Hurley Celebrates Victoria's Jubilees

 Though Queen Victoria celebrated many jubilees in her long reign it was the 1887 and 1897 ones that inspired the greatest public celebrations. Small village though it was Hurley threw itself into the celebrations.

For both jubilees Sir Gilbert Clayton East of Hall Place, Lord Of The Manor of Hurley headed the village committees charged with organising events and his wife Eleanor was also heavily involved in preparations. They provided a barn at Hall Place Farm in 1887 in which 400 adult villagers rich and poor sat down to a dinner together. The children of Hurley later that day had a celebratory tea in the barn. For the babies a bun to chew! Catering was provided by Robert Rodwell of the Bell of whom a little more here.

 Elderly or unwell residents had presents delivered to their door. Later in the day a band played while the adult men in the village enjoyed races on bicycles, tricycles, ponies, donkeys, and on their own two feet plus a sack race. For the women there was a spoon and ball race, potato race and a tub race (rolling a tub??). Competitive children got barely a look in in this programme. We think of Victorians as straight backed and po-faced, all careful dignity but they loved an opportunity to play silly games and laugh with each other. If you are scratching your head as to how grown ups managed a tricycle race- over a mile no less- remember that tricycles were then only for grown ups and not that much less common than early bicycles. Prizes for winning the races were either Jubilee commemorative medals or money.

The men of the village had the chance to represent Hurley in a tug-of-war completion against the hamlet of Knowl Hill. Neighbourly rivalry must have been acute as the rope snapped under the strain and a replacement had to be found.  Knowl Hill the victor! 

There was of course also a church service of thanksgiving at St Marys.  The next year Sir Gilbert and Lady East had a new clock installed in the church to celebrate the completion of the 50th year of Victoria's reign.

The day ended with a firing of cannon and a fireworks display. 

Ten years later the village met once more in the schoolroom to decide how to celebrate the next jubilee. This time a barn near the church was used for a public dinner for the grown ups while the schoolroom served refreshments to the children. Once again a band played while the people of Hurley engaged in sports. Foot races, cricket and quoits this time round.

The village ladies used flowers to spell out "God Save The Queen" and to form a crown, both for display in the church during a special jubilee celebration service.

Researched and written by Charlotte Day.

For more Hurley content see this index.

To see how nearby Great Marlow celebrated the 1887 Jubilee see here and other royal celebrations here.

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

See Berkshire Chronicle 26th June 1897.

Reading Mercury 7th January 1888 and 25th June 1887.

https://books.google.com/books/about/The_county_families_of_the_United_Kingdo.html?id=TuHIDwAAQBAJ

Research of Aidan O'Brien.

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Phillips Graves, Little Marlow

 The below grave stone is at St John the Baptist Church, Little Marlow. 

Richard Phillips, January 31st 1853 age 26 years. 

And "near this place is deposited the remains" of Mary Maria Phillips December 5th 1823 aged 11 years. 

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

Marlow Celebrates Victoria's Diamond Jubilee

This post covers some of the ways our Marlow predecessors celebrated the Diamond jubilee in 1897. A post on the charming celebrations in nearby Hurley is linked to below. 

Marlow was made up of individuals with all kinds of opinions regarding the Queen and criticism had been made in the past about the lack lustre nature of some local acknowledgement of royal events. But the 1887 Jubilee involved many people and had been regarded as a big success. It was used as a blue print for the Diamond Jubilee. You can read about the 1887 event  in an earlier post linked below.

The celebrations were held in late June in somewhat mixed weather conditions. The "terrible roaring hissing mist" of the dramatic summer storm of that year threatened chaos on the evening of the 25th and saw celebrants at the Little Marlow sports and tea run for cover. See the link below! Thankfully much of Marlow's events had already taken place, although rain had put in an appearance then too. 

A meeting was held in May to thrash out a plan for the main day. Three elements were pretty much guaranteed to form a part of any Marlow high day and holiday - a free dinner for the "aged", a free tea for the children, and sporting events for all. All three were present and correct. The aged in this occasion were those over 60. The children were to be aged 5-14. All of these were paid for by donations from the better off citizens, and it was also suggested that an endowment fund would be set up to pay for a nurse at the Cottage Hospital. The hospital was at this point still in Cambridge Road and acutely understaffed. They had great trouble retaining the nurses they did manage to recruit due not least because of the exhausting workload and difficult working conditions in an building not ideal for their purpose. I can not see evidence in the annual reports of the hospital that a nurse was paid for specifically from a Jubilee endowment fund, however a number of subscribers were recruited to give a annual subscription for terms of 3-5 years in honour of the event and an overall donation of £300 was made to the hospital by the Jubilee organisers. The fact that many of these did not renew their regular donations once the terms were over caused the hospital some difficulty. See links below for more. 

The Wethereds at Remnantz in West Street offered the use of their meadow for the sports. Two refreshment tents would be set up and a band was in attendance. A large number of children were apparently expected to attend, freed from the afternoon schooling. 

On the Sunday before the jubilee, special services of Thanksgiving for the Queen's reign were held at both All Saints and the Catholic church. To the latter the congregations of the non conforming chapels in town were invited, although they naturally also wanted to host their own services. Some members of the chapel choirs joined the Parish church choir which must have made for a delightful performance. A Church parade was also organised on this day, that is a parade to the Church, by both the Bucks Volunteers and the volunteer fire brigade, both of whom had some reserved seats in the full to capacity All Saints. The Bucks Volunteers marched from the Armoury in Institute Rd, and were joined by a few members of the Royal Bucks Hussars in uniform. 

On the 22nd June, Remnantz opened her gates. Most likely the direct entrance to the meadow from West Street, the large green gates closest to Borlase School, were the ones used. Those entering that way would have passed the dairy and chicken runs, and wondering through a little cluster of trees out into the meadow, formerly used as the parade ground for the Royal Military College cadets. It was not an unfamiliar sight for fun loving Marlovians as the meadow often housed events at this time from church fetes to agricultural shows. The children's sports events, with no entry fee, started at 1.30pm for under 14's. The children competed for a mixture of practical and cash prizes. Another race for boys only was planned for the High St  with a 2s 6d prize for the winner and 1s 6d for the runner up but I'm not sure this actually came off. 

 One event that certainly did was a donkey race down Chapel Street, round a post set near the Junction of Glade Road and back. No sticks or whips allowed. Donkeys have a long if forgotten association with Marlow, in particular the traders and residents of the Dean Street and Marefield areas who used them as an affordable transport option for businesses both legal and shady. See linked posts below. This was also a race with a cash prize for those coming first and second. Another donkey race was held as part of the  sports at Remnantz. (Winner there was John Bowles on Victoria, the donkey that is! And George Bowles triumphed in the Chapel Street race) A cycle race was also held in Chapel Street, under starter Mr Barnard's watchful eyes. 

Those aged residents had sat down for dinner at noon, in the oft used celebration spot of "the music room" (now the Masonic Centre, St Peter's Street) and the adjoining girls school. In the previous Jubilee the wall between the two had been knocked down to allow more room but nothing so dramatic had  been thought necessary this time around! Around 200 residents were in attendance then, out of 300 that had applied for a free ticket to attend. The event includes loyal toasts to her Majesty and the National Anthem, as well as music by the Reading Excelsior band who had paraded up the High Street earlier. The catering for this tremendous dinner was left to the very able hands of the Marlow Volunteers who used some military ovens at their disposal to roast 336lbs of meat! Full credit to the cooks Corporal S East and Private W Hardwood - let's hope they were remembered when the "flagons of strong ale" donated by Wethered's brewery were handed round! All those attending left with a small gift of tea or tobacco. 

At 4.30 pm some 1,000 children were expected to take part in a parade from Remnantz, up the High Street to the Music room and school where they would be treated to a tea, served in sittings. The mammoth organisation of this fell to a committee mostly of local ladies who also inveigled donations in money or tasty treats for the young marchers. All the youngsters recieved a mug bearing a portrait of the Queen Victoria on her succession to the throne in 1837 as well as a current image of her majesty. Catering was by Death & Sons, the Marlow bakers who had been working flat out to provide more than 1,400 buns and 900 rock cakes, not to mention ordinary loaves. 

The day was not yet done, for those who were neither old or young were invited to Remnantz at 5.30pm to enjoy a summer evening of sports.  That is mostly light-hearted races such as the needle and thread and egg and spoon races for both men and women run for money. These were run in heats accorded to age and gender e.g 60+ but officials were instructed not to "enquire too closely" into the stated ages of the ladies taking part!! The band was back and the marquees humming with thirsty runners and their families. 

A traditional end to many Marlow celebrations was some kind of river based event from water dramas to flotillas. Chosen on this occasion was an evening "river fete" starting at 8.45pm ending a little later with fireworks. This means a parade of patriotically decorated and brightly lit boats and that the riverside properties were also adorned with lights, flags and bunting. And music came from bands on their lawns and aboard. 

The individual shop keepers in the main streets competed to offer the best window displays, with lots of VR banners and motifs in evidence. The South Bucks Standard reported the church tower, Marlow bridge, the station, the gas works and the Enclosure were all specially decorated too. (The Enclosure is the area of grass in the Causeway where the War Memorial and flagpole  would later stand. It was indeed originally enclosed by fencing.) It was noticed that bunting, flags and the like had long sold out from the town's ships and even some of the very poorest homes were seen to be decorated. An unusual display was given by baker John Birdseye who exhibited some bread and cakes which he had made for the 1887 Jubilee, still in very good condition. 

 Outside of the immediate High Street area, there was a fire set up in Spittal Square in order to roast two sheep which were given away along with a vast quantity of boiled beef for free a little after midday. This was a considerate option to provide a celebration meal to the poorer adults in Marlow who did not qualify as aged and so who were not part of the main dinner. (The idea of butcher Mr Copcott who did the roasting)  If on the other hand, a leg of mutton was what a Marlow man  had set their heart on, they could compete in the afternoon greasy pole contest in the same location where it was the prize. A tall and sturdy pole was set up in the middle of the square, which must have made any horse traffic impossible given the numbers if bystanders gathered about it. The pole was spread with grease and the mutton was set on the top. Contestants would then attempt to climb to the top - the first to do so and seize the leg of mutton could keep it. I believe I have the record of the winner somewhere and I will update the post if I find it! 

Some of the pubs held their own celebratory dinner of which the most remembered is that provided by William Rose of the Wheelwrights Arms, Spittal Street. ("The Wheelers" in popular Marlow speak.) He entertained 50 grateful men and women to a "cold ham and roast beef dinner" complete with a champagne finish. 

Above I mentioned the terrible storm that would affect Marlow shortly after the main Jubilee celebrations. Little Marlow was less fortunate in their timing and so some of the planned  sporting races had to be cancelled. There there had been a special church service offering thanks for the queen's long reign (as there had been at the Parish church in Marlow, and at the Congregational church in Quoiting Square). After this a procession headed to the Ferns, its use donated by Mr Roberts for the villagers games and feasting. The kitchens of Westhorpe had been bought into service to roast 20 joints of meat and some plum puddings. Other householders volunteered their kitchens to cover the production of yet more plum puddings - used as part of many many Victorian celebrations, outside of the Christmas season. First off was a cricket match, then an amazing 500 people sat down inside two terrific tents to enjoy the hot dinner. The logistics of organising this is mind boggling. The meal fine shed with the singing of the National Anthem, music and dancing. A beautiful baby competition was won by the unnamed 4 month old son of "Mrs Harris" with the runner up the little 6 month old Miss Allen. At 4pm it was the children's turn to enjoy the tea, after which they received a medal to mark the occasion, provide by the Mrs Ellames of Little Marlow Manor who had also donated substantially to make the events possible. A little later events were disrupted by the torrential rain and high winds but eventually the villagers ventured back out from the tents to at least enjoy a few sports - the tug of war and yet another greasy pole competition, with a leg of mutton at stake. 

 Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

RELATED POSTS:

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

Biographies of families index - here

1887 Jubilee in Marlow - Here

Hurley village Jubilee celebrations for 1887 and 97. here

Roaring hissing mist, the 1897 storm - here

1902 Coronation celebrations in Marlow - here

The Other Royal Celebrations in Marlow (Victoria's Coronation, marriage etc) - here

Other posts about Little Marlow here

Other posts about everyday life in Victorian Great Marlow  - here

© Marlow Ancestors. 

SOURCES INCLUDE: 

South Bucks Standard 4& 18 June, 2 July 1897. 

Queen Victoria  - Diamond Jubilee, Stokes & Co 1898. 

 

The Spindlo Family Bakers *Updated Nov 2024*

Richard Spindlo and Mary Ann Richardson married in the Henley Registration District in 1870. He was a baker just like his father Thomas and had been born according to his census entries at Knowl Hill Berkshire though he was baptised at Wargrave and spent some of his childhood there. Mary Ann grew up at Grey's Hill outside Henley in Oxfordshire and worked as a servant in Henley before her marriage. Her father William was a sawyer.

Shortly after their marriage Richard and Mary Ann had moved to Marlow and opened a bakery come grocers in Chapel Street. The building they occupied was a then newly built one which sadly no longer exists. The bakehouse was a separate structure out the back complete with a large seven bushel bread oven and a flour storage loft above. The Spindlos were likely the first occupants to use the premises as a bakery as prior to that the property on the site was in residential use only. The family often baked the giant loaves that decorated the tables at the parish Harvest Thanksgiving teas. 

Either Richard found it hard to please himself when it came to horses, ponies, carts and carriages or he had a sideline selling them as he frequently advertised them for sale. He also seems to have occasionally acted as a house agent.

The Spindlo's neighbours were a mix of working class and middle class householders, some shops and several pubs. 

In 1875 Mary Ann looking out of her bedroom window saw her newish neighbour James Harris who had not long since come out of the army in the garden of another neighbour, Eliza Creswell. He was smearing something on her tulips. He then poked about in the radish bed. Mary Ann didn't know whether he was doing something for the Creswells or not and said nothing. But when Mrs Creswell complained that her tulips were dying Mary Ann recalled the incident and told her about it. Mrs Creswell saw red at what she thought was sabotage. She let out a torrent of abuse at James Harris over a two day period. He went to the police saying that he needed protection from her as she had threatened to harm him and had made his little girl cry. The magistrates were not much convinced that he had not been in Mrs Creswell garden but found that she had threatened him. They didn't think he ought to be that afraid however. Both Mary Ann Spindlo and her husband gave evidence in court.

Later that same year Richard advertised for a young man to help out in the bakery part of the business. He must already know how to make dough. A comfortable home and good wages was promised to the successful applicant.

The couple had two children in the 1870s, Charlotte Ellen and Richard John. By the time of the 1881 census they had a live in servant to help in the home, teenager Martha North.

In 1886 Richard was fined along with many of the other Marlow bakers for selling bread to the public without weighing it precisely. His loaf was found by an inspector to be slightly short weighted. This offence was so common it would be a rare baker that did not clock up at least one conviction for such. It is very unlikely there was any intent to defraud customers. It is not easy to make any loaf to an absolute exact ounce in weight. Nor would most customers have wanted to stand waiting while their loaf was weighed and then had bits lopped off or odd slices added until the scales showed an exact weight.

He died aged just 46 following a painful illness the next year. Mary Ann took over the business, assisted by her son. In 1896 she was paying £30 a year rent for the premises (residence and bakers shop) plus £12 extra to rent the outbuildings which included the large bakehouse with flour store mentioned above.

In 1894 her employee William Soley was found to be seriously ill with what looks to our modern eyes as testicular cancer. Mary Ann drove him in her baker's cart to the hospital in Cambridge Road for an emergency operation. Sadly he reacted badly to the chloroform given to him and died. (Read more here)

In 1908 her own son Richard John (b 1878, also a baker, and known as John to distinguish him from his father) died following an unsuccessful operation at St Thomas Hospital London for "an internal complaint". He was just thirty years old. He left a widow Eliza Ellen AKA Ellen or Nellie (nee Harris) just three years married to him. Richard was a frequent singer in local amateur concerts including for the Choral Society and was also a member of the Congregational Chapel choir. Ellen also performed in this way though less often. Richard played in various different positions for Marlow F.C (and before that the Marlow Antelopes and Marlow Rangers), very successfully giving "splendid support" to the team over several seasons. His funeral was a largely attended affair. After a service at the Congregational chapel which was filled to capacity, a procession went to Holy Trinity where the young man was buried. Representatives of Marlow Football club, the chapel choir and the National Deposit Friendly Society of which Richard was also a member, all attended. 

Mary Ann continued to live on the bakery premises but her daughter Charlotte took over the running of the business. She described herself as a baker and confectioner. The grocery side of the concern had been left behind. In the 1910s she was usually given as being in Spittal Street. This was a continuation of Chapel Street. Whether she was actually in different premises however is open to question as Marlow people were extremely sloppy and / or confused when it came to rendering Chapel Street and Spittal Street addresses.

In 1922 she married a Mr Nash.

By 1939 the former Spindlo bakery had been taken over by Maurice Hunt.

Post written and researched by Charlotte. 

Related Posts:

To find other posts about Chapel Street or Spittal Street people see this index.

All mentions of anyone on this blog can be found by consulting the A-Z Person Index on the top drop down menu

Everyday life in old Marlow post index here

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

Sources included:

Kellys Directory 1911 and 1915. Kellys Directories Limited.

GRO marriage registration index.

South Bucks Standard 18th December 1908. Reading Mercury 11th December 1875. Bucks Herald 8th May 1875. British Library Archives via the BNA.

Census 1881, 91,1901 my transcription from microfilm.

Alfred Neighbour - Innkeeper And Duck Wrestler

 This post is a summary of the life of Alfred Edmund Neighbour, landlord of the Red Lion in Marlow, and the Dog & Badger inn at Medmenham. 

Gardening in the blood

Alfred was born in 1840 to 34 year old gardener John who was in charge of the gardens of Remnantz in the 1850s. The family lived for decades in "Potlands" or the Portland's area off West Street - for more about this time see the People Of Potland's post here Alfred's older brother William would grow up to be the celebrated head gardener at Court Garden and later Harleyford (read more here), while 3 other brothers Edward, John and Edwin also spent at least some time working as gardeners too. The kitchen gardens of Remnantz could be accessed from Portland's Alley as well as from West Street. It's possible the younger brothers may also have spent some time working at Remnantz in their junior roles. I believe Alfred's mother Hannah Maria died shortly after his birth. 

Young Alfred however took another path and came to work on the railways. By 1861 he was at Leatherhead in Surrey* working as a railway guard, a responsible position for a young man. Like many youthful railway workers who were unmarried, he lodged with another family, in this case the Walkers at the Plough Inn. By the time of his first marriage in 1864, he had been promoted to a railway inspector (that is of safety rather than tickets). 

His bride was Marlow's Hannah Elizabeth Hoare, daughter of beer sellers and lodging house keepers Charles and Charlotte. Hannah grew up in Gun Lane (now Trinity Rd) where her parents kept the small but respectable The Three Horseshoes. They always had lodgers, as beer sellers often did, so conditions were cramped. Later the Hoares moved to run the rather less salubrious by reputation Travellers Friend in Dean Street. This functioned more as a common lodging house than a beer seller by this time but it was licensed. Sometimes as many as 16 mostly young single men were slotted in with the family - no one expected their own room. Finally the Hoares would run the The Bear in Chapel Street, again a licensed premises that functioned chiefly as a lodging house, and not a very spacious one given the sometimes high number of residents. 

At The Red Lion

A couple of years after their marriage, Alfred and Hannah were back in Marlow. Hannah would find herself yet again serving beer as the couple decided to take over the Red Lion in West Street. This was just next to the Neighbours original Potland's home. The Red Lion did have the odd longer term lodger and regular overnight paying guests but it  was definitely a few steps up from the "common lodging houses". The Neighbours time there was relatively peaceful although Alfred went through that Marlow rite of passage of recieving a summons for allowing illegal gambling on the premises. (1867) This was related to the playing of card games there.  Alfred was caught by a plain clothes constable who found several games ongoing in the back room, with Alfred frequently present. Alfred argued that he was new to the publican business and he had observed other licensees allowing card games so he thought there was no harm in it. He would however promise to abide by the terms of his licence in future. The court was fairly sympathetic and issued a low fine. Perhaps they did not realise his wife had been bought up in the trade and probably knew the regulations very well! 

Sadly Hannah passed away when her youngest son Edward (b.1870) was just an infant. Soon afterwards, Alfred gave up the licence, and we loose sight of him for a couple of years. By 1877, however Alfred was in Medmenham and preparing to marry again..to another publicans daughter. 

The Dog & Badger

Emma Sawyer grew up in Medmenham with parents James and Mary, innkeepers at the historic roadside Dog and Badger inn. By age 14 she was helping her parents as a bar maid, no labour restrictions relating to the employment of minors selling alcohol were yet in place! It was the tradition role for young unmarried publicans daughters, and good training - there is a reason a very high number go on to marry into other innkeeping families. When Emma and Alfred took over the Dog & Badger in turn from Emma's widowed mother, they would describe their 14 year old son/ step son Charles as their ostler and and 13 year old Hannah as a bar maid in turn. (1881). Alfred's son Edward age 11 was still obliged to go to school but he did not escape beer selling entirely. The adult Edward would (after a stint as a carpenter) be a beer dealer and grocer at Neighbours Stores in Quoiting Square with wife Catherine nee White. 

Enter the duck

Things were not always peaceful for Alfred and Emma. In 1879 Alfred got into a tussle with a customer that landed him in court. It was the day of Marlow October Fair, and so there was a lot of traffic passing between Henley and Marlow. It was therefore a busy day for Henry too, in his position on the roadside between the two. Henley licensed victualler Joseph Ball was amongst those stopping by on both the way in and out.  Shortly after Joseph and two friends arrived, Alfred encountered them and showed them a (dead) duck in his possession. (It seems Alfred thought it a good example, and drew their attention to it) Joseph took hold of the bird and made an offer to buy it that was presumably cheekily low. Alfred contended the encounter was a jocular one and he thought they were joking so laugh over he reached to retrieve the bird. But Joseph said he had made a bargain and would insist Alfred kept to it and so refused to hand the duck back. Some arguments went on for 5-10 mins, including a tug of war involving the thankfully dead animal. Alfred then lost what was left of his temper and threatened to hit Joseph if he didn't hand back the duck. Shortly afterwards he followed through with this, making several blows and drawing blood. There were plenty of witnesses and it was admitted Joseph had had quite a bit to drink. The court found Alfred guilty but expressed regret that they felt obliged to do so as they felt he had been much provoked. They set his fine as low as possible and relieved him of the obligation to pay some of the costs. Whether the duck was left in a fit state to be of use to either is unrecorded! 

Afterwards

In the early 1880s the Neighbours decided to leave the Dog & Badger. Many people were not landlords for long and a great number of past Marlow people with diverse backgrounds can include a stint as a beer seller in their history. They lasted longer than many. They did have one last attempt to take on another premises, that of the troubled Chairmakers Arms in Dean Street in 1884 but their application was refused. The authorities were sick of trouble at the Chairmakers and a constantly changing set of landlords and would not consider someone with any kind of question mark against them. For the Neighbours it was the fact they had been operating the premises in practice for a short time without a licence while someone else was technically in charge. You can read about that here

The couple moved out of our area to London where Alfred would remain for the last 15 years or so of his life. He is described as a engineers labourer on the 1891 census. Half brother Edwin was not too far away, working as a gardener in Hanwell. There appears to a number of more distant Neighbour relatives in the general area which may have provided a different incentive to move there. He died in 1907. 

Written and researched by Kathryn Day with extra research by Charlotte Day. 

RELATED POSTS:

Pub index where you will find proprietor listings for the pubs and lodging houses mentioned above: here

Other posts related to Medmenham: here

To find every mention of an individual here, use the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down - 4,000 individuals are currently listed. 

The Allams - details of Hannah Hoares sister Sarah, who married into the Allam fish monger family, as well as information on the sad death of mum Charlotte  - here

Every day life in old Marlow : here

Biography of individuals index here

 * Trip points for researchers:

Some online research databases have misread the birthplace of Alfred on the 1861 census as "St Marleybone", Bucks which does not exist. It actually reads Great Marlow but that's old handwriting for you! Always best to check several sources if you can. Beware too of the similar aged ALBERT  Edmund Neighbour which again some sites (and only some) have accidentally listed as ALFRED, born Beaconsfield. There were many Neighbours there but our Alfred was born in Great Marlow. Both married Lambeth, but different years. The Hoares other daughter Sarah Tilleard also married at Lambeth. 

 The Neighbour families of Bucks /Oxfordshire/ Surrey include people who work in the kind of trades that mean frequent moves further afield such as domestic and market gardening, railway workers, publicans and soldiers.  It is therefore best to cast the net widely when looking for them. 

Posts on gardener William Neighbour, Waterman Arms landlord Henry Neighbour and wife Catherine, and tollgate keeper and convict William Neighbour are available by searching this index here

SOURCES INCLUDE:

Census 1841 -1891 transcripts from the originals microfilm by Charlotte and Jane Pullinger.  

Journal of Horticulture and Cottage Gardener -  Article by George W Johnson FRHS and Robert Hogg LLD, September 1864

South Bucks Free Press 9 March 1867, from the British Library Archive via the BNA

Bucks Herald 7 November 1867. 

Reading Mercury 09 March 1867

The Horticultural Domestic Journal collected, 1870-1880. (1881)

Landlord listing research for the Dog and Badger by Charlotte. 

© MarlowAncestors

Kenton House Marlow

 Kenton House is given historically usually in Victoria Road but also sometimes in Glade Road suggesting it had entrances in both roads. It was close to Kenton Villas in Glade Road, two pairs of two houses built like Kenton House for Frederick Joseph Wright. It was a detached house with a garden, paddock (later an orchard), stable and stable yard. 

In 1883 Mrs Rolls was the resident. During the 1890s the house was often sub let for the Summer. Such was a common thing to do for Glade Road area residents. It was near the railway station and within walking distance of the Thames. Just the ticket for those who wanted to enjoy a fashionable riverside holiday!

Whoever had been the main tenant of late in 1905 had perhaps just died as the house contents was put up for auction then.

By 1907 Major Francis Fowler, his mother Gertrude and siblings lived at Kenton House. Mrs Fowler was the widow of Major General Charles Fowler who had died the previous year. In 1908 her youngest daughter May who was known by her middle name Irene drowned while punting on the Thames at Bisham. Punting was a very popular Edwardian past time on the river. Irene was an acknowledged expert on the art of managing a punt but the river on that stretch claimed casualties every single year. Irene had hired her punt from Shaws boat house in Marlow in windy but not not inadvisable weather conditions. She overbalanced while trying to free her punting pole from a tangle of weeds. Two small boy raised the alarm that a woman was in the water and trying to swim but the men who rushed to her aid could not find Irene. Her body was later recovered.

She was a musical woman as well as an active one training the choir of St Peter's Catholic church in Marlow and participating in charity concerts.

The same year Irene died Kenton House was put up for sale following the death of Eleanor Wright, widow of Frederick. The property was then worth £60 a year rent. Whoever bought the house, Major Francis Fowler's tenancy was unaffected. He seems to have been away from home in 1911 as on the census that year the Eddowes family occupied Kenton House.

He was back in residence in 1913 however when the house was again put up for sale. By then his yearly rent had soared to £85 which was pretty pricey. According to The Peerage website Gertrude Fowler died in Florence Italy in 1913.

We mainly focus on pre 1920s Marlow so I will leave it there.

To find more content on the historic residents of Victoria Road or Glade Road see this index.

All mentions of someone on this blog can be found under the Person Index.

Sources Included:

Kellys Post Office Directory for Bucks 1908. Kelly's Directories Limited.

GRO death registrations.

South Bucks Standard 14th July 1905, 4th September 1908 and 9th October 1908. British Library Archives, via the BNA.

https://thepeerage.com/p38900.htm#i388995

Meakes Grave, Great Marlow

 Thomas Meakes, Blacksmith of this town, d. Jan 10th 1826. Age 72 years. 

ALSO 

Sarah, wife of the above, d. April 17 1832 age 84 years.  

Notes:

Their son Thomas, baptised at Marlow 1784, was also a blacksmith as were various of their descendants. More here

For an index of other grave posts see here.

Photo by Kathryn Day. Research by Charlotte Day.

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

The Life of Emma and Dennis Wargent

Today we are featuring former Marlow and Hurley residents Emma and Dennis Wargent. 

"Emma Price That Was"

Emma Price, the future Mrs Wargent, was born in 1827 in Great Marlow to John and Sarah Price. John worked in the most typical of Marlow occupations of the time - he was the captain of a barge or "barge master," which ran between Marlow and London. He transported goods not just originating in Marlow itself, but from a wide area around bought to one of the several Marlow wharves to move onwards. The family lived in Dean Street, or as it was often known at that time Well End (not the same as Well End, Little Marlow). This area contained the largest concentration of working class homes and especially later a (not always deserved) reputation for roughness. However much of the worse of that, with the association with poaching and skewer making, was a little in the future when Emma was born. The number of beer houses were yet to explode with the relaxed licencing of the 1830s. The occupation and income of the residents was of a mixed type than later, and some later subdivided homes were still intact with largish and pleasant gardens. The home of John Price, a cottage with garden, cost £4 a year to rent when it was up for sale in 1829. Crucially it was of sufficient value to qualify the occupier the right to vote in the Marlow elections. This was an open selling point for the property, in a time when local elections here were rarely without some claim of bought votes, corruption or indeed rioting! See the linked posts below for more on this. 

When she was  approximately 17 Emma married young tailor Thomas Davis*, of Spittal Street, son of Richard. (1843) Thomas and Emma settled in Dean Street too. While Thomas seems to have been successful in his business - he was described as a master tailor (that is one fully and professionally trained) he later chose to change occupation and became a grocer. A little obituary of Emma says this business was located at the corner of Quoiting Square - we are in the process of confirming this location. Most grocers lived on their trading premises at this point, and Emma and Thomas still lived in Dean Street at the time of the 1861 census although his occupation had changed to grocer. Prior to that change though, the young Emma worked as a satin stitch worker doing fine embroidery. This was probably the single biggest employment category for young women in Marlow outside of domestic service and lace making at this period. There were baby linen warehouses employing the women directly on the premises. Much however was done at home. It was not always well paid considering the skill and patience required but it was considered reliable employment. Amongst the bigger employers were the Flints of West Street of whom more here. Take a look at our recreated trade directories linked below to get a flavour of some of Marlow's other past industries. Some of Emma's younger unmarried sisters still residing in the Dean Street Price family home were also engaged in this work and dressmaking. 

Emma was bereaved young (1877). But she was not long a widow. In 1878 she married widower Dennis Wargent...

Dennis, gardener par excellence

Dennis Hignell (Hignall) Wargent was born in the late 1820s in Remenham near Henley. As a 14 year boy he was working as a servant at Remenham Lodge. Very probably in the garden. This was a very typical age to have begun a career as a domestic gardener. 10 years later he is specifically described as a garden labourer at Remenham. Although he as an under gardener may have had to do a considerable amount of the gardens "donkey work", he was also clearly trained in the finer art of producing superlative flowers and produce which was the point of these sometimes long "apprenticeships". Gardeners tended to move on to other positions once they were proficient unless the head gardener was perhaps likely to retire soon. 

Dennis scored a job at the significant Marlow property known in the whimsical style of the time as "The Cottage". This was in fact the 9 bedroom home later known as Quoitings/ Quoitings House/ Quoiting Place and now demolished. This had a gardener's lodge off Oxford Road, which would become home to Dennis and his then wife Hannah nee Bailey**. He was there by the time of the 1861 census. Mrs Sarah Faussett (Fawcett/Faucett) was resident in the main house. Quoitings had gardens known for their fruit as well as a small dairy - a common accessory for Marlow homes at this period including the grandest. In all around 13 acres. 

Throughout the 1860's Dennis romped home with prize after prize at the local horticultural shows and events. Balsams, roses, ferns...all grown to perfection by the hardworking gardener. Among the events he attended were the early versions of the Great Marlow horticultural society shows at Harleyford Park and Court Garden, and the charming sounding "rural fete" at Danesfield. 

One of Marlow's forgotten industries was that of wholesale fruit dealing, especially based around the Dean Street area. This meant the less scrupulous hoping to pilfer something with an easy resale value were fond of targeting fruit and nut frees in private gardens and on farms. Others of course just like to enjoy some free fruit. Whatever the motive, labourer Daniel Lovegrove of Marefield stole into the garden at The Cottage on a quiet Sunday in 1874 and made off with some prize apricots. Dennis however caught him at it, and Daniel was bought before the petty session court in Trinity Road. He received a 3s 6d fine for his trouble. 

A few years later, Hannah  Wargent died. She was buried in Remenham. 

Marriage Again

Emma and Dennis, both now widowed married each other in 1878. They lived in Hurley village a little along the river from Marlow. Dennis would continue to work as a gardener (for the Vicar Rev F T Wethered) and later a cow man there until his late 70s. He also spent many many years as the Hurley Parish clerk and also at times served as churchwarden there. 

Farewell to Emma

Emma sadly fell ill in 1892. She was advised to go to St Mary's Hospital in Paddington for more specialised care, but I am not certain what condition she had been suffering from. She died after a few weeks stay, and is buried in Hurley.  Her grave marker states her age at 70, some local death notices gave it as 68. 

The following year, Dennis would marry a third time, to Louisa. (Born Hagbourne, Berkshire). Would his senior years prove quiet? Not perfectly! As a respected local man and former parish clerk, he was invited to be the treasurer of the East Arms Slate Club in around 1896. The first 9 years were uneventful. Local men paid in a fixed sum (a shilling in 1904/5) per month to the Club, in exchange for claiming a certain amount of the pooled funds in the event of a calamity such as illness or the death of a spouse befalling them. Any unused funds were divided out between members who had kept up their subscriptions, usually just before Christmas at a special share out supper or dinner. Most were hosted by a pub, although chapels also ran them. A very large number were run locally, and there is a high chance of an ancestor belonging to one at some point. In 1905 the club secretary was Thomas Reed, a carpenter of Temple Cottages, Bisham who had held the role for 7 years. Thomas had unfortunately suffered regular periods of unemployment that year. Ahead of the December 1905 share out he went to Dennis and collected the Club funds to distribute to the expectant members. Dennis gave him a receipt and waved him off towards the East Arms. Thomas arrived about 7pm and found 40 members there ready to have a good time. He however announced that he had forgotten a few important documents and would need to go back and get them. He excused himself and the others got on with their celebration supper. The share out usually happened last and so Thomas had time to go. But come midnight, Thomas has not returned. Some of the members, initially concerned for his welfare, went to his home. There they met his puzzled wife who had not seen her husband since he had left telling her he was going to the East Arms. Some then began to feel a little doubt and recalled Thomas had seemed on edge. They went to the home of Dennis Wargent who confirmed Thomas had left him whilst carrying the club funds. The following morning Thomas had still not appeared and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was apprehended close by and confessed to spending the funds. He admitted it had been an act of foolishness but he said the unemployment he had suffered had made him do it. He could not however account for what he had done with the money. He said his heart had failed him when he knew he would have to face the music so he had fled. He was sentenced to 2 months in Reading gaol with hard labour. The poor savers got none of their money back. Dennis testified in court during the trial. 

In 1910, Dennis passed away aged 83. He had worked as a gardener until at least the age of 79. He is buried with second wife Emma at Hurley. See grave image at bottom. 

NOTE

* There was more than one Thomas Davis in Marlow at this time. Our Thomas was the son of Richard and Mary Davis of Spittal Street. The "other" Thomas Davis was resident in Oxford Lane at this point. They were a similar age.

** Hannah and Dennis married 1856 in Kensington. She was born circa 1821 in Waltham St Lawrence.

Related Posts:

The Flint family embroiders here

Potted history and landlord listing for the East Arms, Hurley here

Other posts related to Hurley: here

Slate clubs and poverty in Victorian and Edwardian Marlow - COMING SOON 

Where your gardening ancestor worked: here

Bargemen of Marlow - here

Posts related to the election violence and everyday life in old Marlow, plus links to the recreated trade directories: here

Every mention of an individual can be found in the A-Z person index top drop down menu where you will also find listings of more detailed biographies of people and families. 

Sources include:

Kelly's Directory Berkshire 1883. 

South Bucks Standard 28 October 1892. 

Reading Mercury 12 September 1863, 08 August 1874. 

Maidenhead Advertiser 29 May 1872. 

Census 1841,1851,1861,1871,1881 and 1891 - transcribed from microfilm by Jane Pullinger and Charlotte Day. 

Horticultural show records compiled by Kathryn - ongoing project. 

Emma Wargent died 1892. 

Dennis Wargent died March 8th 1910. Born Jan 1827.

Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

© MarlowAncestors 

Crilly Grave Marlow Cemetery

In Loving memory - Hugh Gladstone Crilly who died March 1st 1919 age 39 years.

Hugh was an Inland Revenue Officer for High Wycombe in the 1915 Kelly's Directory.

His wife was Mary Domell, granddaughter of the New Zealand Prime Minister Alfred Domell.

This grave is in Marlow Cemetery.

For other grave photos for Great Marlow, Little Marlow and Hurley see this index.

All mentions of an individual on this blog can be found by consulting the A-Z index in the top drop down menu. 

Photo and transcription by Kathryn Day, research by Charlotte Day.

 ©Marlow Ancestors. Reproduction welcome for family or local history purposes, if you credit this blog and link here. 

The Smiths and Gammons Of Duchess Place

Duchess Place in Marlow consisted of a shop on the corner of Victoria Road and Dedmere Road plus 9 cottages and (in 1896 a "studio") adjoining that could be accessed from both streets. The buildings exist still but Duchess Place is no longer a separate street address.

George Gammon was a carter for a flour mill. As such in 1905 he was fined for driving his cart after sunset without having a light. He grew up in Hambledon. Before coming to Marlow he had been a baker. His wife Sarah had a laundry business at home of which George was also involved in the management of. They lived in Duchess Place from 1897 until circa 1901 when they moved to nearby Station Rise. By 1907 George was again calling himself a baker and but must have still considered himself a partner in his wife's laundry business as in that year George accused his employee Elizabeth Smith of stealing a child's dress which he had put in a parcel and asked her to send to Shepherds Bush from the post office. This will have been clean laundry returned to a customer. Good laundresses were seen as gold dust and households were happy to send important laundry miles to have it carefully done.

Elizabeth sold or gifted, it was unclear, the dress to Amelia White to whom she also sold some lace and a petticoat. In the same court Elizabeth stood accused of stealing a pig's head from a High Street shop. She pleaded in her defence a sincere desire to act honorably but admitted that she could not stop herself taking things. 

This wasn't the first time that the Gammons had accused an employee of stealing from them. Two years previously Sarah's charge against Hetty Bitmead for allegedly taking an apron from them was dismissed from lack of evidence. They certainly were robbed of a shirt front and collar on another occasion at Duchess Place.

Elizabeth Smith was sentenced to a month's hard labour which is a pretty light sentence given that she had 4 previous convictions for theft. Elizabeth was 31 years old and had lived with her father William at number six Duchess Place for at least 16 years. Relations were clearly sometimes strained between the two as in 1899 William took out an ad in the South Bucks Standard warning shopkeepers and others that he would no longer honour any debts which she contracted. It was probably already just the two of them left at home. Elizabeth's mother Ann AKA Annie had died at Duchess Place in 1894 aged only 51 and her brothers had certainly left home by the time of the 1901 census.

It was four weeks after that their next door neighbour at number seven, Mrs Gammon, advertised for a good laundress to live in with them. I had wondered if that ad just might have what provoked the financially pressed Elizabeth Smith to begin her employment with the Gammons but no, Elizabeth was a needlewoman not a laundress and still living with her widowed father in 1901. William was then a rag beater at the paper mills down by river but earlier was described as an engineer at the mills . By 1911 he and his daughter had moved to South Place in Marlow. There was a 2 year old boy William in the household listed as William's grandson. There is a fair chance that this is an illegitimate child for Elizabeth though he could also be the son of one of her brothers, William or Augustus. William her brother served as a soldier.

Researched and written by Charlotte Day. 

To see what else we have on Duchess Place or surrounding addresses in old Marlow see this index.

To find all mentions of someone on this blog see the A-Z Person Index.

See:

South Bucks Standard 2nd June 1899 and 25th October 1907.

Census 1891 and 1901. 

G.R.O death registrations.

David Millard Will (Brief!) and Notes

 David Millard, yeoman. Written 1825. Proved 1831. See note below.

Everything to wife Sarah including the property they live in [testator's estate not detailed any further]. 

Sarah sole executor.

Witnessed by George Cole and George Daniels.

Will transcribed and summarised by Charlotte Day. You can obtain a copy of this PCC will from the National Archives.

Notes: There must have been some delay in proving the will as David was buried in Marlow aged 56 in 1826. He had married Sarah Gray at Marlow in 1791. He was baptised at Bisham in 1769 the son of James and Winifred.

David had Sarah had the following children:

Ann 1791 (buried 1793)

Ann 1794

Mary Ann 1796

Jane 1799 (buried 1810)

Elizabeth 1802

James 1806

David 1809 (buried 1810)

There does not look to be a remarriage or burial for Sarah at Marlow.

Will witness George Daniels was a cabinet maker who lived Chapel Street. George Cole ran a school in Chapel Street. A biographical post on him will be published in the future.

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