When little John Langley was born in the poor and populous Dean Street in the 1850s, his parents probably did not imagine he would one day become such a wealthy and well respected man. John - or Jack as he was usually known - occupies a fairly unique position in Marlow history as someone who had a great deal to do with the lives of both the richest and poorest of Marlow's past residents. It's his dealings with the latter that has earned him a place in our series saluting the actions of Marlow heroes. I will refer to him from hence onwards as Jack to differentiate him from his father John although the latter was also known as Jack or Johnnie in his lifetime. What's survived in the popular memory is that Jack was a bookmaker or as it was referred to at the time a "turf commission agent". We may imagine someone in this occupation and from a more modest background may have struggled against numerous stereotypes held by our Victorian forebears. But we may be making assumptions to some extent. Association with gambling was obviously frowned upon by very many but Jack was described by the Vicar of Marlow as a "fine straightforward man" for example, bookie or no. It was certainly not regarded as barrier to election to the town council. The thing that seemed to stand out most to his contemporaries was the fact Jack continued to mix with they may have thought as the "common man" despite becoming well off. It should also be born in mind that like many of our Victorian forebears, Jack had more occupations providing his income than is recorded on census returns. (Generally the main one or two get listed but by cross referencing other sources we can find this often gives only a partial picture of how many actually earned their bread and butter. Jack was probably just as associated by many with his fruit dealing as book making as he did that longer, although some of his sons followed in their fathers bookmaking footsteps)
Langley & Son
Jack was the son of John and Ann Sarah Langley, publicans of the Royal Exchange and then the Verney Arms, both in Dean Street or Well End as it was still then popularly known. (Not to be confused with Well End, Little Marlow.) John was also a fruiterer, timber merchant, market gardener and farmer - you can see what I mean about multiple occupations held at once! Jack's Langley grandparents Thomas and Elizabeth were agricultural labourers/ skewer makers* and in the grandma's case, a lace maker. All typical Dean Street area occupations of the time. It was recalled that young Jack was often to be seen walking about the area with his tame fox cub trotting at his heels like a dog. He had apparently found and trained the fox himself. Eccentricity no 1! Childhood didn't last long in those days, and Jack was soon helping his father in the various family business concerns. In fact they became officially partners as publicans, market gardeners, timber merchants and fruiterers trading as "Langley & Son". The area around Dean Street formerly contained many little orchards and fruit grounds, some of which the Langley's probably cropped themselves, but as fruiterers they would also have bought in stock from others locally. The fruiterer business was formerly associated with Marlow and especially Dean Street, although the link is long forgotten now. This involved the wholesale trade in fruit, usually to London. So the Langley's did not have a fruitmongers shop in Marlow itself although they no doubt supplied some of them. In 1878, the father and son decided to dissolve their business by mutual consent although both continued working in the same areas. John (born 1826) made his mark on the document by the sign of the cross, but Jack signed his own name. John farmed numerous areas of Marlow (he occupied 230 acres in 1881, with 50 men and numerous boys in his employ in the farming line. This included New Barn Farm.)
Jack fights a fire
1878 was the year Jack started in business in his own right and also the year that he committed his first heroic act. He, and father John, saved the lives of two infants in a Dean Street house fire. The Sawyer children were the grandchildren of John Langley so Jack was their uncle. The youngsters had been left alone in the house upstairs asleep (common then and not something that stood out as neglectful behaviour to the witnesses) but a fire had started. The house was seriously alight when the smoke was noticed by a passer by. The two fought through a then "raging" fire to free the crying pair from their bedroom. The children appear to have been largely unharmed. (You can read more about John's son in law Owen Sawyer in a post here)
Jack's dad John Langley senior was one of the founding donors to the Marlow volunteer fire brigade and was on the committee that set it up. He seems to have taken a keen interest in firefighting overall and was credited with helping put out a number of blazes either before the fire brigade arrived or alongside them. When he was the landlord of the Crown, the fire engine was housed next door to him, with the fire bell outside. If anyone knew it was rung, it would be John. He hired to the brigade the horses that pulled the engine. These usually grazed in the Crown Meadow (Riley Park) which was also put to use for fire brigade training exercises and drill competitions. Jack continued his father's interest in the brigade, sponsoring prizes in their drill competitions and donating to the cost of new equipment. Read more about the father and sons sometimes amusing roles in the fire brigade here!
Convicted Rioter
John Langley was politically active for the radical/liberal concern in his younger days. This would lead to Jack's involvement in one of the most well known of Marlow's election riots, of 1880. The liberals lost, and those who supported them regarded the election as unfair. Jack was regarded by some as one of the ringleaders of the ensuing wide scale destruction, but it was also argued he was in fact a peacemaker whose conviction was politically motivated. A fund was set up to raise money to pay for a presentation to Jack in protest at what they said was his wrongful conviction and subsequent short prison term. A nice engraved London made silver coffee set was the result. The witness statements do tend to support Jack's role in trying to quell the riot more than instigating it although he was obviously vocal in his dismay at the result when first announced! A full post about the riot is available here
King of The City
John senior obviously set his son an active example of looking out for the working man especially those in his employ. John was well known for contributing to charity and hosting Christmas dinners for dozens of poor and elderly residents of Dean Street and around. In 1865 it was said that there was not a man in the parish more "industrious, energetic or enterprising" than John Langley. The South Bucks Free Press reporting on the marriage of John seniors daughter Alice (Jack's sister) said that John was known as the King of The City (a slang term for the Dean Street area). They thought that probably "the enormous amount distributed by him amongst the wage earning class is the proof that he is the medium of conferring a large amount of good upon a very large number of persons."
Jack would soon follow in his footsteps in this regard. (Jack was also the one time publican at the Verney although for a relatively short period. However as we know he was frequently in London engaged in his other business it was - as so often the case - his wife Ellen who would generally be found looking after the pub.)
The Langley family had suffered many misfortunes amidst their success and perhaps it was this consciousness that motivated them to help those who had misfortunes of their own. For example, 13 year old Sarah, (b 1857, daughter of George) fell through the ice when trying to skate or slide on the frozen Thames in 1870. Despite a frantic search, she was not found for a month. Then John Langley senior had a severe fire at New Barn farm in 1882 which totally destroyed a large barn and overall did £1000 worth of damage, at least partially covered by insurance. His first wife Ann Sarah died later that year after months of pain and sickness caused by injuries she sustained when she fell out of a swing at the 1881 Marlow fair. She was picked up unconscious and was expected to die imminently. But she struggled on miserably for a while longer. Similarly John's second wife Susan of The Crown Hotel, committed suicide less than a year after their marriage. John would die in an accident at the hotel a few years later. You can read more about this and poor Susan, in a post here.
In 1881 Jack suffered the death of his toddler daughter Nellie, and a break in at his then Oxford Rd home the following year. Then his sister Kate Verney Langley died aged just 19 in 1887. So yes Jack knew misfortune too.
In 1901 he defines himself as a turf commission agent on the census for the first time, although he was still engaged in both the fruit trade and farming. He was also going well enough to buy and sell property and land. As someone now comfortably off, Jack was frequently invited to sit on various committees eg the executive committee for organising the 1902 Coronation celebrations in Marlow. No doubt they knew they could count on him to reach into his pocket when asked to support a charitable cause. (More on the celebration here)
Jack and the Hospital
There are numerous philanthropic causes that Jack especially helped with. The first was the establishment of the Marlow Cottage Hospital in Glade Rd. The former one was cramped and small and the medical staff were desperate for a new modern premises. I have covered the sometimes bad tempered debate as to whether to go ahead with a new building or not in a post here. But the main fear was that not enough funds would be raised to either build it or maintain it on a voluntary basis so it might get put "on the rates". One of those who thought the doctors would just have to make do with their old site was previously one of the bigger donors to the hospital, Ed. Riley. When the exhausted and exasperated medical staff threatened to resign en masse unless proper facilities were provided, Riley threatened to withdraw his association and financial support to the hospital. Jack Langley was outraged and said he would personally make up any deficiency in funds resulting from Riley's threat - and he was as good as his word. He had already offered to sell some land in Glade Rd at a much discounted price for the building of the hospital. Subsequently Jack decided to offer the same land entirely free of charge, providing building was actually started within an agreed time frame. This was a spot in a prime area of development for handsome villas so it was in no way an unattractive parcel of land he would be pleased to just get rid of. This was also in addition to general financial contributions to the funds. Furthermore Jack also offered that if the hospital managers should find a different and better site, he would provide a low cost loan and extra money to allow for its purchase. In the end, the hospital was built on Jack's land where it stands today.
Jack pays out for twins
The second cause we should especially remember Jack for was his help and support for slate clubs and any fundraising aimed at helping the unemployed and poor. As mentioned above, Jack hosted free Christmas dinners for dozens of the poor. It was hardly a once a year act for him. He made donations to boost the funds of many of the town's Slate Clubs. These were sort of friendly societies and saving clubs that provided sickness and unemployment benefit for working men in exchange for a small weekly payment. (See posts linked below to read about the clubs and poverty in Jack's Marlow.) He was therefore an honoured guest at many of their annual share outs. And he was not above throwing himself into the entertainment contributing songs and comic recitations. His sons Jack and Walter often came along too, Jack junior specialising in an "unusual" whistling performance apparently. (Walter accompanied on a piano if available**) My favourite way that Jack supported one of the Slate Clubs at the Clayton Arms, was to offer a bonus payment from his own funds if any member's wife had a set of twins or triplets. He was called upon to pay that out at least once! He actually offered to pay if any new member with twins joined even if their children were a few years old already. It was noted of Jack in 1906 that unusually when fortune had smiled upon him "instead of becoming more selfish as most men did when they became rich, Mr Langley delighted in helping his fellow men more than ever." Jack replied that he thought it the duty of every man to enjoy life and to help your fellow man to do the same.
Veterans Supporter
Then we have Jack's generosity to the Marlow's Rifle Volunteers and to the fundraising to care for those serving in the South African and First World Wars and their bereaved families. Several of his sons spent time as a volunteer. His son Jack in particular is remembered as a casualty of the First World War. Jack junior was a veteran of the South African wars too, as a member of what was then known as the Imperial Yeomanry. Trooper Langley returned from South Africa in 1902 and his efforts are commemorated on the plaque on the Armoury in Institute Rd. (See here ) He was one of those who won a ballot to attend the 1902 Coronation as a representative of the Yeomanry - I believe the only Marlow resident to be successful in the draw. Trooper Langley was not so fortunate in the First World War, and he died in Egypt in 1915. The news was recieved in Marlow in August that year, when it was reported the soldier's death was due to fever. At this point Jack senior, who was a councillor for some years, had been elected chair of the Marlow Urban District Council. He was also elected head of the Marlow Tribunal which considered applications for compulsory military service to be delayed or cancelled due to certain permitted circumstances. Jack was praised for his untiring work during these years. He was unfortunately injured in a blackout while on a visit to London in 1917. He was in Paddington station at the time and actually fell from the platform onto the rails. He was forced to remain in hospital for some weeks, returning to his then home, Bridge House, Marlow in early 1918. (Jack bought Bridge House in June 1913.) The rumour was he never fully recovered from these injuries or his son's war time death, and he died in 1924. Marlow really lost a kind benefactor then. There isn't room to list all of Jack's charitable deeds in this. I especially like Jack for his visits to the Union Workhouse at Saunderton, and the workhouse school at Bledlow, and his frequent gifts to every Marlow resident in either. Sweets and buns for the children and money for the adults was the usual order of the day. For example he gave 5s each to every Marlow pauper boarded out in other Poor Law Unions for Christmas 1920. Out of sight was definitely not out of mind for Jack. And he provided for 40 poor children to attend the Marlow cinema in 1914, paid to have trees replaced on the Causeway, donated land in Glade Rd free of charge so that the road could be widened in the interest of safety, subsidised soup kitchens, provided prizes at sporting contests ..the list goes on.
There isn't space here either to list all of Jack's involvement with sporting interests in the town either so I'll just mention one aspect of his life that doesn't seem to be well known. He actually kept race horses as well as being involved in the track through his bookmaking. I have found that they raced at local courses such as Windsor and Ascot, and the most successful seems to have been "Tokey" in the Edwardian era. I must also mention that Jack played for Marlow FC and Marlow Victoria FC in their early years, as well as for the Cricket Club, rowed at the regattas, headed up the 1920s bowls club, and was an all round accomplished athlete who competed in amateur athletics events regionally. Dad John was in the Marlow cricket team in the 1850s and 60s with his "masterful" left handed underarm bowling credited for many a victory.
NB. Jack's wife Ellen died in 1905 and he remarried widow Frances, former wife of Hedley Foster who drowned in the Thames at Marlow. Read more in the post here. See the grave of Ellen Here. His stepson Roy Foster was also a First World War casualty.
Written and researched by Kathryn Day.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Jack lived at various times in Dean Street, Oxford Rd, Glade Rd, at New Court, Caldwell Lodge (Station Rd) and Bridge House.
To find all mentions of an individual or family, see the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu.
*More about skewer making and the industries of Dean Street here
**A passion for entertaining seemed to run in the Langley family. Another of Jack's sons, Frank, was the manager of a travelling theatre and cinema. Frank also served in the First World War, in the air force.
List of Verney Arms landlords/history timeline: here
Slate Clubs and poverty in Marlow here
Index of posts related to the First World War in Marlow and general Marlow history here
SOURCES
Parish Assessment, 1833, from the original notebook in our possession.
Census for Great Marlow, transcribed from the originals by Jane Pullinger and Charlotte Day.
London Gazette, June 14 1878.
Bucks Herald 9th February 1878, British Library Archive.
Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News, 4th March, 26th August & 7th October 1882, as above
South Bucks Standard 13 July 1905, 24 April 1913, as above.
Reading Mercury 28th August and 11 September 1915 - Reading Libraries.
Windsor and Eton Express 13th May 1871, & 26 March 1870 - Slough Borough Libraries.
Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire 1899, 1911 & 1915
British Nationals Armed Forces Deaths 1796-2005. GRO. (Ref ARR1, Volume C2, page 133)
Marlow Guide 1905.
© MarlowAncestors.