If there was one man in Victorian Marlow who did more than any other to bring a little fun into the lives of it's youngsters, rich and poor, it must be the Rev Sheldon Robert Wilkinson. Rev Wilkinson was the proud possessor of the means to show to the public "dissolving views" by his oxy hydrogen limelight. Before moving pictures, this was the most exciting way to see images. He was able to project the pictures on to a large screen in front of the audience. It involved a flame of a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen being used to heat a block of lime. Operating it was therefore something you had to be careful with as there was the potential for explosions to occur. The slide shows were accompanied by a narration (usually read by someone else, Wilkinson needed to concentrate on the light) and sometimes music. It's hard for us to understand just how popular these shows were, but they were a staple of school treats, lectures, and fundraising efforts for decades in Marlow.
Son of a surgeon and apothecary
Sheldon Robert Wilkinson was born in 1844 to surgeon and apothecary (as he was initially styled) Joseph Sheldon Wilkinson who was based in Marlow High Street. Wilkinson senior was originally in partnership with fellow surgeon George Rawden Robson but they parted ways and the latter went bankrupt in 1865. Sheldon spent his early childhood in Marlow before moving away to boarding school followed by Oxford university. When he was ordained, he had to wait for an appointment as a curate or assistant curate and there was not yet a vacancy at Marlow. It was said in a newspaper article on Sheldon's death that his return to Marlow dated from the death of his father in 1861 but while he may have done so for a while he was serving as a curate at Colnbrook in 1871. In this year his mother Abiah died in Brighton where she had retreated in the vain hope of improving her health. A few months Sheldon begins to pop up regularly in Marlow records so I think the newspaper obituary previously mentioned may have muddled which parents death precipitated Sheldon's full time return to Marlow. He would serve as assistant curate, then curate at Marlow with stints assisting in neighbouring parishes too including Hambledon and Bisham. He was unusual for being a man of the cloth who was a native of the area he was spiritually serving.
Fun and games for young and old
I've mentioned that there was scarcely any celebration in Marlow where you could not find Sheldon wielding his magic lantern. If your ancestor went to the national schools or Sunday schools, they would have probably seen a lot of the man. He seems to have been fond of children as he was constantly organizing entertainments for them for the slimmest of reasons. The young lads who were part of the church choir were probably the most fortunate. While it was common for them to receive an annual treat even before Sheldon arrived back in town, he certainly upped the scale of the entertainments. For example in 1873 he hosted the boys at his own home for tea and supper, interspersed with cricket matches, a show of dissolving views and ending in a pyrotechnic display at which the boys were given squibs and crackers to throw about. The day ended with "bumpers of punch" and three cheers for Rev Wilkinson. Not perhaps something that would pass the health and safety requirements these days! And no this wasn't the only time Sheldon liked to treat the young people to some alcohol - he gave them champagne at the 1875 celebration. All of these treats and many others such as magicians performance for Sunday school children, were paid for entirely out of his own funds.
The older residents were treated to Sheldon's images at more serious minded lectures and talks, usually in the music room (now the Masonic centre) or the boys school room (church hall, Causeway). In 1875 for example he illustrated a lecture by T S Cocks on the habits of wild animals by showing images of those captive in Regents Park zoo. This was followed by coloured photos taken by celebrated Paris photographers Messrs Ferrier of European capital cities, then an illustrated whimsical story. This was all to raise funds for the church organ fund. On another occasion he supported Marlow's famous engineer Edwin Clark* by illustrating a lecture on bridges, and on another he provided the images for a 4 part course on botany for the Mutual Improvement Society.
One place you would not find Sheldon providing entertainment were at any of the many non Church of England Sunday schools in town. He was not a supporter of non conformity but of course many of the events he participated were open to all. He was however friendly with Marlow's Roman Catholic priest Canon Bernard Smith***, to whom he was apparently related.
Other entertainments paid for by Sheldon include seaside trips (also for the choir) and gifts of buns and oranges for poor children at Christmas. He was also an enthusiastic participant in the "Penny Readings" at Marlow & Bovingdon Green where for a penny you got to hear readings of famous books and poems, often with a song thrown in. Sheldon usually contributed Dickens excerpts.
Sheldon the bee keeper
When not showing off his dissolving views, Sheldon could be found in the garden of End House tending his bees. He was passionately interested in the subject as he believed that amongst other things it was a usual appendage to a working man's income - always supposing they could afford to get started if course. In 1879 he offered for sale a hive complete with bees for £3 15s. He was obviously successfully at beekeeping as one of his hives was reported to have produced 100lbs of honey in 1895. Unsurprising he walked away with first prize for honey at the Marlow Horticulture Society show that year. His main rival in the show tent was George Sawyer**, but it was a friendly one as he actually employed George as his gardener in 1897 and eventually as assistant bee keeper. George also kept an eye on other Marlow hives for their owners and actually made them too.
A Farewell
Rev Sheldon died of flu in Marlow in 1900, one of a number of people to do so. He never married. He left a generous gift of £1000 to Marlow Cottage Hospital which was a very large amount at the time. His obituary of course mentioned his extensive collection of "stethoscopic views" . Only a month before his death he had demonstrated a new and expensive magic lantern to the children of Oxford Road infants school, as part of their Christmas party. His "genial and happy disposition" was also mentioned which seems fitting for a man who made so many others lives more fun..
Written and researched by Kathryn Day.
*More about Edwin Clark and his family is available here
** George Sawyer was well known as a member of the Victorian Volunteer Marlow fire brigade. You can read about the brigade here
***A biography of Canon Bernard Smith is available on the blog here
Related information
To search for every mention if any individual on this blog, use the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu.
For an index of other posts relating to clergy and churches and chapels of Marlow see here
SOURCES:
Census 1851-1891 from the transcripts of Jane Pullinger, from censuses held at the National Archives.
Marlow Directory and Almanack 1891
Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire etc, Kelly's Directories Limited 1854 & 1883 editions.
Buckinghamshire Express 9th December 1871, via the BNA.
South Bucks Free Press 3rd October 1873. Via the Bucks Free Press Archives.
Bucks Herald 23rd Jan 1875 , 24th Jan 1878, via the BNA.
Reading Mercury 5th April 1879, 29th October 1881. British Library collection.
Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News 28th May 1883. British Library collection.
South Bucks Standard - October 9th 1891, August 9th 1895, February 17th & December 8th 1899, February 1st 1901
Globe, London 1 Feb 1901.
© Marlow Ancestors