Edwardian /WW1 Trinity Road Part One

 This was previously Gun Lane and at times during the Edwardian era was also referred to as "Trinity Lane".

A poor area with many homes consisting of just three rooms (two bedrooms and a kitchen come family room) and at least one having only two rooms. Piped water arrived here at the close of the 1800s but not before the only well for the residents had run dry. The road surface was not properly made up until near the end of the era. Most houses here were demolished long ago.

It is likely some residents have been missed due to the rapid tenant turnover in poorer streets. We will endeavour to add in anyone found to be missing as research opportunities permit. 

Odd numbered* properties were on the left as you came in from Dean Street. Numbers given as they were then=

1.) Richard Cook, born circa 1861, unmarried farm labourer. Richard seems to have lived in Trinity Road or in Trinity Place just off it all of his life. He was the son of Richard and Keziah Cook.

3.) In 1907 Mrs Price. Then carter Robert Bowles and his lodgers the Hall family headed by laundress Mrs Hall. After that Bertie (agricultural labourer bn circa 1885) and Jane (bn circa 1883) Bryant and their children. 

Mrs Price was PERHAPS Clara Price who lived at an unknown number in Trinity Road in 1901 with her husband Francis, a vegetable hawker, and their children. However she wasn't a widow at this point so the 1907 Town Guide wouldn't usually list her as the head of household, and the guide says Francis is in Dean Street. You would expect Clara to be with him there but this couple did go on to separate in later years so PERHAPS this is evidence of an earlier separation that didn't last. They were together in Dean Street in 1911. The couple's son Nathan died at Trinity Road aged 7 months in 1895. They had a daughter called Freedom!

A Wesley Hall, presumably of the above Hall family was in 1912 fined for swearing in his home in Trinity Road for two whole hours! It was a risky business raising your voice in Trinity Road, or swearing with the window open given the fact that the Police Station was in the same street. Prosecutions for swearing so that it could be heard outside were very common in Edwardian and Victorian Marlow. Trinity Road was a major hotspot for such offences. You definitely needed to stop up your ears if you went by.

The Bryant's two month old baby daughter Rosamond suffocated while sharing her parents bed in 1913. The potential dangers of co-sleeping were understood at this time but the benefits in most people's eyes outweighed them and it was a very common practice. A verdict of death by misadventure was recorded.

Jane Bryant was the daughter of Joseph and Charlotte Budd who will feature in the second part of my Edwardian residents of Trinity Road post as they lived on the other side of the street. Her baby daughter Rosamond was named after her sister.

5.) W Aldridge. Then uncertain others. Then Rose and George Jones and their children. This couple came to Marlow from Wooburn between 1912 and 1914. At Wooburn George (bn circa 1879) had been working at the board mills as well as assisting at times in a coal business. He admitted stealing a small piece of coal from that business and was bound over as a result. It is possible that this precipitated the family's move to Marlow. He was a private in the Royal Berkshires when he was injured in 1914 and was evacuated to an English hospital. Still resident 1915 however in the next few years the couple separated and only Rose (nee Harmsworth) and the children remained at no 5.

 7.) A Winkworth then labourer James Bowles. The latter was born circa 1855 and continued to live here for many years.

9.)William Beaver a domestic gardener /labourer, born circa 1852-54 but has a variable birthdate. Moved in to number 9 late 1901 or very early 1902. Continued to live in this tiny cottage for many years. He lived alone as he had separated from his wife Rachel (nee Stacey). In 1902 he took out an ad in the paper warning traders in the town he would no longer be responsible for any bills she ran up. They were already living apart at the time of the census the previous year. Rachel had taken the children and gone to live in High Wycombe. William was the uncle of Richard Cook, above. That is, he was the brother of Richard's mother Keziah who was born a Cook. 

11.)Rapid turnover of tenants. Charles Higgins and his wife Esther, Miss Hunt, then laundress Selina Austin (who gives her address on the 1911 census as no 6 but she can't live there as it was certainly the home of someone else at that time and her censused neighbors show her to be in fact in no 11. See the note far below about Marlow's atrocious street numbering record).

Charles Higgins was born in the early 1840s Bucks and grew up in Skirmett. He was a labourer. Esther's birthdate wanders on censuses. They moved to Trinity Road from Hayes Place Marlow between 1901 and 1907. They also lived up at Marlow Common and out at Burroughs Grove for a time. While at the latter Esther was called to give evidence at the inquest into the death of a newborn baby. The mother of the child could not afford even the cheapest midwife. These typically attended not only the birth but visited washed and dressed the newborn child for the next day or few days. When Esther heard about the mother's situation she offered to help in any way she could and said to send word to her when she was needed to attend. Unfortunately Esther fell ill at the crucial time and the mother decided she could not fairly call on her. Instead she gave birth without assistance and passed out towards the end. The child died within minutes of being born for want of attention. Another woman fetched by one of the mother's children, saw that the mother was unwell immediately after the birth but did not check on the child or stay with them because she had supper to prepare. She did return 45 minutes later but found the child dead. The coroner's jury were not impressed by her actions.

As a young man Charles Higgins spent a short time in jail for failing to pay the fine levied on in for assaulting a man helping to clear a Skirmett pub of some disorderly customers.

Selina Austin moved to Marlow some time between 1908 and 1909. She lived in Trinity Road with her children / step children. Selina was born circa 1868, the daughter of Richard and Ruth Jewell of Turville. As a young woman she worked as a servant in Henley and got into trouble for obtaining a silk blouse under false pretences. As a first time offender she was bound over rather than jailed. She married her recently widowed husband Thomas Austin in 1901. Within a matter of weeks he had deserted her and his children so Selina had to ask for poor relief. Though he returned to her he deserted again in 1908. At this point he was a rag and bone man. She wished for a separation order but he promised to return. Shortly afterwards she moved to Marlow, seemingly without him but taking her children and step children.

In 1909 her stepson Henry Austin age 15, of "weak intellect" was convicted of stealing 6d from her. She had sent him to pay for certain goods she had requested but he instead spent it on toffee and having fun in Cookham. This offence saw him ordered to a reformatory school. Soon after his return he was arrested for begging for food and jailed for 14 days. The local police inspector had found him a job but said the young man was "idle" and ended up in the workhouse, from which he stole clothes. In 1914 he was jailed again for stealing sacks from a barn.

Selina moved to Dean Street, probably by 1915, and then later went to Berwick Road.

13.) William Collins or Colyer, a council employed road scavenger and his wife Florence for most of the era followed by Henry and Emily Nash and their children. The Nash family moved here from Chapel Street. Henry was a carpenter born circa 1864. Emily was born circa 1860. Towards the end of the era Henry as a widower became the lodger here rather than the tenant and the household head was Henrietta Bidmead (nee Rockell, widow of William Henry Bidmead). Henrietta was the niece of John Lovegrove and she had previously lived with him on the opposite side of the street and therefore both these residents feature mostly in Part Two of this Edwardian Trinity Road post. Later Henry Nash moved to number 22 Trinity Road to live with his then adult and married son Reginald. 

15.) A brick and timber semi detached house with some stucco. Two bedrooms. Initially the home of John Boot (bn circa 1855), beater at the paper mills and his wife Harriett (born circa 1859), their son also called John plus Harriett's widowed sister Mary Ann Francis. The Boots were very long standing residents of Trinity Road. They paid 3 shillings 6d a week rent in 1905. Their son John became a postman.

After the Boots left Mr and Mrs Harry Bowles made it their home. Harry was already a soldier in the Royal Berkshires before the First World War and then saw active war service before his capture and retention in a German POW camp in 1917. He was held in Westphalia.

Police Station and Court (17-19) - the Sergeant and his family typically lived in. Police officers will form separate posts on the blog so are not included here. Buildings stand but in different use.

Holy Trinity Church

21.) Trinity Cottages Brick, Flint and tile two up, two down home attached to number 23. Alice Player, then Mr Smith (not the Eli Smith who appears in Part Two of this post) who was followed sometime between 1905 and 1907 by Samuel Todd, a carter born circa 1880, his wife Mary born circa 1878 and their children.

This cottage still stands.

23.) Trinity Cottages . A two up two down brick, flint, and tile cottage. James (bn circa 1859) and Annie Mitchell (bn circa 1868) with their children occupied the cottage at the start of the era along with the teenage Florence Cheetham who was cousin to James. The Mitchells, who paid 3 shillings a week rent in 1905, Were followed by  A Hickman, then Eliza Atkins and her husband James Atkins a brewer's labourer. Both the Atkins were originally of Stokenchurch. They moved into this particular house between 1905 and 1907. In 1901 they lived in Chapel Street, Marlow. Eliza was born circa 1853 and James circa 1846. 

This cottage still stands.

Even numbered properties will be in Part Two along with some Edwardian Trinity Road Residents that can't be certainly placed in any particular house number.

*Note= Marlow was beyond terrible at organizing street numbering, displaying house numbers, or making sure everyone knew what number they lived at. Some people refused to acknowledge the fact that their home had been officially renumbered and carried on using the old number. Others don't ever seem to have understood what their house's number was even after it was officially given one. Some people without moving house would give a different number for their home each different time they were asked, based presumably on guesswork. We often have to use multiple sources to repopulate an Edwardian street in this town reliably.

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

Similar Posts 

Victorian residents of Trinity Cottages Jeremiah and Emma Harding here

General earlier history of Trinity Road here

Edwardian St Peter Street here.

Edwardian Cambridge Place here

Edwardian Spittal Street and Spittal Square Part One here and Part Two here

Edwardian wedding gifts in Marlow here

Some Sources=

Marlow Town Guide and Almanack 1907 and 1915 editions. Marlow Printing Company.

South Bucks Standard 24th July 1913, South Bucks Standard 18th April 1912, . Reading Mercury 24th November 1914. South Bucks Standard 12th November 1909. All British Library Archives via the BNA.

South Bucks Standard February 7th 1902. Directly from the British Library.

Maidenhead Advertiser 17th October 1888. Baylis Media Archives.

Williams estate sale papers, copy kindly given by Adam Baxter of the Marlow Society.

Rent receipt from Jane Pullinger.

Excerpt Henley advertiser 26th June 1897.

GRO marriage Index, GRO online.

https://www.rootspoint.com/record/1881-UK-Census/Slian-Jewell-1869-Turville-Buckinghamshire-Turville/45eac361-6400-40dd-968a-5910b9edb3fd/l

https://www.rootspoint.com/record/1901-UK-Census/James-Atkins-1846-Stokenchurch-Buckinghamshire-Marlow-Urban/50235109-fac7-40e6-ae41-0874082aee1d/

https://www.rootspoint.com/record/1901-UK-Census/John-W-Boot-1859-High-Wycombe-Buckinghamshire-Marlow-Urban/d4b375a0-a0ad-44f9-842a-51474bcabaea/

Other 1901 census information from the transcription from microfilm by Jane Pullinger.

"England and Wales, Census, 1891", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4GGX-Z3Z : Thu Jan 16 07:18:41 UTC 2025), Entry for William Beaver and Rachel Beaver, 1891.

"England and Wales, Census, 1901", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9YY-186 : Thu Feb 13 03:33:37 UTC 2025), Entry for Henry Lunnon, Robert Lunnon, Rachel Beaver 31 Mar 1901.

Great Marlow Aliases and Nicknames

Updated by Charlotte March 2026

Here's a selection of the most distinctive aliases and nicknames used by some of our Marlow forebears. A number of these were revealed in reports of a crime. However anecdotal evidence suggests it was very common for men, including perfectly law abiding ones, in the working class Dean Street area of town in particular to bear a nickname that more or less replaced their real name in everyday life. A number of older residents remember this to be the case well within living memory. We have also gathered their recollections, although many nicknames can no longer be definitely attached to a remembered real first name. This lists gives only the older examples..

Blooming Billy - William Aldridge 1838. Broke his leg while working on the railway at Maidenhead that year.

Bon Ton - John Plumridge 1871. "Bon Ton" was usually the way the posh, urban elite mostly of London, were referred too. Often used mockingly for those whose manners and dress were very pretentious but could also be used for those who were the very much the opposite!

Born Drunk - Frederick Heath 1874. He was fined for being drunk and disorderly that year and described as an old offender in this respect.

Bosher East - William East 1868

Brassy - Alfred Edward Allum 1886 Probably the same man involved in the 1880 Election riots - see here

Bucks Poet, The - Nathaniel Gordon, vet, one time publican, and amateur poet. Used late 1860s-71.

Butcher Lloyd - George Lloyd name in use at least 1876-1884.  Frequent visitor to the magistrate courts on charges ranging from poaching and drunkenness to assault and wife beating (Wife Eliza.) 

Charlie Wonder = Charles Burns  (d 1873) stagecoach and later omnibus driver,one of whose vehicles was called "The Wonder". A biography of him will be published on the blog late in 2026.

Chickey - Thomas Meads of Bovingdon Green 1873.

Chinnum/Chin'em - Perry poaching associate Thomas Anderson, 1840's/50s. Dean Street. A "colourful" (and very violent) character - read more here and about the Perry poaching business here. Chin'em was later arrested for a savage attack on his mother Elizabeth while he was drunk. He nearly cut the nose off her face and left her with a lasting disfigurement. She begged the court on her knees to be merciful to her son, and in fact declined to give evidence against him. She said she could not now remember how the "accident" happened but she might have bumped her face on a door, a scenario the surgeon who saw her shortly after the incident said could in no way account for such an injury. This lead to the very reluctant dismissal of the case by the magistrates.  

Chit Edmunds - Charles Edmunds, childhood nickname which stuck for life due to his small stature. Died age 57 in 1903 in London. 

Cocky Billingshurst - George Billingshurst, 1898. 

Cuddle Bowles - John Bowles 1894.

Dolley Fad - James Ilsley, 1841.

Duke Sparkes - James Sparkes, who died 1898 age c 72. 

Dummy White - Alfred White. An unkind nickname, as Alfred was deaf and partially unable to speak or "dumb" as it would have been called. Died early 1900s.

Dutchman - Josiah Dean of Marlow and Wycombe. Transported for life 1824 - see here

Donkey Dean - 1824, unknown Dean wanted in connection with Webb's gang of marauders. Not the same as Dutchman above. 

The Marlow Cyclone - George Bryant, boxer 1910

Daisy Smith - Richard Smith of Bisham 1840. See the post here for more on this very wanted man!

Fatty Anderson - George Anderson 1841 "a notorious character".

Feckey - Henry Neighbour, 1868. Known for going around pubs cadging beer.

Gaib - Thomas Rose, 1840 born c 1821. A sawyer. Sentenced to 10 years transportation for stealing meat from the shop of Jason Povey. 

Ginger - William Anderson 1873.

Guinea Bean - Charles Bowles, Skewer maker 1839 Dean Street. 

Haphazard - John Edwards. Known for recklessly getting into carts that were already moving. Died in the attempt 1874.

Happy Grace - James James (yes, that was his name. There was also a William Williams in Marlow at one point!) used for him 1886-1909 (when he sent to workhouse) at least. He may also have been known as James Grace as in 1864 a "Happy Grace" alias James Grace  was charged with burglary in Marlow.

Jack Shepherd -(after the notorious 18thc thief and absconder from prison) - Joseph Muspratt who at the age of approximately 12 was sentenced to 3 months in Aylesbury gaol for stealing a loaf of bread from the cart of Patrick Fullicks in 1848.

Jigger- James Wingrove of Burroughs Grove 1907.

King of the City - John Langley senior, biography here.

Lady Stone - Henry Stone 1880.

Little Wonder - Edward Shaw, Marlow FC footballer and captain. 1890. From his youthful proficiency at football. 

Long Tom - Thomas Walker, Marlow F C player 1880s. 

Lord Paget /Mi'lord - Richard Perry. (Died age 63 in 1842 by "visitation of God" while walking in his garden. Druggist Robert Foottit pays for a "decent" burial as Richard had sometimes worked for him. Richard was very poor but had "integrity" and good humour and was "much respected". Many thought poverty precluded such qualities so Richard did very well to turn those prejudices on their head!)

Matilda Blake - Alice Willis, 1881.

Nobby Clark - James Clark. An amateur boxer locally early 1910s. Also a convicted poacher. 

Nutty Price - Frederick Price. 1919. 

Old Jockey - George Eaton. Farm labourer of Cross Roads Farm, Bisham. Died in his sleep 1888 aged "about 50"  - he routinely slept in the cart shed of the farm and so died there. He was found by farmer's son John Anderson. 

Polly Longstockings - Mary Wicks, 1860.

Poodle James - 1.) William James who froze to death on the road in 1882. 2.) Henry James presumably a relative of William, of Dean Street reprimanded for trespassing at Gyldernscroft as a youth in 1882 and involved in attempts to con someone into buying a useless dog for the purpose of rabbiting in 1913. Fined for using indecent language in the Horns pub 1917.

Potter Crewe / Primrose Crewe - William Crewe, 1884. The "Primose" bit added to his nickname after he ,when found poaching, said that he was actually in the woods innocently  gathering primroses .

Pretty Moon - William East 1862. 

Ramping Bob - Robert Taylor, 1837.

Ranji Baker - Herbert Baker who died of consumption age 24 in 1903. 

Royal Belmont - James Cooper, a gipsy 1873.

Sandy - William Anson (age 18), 1882.

Scotty - John Maxwell Banks, tailor who lodged at the Bear 1874

Shallop - George Perry 1837.

Shiner  / Shiner White - George Henry White, fisherman, 1874, 1878, 1882.

Shock East - Charles East, butcher 1839 (Transported for 14 years - see here)

Sackey East - 1867. 

Snuffy Martin  - William Hatton of Little Marlow. Sentenced to 7 years transportation in 1848 for the crime of sheep stealing as he had previous convictions. Age 41. 

Spouter Clark - Richard Clark 1839. Sentenced to 15 years transportation then for robbing a house in Dean Street. 

Stump Harris - Frederick Harris 1868. 

Tallyho - Master Croxon, 1834. A young man frequently in trouble!

Tear-Em-Up Slade - Charles Slade of Gun Lane, 1893. From his occupation as a rag and bone man. Read more here.

Tipney White - George Shaw White, fisherman 1884. 

Topper Frewin- George Frewin(g) killed in a fight at The Bear 1874. 

Tourno - Thomas Frith 1839.

Tricky Davis - William Davis 1860.

Trickey Trackey - William Davis 1835.

Truckman - Henry Creswell 1865.

William White - George Todd dealer 1903.

A few early-mid 20th century examples (all men) Halfpenny, Tonty, Hooker, Sniffer/Snifter, Polly (yes male), Tipper, Topper, Bracey. 

*To find all mentions of an individual here use the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu*

 List of posts about everyday life in old Great Marlow here 

Compiled by Kathryn Day, and Charlotte Day. Last updated by Charlotte Feb 2026.

© Marlow Ancestors

Will Summary Ambrose Smith of Great Marlow 1726

 Ambrose Smith of Great Marlow. Will written either 1724 or 1725, hard to read. Proved 1726.

Timberman of Great Marlow.

Says has a healthy body and a sound mind and memory, praise be to God.

Asks to be decently buried.

Dear wife Elizabeth all his messuage, cottage, land and hereditaments whatsoever, all household goods and £40 in money.

Daughter Mary Smith £80

Youngest Son John Smith £100

All rest of personal property to son Ambrose Smith who is appointed executor.

Witnesses: Elinor Hester, Ambrose Aldridge and Charles Powell.

Summary created from my transcription of a will held at the National Archives, Kew.

You can find a list of other wills on the blog here

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to reuse this summary if you credit this blog.

Note: The Smith's were a Catholic family and an Ambrose Smith of Great Marlow was repeatedly summoned for recusancy over a period of many years. However the indictments continued after the death of this Ambrose Smith so if he was one of those indicted, another family member of the same name must have been responsible for a least some of the court appearances. One of the Ambrose Smith's of Great Marlow Parish was described as being a shopkeeper, and on one occasion is specified as living at Land End which was within the Parish. Ambrose Smith of Lane End is mentioned in the will of John Plater proved 1738 here

Pigeon House Farm Little Marlow

Historic Occupiers and history.

Description:  1784=194 acres. 1872=180 acres, arable.

Occupiers is as in those who farm there. They were not usually the same as the owners of a farm in those days, but may be:

1784= Thomas Allen. Probably the same man who had leased Handy Cross farm in 1780. 

1829= unknown farmer suffered a fire which damaged a barn and some peas and barley. Thought to have been started by thieves trying to get in. Farm also used to raise pigs and chickens then.

1841-1854= William Wethered. In 1842 constables tracked the footprints of a man who had stolen a sheep from the farm in order to arrest him. Also had Northern Woods Farm Little Marlow in 1846 when it suffered a massive fire destroying two barns, stables, a wood house and cart house as well as stored crops [Windsor and Eton Express 17th February] The horses were sadly killed in their stable. His executors sold stock and equipment off in 1854, including 7 cart horses, 2 wagons, a dog cart, 2 winnowing machines etc. Wife Ann predeceased him. Their son William junior died in 1842. 

1858-61- Joseph Carey. Wife Jane. He quit 1861 & sold off his equipment such as a hand operated threshing machine and a turnip cutter then. Joseph was a Catholic and in 1858 was prosecuted for refusing to pay his Church Rates which helped with the upkeep of the Church Of England parish church.

1864- 1869 John Baylis. Also had a farm Hurley. Kept Sheep. He had a farm bailiff called Alfred Kebble 1863-1865 and Mr E Moss in 1867.

1869- Mrs Baylis

1871- For Sale. Presumably with sitting tenant.

1872- Mr Baylis Junior at the farm then. Fined for assaulting Marlow baker Mark Wells during a fractious corn dealing transaction.

1880-1884 James Fryer who did not usually live on the site. Four sacks of barley stolen from him by his two carters William Aldridge and George Southby in 1882.  A crime for which the two men recieved 6 months in jail. Two ricks caught fire one evening in 1884. Marlow and Maidenhead Fire Brigades both went to put the fire out, pumping the farm pond dry in the process. The fire could be seen for miles. [Buckingham Express 4th October 1884].

James Fryer was also at Well End Farm, where he lived. In 1881 agricultural labourer William Ridgeley and his wife Charlotte lived on site at Pigeon House Farm with their son William and a couple of other workers. 

James grew wheat and raised sheep on the farm.

1889- farm for sale as was Well End Farm.

1891- 1895 William Rolphe who also had Well End Farm, near Little Marlow. Wife Janet. 16 year old live in employee on farm 1892 George Goddard.

1901- no farmer in actual residence. But the farm's carter Hezekiah Bowler, his wife Rose and children lived on site.

1912. D smith.

1939- Percy Smith.

Farm occupants are found by me by studying property records, censuses, adverts, court cases, letters, trade journals, wills and more.

To seek someone on this blog use the Person Index on the menu. Over 1200 people are referenced on this blog with more added daily.

To seek other farms use the "Specific Shops, Streets...Etc" option on the menu.

More Little Marlow and Well End content can be found on the menu under the Nearby Places option.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to use this research for family or local history purposes if you credit this blog and link here. Thanks.