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