Way Family Premises

The home and business premises of John Way in Marlow High Street are today a toy shop.

John was baptised at Marlow in 1809 to Richard and Rebecca (nee Fowler) Way who had moved to the town in the early 1800s from Oakley Bucks. Richard was a farmer who lived in 1833 in Quoiting Square Marlow. 

Like many people in those days John suffered the loss of many family members in their prime- his sisters Rebecca and Ann died aged 16 and 22 respectively in 1819, followed two years later by his mother when she was only in her 40s. His father passed away in 1836 and his brother Joseph at the age of 26 in 1837.

John ran a poulterer's shop in the above premises from at least 1833 until his death circa 1846. In 1841 he expanded his business by obtaining a licence to sell game too. As poaching and the resulting illegal sale of game was a big problem getting a license to deal in it wasn't easy and it shows that John must have been considered as having an honest and trustworthy character if he was granted a licence. In 1845 his shop was broken into and a hare, a rabbit and a pheasant stolen. These items were allegedly then raffled in a local pub.

John must also have used a stable in St Peter's Street as part of his business as in 1833 his horse was stolen from that stable during the night.

In 1837 he had married Sarah Hibbert at St George's Hanover Square, London. By 1841 there were three children in their family - Rosa, Laura and a tiny baby boy as yet unnamed on the 1841 census. The family was sufficiently prosperous to be able to employ a live in servant then, Sophia Lissiman.

After John's death Sarah carried on the shop for a while, winning her own game dealing licence. This may have been only a temporary measure while his estate was settled. She was not in business in 1851.

John's older brother Richard, a carpenter, moved in to John and Sarah's former home. He lived there until his own death in 1865 age 66.

Sarah the widow of John was at Upton Cum Chalvey, Bucks in 1861 and a fund holder. Her daughter Rosa lived with her. In 1871 they were at Leytonstone Essex. Rosa did not marry and became a milliner and dressmaker.

NB These premises were occupied for many years in the later Victorian era by Kempsters the bakers / confectioners who also had a West Street premises.

Sources included:

1841,51,61 Censuses Great Marlow my transcription from microfiche at an LDS Family History Library, London. These can all now be accessed online.

Upton Cum Chalvey census transcription from microfilm by Jane Pullinger. 

"England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VFFV-DB4 : 25 June 2022), Rosa Ann Way in entry for Sarah Way, 1871.

Berkshire Chronicle 25th July 1846. British Library Archives. Reading Mercury 25th November 1833 British Library Archives via the BNA.Bucks Advertiser 13th December 1845, as previously.

©Marlow Ancestors. Census information remains Crown copyright. You are very welcome to use my research for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog.