King's Head Little Marlow Occupiers.

AKA Old King's Head / King's Head Inn / Kings Head Arms / Kings Arms.

Updated by Charlotte January 2026.

A pub of this name existed in 1689 at Little Marlow but the landlord at that time is not known. There was also a Kings Head in Great Marlow High Street at that time but the latter is very long gone.

The pub was occasionally used to host auctions in the late 1700s and earlier 1800s. It was also frequently used for Coroner's Inquests for the Little Marlow dead.

In the early 1800s the situation as to the pub's identity is confused. In the late 1800s it was believed that the original, early Kings Head had changed it's name to the "Queen's Head" around the time Victoria ascended to the throne. This would mean that mentions of the "Kings Head" in Little Marlow after that time are to a new, different premises than any earlier mentions. There was certainly a Queen's Head in Little Marlow years before Victoria was crowned, however. Joshua Phillips as you will see below is mentioned as the landlord in conjunction with pubs of both names which doesn't help matters. I give below all mentions of landlords of "the Kings Head" with the proviso that these may refer to two different establishments. Perhaps the earlier Queen's Head closed down, the landlord of the Kings Head decided to change the name of his own pub to that now that Victoria had come to the throne, and after that someone else decided to revive the name of the Kings Head for a different establishment.

1823- Joshua Phillips, who was also a plumber, glazier, one of the constables of Little Marlow and the Inspector of weights and measures for Buckinghamshire. "Old Kings Head" He was at the nearby Queens Head 1830.

1839 - 1864 Joshua Phillips again after seemingly having been in between times at the nearby Queens Head. Note that one 1839 trade directory incorrectly gives his name as Jessie. It is annoyingly common for these directories to make such mistakes (and to be 1 to 2 years out of date by the time they were published) This is one reason I don't use them routinely for research as often as I wish I could. His first wife died 1843 as per a death notice (which doesn't give her first name!) in the Berkshire Chronicle 14th October 1843. He married secondly Elizabeth Sawyer in 1851. In 1849 William Polley who worked for Joshua stole a glazier's diamond from him and was thus transported for seven years. Joshua died 14th February 1864.

1871 - 1874 Charles Phillips. Also a plumber and glazier. Born circa 1814. Died at the pub in February 1874 aged 60 and his widow Ann took over. 

1874 - 1891 Ann Phillips, widow of above. Charged with opening her pub for illegal hours in 1881 but the court believed her claim that the beer found inside had been drawn the day before and just had not been cleared up yet. In 1886 she lent a field she had to the Little Marlow Sunday School for a fête day for the pupils. [Bucks Herald 9th Jan 1886. This newspaper via the BNA / British Library partnership].

1891 - 1904 Charles Phillips, son of Charles and Ann above. Also a house painter. Pub then had a slate club. Wife Ada (née Beesley married High Wycombe, she of there, 1889).

1904 - George Henry Dancy very briefly.

1904 -1910 Henry Jordan.

1911 - 1912 Roland Ernest Kennedy. He was born in Bradenham, Bucks. Wife Florence (nee Peppal, married 1899). When he took over the pub he had no experience in the trade and found himself in trouble for not filling out his stock book for the Customs and Excise properly. Fined £5.

1914 Joseph Lambert [Joseph Lambert had a troubled marriage see Gravesend and Northfleet Standard 5th June 1914 available on the British Newspaper Archive]  - William H Woodridge.

1915 - William Woodridge

1920- Used for the inquest in the Kate Bailey murder case. For more on that see my post here . Alfred Smith landlord.

1925 transfer of license Edward Treacy to Charles Reese.

1939- David James.

1949- Jimmy James and Mrs James. See picture below of a Christmas 1949 postcard issued by them.

1934-52 (at least). Frederick Hobbs and his wife Bertha. This couple had had to leave the Crown, Skirmett when it was forcibly closed by the authorities in 1932 for being too small and surplus to local requirements (in their opinion). Not to be confused with the "Old Crown" Skirmett.

1965- Major John Horton Kilpon Nicholls licensee. His assistant was Bruce Lingwood.

Written and researched by Charlotte Day.

Dates next to a person are when I have personally seen firm evidence of their occupation at a pub. They may also have been present earlier or later. Pub occupations are compiled by me from wills, property transactions, adverts, court cases, censuses etc

For other Little Marlow content please see the Nearby Places Index here. The Person Index option lists every mention of a person on this blog, over 7,500 of them! See also the Pub post listing here

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