Leighton House, Glade Road, Marlow

The former Leighton House school, Great Marlow.  

In 1891 this is described as a boarding school for boys aged 10-16 years. It had 9 boarding pupils, though the school took day pupils too. On census night, mathematics teacher Mr M Jefferies was present along with a housekeeper and servant. The school was run by the Misses Curtis, sisters Martha and Alice, whose school started in a Marlow Bottom farmhouse before moving to Cambridge House, Cambridge Road and finally to Leighton House late in 1883 following the death of the elderly previous occupier Ellen Bennett. Alice Curtis died at Leighton House in 1893 but Maria  remained running the school until at least 1898. The Curtises offered a classical education but cricket and (unusually) football were available too. The older boys played in local amateur cups alongside adults and older youth teams. Their home ground was the meadow by the Railway Station, now built over, which was just a stone's throw from the school and used by many sporting teams. It was presumably the case that male teachers were also part of the team outside of junior competition as the school had a total of 15 pupils only in 1897 and some of these would have been too young to play against teens and adults.

 The school advertised in press** aimed at British subjects living overseas locations such as South Africa.  It was suggested that those who wished to provide an English education for their offspring would find that special care and attention was given to them at Marlow. 

The school was a successful one both academically and financially for the sisters. Maria Curtis often donated money from her profits to the local cottage hospital and to Holy Trinity Church in Marlow.

The goal of the boy pupils' academic studies was to prepare them for entry into the public schools and thus to university and the professions. In 1897 the South Bucks Standard reported that the local vicar had organised an essay writing competition for the boys on the subject of the "life of Queen Victoria"* The winner was Charles Smith of Rose Villa, Great Marlow. Charles was the son of Lawrence Smith and grandson of Reuben and Mary Smith all of whom there is a full post about here

In 1889 two less fortunate boys from the town, 11 year old Joseph James and 12 year old Henry Wheeler, were accused of stealing two pairs of boots from the school premises (Bucks Herald 23rd February 1889, British Library Archives). Henry Wheeler had the charges against him dismissed for want of evidence. But Joseph was given 4 lashes from a birch rod and labelled in court a "bad, artful boy". He was the son of James and Charlotte James. He appears with them on the 1881 census in Queens Road.

Sometimes during the Summer holidays the house was let to tourists. Many other Glade Road homes were put to the same use at that time.

By 1900 Leighton House was a fully residential property occupied by George Tweedie. In 1904 it was Marlow bank manager Percy Quayles in residence, though he left that year to manage a Hampshire branch.

In 1910 Ernest and Mrs Williams lived it seems not altogether happily in the house. He was arrested for being roaring drunk in Beaumont Rise after his wife refused him entry into their home. A few weeks later the contents of the house were forcibly put up for sale in distress of rent - polished brass bedsteads and fine carpets included -  which doesn't seem to bode well for the continued state of their marriage either. It took multiple sales to clear things.  

Between at least 1915 and 1938 Leighton House was home, let's hope more happily, to solicitor Leonard Nash, his wife Julia and their family who had moved there from "Westwood" in Institute Road. Leonard and Julia (nee Syrett) had married Loudwater, Bucks in 1905.

Being close to the railway station made Glade Road good for holiday rentals as said above but it also made the residents the first victims of travelling salesman who arrived in town that way. Leonard Nash sued a travelling china repairer in 1915 for doing more harm than good to a vase Leonard entrusted to him!

In 1925 Leonard bought for £1300 some 29 acres of land off Newtown Road, a canny piece of work as this was an area of Marlow where houses were being rapidly thrown up. He also is likely the L.R Nash who bought the house Effra in Beaumont Rise in the 1920s.

Related posts:

To find out more about the historic residents of other Glade Road properties in Marlow see this index.

Listing of 72 plus Marlow schools of yesteryear here

Education related posts and everyday life in old Great Marlow here

To find every mention of an individual here use the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down. 

 

Photo by Kathryn Day. Post researched and written by Charlotte Day.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to use this content for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog.

*edition 24th December. Copy at the British Library. Accessed via the British Newspaper Archive.

**For examples of the schools advertising at expatriates see for example The African Critic 30th November 1895. 

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Clifton Villa, Glade Road and the Wells Family

The Wells family were one of the first to settle in Glade Road Marlow, arriving in Clifton Villa by 1881.

Mark the father was a corn merchant and baker, retiring shortly after the family went into residence there. He seems to have maintained ownership of his old premises and the house that went with them though he did not run the business there. He would not have had a lot of rest in retirement. Mark was one of the Overseers of the poor and a director of both the Marlow Gas Company and the Buckinghamshire Chair Company. He was also a shareholder in the Great Marlow Railway Company and an active fundraiser for Marlow Hospital. Mark died in 1909 in his 79th year.

The mother in the family Sarah Elizabeth also raised money for the hospital and gifted the patients books in 1911 (Bucks Herald 29th April 1911, British Library Archive accessed November 2020). As a widow she attended meetings of the National Service League in Marlow an organization campaigning for the introduction for men of compulsory National Service in the army so Britain would not be left vulnerable to attack. This organisation was more than usually popular in Marlow (See for instance South Bucks Standard 15th April 1911, British Library Archives). The Wikipedia article on it says that it was largely supported by right wingers. This is interesting as Mark Wells was a Liberal. Perhaps there were a few heated conversations over the breakfast table while Mark was still alive! Sarah died in 1918.

The couples three daughters Marion and Emily, who did not marry, and Harriet (who married James Luck of Leighton Buzzard) all lived at Clifton Villa as adults with their parents for at least a while.

Marion died in 1924.

More families of Glade Road can be found under the "Specific Shops, Streets ...etc" option on the menu. All mentions of someone on the blog can be found on the Person Index.

In my research I also used census data transcribed by me from microfilm. Also of use to me was the GRO death registration index on the GRO website, accessed November 2020.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to reuse this post for family and local history purposes if you credit this blog and link here. 

Early History of York Road, Marlow *updated*

 Updated by Charlotte October 2024.

York Road was officially adopted as a name for this new road in December 1884. There were a few houses already there which went by the name of  York Villas so the new name made sense. York Road was one of the earliest streets in the town laid out with all properties having running water available.

Despite this foresight the street was not favoured with universally high standards of building. Serious concerns about the structural integrity of some of the houses (which ones not specified) soon occurred. Their owners  on pain of the houses being condemned to demolition otherwise were forced by local authorities to carry out remedial work. Jerry building was very common in late Victorian times in the rush to build enough new homes. Properties in nearby Eton Place and Queens Road built around the same time were also problematic with some being pulled down scarcely a generation after being put up due to low quality workmanship. The remedial builders in York Road thankfully did an excellent job and we still have this attractive street in the town today.

Most of the early development seems to have been on the Dean Street side. The land in both sides had previously been in agricultural use. Though mostly residential there was also space in York Road for some businesses. Thomas Lomax ran a flour, coal and petrol dealership there in the late 1880s and there were two marine store dealers too. These had nothing to do with marine occupations despite the name. They were second hand sellers which dealt with goods primarily of interest to trade and business buyers- old pipes, nails, rope, agricultural implements, hand tools, barrels, timber etc. Some marine store dealers had shops but many like the York Road ones traded simply out of sheds and open yards. Daniel Clark's premises seem to have been at the Queen's Road end on the Oxford Road side. Though marine store keepers had to be licensed it was seen as a low class and slightly suspicious occupation. Many operated close to the edges of the law or beyond them. Daniel Clark, in York Road by 1891 and for many years later, was certainly a ne'er do well, pulling dodgy deals and, much worse, ill using both his horse and his wife Annie. She successfully applied for a separation order from him in 1908 after years of cruelty, seemingly fueled by alcohol. She later returned to him.

His proper name was Cooper Daniel Clark.

In 1917 Daniel and Annie, given as residing at number 19 York Road, received news that their two sons, previously listed as missing after "the fight for Kut" in January were now regarded as both presumed killed in action. These were Private S and Private Harold Clark, 4th Hampshire Regiment [Sidney born 1892 and Harold 1895]*

The couple's daughter Lydia was a cook but also helped her father out in his business, sometimes driving his "van" (horse drawn) though not without some brushes with the law as a result. 

In 1920 Daniel's marine stores were said to be at no 21 and his home at no 19. By 1927 the business is listed as A Clark. It has by then something of a flavour of a rag and bone business too by then. See the ad below.

The other late Victorian marine store dealer of York Road was the apparently respectable Mr Simmonds. He dealt hay and straw from the address too but while he had his sheds in the road he himself lived in nearby Dean Street.

What about other occupations?

In the male residents there was a noticeable number of gardeners mentioned in various records, mostly domestic but there were commercial market gardens off nearby Queen's Road that also would have potentially employed some of them.

Charles Sellman was an Edwardian and 1920s painter and decorator resident at no 20. 

Also in the 1920s I find adverts for the dairy of F.E Phillips who was based at no 52 York Road. The below ad dates from 1927.

As for the women, Gertrude Sherwin was a dressmaker there in 1915. The same occupation  was followed by Florence Sellman, daughter of Charles above. To read more about midwife Sarah Ann Price of number 7 York Road in the early 1900s see this post dedicated to her.

As you can see most of the first residents of York Road were working class but there were a few with more money to burn. When resident of Merton Cottage York Road Mary Plaistowe died in 1892 the contents of her home were auctioned off giving us via a report of this in the South Bucks Standard of 19th February 1892 [via the BNA / British Library Collaboration] a glimpse into her comfortable home. Mary could boast a marble topped wash stand, multiple pieces of mahogany furniture, a good pianoforte and a harmonium. She must have enjoyed games as she had a loo table (for the card game loo) and a bagatelle board too. She was probably the only York Road resident with buffalo horns on the wall but there were possibly others displaying that staple of Victorian interior design - a case of stuffed birds.  

Mary was the widow of Richard and had moved to the town from Great Missenden.

Post researched and written by Charlotte Day with photos by Kathryn Day.

To find posts dedicated to other specific streets or houses in Marlow see on the menu under "Specific Shops, Streets...Etc". All mentions of an individual on the blog can be found listed on the Person Index.

*posts on Marlow in World War One

1914

1915

1916

1917

1918-19

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to reuse this information for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog.

Other Sources included:

Census, Charlotte's transcription from microfilm.

Marlow Almanack and Directory 1907 by Marlow Printing Company.

Kellys Directories of Bucks etc  published by Kelly's Directories Limited 1911, 1915.

Maidenhead Advertiser 24th December 1884, held at the British Library and accessed via the BNA, October 2020. 

Thanks to Jane Pullinger for access to private family material.

The Old Police Station and Police Court, Trinity Rd, Marlow (Formerly Gun Lane)

 Police Court is top pic, police station below. Sorry about all the shadows! 

The 1869 date on this building refers only to the police court which was added to the existing police station when the latter was around 10 years old. This first part may have been converted into police use from a near derelict domestic building called The Garrison, sources conflict* Plans to add a room to the station for the purpose of holding petty sessions was mooted in 1865, but progress was very slow. The extension was opened in October 1869. It provided direct access from the police station so prisoners could proceed straight into the court. Normally referred to as the Petty Session Room in the first few years, there was also a retiring room for the magistrates. Sir William Robert Clayton donated a bust of the Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales to stare down at offenders. In 1876, he donated an 8 day clock too. 

Previously the petty sessions were held in a small room of the Crown, which they had utilised for that purpose for many years. An agreement was made that the authorities could pay a pepper corn rent for it. (The Crown landlord collected one guinea from each magistrate per year in theory but not all actually made the payment.) The magistrates however frequently complained about the unsuitability of this accommodation. In particular they feared trying a poaching case because they said the court was overwhelmed with curious spectators (usually vocally supporting the poachers). It was hard to control the numbers coming into the tiny room, often resulting in everyone packed so close that you "could scarcely stick a pin in between them", as one person charmingly put it in 1865. This mixing of closely pressed men and women was "very disgraceful and often indecent" they said. Disruption of proceeding was not uncommon. Some questioned why the town hall could not be used instead, but this was let to the neighbouring Crown and the proprietors of that would not agree for a larger room to be used there. They said the court proceedings attracted a large enough mob of ne'er do wells already - aside from those answering a summons! A new room would allow the sessions to continue in "peace and quietness." Records suggest that some sessions were held at the police station even before the room was finished, although that can't have been easy space wise. 

The petty sessions room extension was completed quickly once permission was finally granted for it to go ahead. Once finished the "commodius" extension was praised as "well arranged with every accommodation." Such satisfaction was short-lived. The police station was made for a sergeant and 2-3 constables. Sometimes an

extra constable was bought in at weekends during Marlow's busy summer river season. Marlow was granted a forth constable in 1900. Complaints were made about insufficient lighting at the station, cramped conditions and dodgy heating. (Actually the first complaint about police station heating came as early as 1859!) Although improvements were made in fits and starts, Marlow did not get a new police station until the 1960's. 

The senior police staff were usually resident at the police station itself in Victorian times as you can see from census returns. (The unmarried junior policeman often lodged elsewhere, although at Marlow at least one is usually to be found lodging at the station.)  I believe the first police Inspector resident was Thomas Knott Clark who may well have arrived in 1858. He was certainly there by the time of the 1861 census - address "Police Station Gun Lane". Born in Hillingdon, Thomas was living in the station with wife Emma nee Cheese and their two eldest children Thomas age 3 and Emma age 1. Inspector Thomas would later return to the trade of his youth in Uxbridge - he became a coach painter in High Wycombe. The other 1861 resident in the Police Station was Constable William Nash age 21. In 1863 Inspector John Pearman took over and described the station as a "nice home with a good garden". 

The property included an airing yard for prisoners and later, stabling for horses. The stables were extended in 1910. 

The Petty Sessions were originally held twice a month, although hearings for indictable offences could be held at other times. The days of the week it operated on and the overall frequency varied over the years. The courtroom saw occasional other uses such as coroner's inquests and parish council meetings. A plea from the Marlow Rifle club in its 1859 incarnation to store their weapons at the Police Station was refused. The police felt they could only be conveniently stored in the corridor leading to the cells. This spot was considered a little too close to the prisoners for their liking, especially in the event of a riot. (A not infrequent occurrence in Great Marlow!)

Did the Marlow police patrol Dean Street and Marefield in pairs? This is a common Marlow story and the answer to that question is both yes, and no. 

In the earlier 19th century the area was both poor and home to many hardened poachers. Some arrests were certainly drawn out and bloody affairs - see the post here for details of one especially serious incident! It's unsurprising that the parish constables tended to take a couple of tithing man along to assist when attempting an arrest on one of these individuals but these were extraordinary, planned operations not part of patrol duties. 

But this must be tempered by the many narratives of crimes and arrests where the residents of Dean Street show no hesitation at going to the police for help themselves. It was not always "us and them".

In mid and later Victorian court cases when two constables give evidence about assisting in the same arrest,  or if both have witnessed the same crime, these things have nearly always occurred because the second man has been summoned by the first, not because they were patrolling together in the first place. And the delay recorded in help arriving means assistance was not just a few feet away. Marlow didn't have enough constables on duty at once to go about routinely paired up at that time. Remember they had to have men patrolling outlying places like Bovingdon Green and Handy Cross not just central Marlow. (Little Marlow got a constable in 1866) Also the narrative of events, particularly around domestic abuse cases, are full of single constables entering homes when they are aware of incidents occurring inside. They did not wait for back up. These were often brave men.

But if we move on to the 20th century there are numerous accounts in the 1920's and 30's of pairs of constables on patrol (although not exclusively in the Dean Street area by any means). So while the evidence definitely doesn't support a long tradition of paired policing in Dean Street, there was certainly a time when at least sometimes it was needed.

Sometimes those passing the police station and court in a less than sober manner caught the attention of those inside. At least one man who sang a bit loudly outside was arrested and bought straight before the magistrates for a telling off. Labourers William Laurie and Albert Wingrave probably felt a little less merry after their arrest for drunken behaviour outside the Police Station in 1907. They were fined 10s each plus costs. They received a night in the cells too. And in 1912, Florence Collier of Trinity Court had the misfortune of being overhead using bad language at her children, by the police within the station. She was summoned but it was decided to be lenient to her and dismiss her with a caution. She probably swore that little bit more quietly in future! 

In 1883 suspected sheep rustler James Howard mounted a daring escape from custody in the police station. This deserves a post of its own, which will follow in future.

*Did you know?

Marlow man Charles Carter acted as architect for Beaconsfield police station (opened 1870) through his position as the county surveyor. Charles was also responsible as architect for what is now the Masonic Centre, the new Blacksmiths Arms at Handy Cross, and the Primitive Methodist Chapel (now Liston Hall) amongst many more projects. 

Above, the Police Court sign. The brickwork visible around it is in the English Bond pattern, not particularly fashionable at the time though it came back into fashion in later Victorian times. It was likely chosen for its strength.

*We are working to confirm the exact date the building came into use as a police station. The police were established in Trinity Lane by 1861, but they may well have been there from 1859 based on descriptions of the interior of the building then in use. The former parish lock up in the base of the Town Hall was convenient for the old petty sessions held adjacent. A man to look after that lock up was sought in 1856 - wage of 15 shillings a week with a uniform of hat and coat provided. An earlier "cage house" was also located near the Crown. In 1852 the old lock up was described as a "filthy hole" with no convenience or adequate means of ventilation. It was however not impossible to escape from, as happened on several occasions. Jesse May, arrested for robbery with 3 others,  found his way out in 1853 through a gap in the "railings" said to measure just over 25cm by 21cm which does not seem entirely credible. But whatever the hole size, he did escape and was not apprehended again for 5 months. 

Related posts:

Victorian Sergeant John James Maneely biography here

History of Gun Lane here

Parish Beadle Pocock here

Crime and disorder in old Marlow here

A full list of Marlow crime related posts can be found under the General History option on the top drop down menu. 

Use the A-Z person index to find every mention of your ancestor - there is over 6,000 former Marlow residents currently listed as of July 2022.  

This post researched and written by Kathryn Day. Further research by Charlotte Day.

References

County Compendium, Diary, Statistical Chronicle and Magisterial and Official Directory 1879. Ed - Sir John Richard Somers Vine. 

Accounts and papers volume 25, Great Britain Houses of Parliament, 1849. 

The Builder, December 10th 1870, digitised by Google. 

Berkshire Chronicle 22 October 1859. 

Bucks Herald 22 October 1859 - thanks to Mathew Peterson.

Dickens Dictionary of The Thames 1856 edition. 

Bucks Chronicle and Bucks Gazette 1 July 1865

South Bucks Free Press 30 June 1865, South Bucks Standard 18 May 1900 & 25 January 1912. Windsor and Eton Express 9 October 1869, Bucks Herald 09 June 1866 & 5 July 1884, Windsor, Maidenhead and Eton Journal 15 May 1876, Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News 31 Jan 1852 : all at the British Library Archive. 

Kelly's Directory 1883, 1903, Kelly's Directories Ltd. 

Dozens of petty session case narratives, too many to list individually! 

©Marlow Ancestors. .

Holy Trinity Church, Great Marlow, Trinity Road (formerly known as Gun Lane, Trinity Lane and Road)

In 1892, the vicar chided mourners for placing artificial flowers in glass cases on the graves. This was he said a "foreign habit" which did not teach the "truth of resurrection" in the same way as real flowers did. The habit would be gently and kindly discouraged he said. 

 Photos by Kathryn Day. Holy Trinity Church (disused as a place of worship. Now a hairdressers).

To read about Charlotte Cocks of the Glade in Marlow who was very involved in this church see here

We have photos of all the gravestones which are still standing and that can be read, these are being uploaded onto the blog gradually. Search for people under the Graves option on the menu. There is also a church related option for more content concerning the various places of worship in Marlow.

©Marlow Ancestors.