered for sale. "Near the turnpike on the Oxford Road". Has bowling alley, coach house, 2 stables, detached wash house, and other outbuildings plus the large yard. Inside there is 4 bedrooms, a cellar, parlour, tap room and pantry.
1841 - George Clarke, son of Richard Clark(e) who had had the Jolly Maltsters Dean Street. See here for more. That post contains details of some trouble George got into as a young man. George's sister Emma was in turn landlady of the Jolly Maltsters, Mint and Cherry Tree all in Dean Street.
1844 - George Clark
1853 - George Clark
1861 - George Clark ("Ye Old Bank"), also carpenter. Twice fined in the 1860s for opening his beerhouse at illegal hours. In 1867 a suspicious constable secretes himself into a pile of faggots opposite in order to watch the comings and goings, and sees several men enter. These thirsty souls flee on the constable revealing his presence. Pots of beer with some taken out can be seen around the tap room and parlour. Fine that time? £5.
1865 - George Clark. Also sells asses' milk (!)
1871 - George Clark - also carpenter, and has lodgers
1873 - George Clarke "The Bank Beerhouse". Transfer to John Finch who came from The Alma. Wellers brewery only got the licence for the premises renewed on the condition a new tenant was found, as they believed George harboured the criminally inclined. Wellers say that George had already been given notice to quit. Some of the Hussars recently billeted in Marlow when they spent a few days here, had stayed at the Bank..in the stable with their horses.
1875 - John Finch
1881 - John Finch (b.1843) "The Bank" Wife Sophia. (Also lodging house)
1882- John Finch summoned for refusing to let a Constable see inside his premises. Something to hide did you John!? The next year John recieved a heavy fine and an endorsement on his licence for opening his beerhouse before the legally permitted time on a Sunday. In the space of 15 minutes 10 people were observed going through the open gates into the yard, and through the back door, emerging shortly afterwards with a suspicious looking jug. The constables followed a trail of beer spillages down the passage that lead to the cellar steps, down which they found John with a selection of beer containers with the dregs still in them. John claimed the wet spots in the yard were where he'd urinated! He also said no one had visited him there, and in the cellar he was merely changing the taps on a barrel. The police must have seen people passing up a public footpath nearby he thought. Unfortunately for John, a policeman Constable Birch lived only 500 yards away and had an uninterrupted view of the Bank Of England. The excuses offered by the drinkers are amusing to read. They happened to call on John (at 6.30am in the morning) for all kinds of reason other than buying alcohol apparently. Dropping off some potatoes, showing him a piece of flannel, and talking to him about a pig were amongst the reasons to drop by. One man was not so good at thinking on his feet and said he only stepped into the yard, but couldn't quite remember why. (Four of the drinkers were summoned and fined.)
1883 - H Finch. 2. Charles Grace
1886 - Charles Grace. Wife Mahala leaves Charles this year taking some money and belongings which Charles says belonged to him. So he has her summoned for theft but subsequently asks for the charge to be dropped. He says Mahala had returned the items and had apologised for removing them. It does not seem she had returned to live with her husband though.
1886 - William Cox? 2. Frederick Cox.
1891 - George E Lyons (from London)
1896 - George E Lyons transfers the premises to William Howard.
1899 - James Cottrell. 2. William Chaplin.
1908 - William Dawes. 2. Edwin Dewey
1911 - Edward (qv) J Dewey
1915 - James Turney
1916 - Mr Turney
1920 - James Turney
1939 Ye Olde Bank of England - Harry Price.
Above, the former site of the Bank.
Find more posts like this about pubs in Marlow, Little Marlow, Well End, Medmenham and Lane End listed on the Pub Related option on the menu.
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Post researched and written by Kathryn Day. Additional research by Charlotte Day.
Building now demolished.
This post is updated as new information emerges. All listings are as noted in original sources, including alternative spellings. Note that some listings may in fact refer to father's and sons sharing the same given name so be sure to double check this. Many Marlow landlords changed premises and there can be other family members running other establishments. We mainly focus on pre WW1 or 1920's listings but sometimes list later names if it ties in with research we are helping with.
See the Pub Related post listing here on the drop down menu to find out about other pubs, beer houses etc. A land lord listing for most will be published here gradually.
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