George Abbott took over the historic Greyhound Inn in 1848 in very inauspicious circumstances. Located within Spittal Street and now entirely demolished, the half timbered inn with its very large hanging sign was a sight everyone living in Marlow would have known. The Abbott's predecessor was Henry Hyatt / Hiatt - a man who was cruelly driven to financial ruin for daring to vote against his landlords political interest. You can read about Hyatt's extraordinary experience and his (innocent) involvement in one of the most talked about fraud cases of the era in a post here. Many people were rightly enraged about Hyatt's treatment and it can not have been easy for the Abbotts to take over in such circumstances. They would also have taken on a damaged and stripped bare premises, the result of the campaign to intimidate Hyatt.
George and wife Mary Ann, and their children lived at the inn, usually with an ostler and servant. A son George would be born a few years after the families arrival in Marlow. The inn was at this point regarded as one of the two chief ones then in town, the other being The Crown in nearby Market Square. Formerly one of the major boarding places for stagecoach services, the Greyhound still had plentiful stabling and a good size yard. It was now serving as a place to board the horse drawn omnibus service to Maidenhead (then the nearest Great Western station) and Windsor (to connect with South Western trains). Other services took both passengers and parcels to High Wycombe and Henley (two days a week each), and to London via Maidenhead and Slough (also twice a week.) As the services did not necessarily start at their advertised time, and were first come first served, there was a good chance to gain refreshment at the Greyhound while you waited to board or meet someone. As a "posting house" you could also hire horses there to make an independent journey.
A few years before the Abbott's tenure, the local branch of the Oddfellows Friendly Society, known as the Loyal Orphans Hope Lodge had opened with their headquarters in Marlow at the Greyhound. This was an organisation that had it's quirky and ceremonial side but one that made a great practical difference to those working men and their families who were members. Paying a weekly sum entitled the "Brothers" to sick pay and funeral payments should the worst occur. The inn hosted the Brothers annual dinner which usually followed a parade to and from church. They had a club room at the Greyhound, but it was shared with the smaller Royal Britain Benefit Society which formed there in 1851. I'm not sure when the club room was added (if not part of the original old structure) but it was big enough to host 70 guests or more. Perhaps it was hosting these feasts that helped cement the Abbott's reputation as excellent hosts and the premier place to go for organised works and society dinners and suppers. Sometimes the large groups catered for were local such as the employees of the Wethered brewery. On other occasions the guests were employees of large companies based elsewhere who came to Marlow for their "beanfeasts". The meadow at the back is also mentioned as a venue for large gatherings in the 1850s. Tents were provided out there for the celebrations, the whole decorated with flowers and evergreens.
In 1859 host Abbott and wife Mary were themselves the guests of honour at the Greyhound dinner held for their benefit. Benefit dinners were usually held for those who'd suffered some kind of financial setback to help them recover their funds, however they were also given in Marlow and elsewhere to celebrate a host in more general terms. I believe the Abbott's dinner was of the second character. All the 50 plus guests brought something fine to eat or drink, so no costs was involved to the family in hosting their many friends. We are told the dessert consisted of "monster pears, oranges and apples".
You would not just find George and Mary Ann serving delicious food and drink from the Greyhound itself. They took out occasional licences that allowed them to provide refreshments at booths at big local events. For example they provided the canteen facility for the Bucks Rifle Volunteers when they were in camp at Medmenham Abbey. And they did a roaring trade at the Danesfield rural fete in 1860, an event that saw vegetables and fruit on show, country dancing on the lawns, and games. The event did not end happily for the Abbotts however. As they were coming home down Red Pits Hill in a wagon with the booth within, the horse bolted. They attempted to turn into Spinfield Lane opposite Gyldernscroft in order to check it's pace but instead the wagon fell over. The Abbott's 4 children inside were flung out. William age 10 was thrown headfirst into an iron gate, resulting in a much cut about head. He was brought quickly home and attended by medical men. The initial reports suggested the poor little lad was in a precarious state, but I'm happy to report he did survive. Whether he suffered any lasting injury is hard to say.
George died aged only 54. His widow Mary Ann continued on for nearly 20 years and the inns reputation was undiminished in her experienced hands. Praise for a large dinner catered for by Mary Ann at the end of her first year without George stated that the catering was of the type "calculated to sustain the high reputation of the Greyhound as a first rate provider" with excellent wines and plentiful bowls of punch.
When Mary Ann passed away, her Marlow born and yet unmarried son George Sheppard Abbott would take over. His two teenage siblings Mary Ann and William lived with him along with two young live in servants. George junior was only 21 himself, and although he must have grown up learning the ropes, it was a big establishment for him to take on. He seems to have done well in all aspects but yet again, an untimely death would take George away. He died in 1876 when in his mid 20s. His wife Jeanette was granted the equivalent of a hold-over licence so she could continue legally trading until the next annual licencing day, when she gave the Greyhound up and Job Palmer took over. The Abbott family had been in charge of the inn for more than 30 years..
More information:
List of landlords for the Greyhound and timeline - here
Index of other posts about pubs, inns etc here
You will find every mention of an individual and family here on the A-Z person index on the top drop down menu.
Written and researched by Kathryn Day.
SOURCES
1851, 1861, 1871 and 1881 census from the transcripts transcripts made of the originals by Jane Pullinger and Charlotte Day.
Slater's Commercial Directory 1852.
South Bucks Free Press 14 & 21 Jan 1859, 4 August 1860, 24 Jan 1862 & 29 November 1862 British Library Archive.
Royal County Directory (J G Harrod & Co, 1876)
Chief Register of Friendly Societies, GB House of Commons, HMSO 1878.
© MarlowAncestors
