Today's post is dedicated to the wonderfully named Victorian resident of Marlow, Henry Wildsmith Badger. If you have done any amount of research regarding Marlow's past residents, you will certainly be familiar with the work of Henry Wildsmith and his family, even if the name doesn't immediately mean anything to you. For it was the Badgers that were responsible for conducting the census in Great Marlow Parish for a period of around 100 years.
Henry was born in the early 1830s and grew up with his fairly comfortably off family in Quoiting Place, Marlow. (Now more commonly known as Quoitings Square. Henry's boyhood home has sadly been demolished.) His father, also Henry and known as Harry, and mother Jane nee Johnson, were school teachers at the Oxford Rd National school adjacent to their home. Later they would take over the parochial school in Bisham. Young Henry Wildsmith would grow up to be known for his dedication to his duty, intelligence and unwavering punctuality. You might consider this would be the result of growing up the son of two strict teachers. But Henry's parents first took up their role at the Marlow school as a direct result of the dismissal of a previous teacher whose harsh regime shocked even the Victorian parents who expected the rod to rule in the classroom. Henry senior was regarded as the polar opposite of such an educator. He was remembered as a genial man with a kindly face and patient demeanor. Mother Jane was likewise praised for her warm nature and dedication to her pupils. It is no wonder that young Henry Wildsmith thrived at his own studies. His sister Annie would also later serve as a schoolmistress at the National School in Oxford Rd in the 1860s. In Annie's time the school was housed in the afterwards extended building now occupied by the Marlow Language Centre.
Henry was initially apprenticed to a cabinet maker, of whom there were several "high class" ones in Marlow. But he is best known for his role as Parish Clerk - a role in which he followed in the footsteps of several previous generations of his family. He kept this job for some 50 years, starting in 1855! It was Henry Wildsmiths's great grandfather and fellow Parish Clerk Wildsmith Badger* who conducted the very first official if fairly basic census in Marlow, held in 1801. This was not necessarily an easy task given the people were unfamiliar with the idea and suspicious of such information sought by officials. The number of questions would only grow over time! (Population in 1801 was given as 3236) The role of census enumerator passed down through the Badger family and it's not hard to see why Henry Wildsmith was given the responsibility in turn. As Parish Clerk there can have been few families he did not know to some degree. He was someone who was known to be conscientious and thorough in his parish work so he would be unlikely to miss any household or visitor. We do not know how difficult Henry found it to persuade the reluctant to fill in their household returns. We do know the difficulties other enumerators could have on occasion though. Some of these were simply practical - leaving an early census return at an illiterate household that possessed no pen and ink to fill it in was useless for example. In all Henry Wildsmith conducted the Great Marlow parish Census between 1860 - 1901. It's hard to remember that amongst all this parish activity, Henry did actually have a day job - that of confectioner.
Henry's hardworking personality and honest reputation saw him co opted to act as secretary and committee member for many local fund raising efforts. As Parish Clerk he oversaw the distribution of the Parish Charities, some of which were the results of ancient bequests. During the extremely hard winters of 1890-92 Henry was also entrusted to distribute additional relief. In 1891 more than 700 tickets for assistance were given out by him to the poorest families in Marlow. These could be swapped for goods at any grocer in town up to a certain value, others could be swapped for coal or clothing. For his labours as Parish Clerk, Henry's wages were £20 in 1896.
The Badgers were a musical family. Henry's father was also the organist at the parish church for example. Our Henry played several instruments and was a member of the relatively short-lived Marlow Orchestral Society as the pianist, as well as a member of fundraising orchestras formed to raise money for the Literary and Scientific Institute. It's no surprise that bookish Henry was an a supporter of the Institute, and he acted as it's librarian for a period, in between his many other roles. This was a little more difficult a role than it might get seem, as he was responsible for ensuring the material he bought was regarded as morally suitable for a respectable organisation to offer to its members!
In 1905 Henry was now in his 70s and his wife Mary Ann was already dead. He was living with his son William, an organist at Holy Trinity Church in Marlow. His long service in the role of Clerk attracted national attention, and a journalist from the Express was one of the those that travelled to Marlow to interview Henry. Stories about his life and work can therefore be found in regional newspapers from all over England. One of the stories Henry shared with the newsman was the one concerning a drunken would be bride groom whom he and the parish constable had been forced to eject from the church on the intended day of the nuptials. The Vicar has refused to see him married in such a state. The shamefaced groom returned to be successfully wed the following day after making a confession that he had partaken a little too freely in some Dutch courage previously! Henry would also tell the story of how he had accidentally shut a number of sheep in the church when new to the role of locking it up. They belonged to the vicar and habitually grazed in the churchyard. They had sought shelter in the church and lurked unseen by Henry. The scene the following day when Henry returned was quite a sight. The curious and probably hungry animals had taken a bite out of several cushions amongst other things.
The parishioners of Marlow clubbed together to present Henry with a purse of coins and an illuminated address on his retirement. He had overseen 5,600 christenings, 1000 weddings, and 3,400 burials. It was also noted that his role in census taking meant he was in the awkward position of knowing the real age of all the ladies in town! Appointed by the Rev Frederick Bussell, Badger served with a number of vicars and out lasted 57 curates. He had taken just one Sunday off from his role in all those years.
The end came suddenly for 74 year old Henry. He was said to have had what at first seemed a mild attack of bronchitis. But he deteriorated rapidly, and three weeks later he was dead. Heart disease was considered to have contributed to his decline. Almost everyone in Marlow would have seen Henry's face at some important time in their life - a christening, wedding, family funeral, application for emergency relief, or census time. Or just at a church service, shop, concert or library visit. I'm sure many missed him a great deal. And yes, his son succeeded him as both Parish Clerk and confectioner.
* See the grave of Wildsmith and wife Ann - here where you will also see the grave of Henry Wildsmith Badgers young brother William.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
If you are looking for information about the Victorian Catholic family of Badger in Marlow who were beer sellers, boot makers and fancy good shopkeepers see this post here
To find every mention of a family or individual here, look at the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu.
For posts about everyday life in the Marlow of Henry Wildsmith Badger lived in, see the index Here
SOURCES INCLUDE:
Cocks, A H - The Church Bells Of Buckinghamshire (Jarrod 1897)
Information from Anthony Wethered.
1841,51,61,71,81,91 census from the transcripts from original by Jane Pullinger and Charlotte Day.
Harrods Directory 1876 (J G Harrods and Co 1876)
Slaters Royal and Commercial Directory 1850 & 1852.
Kelly's Post Office Directory of Buckinghamshire, 1850. (Kelly's Directories 1850)
Slough, Eton and Windsor Observer May 21 1887.
South Bucks Standard 11 December 1896, 4 August 1905, 31 January 1908 accessed via the BNA.
Henley Advertiser 18 February 1905, as above.
Bucks Herald - August 1891, as above.
Great Marlow Guide 1903.
Daily Express cutting, 1908.
Written and researched by Kathryn Day.
© MarlowAncestors.
