Horror In Quarry Woods

 In a summer Sunday evening in 1840, 23 year old dressmaker Patience Martin and her younger  sister Maria decided to walk from their homes in Marlow to Cookham Dean, via Quarry Woods. It was a favourite place for a Sunday stroll and the young women had often made the journey. They were accompanied by their friend Harriet Clark. It should have been an enjoyable way to spend a beautiful evening, but the women could not have anticipated the horror that awaited them. 

 Patience was described as an especially beautiful young lady. She  worked at the baby linen warehouse, a not particularly well paid job. Unmarried, she lived with her parents John and Harriett and her sister Maria in Dean Street. They were not a well off family. John was working as a agricultural labourer at this time. 

  On arrival at Cookham Dean, the women walked across the common, before going into the beer house of Mr Copas. There they shared a pint between all three of them. This was a common thing to do, especially for woman.  They then walked to another pub on the common. On going inside they were greeted by three young Marlow men whom they knew. (Robert Moore, Thomas Eustace, and John Frane) All three worked for the Rolls family. Some rumours suggest that Moore was the "paramour" of Patience. Perhaps their meeting was not quite a coincidence, but it is only a rumour. Moore was married but living seperately from his wife who he said needed constant watching due to ill health - she was "subject to fits". The men invited Patience and her companions to take a little beer with them, they would then join the women for the journey back to Marlow. So far, so peaceful. 

As they left the beer house a short while later, at 9.30pm, they were accosted by 4 men. (Richard alias "Daisy" Smith, Henry Harding age 19, John Taylor 26 and William Bishop, 22, all described as labourers of Bisham). Bishop grabbed at Patience and suggested he would walk home with her. Patience naturally objected as she said he was some one she only knew by sight and had never had as much as a brief conversation with before. On this, Bishops companion Smith, who was clearly out to make a nuisance of himself, challenged Moore to a fight. Moore dismissed this request as he said Sunday was not "a proper day for fighting" and carried on walking, the others now a little way ahead. They were followed by the 4 troublemaker's, who again challenged Moore to a fight. Moore refused again, and was then knocked to the ground by Smith.  

Our party hurried on their way to Marlow but discovered a group of 20-25 men and some women blocking their path which lead from a lane off the common, over a stile and into Quarry Wood. This group were obviously just as much in a belligerent mood as the previous lot, and would not let Patience and the others pass. Patience said that at this point she was very frightened and wanted to retreat to the relative safety of one of the pubs they had left. But they could not get through the crowd in that direction either. After 15 minutes of insults and arguements, one of the gang said if Patience's party would shake his hand, they would be allowed to pass. This they wisely decided to do. But they had not got far into the woods when Smith, Harding, Bishop and Taylor ran after them. Harriet, Patience and Robert were all knocked to the ground by the thugs. Harriet got up quickly, aided by Eustace and it seems these two now ran off, leaving Patience and Robert in the rear. This is when things turned really ugly. Patience was the focus of the group's malevolence, perhaps in punishment for refusing the attention of Bishop. She was raped at knifepoint, first by Smith then by Harding with the others holding her down by the shoulders. Robert was punched to the ground at least three times while trying to rescue her. Harriet was screaming murder, and her cries were heard at Cookham Dean...but no one went to investigate them. Harriet heard the cries too, but Eustace told her to go on to Marlow and summon help. Robert knew he was outnumbered, and retreated a little distance to deal with a bloodied face. He then decided to try a trick of shouting loudly and pretending to be in a conversation with another as he went back towards Patience. He hoped the gang would assume he was part of a larger group and be frightened off. As it happened they had left by the time he came to her. He did his best to help the distraught Patience home, her bonnet ripped and shoes missing. As they left the woods, they must have hoped to have left their attackers behind them. But as they went to cross the meadows at Bisham, they were approached by a man who turned out to be Smith, although he had apparently made some attempt to disguise himself by swapping his jacket and speaking differently. Patience however recognised him and screamed. Smith was apparently insulted that Robert had knocked off his hat when the latter was attempting to rescue Patience, and wished to demand Robert's as a replacement!  Robert was yet again knocked to the floor, and Patience assaulted. Her screams this time were heard by a farm worker...who went home and put his horses away before investigating the source of the sound. Frane who was a carter, also put his horses away before returning.  As it was, Patience had got free and made it with Robert back towards Marlow, where they were finally met by Eustace and Frane who had returned to find Patience. These two men admitted to have feared being overwhelmed by the larger party they had left at the Quarry stile and were perhaps waiting for help from Marlow that never arrived. The following morning warrants were issued for the arrest of the 4 men, but Richard Smith Aka Daisy had fled, and was never bought to trial. The others were apprehended within a couple of days, and bought before the authorities at the Berkshire Summer Assizes. 

Harriet had, on arriving at her home, done the most extraordinary thing of going to bed without calling anyone to her friends and sisters aid.  This was seized on by the men's defence at the trial as evidence that Harriet did not think her sister really in danger, despite admitting hearing Patience specifically scream that she was being murdered. The lawyers suggested that the 3 Marlow couples had all intended to meet and then pair off for immoral purposes. The Cookham gang had gone after them in the spirit of causing mischief and had at most committed a minor assault. The evidence of rape was "only" based on Patience's say so they said, ignoring the collaboration of Moore, and others who saw Patience's torn clothes and distressed state. 

The reason we have covered this case in detail the because it demonstrates the difficulty women such as Patience faced when becoming a victim of sexual violence. Patience Martin must have felt on trial herself when a righteous juror at the trial stood up and asked if she was in the habit of going to a public house on a Sabbath? She replied she did so sometimes. The public houses were legally open at the time she was there. The newspapers gave Patience credit for the calm, clear and intelligent way that she gave her evidence. It was they said done in a fashion becoming such a serious crime, and they said she looked "most respectable." The men's defence were however keen to make another fact known..had not Patience given birth to an illegitimate child some time before? She "admitted" that she had. The men were not asked about their previous relations of course. 

The jury were told they could find the men guilty of assault if they did not believe all the evidence. After two hours of deliberation, the jury declared all the men guilty of their respective offences. Extraordinarily in our eyes, they were recommended to mercy by the male jury based on the perceived "loose" character of Patience. The judge does not seem particularly impressed by this request, but said he would honour it. Interestingly he did so partly because of the general lack of appetite for capital punishment. He said that despite the peculiar behaviour of sister Harriet, he had rarely seen evidence given so "conclusively". He could not think of some prisoners that more deserved to feel the full weight of the law for their act of "shameless brutality". He therefore recorded a sentence of death for all three present, but immediately commuted it to transportation for life on the condition the men were put to hard labour in a chain gang until the end of their lives. They would be "compelled to endure a life of the hardest labour upon very strict regulation."

Patience's character may have been smeared at the trial, but it was nothing compared to what came afterwards. The case stood out for its brutality and was reported in newspapers from the length and breadth of the country. The guilty men were taken to Reading gaol. From there, they wrote letters asking for further mercy. Their excuse? They were drunk. It is telling that the fact Patience had been in a public house on a Sunday was considered evidence against her, but correspondingly, the prisoners who had done the same could consider using the fact to get a lighter punishment. Somewhat strangely, the convicted men also said that a group of local unnamed farmers were behind the "malicious prosecution",  the latter party prejudiced against them. I presume this is a reference to the fact that Harding had been suspected of, but not convicted, of poaching previously. A total of 59 people from Marlow also signed a petition on the mens behalf, using the excuse of Harding's youth, and lack of previous conviction to ask for leniency. And of course they said Patience had a "depraved" character and was in fact a prostitute. This was something even the men's defence had not suggested, probably because it would also have suggested the prisoners had been or wished to be her clients. Both Patience, and Moore also signed a letter asking the judge to be merciful - while this may seem strange to us, it is not at all uncommon in similar cases in the period. They were certainly not asking for the men to go unpunished. The stated reasons for Patience and Roberts appeal is not given, but something like an awareness of the hardship dependents faced with a son or brother sentenced to life overseas, or suggestion of a general wish to rise above a situation and show Christian mercy is often given in similar situations. The judge reviewing the case upheld the convictions in entirety and refused the appeals except to grant that Harding could be merely incarcerated for life, without the added chain gang participation, in light of his youth. As was standard, the gaolers were asked to report on the prisoners conduct since arriving under their care. Harding was rated good, Bishop bad and Taylor "very bad". 

All three men were transported in the same ship, the Lady Raffles. This left for Van Diemens land in Australia on the 30th November 1840, and arrived there on the 17 March 1841. A total of 331 convicts were abroad on its departure. (They had the company of Marlow resident Charles East who was transported for 14 years - read about him here)

As for Patience, she died sadly young. She continued as a dress maker or related occupations. In 1846 she married cordwainer Anthony Savin(s) of Cookham Dean. She died just 5 years later aged only 38. I do not know what happened to her illegitimate child, the youngster does not seem to have been living with her at the time of her attack or subsequent marriage. 

Written and researched by Kathryn Day,  with additional research by Charlotte Day. 

To find all mentions of a family or individual here use the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. 

For other posts related to crime, women's rights and general Marlow history see the index - here

Crime and disorder in old Great Marlow here

For content about Cookham Dean see the menu here

Sources include

https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/lady-raffles/1840. Accessed May 2020

Home Office Convict Petitions, series 11, Harding et al, Reference: HO 18/31/10, National Archives Kew. 

Census 1841,1851. 

The Examiner, 2 August 1840 volume, digitised by Google. 

The Spectator, Vol 13, 1840, digitised  by Google. 

Morning Herald 21 July 1840

Bells Weekly Messenger July 1840

Bucks Gazette 4 July 1840

Berkshire Chronicle 27 June 1840

1833 Parochial Assessment Great Marlow Quoiting Square / Oxford Terrace

 The original assessment working notebooks with related correspondence from 1833 (to be used for the 1834 parish rates readjustment) have been preserved by my family. There are handwritten corrections to circa 1839. The notebooks are fragile however so I am gradually transcribing it on this blog so it is not lost. I am transcribing the parts in the order that chimes in with other research I am doing.

Layout I have used is:

Name

Property

Assessed Annual Worth

Any notes by me in square brackets

By Charlotte Day.

Quoiting Place [Quoiting Square] and Oxford Terrace [in Oxford Road. Note the assessors went out of property order in parts of this section. They did not say which properties were in Oxford Terrace and which in Quoiting Place, though in many cases I do nevertheless know where the properties mentioned were located].

Widow Dolby

House and yard

£8

*****

Robert Wakelin [a bricklayer. Wife Hannah]

House and yard

£8

*****

David Jones

House and yard

£8

*****

George Reading

House, yard and sheds

£9

*****

John Boulter

Crown and Anchor house [pub] and garden [This was Oxford Terrace, in Oxford Road]

£8

*****

David Evans [a chimney sweep who employed at least 2 men by 1842. May also have worked c.1848-53 as a "fire defender". Biography of his wife here] 

House and garden

£5

*****

Levi White [Later landlord of the Three Tuns]

House and garden

£5

*****

John Beaver

Cottage and garden

£3

*****

John Suthery

Cottage and garden

£4

*****

William Bryant

The Lodge house and garden [Oxford Road]

£6

*****

Thomas Piggott 

House and gardens near the Lodge [Oxford Road]

£8

*****

Sir William Robert Clayton M.P [At The Cottage, later Quoitings House, not to be confused with Oxford Cottage]

Dwelling house with conservatory, stables, coach houses, coach yard, shrubbery, walks, kitchen garden, green house, lawn and other convenient offices [off Oxford Road]

£70

"A small cottage at The Cottage" [usually gardeners lodge]

£2

*****

John Lloyd Locke Clayton

Dwelling house, yard, stable, coach house, offices and garden

£30 [Oxford House?]

*****

William East

Six almshouses in the occupation of poor widows "if rateable" [Oxford Road, William presumably a trustee or guardian of these charity properties] each:

£3

*****

John Flint

House, yard, stables, coach house and large walled garden

£15

Wood house and garden adjoining

£2

****

Robert Looseley

Cottage and garden

£5

*****

John Cox

Shop and garden 

£5

House in front, woodhouse, gardens and yard

£6 10 shillings

****

John Tanner Hitchcock [in 1832 acquitted on a charge of stealing an umbrella from a fellow drinker at the Red Lion in nearby West Street. He had simply picked up the wrong umbrella. His wife was Ann nee Badger of Bisham who died in 1847. John was of Colnbrook at the time of their 1805 marriage. A corn dealer. In same property, which he rented, in 1840]

House yard and garden

£5 

*****

Joseph Martin

House and garden

£5

*****

William Gunnell [Quoiting Place]

House yard and garden

£5

*****

James White jnr

Cottage and garden

£4

*****

Joseph Cox [wheelright, likely working for Thomas Cox below]

Cottage and garden

£3

*****

William Bavin [Quoiting Place, a chairmaker there since at least 1830. Later a beer retailer who moved to St Peter's Street to run the Two Brewers by 1837 and was later at the first incarnation of the Carpenter's Arms. For more see here] .

House, shop and shed

£6 10 shillings

*****

Michael Field [Marlow doctor and horse racing enthusiast. He died 1834]

House etc

£4

*****

Gilman [a blacksmith, no first name]

House, shop, Shoeing house, yard etc

£10

*****

William Ward [Quoiting Place]

Six Bells Beer House, yard and garden

£9 ( Read his will here) List of proprietors of the Six Bells is available here

*****

Robert Ward [Quoiting Place]

House and garden

£6

*****

William Creswell [Quoiting Place, he was a shoemaker, who had previously ran the Six Bells]

House and garden

£5 10 shillings

*****

Thomas Cox [Quoiting Place, a wheelwright. Had workshop premises behind this that don't seem to be mentioned here!]

Cottage and garden

£4 10 shillings

*****

Joseph Horne

House and yard

£8

*****

Robert Clark (probably a builder).

House and garden 

£6

*****

Richard Way [came to Marlow in the early 1800s from Ockley. Wife Rebecca. He died 1836, Rebecca in 1821. Richard was a farmer in the 1820s. I am unsure if he was still farming in the 1830s. Their son Richard was a carpenter in West Street (later High Street), while another son was a poulterer in the High Street - see here - and another a publican. For the latter see here].

House and yard

£5 10 shillings

*****

William Stallwood [died 1837].

The Three Logerheads [Quoiting Place. Three Loggerheads pub, later the Queen], house and yard

£7

List of occupiers of the Loggerheads/Queen - see here

This assessment continued in a second post here

1700s Quoiting Square residents here.

1700s Oxford Road residents here

1700s West Street residents here

To find all mentions of an individual or family here, use the A-Z Person Index on the top drop down menu. 

To find other streets/areas in the assessment, search for them in the Specific shops, streets etc index here. 

 For posts about everyday life in Marlow for the people mentioned here see the post index here

Highwayman Peter Rivers

Marlow's history is scattered with a few home - grown highwaymen. One of the earliest I have come across is Peter Rivers.

Peter was born circa 1673 and raised in Marlow by parents able to afford to send him to school and to pay for his apprenticeship to a cordwainer. I have not found his baptism but there is a good chance he was a close relative of the Peter Rivers of Marlow who issued his own trade token in 1667. This elder Peter found himself twice facing suits in Chancery over property in Marlow, at least one of which he lost. 

After completing his apprenticeship Peter junior was free to marry. As a bride he chose Sarah Spicer and the couple tied the knot in High Wycombe in 1698. 

In 1702 Peter, either the elder or the younger, was thrown in jail because he could not pay his debts.

One of the Peters tried his hand at running an alehouse or beershop but had his licence revoked after it was found to have been incorrectly issued and he of too poor character to hold such. Both men had frequent connection to those involved in the brewing trade in Marlow- in terms of both who their friends were and who their enemies were (!)

Peter junior certainly had severe financial difficulties. That he admitted to while he was in jail. So bad were those difficulties that he could not see any way out of them. Peter took another man's advice to "raise contributions on the Highway" - that is become a highwayman. Armed with firearms he and his fellow Marlovian John Carter (a common name but could be the John Carter who lived about then in Chapel Street, Marlow) robbed Henry Howard of 3 shillings 4 pence, a pair of silver buckles presumably lifted from the victim's shoes, and a silver corkscrew (!)

A lack of criminal experience led to Peter's quick apprehension, trial at the Old Bailey and sentence to death for what he insisted was the only crime he had ever committed. The Old Bailey tried him as the robbery occurred on the roads of Middlesex near Uxbridge.

Peter was hung on Friday 17th April 1730. He claimed to be around 57 years of age at the time. Whilst in jail awaiting death he was described as "sullen and morose". He told the staff that he was very conscious of the shame he had brought upon his family by his conviction.

John Carter got a last minute stay of execution following a petition sent to the Secretary Of State from 25 Great Marlow residents. Amongst those supporting John were Marlow's 2 M.PS and wealthy local gentlemen George Bruere Esquire and Sir James Etheredge. Why a petition for John and not for Peter?

For more crime based posts see under Crime on the General Marlow History Index here.

All mentions of someone on this blog can be found on the A-Z person index which covers several thousand people.

To read our recreated 1600s trade directory for Great Marlow and Little Marlow, see here and here

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use this research for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog.

Some sources used:

Http://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=186828 (image of Peter Rivers senior's trade token)

Old Bailey Online, Ordinary Of Newgate's Accounts, April 1730. Ref OA17300417.

State papers, Secretary of State. National Archives, Kew. Ref: SP 36/150/1/98

"England Marriages, 1538–1973 ", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NJ14-SZZ : 6 January 2021), Peter Rivers, 1698.

http://www.bucksrecsoc.org.uk/QS-VOLUMES/QS5.html

Foster/Spratle grave Hurley

 

William John Foster only son of William and Agnes Johanna Foster b Jan 5th 1890. D. Dec 6th 1913. "Thy will be done"

Also of Elizabeth Spratle, grandmother of the above b. Dec 21st 1822, d. Mar 31st 1908. "Until the day breaks"

©MarlowAncestors. You are very welcome to use this content, including the photo, for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog and a link here.

Life For The Blue Coat Boys

 This post is about what school days were like for the boys attending what is now known as Borlase School in Marlow, during the 1830's and 40's. Why this period in particular? Because it a period from which we are fortunate to have some first hand descriptions of what it was actually like to go there. At this period, the school was almost always referred to in Marlow as the Free School or Blue Coat(s) school, occasionally as the Charity School. It was founded by Sir William Borlase in memory of his adult son Henry who died in 1624.  Henry was a one time Marlow M.P. Sir William established the school for 24 poor boys of Marlow, Little Marlow and Medmenham, with an adjoining House of Correction and Work House. The master of the latter would whip any offenders presented to him by the parish constables or tithing men, and provide work for the able bodied poor. The "idle poor", vagrants and petty criminals could also find themselves inside the House Of Correction aka a Bridewell. He had another important job, of also providing training for 20 Marlow girls in the arts of knitting, lace making and sewing. Actually a female teacher did the day to day duties here. This female education was the first part of the bequest to be cut down when the income from Borlase charity proved insufficient to maintain all of Sir William's institutions. In 1833 there were only 12 girls being taught for free by a mistress but, interestingly, they were also at this point being taught to read, in addition to "work". The girls were also then to be "partially clothed" by the charity. 

Our focus in this post is however the main boys school. It was known as Blue Coats because the "Charity Boys" were provided with a sort of uniform upon joining the school. This was indeed blue: a blue cape, tied with red tape, and a blue cloth cap with a red band. This outfit would have been a source of pride and distinction when it was first introduced. But by our period, it was a little anachronistic and as the boys were required to wear it on the way to and from school this made them the target of a certain amount of teasing from other boys. 

The Free School as it looks today, extended and with a different entrance to that which the Bavin boys (see below) used. The House of Correction has been demolished. 

Brothers William and Edward Bavin who attended the school during this period under master George Gale, dictated their memories of attending the school to amateur Victorian Marlow historian George Stevens. George Gale had taken over from the troubled William Francis, who ended up in gaol in 1834 for libelling a member of the Wethered family. Francis (Frances) seems to have had a knack for finding trouble. He had been in charge of the school for decades but the trustees of the school were said to be unsatisfied with him in the period before his arrest. A report by those investigating Public Charities in 1833 said an attempt had been made to dismiss Francis but it had proven unsuccessful as "no specific charges were bought against him". When Francis was arrested and sent to Aylesbury Gaol for 3 months, it was relating to a libel case that had rumbled on for 2 years. The scandal caused a lot of gossip in the town and it must be said he had significant support in Marlow. The charges against him were regarded by some as politically motivated and a subscription was raised to cover his expenses while he was imprisoned. It is in this environment that George Gale took over. 

George was described by the Bavin boys as one who worshipped birth and breeding. "His ideals were wealth, birth, and blood and he looked down on scholars as inferior beings". He is said to have favoured using military phrases and was not one to inspire his young students with ideas about the various opportunities their education could bring them. Instead he told his charges that many would hang and the rest would probably be soldiers! Physical punishment was a given, in common with other schools at the time. 

The trouble for the boys was that the curriculum for their education was created in the 1620s and it was still followed closely. Sir William had asked for the boys to be instructed to read, write and cast accounts. They were also tested on their catchecism annually.  Boys attending the private schools in the town could expect to study a much wider range of subjects such as history, Latin and geography. The Bavin boys remembered that they read several chapters of the Bible every single day, with the boys gathered around Gale in a half circle. Apart from this, arithmetic, reading and writing, they only had a few lessons in mostly military history, this being a passion of the master. But no geography, or languages, ancient or modern. The students stayed at the school for 4 years, at the end of which they would receive 40 shillings towards an apprenticeship. 

 

So how were the scholars chosen? The family of a prospective student, who was the right age (10) had to apply to the treasurer of the Borlase charity for a "ticket" for (potential) admission. They needed then to take this ticket to a majority of the 12 trustees to be signed with an endorsement. If the family did not find support from the trustees for their application, they could not proceed. At the annual meeting of the trustees at Easter, the tickets were reviewed and a certain number selected - twice as many  as there were places available each year. These were then taken to the Governor of the school, who personally selected the successful candidates. Places were limited to 1 per household, so Edward Bavin attended as a Blue Coat boy, while William attended as a day boy. This meant that William did not have to wear a uniform but had to pay a fee for his education. The master was allowed to take on as many fee paying pupils as he wished providing teaching them did not interrupt the business of educating the Charity scholars, and these fees were generally in this period regarded as a source of additional personal income for the master. He also had an adjoining house and garden for his use. In 1818 under William Francis the entry fee was 1 guinea and the annual one 25 guineas. William Bavin remembered that there was about 6-15 day boys attending at a time.

The day boys had to provide their own materials, but the charity boys were allowed a primer, psalter, new testament and 2 reams of paper annually. 

Once selected, the boys faced an unofficial initiation ceremony on their first day. As they approached the little line of trees outside Remnantz, in their tell tale new blue capes, they would be seized arm and leg by 4 boys while a fifth grabbed the head. They were then "bumped" up the row of trees. This was said to be a very old tradition, but it was ended when a parent complained. 

The other tradition was said to be the heavy drilling of the young boys as to the right answers to the (rehearsed) questions they would receive during their annual religious examination in the parish church. The boys were marched there in uniform, the day boys excused this experience. Given the amount of Bible reading the boys did, it's hard to imagine there was much they didn't know!

Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

To find all mentions of an individual here use the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu. 

For other school related posts see the listing here

For a list of over 70 old schools in Marlow see here

1850s night school for agricultural labourers and the Regency adult education institutions Here

Sources include:

Borlase, William Copeland - The descent, names and arms of Borlase (G.Bell & Sons, 1888)

Buckler, John Chessell . Sixty Views of Endowed Grammar Schools (Hurst, 1824.)

Carlisle, Nicholas Concise Description of the Grammar Schools of England 1818

Public Charities, an analytical digest. Commission on Charities and Education of the Poor, 1842. 

South Bucks Standard August 1896. 

Windsor and Eton Express 29 November 1834

Family Almanack and Educational Register, 1854. 

Kelly's Directory, 1847. 

 

Part Two Recreated 1600s Trade Directory Great Marlow

 PART ONE AND INTRODUCTION Here

Labourers

Thomas Beavor 1699

N Beckford 1693

William Clarke 1696

Thomas Croxon 1680

Thomas Edis 1695

Daniel Fretwell 1692

Jeremiah Harmon 1695

William Lawrence 1698

Edward Lovejoy, Little Marlow 1694

William Martyn 1692

Henry Meards 1697

George Perry 1698

Thomas Perryman 1676

Nicholas Rose 1699

Thomas Richmond 1695

Thomas Sawyer 1610

Ralph Sheepwash - 1679

Thomas Stapers 1694

William Stopp 1693

Arthur Tailer 1695

William Turner 1696

William Whyte 1697

Lace Dealers

Thomas Smith 1682

Maltsters

James Braughing, will proved 1686 Read a transcription here

William Langley, wife Jane. 1673, 1683

Mealmen

Jeremiah Goodchilde 1693

John Webbe 1690, Thomas Webb 1699. 

Mercers (Silk merchant, sometimes general merchant)

Thomas Braughing 1640.

Elizeus Fletcher 1657+ and his son Henry by 1693 too. Both in High Street, West side.

John Law(es) 1674-98. Wife Sibylla was daughter of mercer Silvester Widmore senior.

William Stutfield. Will proved 1629. Wife Grace. Read a will transcript here

Silvester Widmore Senior. High Street. A general merchant whose probate inventory included many kinds of cloth, as well as spice, tobacco, tea, cheese, candles and pins, in bulk quantities.

Silvester Widmore Junior. Son of Silvester senior, brother in law of John Law.  Active to at least 1674.

Millers

Jonathan Jones 1693

George Phelps 1690

Salters

Edward Chowne 1697

Scrivener

George Plucknett Will proved 1692

Shoemakers (see also Cordwainers, the usual description at this time) 

John Buffington 1658

Charles Lovejoy. Will proved 1648. Wife Abigail. Daughter Elizabeth.

Tailors

Anthony Field 1684

Thomas Lovejoy 1629. D 1630. Widow Anne. Daughters Frances, Elizabeth and Christian. Son Henry. Brothers George, John (who inherited Thomas's sword!) William and Richard. Thomas married at least twice.

Tallow Chandlers

Richard Widmere 1682

Tile Makers

William North 1636

Watchmakers

Sylvester Lawe(s) 1697

Wharfingers

John Stevens 1697

Weavers

Richard Allbone 1602

Richard Alway 1670

Thomas Cock junior 1697

Wheelwrights

Robert Gray 1692

William Hollasse (Hollis) 1613

Yeomen - 

John Bovingdon/ Bovington 1677- 1682 

Mathew Cane, will 1656. Had previously been landlord of the Upper Crown and the Angel in Marlow.

Francis Carter -Little Marlow 1653

Harbart Carter 1666. 

Jeffrey Fletcher, Lane End 1672.

Jeremiah Goodchild 1699

Edward and Elizabeth Goodrich 1669

Henry Honnor - 1694

John Jorden, Hooks farm 1658. Thomas Jordon - died 1611. See his will here

John Langley 1643

Richard Langley. Will 1637. Copy Farm. Also land off Oxford Rd previously, this was given up to son Bartholomew on his marriage 1607. 

Thomas Langley, son also Thomas 1643

John Little - will proved 1622. 

Ralph Moore 1602, & 1694.

William Phillips 1698

William Smith 1666

John Springall  - Will proved 1625

John Wade 1694

Thomas Weedon. Will proved 1659.

To find all mentions of an individual or family here use the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu. 

Related Posts:

 Index of posts relating to specific shops and businesses here

Index of posts relating to specific trades and general Marlow history here

Recreated 1700s trade directory here

Recreated 1820s trade directory part 1 here Part 2 here

1820s Address Directory Great Marlow

 After exhaustive trawling of wills, property records, court cases, advertisements and more I have compiled a directory of addresses for Marlow residents in the 1820s. To find address references isn't easy. Nowhere near everyone will be included here of course but I will add any future finds as I wade through my mountains of research notebooks. House numbers were not used in this period. This is to supplement our recreated 1820s trade directory which is available Part One here  Part Two here

Many of these people have multiple mentions on this blog. See the A-Z Person Index to find every mention of anyone. Several thousand people are listed there!

This post does not cover Little Marlow or Lane End.

Beech Lodge

Wyndham family. 1823+. Biographical post about them here

Bovingdon Green

Joseph Pratt. Tenant of land. 1820.

Burford Farm, Marlow Bottom

Richard Webb. 1817-32. Also at Marlow Bottom Farm, see below.

Causeway

James Brooks. Baker. 1823+

William Lloyd. Roebuck. 1823+. A man of the same name was a butcher at the same time in an unknown location.

Robert White. Swan landlord. 1823.

Chapel Street

Thomas Archer. Running White Hart 1829 to post 1820s. Possibly 1827+. More here

James Bowles. Fruiterer.

John Collins. Tenant 1824.

John Coster. Watchmaker.

James Creswell /Cresswell. Baker 1823+

William Crouch. Corn merchant. 1822-25

Mary Fletcher. Running White Hart 1824 to at least 1829 More here

Henry Goldsmith. Attorney. 1823.

John Green wheelwright.

Joshua Meakes. Blacksmith. 1823.

Thomas Meakes. Blacksmith. 

John Mossenton. Cordwainer/ shoemaker. 1820-24.

Charles Plumridge. Bricklayer. 1823.

Church Passage

George Davis. Landlord Barge Pole.

William Sparkes. Landlord Black Boy 1823+

Court Garden

J.C Stroude. More here

Dean Street

...Blackall. Tenant 1826.

Ann Beaver. Tenant 1826.

Richard Clark. Landlord Jolly Masters. 

Ann Davis. Tenant 1826.

Martha Downer. Tenant 1826.

Zachariah East. Butcher. 1823-25.

Ambrose Frith. Tenant 1826.

John Glover. Lace merchant.

George Goldsmith. Plumber. 1823.

Mary Gray. Tenant 1826.

James Grove. Tenant of cottage there.

John Hackshaw. Harness maker. 

William Plumridge. Grocer 1823. (Probably also beer seller)

John Price. Tenant 1829.

William Sparks. Tenant 1826.

Gun Lane (now Trinity Road)

John Gunnell. Tenant 1826.

William Hoare. Landlord Three Horseshoes beerhouse 1827+

Handy Cross

James Ayres. (Ayris) Blacksmith 1827.

Harleyford House

John Beaver, servant there aged in his 90s.

Sir William Clayton. Owner.

High Street

Thomas William Allum. Bricklayer. 1823+

William Allum. Tailor 1821-23. 

Richard Aveling, grocer. Find out more about him here

Benjamin and Sarah Baines, he a confectioner 1822+. She died 1824. For more on him see here and here.

John Badger. Ironmonger. 1823.

Emily Blackbourne. Bookseller. 1823-24.

Thomas Burrell. Blacksmith. 1823. See here

Samuel Carter. Bootmaker.

William Cock. Bootmaker.

Theophilus and Sarah Clifford. Theophilus was a stonemason. 1823+. More here

George Davis. Landlord the Chequers.

John Goodman. Surgeon. 1823.

East and Harriman. Grocers. 1828 to post 1820s. A tragic pair. Both would go on to commit suicide in 1837. Said to have lived together 30 years on their deaths. More here

George and Mary Ellison. Alfred House, now known as Cromwell House. Pre 1820 to post 1820s. More here

Mr Flint. Tenant of a cottage. 1829.

Avis Gibbons. Lived with John and Charlotte Ralfs, see below. Had done so for years.

George Hammond. Tenant 1824.

Sarah Hatch. Baker. Before 1820 till 1840s. Her son William assisting later. The notorious William Hatch! More on him here

Francis Hewitt. Tenant of a cottage 1829.

Thomas Hewett. Tenant 1824. [A butcher of this name was in High Street 1832].

John Hone Esquire. Died 1823 aged 32. See also one in West Street below.

William Humphrey. Harness maker.

William Irving. Insurance Agent. 1824+

James MacLean, High Street. More on him and his wife here

William Mathews. Grocer and tea dealer. 1817 to post 1820s. Wife Ann. More  here

John Meadows. Draper. 1829 to 1839. More here

John Morris. Draper, and family. Pre 1820s to post 1820s. To see the site of his premises and more about the family see here

Thomas Jonathan Oxlade. Draper. Will 1822.

Charlotte and John Ralfs and children. John was a draper. 1824. He owned his property. This was West side of street. John died 1826. He was also an insurance agent.

John Rolls draper.

Misses Rolls. Running school in Brampton House. 1823. 

Rolls and Sons auctioneers. Pre 1820 to post 1820s. Also estate agents by 1829.

William Rose. Died at his residence High Street 1829. Aged 94. A William Rose was a cooper in the High Street earlier in the 1820s but this likely a younger man.

John Shaw. Surgeon.  1822. See his grave and will here

John Tonge. Bookseller. Selling up 1823.

Mr Wright. Attorney. 1822-29.

Frederick Wyatt. Coach proprietor. Tenant 1824. Began business 1820 but not sure if then in High Street. In business post 1820s. More here.

Market Square

Richard Furnell. Upper Crown. Died of a fit of apoplexy on premises 1820.

Daniel Humphries. Pawnbrokers 1821-26.

Richard Westbrook at Upper Crown. 1824. Mr Westbrook 1826 [a George Westbrook was there 1830-35].

William Westbrook. Butcher. To post 1820s.

Marlow Bottom Farm

Richard and Mary Webb. 1829+ More here

Marlow Common

Mr Butler. Died 1825. His widow died 1833.

Medmenham Mills

Mr Thatcher. Died 1827.

Moor Farm

Joseph Webb giving it up 1827.

Munday Dean Farm

Thomas Oxlade. To 1822. Also at Widmere Farm.

Elizabeth Oxlade and Thomas Wyatt. 1829. Elizabeth became by marriage Meadows and then Sawyer.

Oxford Road 

William Robert Clayton. The Cottage (a reasonable sized house!) 1826.

Ann and William Hales. William owned a messuage, warehouse stable, garden and yard by Oxford Road next to Marefield stile in his will written 1824, proved in 1826. He was 75 at death. Left the property to Ann. William looks to have been of Deptford Origin. Ann moved to 19 Lower Phillimore Place Kensington in 1827 and died there in 1831.

Prospect House (junction of Wycombe Road / Chapel Street)

Henry and Mrs Terry. Running a boys boarding school till went bankrupt 1826. More here

William and Rose Faulkner. William there 1826+ running it as a school. He married Rose, daughter of Ann and William Bond in 1828. More here

Quoiting Square

William Bowles. Six Bells landlord 1823-24. Probably moved to the Greyhound.

Thomas Cox. Wheelwright. To post 1820s. These premises later burnt down.

Joseph Langley. 1820+. Draper.

Seymour Court Farm

George Lunn. 1822 till death 1830, seemingly jointly with Mr Poulton.

Mary Lunn. Wife of George Lunn above. Died 1822.

Mr Poulton. Seemingly jointly with George Lunn 1822. Also there 1824.

Spinfield Lodge

Caroline and Henry Pearson

Spittal Street

William Bowles. Greyhound Inn 1825 to post 1820s. Mrs Bowles his wife died there 1825. Probably previously at the Six Bells.

Robert Mossenton. Greyhound Inn before William Bowles took over. 1819-25.

St Peter's Street

William Cresswell. Tenant of a cottage 1823. Probably sub let it as William was of the Compleat Angler.

James Downer. Tenant of a cottage 1823.

Richard Gibbons. 1823. His father Thomas owned this property and left it to him 1824.

Thomas Gibbons. Coal merchant.

Thomas Grovesnor. Tenant of cottage 1823.

George Hawkins. Of Two Brewers. Died of smallpox 1826.

Richard Heath. Tenant of a cottage 1823. Still in the Street 1833 and 1841. Labourer. Also Mary Heath his wife.

Mary Horniman. Tenant and chandlers shop keeper. West Street 1825+.

James Peters. Blacksmith.

Joan Sparks. Tenant of cottage 1823.

Temple House. Also called Templegate House.

Owen Williams. 1820-post 1820s.

Thames Bank

Sir James Morris. 1820.

Town End Farm

Mr William Bullock. Pre 1820s -1824.

"Under The Bridge"

Elizabeth and John Rolls the Elder.  John was a coal merchant. Also had property Bisham.

Sarah Russell. Servant to Elizabeth and John Rolls above 1820.

West Street

Misses Bond. Running a school.

Thomas Bowen, Red Lion 1824 to post 1820s. More here

Mrs Burrows. Albion House, leaves for London 1825. 

Mrs Carter. Albion House West Street. Circa 1821.

Joseph Fryth. Tenant 1826.

Abraham Clark - 1825, house  adjoins that of John Langley. 

George Clark. Tenant 1826.

Henry Clark. Tailor. 1823.

Samuel Clark. Tailor. To post 1820s.

William Clark. Landlord the Ship. 

Edward Collins. Tenant 1826.

Richard Cowper. 1824. Clearly well off. Leaving his home 1824. Wife of unknown name died earlier that year.

William Cox. 1828. Tenant but had sub let to another.

...Dalby / Dolby. Tenant 1826.

William Derrick, Tenant 1825. A small tenement "behind" his property is let to Sarah Sparks 1825. (In another source she is merely "adjacent". William possibly the shoemaker active in the 1810s. 

Misses Field. Running a school. Probably Matilda Field and her sister.

John Gibbons, grocer and tallow chandler 1820 to post 1820s. For more on him and his family see here

Elizabeth Guppy, tenant 1825. Her home lies between the residences of Mary Horniman and Moses Wyatt. 

Rachel and Robert Hall. He was a butcher. More here

Henry Harmon. Tenant 1826.

William Harper. Tinplate worker.1823 to post 1820s.

Charles Herbert. Resident 1825. House known.

Ann Hone (Miss). Owner and occupier 1827. Will 1831.

Mary Horniman. Chandler. 1825 to post 1820s. Tenant. Shop and residence. Adjoins the residence if Sarah Guppy. 

Mr Howard. Tenant 1826.

Edward Jackson. Watchmaker.

Lydia Lane. Ironmonger. More here

Mr J Langley. Late resident 1825. Believe he was evicted when he was foreclosed upon. Next to Abraham Clark. His house is described as recently built in 1825. It has a stable as well as a yard, garden and wash house. 

Henry Lovegrove. Lace Merchant. 1823.

John Lovegrove. Died at his home there 1827. 

Joseph Mead. 1823+. A painter and glazier.

Mrs Mossenton. Tenant. 1827.

Mr Owen. Tenant 1826.

John Pierce. Landlord Coach and Horses. 1823.

John Plumridge. Tenant 1828 but had sublet to another.

John Prytherick / Prytherock, tenant 1825. Adjoins the home of Moses Wyatt. 

John Sadler. Butcher.

Wethered family. Remnantz.

Moses Wyatt. Resident 1825. Tenant. House adjoins Elizabeth Guppy's. 

Widmere Farm

Thomas Oxlade to 1822. Also had Munday Dean Farm.

John Webb. Lately in 1829.

Wood End (near Medmenham)

William Townsend. Pre 1820s to at least 1820. (Townsends were at Wood End for a long time)

Researched and written by Charlotte Day.

 

Link to index which includes posts about specific trades and general Great Marlow social history  here

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to use this research for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog and a link here.

1600s Trade Directory Great Marlow - Part One

 Whenever we come across a mention of an individual with a profession attached in a will, property deed/description, etc etc we note it down. This directory is the result, but is not yet anywhere near complete online. 

Dates are the earliest or only reference and the last for a person of this name practicing that specific occupation. Servants are not included as there are too many to list. To find all mentions of an individual or family here, use the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu. Bear in mind that many people had more than one profession and because of the habit of repeating generations using the same names, not all "John Smith, labourer" are necessarily the same person. Spellings are uncorrected from the original source material. All the below are referred as being resident or "of Great Marlow" unless stated otherwise but the wealthier may have had more than one place of residence. 

Researched and written by Kathryn Day and Charlotte Day.

Part 1 Apothecaries to Innkeepers

Apothecary

Robert Welbanke, High Street 1685

Bakers

Thomas Lane 1672-92. From at least 1683 High Street, East side.

Charles Lawrence. High Street.

Hugh Liddell/Lydall 1692

Barbers (probably Barber Surgeons too but we stick to contemporary descriptions of a trade)

John Hutchins senior. 1681.

Barber Surgeons

Charles Blewitt, High Street 1693. Charles Blewitt junior is barber in the High Street 1701. 

John Oxlade 1698

Bargemen

John Beaver/Beavor 1679

Thomas Bray 1697

William Carter 1699, Little Marlow

Thomas Chalfont 1681

James Crane 1660

Giles Durvall 1657

Richard Gibbons, wife Jane 1698

Hugh Harman 1642

John Haywood/Heywood 1681

Samuel Hayward, 1670 Little Marlow. 

Daniel Jesse junior 1698

William Johnson 1688

Thomas Jordan, Little Marlow 1694

Christopher Kebblewhite 1698

William Lawrence 1692

John Lovejoye 1696 (possibly at Little Marlow)

John Piggot, will proved 1695. View transcript here Wife Margaret.  

Richard Piggott 1653-57

William Piggott 1650, 1653. Wife Mary. 

William Platts 1697

Thomas Pye 1699

John Ridley, Little Marlow 1695

Ralph Thomas 1689. Was press ganged into navy in 1660's and injured in service. 

Christopher Trusse 1662 (profession given on marriage to Anne Greenaway of Reading in this year, a fellow bargemans daughter. ) See also below. 

Robert Tyler junior, Little Marlow, 1695

John Webb senior 1657

Thomas Wright 1679

Bargemasters

William East 1698. A William East acted as Bridgewarden 1644 +

Samuel Phillips 1693. Probably lived High Street.

Castor Trusse - 1670. 

Christopher Truss 1690 (see above)

Basketmaker

Richard Sawyer, died c 1699.

Blacksmiths -

John Cooke (Cocke) 1643

William Godfrey, Little Marlow 1685

James Howe 1698. High Street.

John Lambden. Will proved 1693.

Thomas Smith, in premises NE of Crown. 1650

Mathew Thompson, Little Marlow

Braziers

John Haywood/Heywood. 1689 See also bargeman.  

Brewers

Robert Boothie / Boothe 1602

William Childe 1610 (beer brewer)

James Fish 1673

George Munday 1640. Wife Dorcas. 

Ambrose Thompson 1692. Lived Dean Street.

Builders

John Harris 1672

Robert Harris 1643

Butchers

 John Elliott 1611,1678.  2.)John senior 1681 and 3.) 1698 (may be same as 2 but not styled "senior"

Thomas Elliott senior 1697

William Elliott 1689-death circa 1716.

John Harris 1674, and John Harris junior and senior 1697. Latter was in High Street, East side. One of the later Johns could also be the 1674 John.

Carpenters

William Buck 1695 -1701 minimum

William Dell 1699

Richard Thorne, will proved 1660. 

Carriers

Sylvester Carter. 1680. 

Chandlers

Richard Widmer /Widmore 1681

Chapmen

Adam Morrer 1697

Clockmaker (see also Watchmakers)

Richard Lee 1688

Cordwainers (shoemaker as opposed to cobbler who repaired shoes)

James Douglas 1693

John Haycroft 1682

William Haycroft 1696

John Jones 1691

William Smalley 1699

Peter Rivers  - also a unsuccessful highwayman! For more see here

Farriers

Robert Moone 1694

Farmers

William Carter, Little Marlow

Thomas Harding, Monkton Farm, Little Marlow. "Monken" 

John Langley, Blounts. 1610. 

Richard Silver, Little Marlow

Gentry

William Allanson of Little Marlow 1633. 

William Brin(c)khurst 1602 (Sometimes rendered as Bringhurst)

Thomas Crompton 1690

John Farmer. 1. Of Little Rogers, Great Marlow 1617.  2. Of Clerkenwell and Marlow 1632. 3. Died 1660. 

Thomas Farmer alias Draper 1600 2. Thomas Draper 1677. 

Henry Fletcher 1691

William Freeman 1632. Previously of London according to his will proved 1637. Also described as yeoman. Read a will transcript here

Jasper Geary 1684

William Hors(e)poole died 1642, age 77, wife Mary nee Washington died 1644 age 63. Of Great Rogers, and also Grey's Inn. Formerly of Maidstone, Kent. 

Thomas Medwin (Mudwin) Little Marlow 1678

John Moore snr 1623

Robert Moore 1660

Henry Pendleton 1610 (also described as yeoman). 

Nicholas Perry 1623.  

John Rivers 1696

Thomas Scott 1634 -1655 (has much London property, including Lambeth Manor and Kennington Manor. Son of Thomas Scott of London. Wife Alice nee Allanson. In 1640 he is described as of Little Marlow. (The Allanson family were also resident there )

Laud Winc(k)les 1699

Thomas Winc(k)les 1673

Glaziers

Thomas Duffin 1679

Robert Young 1647-50

Glovers

Richard Clarke, 1650. In premises SW of Crown (upper).

Goldsmiths

Peter Shanin (Shavin). See his will here

Husbandmen

William Carter 1696

John Church, Little Marlow 1695

Thomas Harding, Little Marlow 1695

William Harman 1653. Possibly at Little Marlow?

William Honnor 1698

Robert Johnson, Little Marlow 1640. Wife Agnes. 

Edward Lovejoy, Little Marlow, 1695

Christopher Robinson, Little Marlow 1695

Giles Shank 1698

Robert Tyler senior, Little Marlow 1692

Inn holders/Ale house keepers etc 

Mathew Cane. Was Innkeeper 1636. At Angel 1643, described as former occupier of (Upper) Crown 1650. 

Richard Clark, The Bear, High Street c1650-1667+

William Church, Hedsor, Little Marlow 1695

Eleanor Cocke, widow 1698

Richard Cotterell 1693 - 1697. Bull, High Street (a beer seller from at least 1692 but can't be sure at this premises)

John and Margery Fecye (Black Boy), John died 1602 or before, Margery takes over.

William Hopkins 1688-1690 minimum. Late of Crown and Broad Arrow 1691, had been in trouble for running an unlicensed alehouse a little before. 

William James, The Angel, High Street 1625.

Joseph Johnson, King's Head High Street 1687

William Osbourne, The Kings Head, High Street 

Francis Pagett, The Feathers 1693

Henry Ridley senior, Little Marlow 1691-  1697 at least. 

John Rivers, 1686, 1697. Mrs Rivers 1697

Henry Pomfrett 1. Died 1671. 2. Trading 1699 Both innholders 

William Pomfret, The Three Tuns, High Str  at this date 1693

Thomas Shrympton 1602

Bonaventure Ward, Crown (Upper) pre 1650.  

Elizabeth Wooten, Crown (Upper) 1650. 

 

Part Two - here

Related Posts:

 Index of posts relating to specific shops and businesses here

Index of posts relating to specific trades and general Marlow history here

Pub etc Related Posts here

Recreated 1700s trade directory here

Recreated 1820s trade directory part 1 here Part 2 here

Recreated 1800-19 trade directory Part One here

To find every mention of your ancestor here use the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. 

©Marlow Ancestors.

 

Take a run and jump - Marlow's Victorian Athletes

 ATHLETIC SPORTS

"Athletic sports" were a big attraction in Marlow in days past but just how big has largely been forgotten. 1,000 spectators made their way to Harleyford for the 1874 event! Yes, 1000, and that doesn't include the amateur competitors. 

The events early patrons were the Clayton family hence the use of Harleyford as a venue. "A more attractive spot could not be imagined" said the Maidenhead Advertiser. Athletics were fashionable at the time. The town event first launched on a large scale in 1872 but the 1870's were full of other organisations promoting "athletic endeavour". For example a sporting contest was held for the boys of the choir of All Saints in 1874, with the specific aim of encouraging the sort of exercise that would promote good health and better singing as a result. And which exercises might these be? Short distance runs and pole vaulting amongst others. The Marlow Victoria F.C and Marlow FC were another two groups to hold a similar athletics meet for their many members in the 1870's, the latter watched by a large and "influential" crowd in 1874, when it was held in Long Meadow "near the bridge". 

The Harleyford meeting had all kinds of running events - exclusively for men as were all the races at this point- including a steeplechase, as well as long jump, high jump, and pole vault. A last minute addition in 1874 was a half mile cycling race. The prizes were usually a cup for first place, and something decorative for the runner up. Let's just say that if your ancestor was a talented athlete they probably wouldn't have been short of toast racks! It sounds as though the entrants to the steeplechase in particular earned their prizes as the course was regarded as an especially stiff one involving water logged meadows and ploughed fields which left the competitors drenched and in "a terrible mess of mud". Some events were restricted to those living in Great Marlow, others were opened up to those in certain neighbouring towns such as Maidenhead. 

In 1875 the main athletics meeting was switched from Harleyford to the meadow behind Marlow Place temporarily. It was hoped the proximity to the station would encourage a bumper number of visitors but it was back to Harleyford the next year. The 1878 event wasn't held for uncertain reasons but it was said that the Claytons were keen to revive the event in 1879. But the big event did not return until 1884 and on a slightly smaller scale with a new host location of Crown Meadow which at that time belonged to the Crown Hotel. (It's now known as Riley Recreation ground.) As the prizes given during the Harleyford years were numerous and required many subscribers to pay for them, perhaps a lack of sufficient willing sponsors was a reason for the lapse. There were after all many other rival events after subscriptions! The weather seems rarely to have been kind to this later version although the popularity of the races is shown by the number of rain soaked spectators that turned up anyway. The races continued to be held throughout the later 1880's and 1890's with some gaps. They were revived a third time after the First World War in yet another location - Star Meadow off Wycombe Road. They continued there in the 1920's. Plans to include an athletics track in the new home of Marlow FC also partly occupying Star Meadow (the Alfred Davis Memorial ground) came to nothing due to a lack of funds. This track and plans for tennis courts and a new grandstand at the football ground were initially just stood over to allow the building debt to be dealt with but were never successfully revived. The costs had spiralled due to a drought effecting the first turf laid and then severe rain perversely causing further problems afterwards. 

Borlase school athletics meetings, started in 1881, also attracted bigger crowds than just proud parents at their beginning, although less so later. Juvenile sports, from football teams to swimming races were taken much more seriously by the wider community than now. In 1893 admission to the Borlase athletic games in Colonels Meadow cost 6d. 

Some competitors taking part in 1872 include Gower, Turner, Heron, Treacher, Wren. And in 1875 - Hewett, Shaw. 

Related Posts

To find every mention of your ancestor here, see the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu. 

An index of other sports related posts is available here

Researched by Kathryn. 

©Marlow Ancestors.

Elizabeth Lee / Tyler of Great Marlow - Clayton Arms

Elizabeth was born circa 1795. By 1817 she had married Marlow baker William Lee of Chapel Street and was mother to a daughter Rose Ann, known usually as simply Ann. 

I have not located the marriage of Elizabeth and William. He was baptised into a nonconformist Christian family which may explain that. I believe the couple worshipped at the Salem Chapel, Quoiting Square now known as Christ Church.

According to an obituary for Rose Ann, her father William Lee was hung in Aylesbury Gaol for forgery, one of the last to suffer this punishment for the crime. This must have been traumatic and embarrassing for Elizabeth. I believe the offence was actually fraud.

By the time of the 1841 census she had remarried Joseph Tyler and they were running the Clayton Arms pub in Quoiting Square. Joseph was there personally, with or without Elizabeth, by 1838. He was the first landlord of Clayton Arms, which was owned by the Clayton family. 

Prior to this pub job Joseph had been a linen draper, at first in Watlington, then by working with John Meadows in the High Street, before striking out on his own with a business in Quoiting Square (probably next door to the Clayton Arms). He gave up the latter and sold it in 1830.

Joseph had a reputation for providing excellent dinners at the pub - or was that really Elizabeth's doing?

On the 1841 census Elizabeth had her daughter Ann with her. The girl would go on to marry Henry Moss. On the 1851 census Ann and Henry were living with Elizabeth who by then was a widow and running the pub alone.

The licence was transferred to someone else in 1858 following her death.

For more posts like this see the listing Biographies Of Individuals and Pub Related Index.

For more Quoiting Square (formerly Quoiting Place) content see this index

All mentions of a person on this blog can be found on the Person Index.

Sources:

Newspaper copies held at the British Library and accessed by me October 2020 via the BNA- South Bucks Standard May 17th 1895 [Rose Ann's obituary], Reading Mercury 15th March 1830 [Joseph Tyler information].

GRO death index online.

1841 and 51 censuses transcribed by me from microfilm images of census pages.

Buckinghamshire Baptism Index, baptism of William Lee. Find My Past. Accessed October 12th 2020.

© MarlowAncestors 

The Winfords of Thames Bank

Sarah and Harriet Winford are the subjects of today's post. Sarah was born into a comfortable position in life and died leaving an estate worth a fortune. She lived in one of the biggest houses in 18th century Marlow with an extensive number of servants at her command. But her life in Marlow was not free of its struggles as you will see.

 Sarah was already widowed when she arrived in Marlow, some time before 1769. Her husband was Hereford MP Thomas Geers Winford, who had changed his name from Thomas Geers on inheriting from his wife's childless uncle in 1744. The house Sarah moved to was known then as Goodyers, as Sarah herself clarifies in her will. She is likely the person responsible for re naming it Thames Bank House. (Later names include Lymbrook and Thames Lawn although Lymbrook/Limebroke was also used earlier to refer to the area around here and the Waterman's Arms). Situated on the banks of the River Thames, with then extensive views of the Quarry Woods, its location must have seemed idyllic - until Sarah began her tussles with the barge-men working on the river at least. More of that below. 

Thomas and Sarah had two daughters, Sarah junior and Harriet. Sarah married Sambrooke Freeman of Fawley Court in 1757. She was a regular at court and acted as a host to the likes of King George III on a number of occasions. The younger girl, Harriet lived a much quieter life. It seems she suffered from ill health over a considerable period and she never married, but remained with her devoted mother at Thames Bank. Harriet was fond of Quarry Woods and a particular bluff was adopted by her as a favourite seat and viewpoint. In fact it became known as "Miss Winfords seat". Sarah owned a boat and the family often took friends on river trips, attending for example a "waterparty" near Harleyford. They also took a trip to see Owen Williams newly constructed Temple House. A friend of the family accompanying them on this expedition thought Temple was grand enough on the outside but it was let down by the interior design!  This same friend also mentions a "temple" belonging to the Winfords, which was used for picnics. I have not seen this temple, a fashionable upper class accessory, represented in any illustrations of the house and it is not listed as a garden feature when the house is up for sale later. It may have been of a more temporary rustic design, or possibly was not located within the grounds of Thames Bank itself. (Having one on a eyot was also fashionable.)

A less desirable part of riverside living for Sarah was the fact the Thames was very much a working river and her home was located between Marlow Bridge and various wharves and the Lock. After Marlow received a new pound lock, she complained that the barges were now navigating the river closer to her home and worse still, they were spending longer tied up outside her garden wall.  This was a problem because the bargeman were apparently committing indecent actions outside the elderly ladies windows, causing her to keep her shutters facing the river firmly closed. You can read the full story of the bargeman and Sarah here. The other annoyances faced by Mrs Winford during her last years at the house were an attempted break in and a successfully managed theft of 15 bantams in 1789. 

Sarah seems to have been a keen reader, as she is listed as a subscriber to a number of volumes. In the past many books were only produced if enough people subscribed to cover the upfront production and printing costs. Donate enough and your name would be added in dedication within the first editions at least. Among Sarah's choices were a book of sermons from a Worcestershire vicar Charles Butt, while Harriet supported local author Thomas Langley's History of the Hundred of Desborough which included Marlow. 

Sarah died in early September 1793 aged 83. She had a considerable estate to leave, apart from the lease of Thames Bank. Shortly before her death she had inherited money along with her two sisters, from her brother Charles who died childless. Charles himself had been the beneficiary of another brothers will, William, who also left no issue. Three years later, both of these sisters died within a month of each other, one unmarried, the other a widow. So Sarah had to some degree benefitted from outliving most of her near relatives. She had over £9000 invested to leave to her two daughters. Harriet would receive the lease of Thames Bank, with Sarah receiving an additional £300 as well as her share of the investments. 

Sarah left a number of gifts to her servants. This was not altogether uncommon in itself, but she seems to have been a pleasant person to work for. Many of her staff members remained with the family for decades and what's more she paid for the gravestones of several of them - 3 of which can be seen in the churchyard of All Saints to this day. The churchyard is just along the river bank from Thames Bank.

 The will legacies were:

 To housekeeper Elizabeth Swan 10 guineas. 

To gardener Robert Stockbridge, 3 guineas. 

William Powell, coachman, 3 guineas if he was still in her service at her death. 

Former butler Robert Floyd £20. 

Above, grave of Robert Floyd. 

- D. January 26th 1801 age 74. "Useful servant and honest man" Erected at Harriet's expense. Read his will here

Cook Sarah Clarke 5 guineas. 

Housemaid Mary Whitty £15. [Harriet will pay for Mary's gravestone. On her death she had given the family 63 years service! See it  here]

 Other maids  Ann ?Tolner £4, Rose Bartholomew £4, Mary Walker £2.

Servants of Harriet if living with Harriet when Sarah dies: Ann James 5 Guineas. Harriet's groom (not named) 2 Guineas. Samuel Charles 5 Guineas. Samuel's children George and Sarah got £20 each. This was increased in a codicil to the will and Harriet was asked to act as the children's guardian.

All other servants in the house when Sarah dies: for "at least two years to receive half a year's wages" each.

Mr Harris, her steward in Worcestershire 10 Guineas for mourning. At Harriet's discretion 6 maidservants and and 4 male servants to get money for mourning too.

Poor of Astley, Worcestershire £20. (where Sarah had family connections)

Rev. Stephen Chase rector of Bisham 10 Guineas.

All the household goods, furniture and linen as well as Sarah's jewels and "trinkets" were left for Harriet's use, bar a purse of gold coins and some silver spoons for Sarah junior. 

Harriet died of a long and painful final illness in 1801. She was just 58 years old. She was buried, like her mother, at the Winford family vault at St Peters Church, Astley, Worcestershire. The following year the household contents of Thames bank was offered for sale, with "elegant household furniture" including a prized matching drawing room suite of chairs, sofa and curtains. 

Notes: Sarah was nee Lutwyche, of Lutwyche Hall, Salop. 

Written by Kathryn Day. 

© Marlow Ancestors.

Related posts:

Grave of Winford servant Samuel Clarke here

More Biographies of Marlow Families on this index

More posts about the people of specific Marlow houses (big and small) listed here

Sources include:

Will of Sarah Winford, transcribed by Charlotte from a copy held at National Archives, Kew. 

Reading Mercury 39 March 1789

Oxford Journal 1 June 1802

Sermons, George Butt 1791. 

Brown, William. Reports of Cases argued and determined in the High Court of Chancery, 1786. 

Climenson, Emily J (ed) Passages from the diaries of Mrs Phillip Lybbe Powys of Hardwick House, Oxon. 1899

Munby, Arthur Joseph. Faithful Servants,1891. Digitised by Google.  

Willis, Browne. History and  Antiquities, of the town, hundred and deanery of Buckingham 1755 

Century Magazine Vol 90 1801, digitised by Google. 

Monthly Magazine Volume 12, 1801. 

 

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Every Family Has A Black Sheep - William Humphrey Shaw

 

As our post title says, every family has a black sheep, and I would suggest William Humphrey Shaw as the Victorian candidate for his family! William's older brother Robert was the well known Robert Shaw of Robert Shaw and Sons boat builders. A fondly remembered and respectable man, his brother William was on the other hand something of a trouble maker. 

The father to both was another William Humphrey Shaw, (wife Susannah). He was an Oxfordshire butcher who moved to Marlow after Robert's birth and so William Humphrey junior was born in Great Marlow in 1841. (Later William senior is working as a watchmen) The family lived in Dean Street before settling at St Peters Street where they would remain for a long time.  This street finishes at a dead end formed by the River Thames. If the young William was to walk to the end of this street, he would look across at the Compleat Angler hotel where his brother Robert would eventually go to live and work as a "fisherman" or anglers guide. William also became a fisherman. He continued to work in this role for decades, so presumably he was good at it, mixing this work with the less seasonal work of a waterman. Robert became a famous river guide, one that people from London would ask for by name. It was suggested that in order to successfully secure his services, you would need to write several months in advance. William seems to have done fairly well in the same role initially but perhaps it was hard to follow in the steps of his successful brother. For soon the two brothers paths diverged. Robert would go on to run his boat hire and boat building business, and did very well for himself building an impressive riverside house to boot. William on the other hand seems to have developed a talent for getting himself into trouble. 

Many of Williams tussles with the law involved the "demon drink". For example in 1864 William was involved in a scuffle at the Red Lion in West Street. He accused a Mr Andrews of assaulting him there after the pair exchanged "words". However after hearing the evidence of witnesses, the magistrates decided that Andrews was direly provoked and Shaw thoroughly deserved the punishment inflicted on him! 

10 years later, William was convicted of a much more serious assault, or rather a string of brutal attacks on his wife Emma (nee Jones).  The pair had married in 1869.  William admitted suffering from attacks of jealousy and dared to justify his beatings on the fact he suspected her of adultery. In 1873 Emma went to the police and got a warrant issued for Williams arrest based on his attacks on her person, but in the end she got cold feet and refused to appear against him when the matter came to court. But according to Emma, the violence continued, usually precipitated by William's late night arrival home drunk. The neighbours continually complained at his shouting and the couple were asked to leave several homes they rented as a result. In 1878 a particularly bad spell for Emma resulted in William finally getting his turn in front of the magistrates. Emma had been told to leave a 4th house due to Williams outbursts. The events of the 5 or so days before William's arrest make extremely sad reading. He broke her nose, punched her throat, shoved her head against a bed post, kicked her in the face, dragged her from the bed by her hair and repeatedly locked her outside, including in her night dress. Twice she was taken in by her neighbours during the night. Sadly Williams unproven fears of Emma's unfaithfulness were able under the laws of the time to make sure his conviction was for "aggravated assault". His punishment? A fine of 40s and 12s costs. However crucially for Emma, the court was satisfied that "future safety of the wife was in peril" and made an separation order that meant she was free to live apart from him. Without such an order, William could have, in theory sued for Emma to return to their marital home had she left him. He was also ordered to give her a set weekly sum for her maintenance with the promise of time in gaol should he fall behind with this. Yes, William was more likely to go to prison for falling behind with his maintenance payments than assaulting his wife seriously for 5 consecutive days! 

Sadly the reality of being a seperated wife was difficult in its own way. Although the court could order that William would maintain her financially, the sum granted was relatively small because allowance was also made for the fact William needed to maintain his own seperate household out of his not too high earnings. She could not of course marry anyone else  This is a factor, as well as any psychological or emotional ones, that means we often see Victorian victims of domestic violence return to their partner. This is sadly what Emma eventually did, and we can only hope he treated her better. Unfortunately he certainly did not learn to control either his temper or his drinking. 

A further conviction for drunkenness in 1881 saw William plead guilty and receive a 5 shilling fine. The following year, William was back in court for refusing to leave a licenced premises when asked to do so. The rolling drunk William arrived outside the Greyhound Inn in Spittal Street late in the evening. Landlord Thomas Willis heard the swearing William outside but the latter pushed his way into the bar before he could be refused entry. Thomas then asked him to leave at which William let forth the "most foul, disgusting and blasphemous language". He was then ejected. William was not someone Thomas said he would ever serve, drink or sober, based on past behaviour. Another fine was added to the Shaw tally, then one for poaching a rabbit. At this point they were living in Station Rd. 

In December 1887 both William and Emma found themselves in trouble. William was convicted of stealing some fowls from James Field, of Wood End Farm near Medmenham. Emma was convicted in turn for recieving the stolen goods, as was Eliza Bowles who had sold them to various people in Marlow on behalf of the Shaws. (Eliza said the fowls had been raised either by her son who had gone into the army, or by a nephew who said she could sell them to pay for her Christmas dinner.)  I can't find consistent information as to their sentence. William certainly went to prison, for either 2 or 3 months, and Emma for 1 or 3 months and Eliza for one month. William was described then as a fisherman still, and Emma was working as a charwoman. Later she was a needlewoman. Two low paid occupations. 

The following year William was summoned for illegal fishing at Bisham. He was using eel baskets, against the Thames Conservancy's regulations. Another fine followed, but the conviction must have an impact on his ability to work successfully as a fisherman. 

Emma died in 1898. Later the same year William married widow, charwoman (and former furrier) Sarah Rose previously of Cambridge Rd. The pair lived in Dean Street. I do not know whether Sarah suffered at Williams hands. Unfortunately his step daughter Harriet did. He was accused of unlawfully wounding her in 1901 when she was 30.  She lived nearby in Dean Street with her husband Thomas Pearce. Her two youngest sisters Elizabeth "Lizzie" age 14 and Mary age 10 had the misfortune of still living with their step father.  He tried the old trick of "punishing" the girls by locking them out of the home for an unspecified reason. 

At 9pm they went for help to Harriet having been stuck outside for 4 hours.  She keep them with her for an hour then took them home, and found the front door still locked. The back door was however open, and she told the girls to go in and go quickly up the stairs to bed. But William was waiting inside and smashed a pottery jug into Harriet's face, before hitting her on the head with a poker. The terrified girls ran to get their brother in law Thomas Pearce, who arrived to find William  on top of Harriet who had a blood soaked dress. He pulled him off, giving William a minor head injury of his own. The police were called and William was found, drunk, in the High Street with a bandaged head.  He claimed it was blood loss that made him appear drunk to Sergeant Crook. His excuse this time? That Harriet and the girls were "jealous" and sulky about not being able to do as they pleased at home. He said he had been knocked about by them. Astonishingly, while the jury took only 10 minutes to find William guilty of common assault they also expressed they felt there had been much "provocation" and asked for leniency. While the bench said they thought the jury had taken a very lenient view, they would be lenient in sentencing and gave William a 7 day prison sentence with hard labour. 

By 1908 William had moved to Wooburn and was working as a common (that is general)  labourer.  At least one more conviction for drunk and disorderly behaviour is attached to his name. A few years later William is unemployed and Sarah was a peddlar, another low paid job. Things must have been financially very difficult. I have not traced Williams death. It was never going to be reported in the same way as brother Roberts, whose passing in 1908 bought Marlow to a standstill as the community queued to pay their respects. 

The end of St Peters Street, Marlow. Photo courtesy of R Martin. 

Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

Related Posts:

Robert Shaw king of the river here

To find all mentions of a person or family here, use the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. 

Sources include:

Ashby-Sterry Joseph, Tiny Travels (Tinsley Bros 1874)

Fennel, John Greville The Rail and The Road or Tourist Anglers  Guide to Waters and Quarters  (H Cox 1867)

Bucks Advertiser and Free Press 6 July 1901 - thanks to Michael Frew.

Bucks Herald 27 August 1881, 15 April 1882, 22 January 1887, 5 Jul 1901 - copies from British Library Archive and accessed via the BNA 2019

Northants Mercury 7 January 1888, as above

Reading Mercury 27 February 1864, Reading Library. 

Reading Observer 18 July 1888

South Bucks Standard 3 January 1908, 6 July 1901 BNA as above. 

"England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4GPM-Z3Z : 22 February 2021), Emma Shaw in household of William H Shaw, Great Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom;  citing PRO RG 12, Buckinghamshire county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.

"England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4GG5-33Z : 22 February 2021), Sarah Rose, Great Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1891 England, Scotland and Wales census," 

Judicial research of Jane Pullinger,  1970. With thanks. 

Census 1871, transcript from microfilm by Charlotte. 

"England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2D2Z-6V9 : 13 December 2014), Emma Jones, 1869; from "England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing 1869, quarter 3, vol. 3A, p. 659, Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, General Register Office, Southport, England. 

Ginger Frost, « «He Could Not Hold His Passions»: Domestic Violence and Cohabitation in England (1850-1905) », Crime, Histoire & Sociétés / Crime, History & Societies [En ligne], Vol. 12, n°1 | 2008, mis en ligne le 04 avril 2011, Accessed Feb 2022. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/chs/64 ; DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/chs.64

Piddington Graves, Hurley

 

Above, Emma, daughter of John and Emma Piddington. Born Oct 18-5, Died February 1868

Above, Caroline wife of John Piddington. Died October 1861.

All of the above are located at St. Mary's Church Hurley. 

©Marlow Ancestors

That Furious Mob - 1847 Great Marlow Riots

there The destruction caused by the 1880 election rioters in Marlow is well known, not least because some excellent photos have survived of the damage to property. (See this post here for more) But Marlow has a history of election related violence going back a lot longer. This post focuses on one of the most lively contests, which was the 1847 General Election. We are not going to detail the political arguements, instead we are going to describe the effect on the everyday life of our Marlow ancestors. 

The Background 

Two candidates represented the Conservatives - Colonel Thomas Peers Williams of Temple House, and Colonel Brownlow Knox. The third was the Liberal or Whig candidate, Sir William Robert Clayton of Harleyford. A few years before they had been involved in a lengthy battle relating to the ownership of the brick kiln at Marlow Common. The Clayton family had sold the Marlow manor lands to Williams ancestors but there were later disputes about what exactly had been included in the sale. Clayton said the kiln was not included, the Williams that it most certainly was. It's fair to say no love was lost between the two and they were very frequently at each others throats in a legal sense. They were both substantial land owners with many tenants in Marlow. Both Williams and Clayton had sat in parliament for Marlow before. And yes, both had been accused of pressurising their tenants to vote for them, or of bribing voters. Clayton had his victory in the 1841 election overturned when some of the votes for him were thrown out for being invalid. He had had a majority of just one. Williams had evicted tenants for failing to vote for him  before and he was accused of regarding the borough as his own. 

The "Blues" or blue and whites were the liberals and the Conservative colours were the red or red and white although they were popularly known as the Coppers here. 

Marlow was already well known for troubled elections therefore. In March 1847, the Windsor and Eton Express voiced the hope that at last "party feeling" had subsided in Marlow and there was an "improved tone and better feeling now prevailing".  The previous bad atmosphere in town interfered with the friendly society they said. This hope was to prove very wrong. In the same month, William Robert Clayton declared that he would be a candidate in the coming election, and Williams had already indicated he would run. As Marlow returned two members at this time, it was hoped that there would be effectively no contest. But a little later, a second Conservative candidate was declared - Colonel Brownlow Knox. His wife was of the Williams family. 

Polling Day Panic

The polling was held in the summer.  Voting then was not by secret ballot. It was very public. A wooden stage was erected in front of the Town Hall, large enough to accommodate 100 persons. On these hustings were the candidates and some of their prominent supporters. Some of their less prominent but vocal supporters also found their way up at times, and lined the two sets of  steps leading upwards. Onto this stage, voters would go and vote. Before they could do this, they had to give some personal details to the returning officer such as by what right they were a voter (only those men leasing, owning or occupying a property of a certain value were entitled to vote) and their occupation. They were also required to answer out loud who they wished their two votes to go to. The supporters of the side you picked would let up a cheer so even those not close to the clerk recording the votes would know who you voted for. It was described as an intimidating experience to vote the "wrong" way according to the crowd gathered around the stage. Many men were jostled and had their hats knocked off or were on the recieving end of mocking chants but there was as yet no serious outbreak of violence. The polling started at 8am and continued until 4pm with periodic updates given to the crowd below. 

Before the voting started, the atmosphere was already tense. Most of the pubs and beer houses in town were associated with one side or another and did a roaring trade. It was said that the pubs of each side hung banners from their upper windows to indicate their support for either the Blues or Coppers.  The candidates grand arrival at the hustings had seen some scuffles. Williams and Knox were met by their supporters at Marlow Bridge. According to the (extremely) pro Conservative Berkshire Chronicle, their carriages were stopped by an adoring crowd of working class people who unhitched the horses and insisted on pulling the carriages themselves up the High Street. The same source says Clayton arrived shortly after and was amazed at the support given to his rival by the more humble citizens who were said to generally support the Clayton cause. This information has to be taken with some salt as the paper really was very partisan! All agree that a band had lead the Williams procession.  After the riot their instruments were left in pieces. 

 The Well Enders On The Rise

Williams and Knox took the two seats for Marlow. When this was announced, even the pro Conservative papers admitted that there was a loud groan from the crowd. What happened next is something I've had to pick out from many different accounts, trying to balance the differing versions of the opposing supporters. What is undoubted is there was an outbreak of fury, from a largely working class crowd, who were vocally supportive of the defeated Clayton. They were not it seems especially surprised by yet another Williams victory but did not like Knox taking the second seat. The Conservative supporters claimed that the Clayton's had in their pay a set of "blood thirsty ruffians" during the week before the election.  What's more they said the Claytons had "placed in their hands" cudgels and staves with which to cause trouble if the vote did not go Clayton's way. Clayton could not have expected to have any result overturned just because some armed men caused trouble in the town, however unpleasant that may be for those around. It would hardly help their cause with the more respectable householders for Clayton to be associated with riots. But another writer, William Mitchell, recalling his time as a polling clerk at this election, gives a similar story and another potential motive for the rioters. He said that a core group of Well End [what we know as Dean Street, not Well End, Little Marlow] residents lead by the three brothers East, had feared a Clayton loss. They had apparently sent to London for some staffs and policeman's batons.  He says the Easts and their friends gathered at an appointed meeting place at 6am on election day - the one mile stone, presumably the one near Seymour Court. They had organised for a Clayton supporter on the stage to keep them informed of the running total of votes and if near the end of polling, Clayton was behind, they were going to protest in the town, assuming Williams had used undue influence to succeed. In particular they were going to rush the stage and destroy the polling books and with them all records of the voting. This would cause the polling to be conducted again, presumably with less opportunity for bribery beforehand. However the apparent Clayton supporter on stage was not reliable. William Mitchell does not name him but did say this man was stood close by and he continually heard him shouting out "We are all right" to the Clayton supporters. He continued this until the poll stopped, but as this was not the correct result the men were even angrier when the truth of the victory was known. What this unnamed supporters motives can have been is hard to say, if indeed he was a Clayton supporter at all. The updates given earlier in the day had not generally shown Clayton to be loosing and the result often came down to a handful of votes. But the Conservatives had a late afternoon surge. 

  William Mitchell may have had time to personally attend the 6am Well End meeting before his official duties started but it seems unlikely it would have continued in his presence. He does not give the source of his account of events there so it may  have come from a partisan source. (However he seems generally fair, in that he reports unfavourable behaviour from both sides.) He says that about 31 men came forward as their names were read from a list and they were then given a half crown and either a baton or staff from a stack. The Well End residents were generally quite poor and if this is true, someone else must indeed have subsidised the violence. It is certainly true that tumult was feared much earlier in the day, as several businesses pulled shutters while voting was ongoing and did what they could to protect their windows. And in the afternoon, most of the Copper supporting beer houses are said to have closed. It was said those carrying the batons and staffs of the Well End gang could get free drinks at the Clayton supporting pubs all day on showing them. 

To be seen emerging from the headquarters of a particular group on the way to vote was also problematic. The supporters of Brownlow Knox, which had used the premises of lawyer William Ward in the High Street up to polling Day, switched base that morning. They used the house of Ward's clerk Mr Seagrave instead. This was supposedly placed so those inside could take advantage of a back entrance through a garden to get near the poll without attracting much attention. 

A Chairing Is Attempted 

Reports agree the tumult started as soon as the result was announced by Returning Officer Mr Stallwood outside the town hall.  No mention is made in the newspaper reports of an to attempt to rush the stage or steal the polling books which is not to say that was not the original intention, just perhaps it was considered now too late. The focus of their work was Brownlow Knox, and in particular the tradition of "chairing" him. This meant the carrying of the successful candidates through the town carried aloft in a (usually specially constructed) chair. The rioters, generally reported to be in varying states of drunkenness, thought that the chair for Knox was housed in the Market Square property of Rolls the auctioneer and wine merchant. They broke in and - according to the Knox supporters- threatened to murder everyone within if the chair was not produced. It does not seem to have been there, as the crowd went on to a second property which they attempted to search but found was already barred against them. Mitchell thought could not remember exactly what had happened to the chair but thought it had been at the Rolls after all and was thrown into the street through the windows and demolished.  Wisely, it was decided Knox would not be chaired on this occasion. It doesn't seem Williams was either. 

The Fleeing Constables

"Respectable citizens" who had turned out to hear the election result risked being "knocked down like beasts" (Berkshire Chronicle) if they were not considered to support Clayton. A number apparently sort shelter in whichever house would let them in. The two Misses Cocks, of Thames Bank, hid in Mrs (Eliza) Brighton's bakers shop in the High Street when confronted by the mob. The Conservative banners were reduced to ribbons and stones broke windows and thudded against shutters. A number of people were hurt and one man seriously. (Some reports gave his name as Mr Nugent, presumably one of the Nugent's of Westhorpe. He was pulled into the safety of the Rolls house, although the crowd followed initially.) William Mitchell the poll clerk, watching from the hustings, personally saw many men knocked down by a blow to the head with a staff, farmer John Gibbons among them. (Of Seymour Court farm, Blounts and Copy farms)

 The 26 Special constables were accused of fleeing as soon as they saw what was afoot and so parish Constable Thomas Walker was bravely left virtually single handed to deal with the situation. He was of course completely outnumbered. This probably explains a lack of prosecutions arising from the destruction. In the end, the magistrates, fearing that the "peace and property of the inhabitants in a serious state of jeopardy" were apparently able to appeal to the more respectable amongst the unhappy crowd to encourage all to disperse. All agree this happened quite quickly. 

Clerk William Mitchell was not hurt on the day but did experience a volley of stones and sticks thrown at his head as he was driving back from Maidenhead a little later! He escaped injury then too, thanks to a fast pony. 

Poor Henry Hyatt

Henry Hyatt (Hiatt) was the longstanding proprietor of the Greyhound Inn in Spittal Street. His landlord was a Wethered and it was therefore assumed he would vote Conservative in the election. William Mitchell recalls that Hyatt had "against all the efforts and threats of his landlord" publicly declared his intention of voting Liberal. What's more he was steadfast in this resolution. William Mitchell's eye witness account here is sad to read. He noticed that as Henry declared his vote for Clayton, his lips quivered. William heard a voice which he believed to be Wethereds, say "Hyatt, you are ruined man". Hyatt replied "I have voted conscientiously".  Henry must have known life was going to become very difficult indeed for him. Mitchell recalled that the inn keeper was given notice to quit, but refused to leave, and so Henry found various legal attempts was made to eject him. These failed. 

Mitchell personally witnessed the vindictiveness poor Henry was subject to. If they could not force him out, they would make it as difficult as possible for him to do business. His landlord had the windows removed, then the doors, floorboards and roofing materials. But Henry stuck on and William Mitchell saw him sitting in the roofless building at night, with a few loyal Blue customers perched on casks around him. The situation was not sustainable though, and in 1848, Henry left the Greyhound. Mitchell's says he had heard that Clayton had given him £150 so he could start again somewhere else. Let's hope that is true. 

The End? Not Quite

Sir William Robert Clayton thought he had been robbed of his seat. In October 1847, the unfortunate Henry Hyatt  invited Clayton to a dinner in his honour at the Greyhound. Among those present were long-standing liberal supporters who praised Clayton for his efforts. The Windsor and Eton Express described the company as some gentleman of the neighborhood and "a highly respectable assemblage of influential yeoman." Clayton was described as moved almost to tears and replied in fulsome terms. Samuel Barnes (parish clerk of St Peters Street), Ralph Spicer (the lawyer) George Cannon (bookseller and chemist), John Morris, Mr Morgan, Samuel Horrod, William Tyler, Mr Blackwell and Charles Susan are some of the people familiar to readers of this blog who were present. Some of these contributed some songs to liven up proceedings! A bench put together a bit hastily perhaps by a local carpenter collapsed during the proceedings, depositing several gentleman onto the floor, to much laughter.  Interestingly, a Wethered, no first name given, was also there and gave a speech in support of the Claytons. As his family were strongly associated with the Conservative cause, this was a probably awkward attendance! Interestingly, the large feast was said to have been prepared partly at the Crown, which was a Williams owned property. The Franklyns of the Crown had put their kitchen at Henry's disposal. A somewhat brave decision given Henry's treatment. 

 

Aftermath

In December, a petition was presented to Parliament to investigate the return of Brownlow Knox. This was partially because a number of people had promised to vote for Williams with one of their votes but not Knox with the other. (About 31 voters in all) These individuals had apparently decided at the last to in fact cast their ballot for both of the Conservatives. The suspicion was that the supporters of Knox had offered bribes to these voters. The petition itself went further and accused Knox himself of directly offering money for votes while out canvassing. The Berkshire Chronicle naturally rubbished this suggestion and thought it amusing that a gentleman such as Knox would be seen asking for votes after dark, knocking at shutters like a"timid lover." They mention a supposed £20 payment to a Well End resident (Dean Street)who after accepting the money had gone to Harleyford to report the action of Knox to Clayton. At the investigation into these events, it does not seem that Clayton's supporters were very well prepared with their evidence. They had failed to provide a list of suspected bribed voters when the committee first sat. Later they did bring forth witnesses from Well End/Dean Street who admitted taking money to vote for the Conservatives. Beer house keeper  Thomas Frith was the principle one. (He was of the Nags Head, Dean Street) He said that in coming across Mr Wethered on the road a little before the election, he had asked Mr Wethered out right for money. He said Wethered had said that if he promised to vote for both Williams and Knox, he could go to the counting house of the Brewery and claim his reward, which he had duly done. However Frith was discounted as a witness after he admitted on cross examination that he had spent time in both Oxford and Aylesbury gaols (for taking wood from private property, not taking bribes but it was enough to create an impression of dishonesty) He had also spent some time living at Sir William Clayton's estate in Goldstone and had received an allowance from him. Farmer John Miller also testified that an elector who had promised to vote for Clayton had not done so on the day, and when quizzed had admitted selling his vote to the other side. John was listed as of Little Marlow at the investigating committee but I believe he was at Marlow Bottom Farm. More on him here.

However what they could not find was an acceptable witness who would say he had received money from Knox himself, as stated in the petition. The Committee admitted that Knox had aroused suspicion by his habit of canvassing inhabitants in the evening - it was assumed he must have ulterior motives to be visiting under the cover of nightfall. His supporters did admit this had proved unpopular with many voters who had dismissed him with some forceful language! 

For a post on a voter said to have been bribed by Clayton in 1842 see here!

Researched and written by Kathryn Day. 

Related Posts:

To find other posts about general history of Marlow and life here for our ancestors, see our index here

1880 Election riots here

Swing riots 1830 here

Women's riots 1800 here

Posts related to some of the people mentioned above include:

Charles Susan, Radical and Emigrant here

George Cannon - Consumption cures and ball tickets here and here

Henry Hyatt - Greyhound Inn/hotel timeline and landlord listing here

Ralph Spicer - here

To find all mention of an individual here, use the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. There's over 3250 people listed there, and new posts are added daily. 

©Marlow Ancestors 

Sources Include:

Dod, Charles Roger Electoral Facts from 1832-1852 (1852)

Great Britain Houses of Parliament, Accounts and Papers Vol 11, 1880.

Martin, Frederick. Handbook of Contemporary Biography (Macmillan 1870)

Walford, Edward - The County Families Of The United Kingdom (Robert Hardwicke, 1871)

Bucks Gazette 13 March 1847  

Berkshire Chronicle 7 August, 25 December 1847 

Bucks Herald  4 December 1847

Dublin Evening Mail - 03 December 1847

Bedford Mercury -  7 August 1847. 

Windsor and Eton Express 6 August, 2 Oct 1847, 19 Feb 1848. 

Memories of the Past, volume LIV , 10 August 1897, digitised by Christchurch City Libraries. 

Landlord research for licenced premises by Kathryn Day.