It would be impossible to write a history of Marlow in the 1850s without mentioning the Rev Frederick Vernon Bussell, MA of All Saints. I have found him one of the most interesting clergyman to serve here. His involvement in a number of projects and schemes that would have made a great difference to both the poor and the children of Great Marlow makes him worthy of a post of his own.
Background
When Frederick first comes into our Great Marlow story, it was as the curate at All Saints under Rev Thomas Tracey Coxwell. From a Devonshire family, Frederick b 1819 was the son of Sarah and Rev John Garrett Bussell. In 1850 Rev Coxwell resigned after 40 years at Marlow, as he had been presented to the living at Horton, Bucks which was in the gift of the Williams family of Temple House. It's testament to the curate that a large number of the parishioners had no doubt about who they wished to step into Coxwell's place. It wasn't a given at all that the curate would succeed to an living in the parish that he worked from. At this time, the living of Great Marlow was in the hands of the Dean and Chapter of Gloucester and so it was to they that the Marlow worshippers wrote to recommend that Frederick should take charge there. He was indeed the man selected.
Anti Catholic Feelings Run High
It was noted that the new incumbent was "thoroughly opposed to Romanism in all its bearings" and that his existence has already "tended to check the spread of its contaminating influence here". It was not an easy time to be a Catholic in Marlow - the Catholic church had been open in St Peters Street only a few years and the early priests there reported how they were treated with suspicion and sometimes downright hostility. (You can read more about these turbulent times
here) The fear of "Romish" (or high church) practices creeping in at protestant parish churches was something that was a hot topic nationally and locally too and Frederick's clear position probably helped secure the job at Marlow.
The following year he married Mary Ann Yates, a naval captain's daughter from Guernsey and the two settled into the old vicarage in the High Street at Marlow.
Frederick Starts a Night School
We know what Frederick was against, so now let's move on to what he was for. Number one must be universal education opportunities. He was aware that many of the young working men in the town had had limited opportunities in terms of recieving more than a basic education. One way of addressing this was to operate a night school which the men could attend once their day job was over. As most of those attending were agricultural or manual labourers, the classes ran during the winter when the dark evenings meant the men were free. If there was light there was labour as the saying went. That's the practical reason - but another was that long dark evenings were thought to encourage labourers to spend more time in a pub. So there was often an effort to provide more salubrious and worthy (in the supporters eyes at least!) activities over the winter season.
Frederick was supported in his project by his curate and by the Sunday School teachers, both male and female. He actually taught there himself. It started in a small scale in the autumn of 1856, and in earnest in 1859. Although religious education was obviously a big part of what they felt the school should be for, other subjects were covered such as history and geography. During the season, the school met 3 days a week for a couple of hours from 7pm. The classes cost half a penny per session which included the use of a slate and pencil for those who could not provide their own copybook and pencil. There were discounts for attending all three days of the week. If you managed to attend at least 24 sessions per year, you qualified to attend the end of year celebration supper and/or entertainment - usually a magic lantern show. Later Frederick decided that wholesome summer time diversions should also be available so he organised the establishment of the Night School & Juvenile Cricket Club in 1861 and also planned for athletic sports. It seems that the energy and enthusiasm of Frederick himself saw large attendances at first, because after his death the school flagged but did continue for many years with declining attendance.
He was also at the meeting (in the chair in fact) that set up the Scientific and Literary Institute in 1853. On the committee he expressed the wish the Institute should place "within reach of all those who chose to avail themselves to it the means of instruction, recreation, and improvement." The Institute has its own detailed post available
here
Off To The Great Exhibition
The Great Exhibition in 1851 was another attraction that was thought likely to improve the minds of the young. So it's no surprise Frederick enthusiastically supported the idea of sending a large group of children from Marlow there for a visit. Between 100 and 120 children attending the National (Church of England) and Bluecoat schools (Borlase) were accompanied by the vicar and other volunteers to London. They organised for an excursion train to stop at Maidenhead specifically to pick them up. (Marlow was yet to have a train station.) Tea was had in the "Eastern refreshment rooms". After a long day of sightseeing, the party returned to Maidenhead where they were met by a group of wagons to ferry them home the last few miles. This part of the trip did not go so well as some youths attacked the vehicles by throwing stones at the occupants, nastily injuring several of the children. An unpleasant finish to what must have been a memorable day.
A New Church
The most significant physical landmark of Frederick's time in Marlow is Holy Trinity Church, built as a Chapel of Ease for All Saints and opened 1852. It was while he was still a curate that plans were made to get the oft muted plans to deal with overcrowding at All Saints got off the ground. Like many parish churches, many of the existing seats or pews belonged to and were reserved for one of the wealthy families, leaving very little space for everyone else. (There were just 32 free seats for adults and 238 for children attending the church schools out of 1200 available.) So Holy Trinity would have entirely free seating, and would be positioned close to the more densely populated working class area of town. The site was offered by Colonel Williams and a grant was made by The Incorporated Society for the Promoting the Enlargement and Building of Churches and Chapels towards the building cost most of which was met by subscriptions. It's interesting that among the reasons the Incorporated Society gave for their award was the large number of poor people in the town many of whom "exist with no obvious means of employment" - the implication being if you couldn't discover how they warned their crust, it was probably though illegal means. Not a claim entirely without foundation in a town with a thriving partially hidden skewer making industry and a entirely clandestine poaching one! (For skewer making see
here ) It was also noted that there was a Catholic church and school in the town - so it was considered more necessary to make sure there was no excuse not to attend the Church of England option.
Colonel Alexander Higginson laid the first stone in 1851 and the Bishop of Oxford consecrated the site the next year. He was met as traditional at the entrance by Frederick who formally asked him to make the consecration. His two curates also participated in the ceremonies. Afterwards a gift of beef was made to 2000 poor to mark the occasion. Yes, 2000.
Other Significant Events Frederick Witnessed
The 1850s also saw the end of the Crimean war in 1856. It was first announced in Marlow by the ringing of the church bells. A public dinner was soon got up with Frederick in the chair. He was aware that those attending were the better off and so he expressed a specific wish that such a major event should be marked by all classes in the town. With this in mind he suggested a subscription fund should be set up to pay for general celebrations - and put his money where his mouth was with an immediate £30 donation. This helped to pay for various events such as public teas plus gifts to the poor.
Then there was Frederick's campaign to improve gas lighting in the town - he considered this a moral issue and offered to pay any legal costs personally if necessary when there was a dispute about who owned the gas lamps. Without good street lighting he feared he would be unable to encourage people to venture out to attend his evening classes and evening services.*
Lastly I'll mention Frederick's support of the Marlow Cricket Club which had been re organised (or re started depending on your point of view) in 1853/4. Although not a playing member he attended most of their meetings as a special guest. Cricket was in Frederick's mind "a manly and healthful exercise" that encouraged "good feeling" between all classes. So very much something he would be likely to support! He did express the wish those attending the first club dinners and AGM should approach the events with sobriety in mind of course.
A Sudden End
The Bussell's youngest daughter Mildred died at Marlow in 1859 aged just 13 months. Only 2 years later poor Mary Ann Bussell would suffer another tragedy, when husband Frederick fell suddenly and seriously ill in the autumn of 1861. It was initially put down to him experiencing "a chill" but he developed a nasty fever and 10 days later, he was dead. Mary Ann was pregnant with son Frederick. The community was left in "severe shock" by the sudden nature of Frederick's decline. He died on the exact day he had finished 7 years of service in Marlow. The funeral saw heartbreaking scenes - it was noted that the sobbing from many members of the congregation could be heard even above the organ music. Several residents were said to have immediately come forward to pledge support and assistance to the young widow. She would give birth at Woodside, Cadmore End in April 1862. Frederick jun may not have known his father but he followed in his footsteps by taking holy orders. He was also a composer, and a compiler of folk melodies.
Frederick was succeeded at Marlow by the Rev Robert Milman.
One last quirky fact about our subject -
Among the things Frederick was remembered for was the fact the sheep he grazed in the churchyard had once accidentally got into the church and so had been mistakenly locked inside where they got up to much mischief nibbling the textiles!
Written and researched by Kathryn Day.
More information:
*More about Marlow's gas lighting woes - here
More about Holy Trinity Church - here
History of All Saints:
The loss of the old pre 1832 church
here
Miscellaneous posts relating to churches and chapels are available in the index
here
To find all mentions of an individual here, use the A-Z person index on the top drop down menu.
Sources include:
Brown, James Duff & Stratton, Stephen Samuel - A Dictionary of Musical Artists, Authors, and Composers Born in Britain and Its Colonies (1897)
Night school reports. Church Work vol 2, 1862 (Guild of St Alban)
London Observer - May 11 1851, courtesy of John Malone.
The Gentleman's Magazine and Historical Review, Volume 212
(Publisher J.H. and J. Parker, 1862)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M7QN-TLN
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2N83-CGX
Kelly's Directory for Buckinghamshire (1847).
The Annual Register, vol 52, 1851.
The Ecclesiastical Register Issue 11126, Vol 13. Digitised by Google.
Records of Buckinghamshire, VOL 6 1870. Digitised by Google.
Berkshire Chronicle 6th October 1855, Bucks Herald 14th Dec 1850, 2nd August 1851, 6th August 1859 - these copies courtesy of the BNA.
Reading Mercury 28th August 1852, 12th April 1856, 7th December 1861 - British Library Archive.
Windsor and Eton Express 22 Jan 1853.
Census information Great Marlow 1851 & 61, from the transcripts by Jane Pullinger with thanks.
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