1833 Parochial Assessment Great Marlow High Street East Side Part Two

 I am slowly transcribing the original handwritten assessment working notebooks which are held by my family. Additions and corrections were made to some of the records up to circa 1840 in the same notebooks.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use this transcription for family and local history purposes if you credit this blog.

Format for transcription:

Name

Property occupied

Annual value of property

Square brackets hold any comments or further research by me

High Street East Side continued

David Nichols [David later crossed through in pencil and the name James substituted faintly]

Property details too faded to read.

*****

Ralph Clark [a tailor in 1835]

Property details too faded to read.

*****

? Haynes [first name altered and illegible as a result, looks like James after alteration, possibly formed from original entry "Francis" but I am far from certain. A James Haynes / Haines was a carpenter - see here for a biography 

House and garden

£11

Workshop, garden and yard at wharf

£5 (occupied part of the old "tithe barn" by the bridge.) 

*****

Elizabeth Palmer

House, garden, lawn, stables, coach houses, offices and yard

£50 (Most likely at Palmer House/Palmers)

*****

Josiah Clark [a grocer. Robbed of bacon and butter the previous year. More about his illustrious family here and a photo of his grave here]

House and garden

£15

*****

Thomas White

House and garden

£8

*****

Charles Clark

House and garden

£9

***** 

John Cozens [a John Cozens senior died 1836 aged 81. Had moved to the town from Oxfordshire]

House, yard, chaisehouse, stable, garden and house and garden adjoining

£25 (A beautiful stucco and bow fronted house now demolished) 

*****

Late Charles Wethered

House

£18

*****

Thomas Hardy 

House, garden and yard

£14

*****

George Creswell [barge owner, inn keeper, constable and farmer. Long post about him here]

House and garden

£10

*****

Henry Badger (the Parish Clerk) 

House and garden

£10

*****

End of High Street East Side

Transcribed and researched by Charlotte Day.

Marlow's Extraordinary Victorian Gardeners

 This is a tribute to our Victorian Marlovians who took their gardening so seriously that a particularly choice apple could attract crowds when displayed in a grocers window. Horticultural shows could raise strong passions and petty squabbles, mostly amongst those organising them. The shows nevertheless were visited by the local gentry who might bring a party of "fashionable persons" to peruse the magnificent carrots and sweet little nosegays gathered by local children. We have featured biographies of some of the local head gardeners and nurserymen before but this post deals mostly with our talented amateur growers. (See below for a link to a history of Marlow allotments.)

First up we have Henry Allnutt, best remembered as a solicitor. In 1868 he published a book called "A System For Cropping A Kitchen Garden" resulting from his careful horticulture experiments. More particularly he based the book on some "ancient" notes kept by his grandfather who took the same scientific approach to his gardening. Henry aimed his book not at those who could afford a team of gardeners but those with more modest gardens who were most in need of maximizing their returns from the space at their disposal. The magic system uses crop rotation, successional sowing and inter-cropping and as such still contains very relevant tips and advice. Perhaps not quite so exciting is one of Henry's other main publications, aimed at farmers  - The Wheat Diagram. This was a large pull out diagram mounted on rollers that could show you the average price of wheat from 1641 to the present. It was an "interesting and valuable read" so they say. 

As mentioned above, growing a large vegetable could cause someone to become quite the local celebrity. Prize specimens can be found on display at pubs and grocers. John Price's 36lb marrow was on show somewhere in the High Street in 1890. It was noted that his success was remarkable as his Cambridge Rd garden was only small.  The fact that Wildsmith Badger had pulled a carrot in his garden 4 and a half feet long was considered entertainment enough to grace the pages of newspapers nationwide in 1806. And Mr Janes, of Valley View, Little Marlow Rd had an apple weighing around 1lb on display at the Greyhound Inn in 1900. If size did not impress you how about a 29 year old marrow, as preserved by Jeremiah Harding of Trinity Cottages? This, along with a 23 year old example was displayed somewhere in the town in 1893. 

In 1905 journalists were visiting Harleyford this time to see a bunch of bananas 60lbs in weight when cut, as grown by James Sharpe. A picture of this crop appeared in the Morning Leader. For many years banana plants were offered for sale from the estate but how many purchasers had success with growing them is hard to say. 

The Horticultural Journal visited W J Morgans in the High Street in 1892, not to admire their magnificent drapery and millinery, but to see the junior deputy of the business "Mr Morgan" who had a secret Eden at the rear of the premises. He was an orchid grower who produced blooms to astonish the professionals. This was especially so considering the limited space and lack of professional help at his finger tips. The London journalists were followed by those from local papers. Those specimens that Mr Morgan could allow out of his tender care sometimes graced the stage of the Music room during concerts and other events. 

The first Marlow Horticultural Society started in 1846 with a show in "Mr Hewett's meadow" - it's usual venue up to the 1850s. We are told that it was "very numerously and respectably attended." There were classes for gentleman's gardeners, as well as amateurs. Unfortunately it was held on a Tuesday, so the majority of working men and women could not attend. Over the next few days the event grew bigger and there is some indication that some businesses declared a half day holiday. The church bells were allowed to give a merry peel to indicate the start of the show while various bands entertained the guests. The main tent in 1850 was said to be some 300ft long with a second 60ft in length. With prizes totalling £40-50 it is no wonder that many locals entered a class or two. It was as the Bucks Advertiser out it "a useful exhibition of nature's sweetest gift." While almost everyone agreed the shows were a great success, unnamed individuals involved in their organisation fell out and the wealthy patrons lost interest. So the shows came to stop in the 1850s before the Horticultural Society was resurrected in 1861 with the first show in 1862.  Court Garden was the usual venue at this period, the host F W Berger extolling the virtues of a society to "encourage friendship and good feeling amongst the labouring classes" by promoting healthy competition. It's a shame the same mutual good will did not exist amongst it's promoters as apparently more ill feeling (and lack of funds) ended the society again in 1867. A Cottagers Horticultural Society was active for a while in the 1870s with shows in Spinfield park, before it too disappeared. A few shows popped up again in the late 1880s and early 1890s but in 1894 we are told there is no Horticultural Society at present due to "petty jealousies" and "bad management". The following year there was a horticulture show at Gyldernscroft which attracted 500 entries for yet another incarnation of the Horticultural Society. The aim was similar to before - to "encourage healthful and honest industry." After a few years this was more often held in Alder Meadow as part of the Marlow Week celebrations leading up to the Marlow Regatta. If looking at tasteful dinner table flower arrangements or champion cabbages began to pall, there was the companion event on the same day to entertain you - the bicycle gymkhana aka the bicycle fete and dancing until late. This society finally flourished, also organising chrysanthemum shows and rose ones (latter / from 1908 usually at either the cricket ground or Gyldernscroft)

Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

Related Posts:

History of Marlow allotments here

List of head gardeners at the "big houses" in and around Marlow with links to biographies if available - here

General posts about Marlow History - here

To find every mention of a family or individual here, use the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu. 

Sources:

A System For Cropping A Kitchen Garden - Henry Allnutt (Estates Gazette 1868)

Journal of Horticulture and Practical Gardening - Vol 9

Journal of Horticulture and Cottage Garden - 1892 collected edition. 

The Gardeners Chronicle And Agricultural Gazette, January 1849

Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News  - 27 June 1846 & 6 July 1850

Bucks Herald 6 July 1850

South Bucks Standard 12 September 1890, 21st July 1893, 31st August 1894 & 23rd August 1895. 

Allotment history research by Kathryn. 

1905 Marlow Guide

Morning Leader March 1905 digitised by Archive.org

Slough and Eton Observer Match 25th 1905  (Slough Borough Libraries)

The Amateur Garden Guide - Messrs Elliott & Co, Great Marlow 1882. 

 Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - 07 August 1806 (British Library Archives)

The Garden: an illustrated journal of gardening in all its branches. 1903. 

Royal Horticultural Journal - July 1909. 

© MarlowAncestors

The Man Who Attended 1000 Weddings

Today's post is dedicated to the wonderfully named Victorian resident of Marlow, Henry Wildsmith Badger. If you have done any amount of research regarding Marlow's past residents, you will certainly be familiar with the work of Henry Wildsmith and his family, even if the name doesn't immediately mean anything to you. For it was the Badgers that were responsible for conducting the census in Great Marlow Parish for a period of around 100 years.  

Henry was born in the early 1830s and grew up with his fairly comfortably off family in Quoiting Place, Marlow. (Now more commonly known as Quoitings Square. Henry's boyhood home has sadly been demolished.) His father, also Henry and known as Harry, and mother Jane nee Johnson, were school teachers at the Oxford Rd National school adjacent to their home. Later they would take over the parochial school in Bisham. Young Henry Wildsmith would grow up to be known for his dedication to his duty, intelligence and unwavering punctuality. You might consider this would be the result of growing up the son of two strict teachers. But Henry's parents first took up their role at the Marlow school as a direct result of the dismissal of a previous teacher whose harsh regime shocked even the Victorian parents who expected the rod to rule in the classroom. Henry senior was regarded as the polar opposite of such an educator. He was remembered as a genial man with a kindly face and patient demeanor.  Mother Jane was likewise praised for her warm nature and dedication to her pupils. It is no wonder that young Henry Wildsmith thrived at his own studies. His sister Annie would also later serve as a schoolmistress at the National School in Oxford Rd in the 1860s. In Annie's time the school was housed in the afterwards extended building now occupied by the Marlow Language Centre. 

Henry was initially apprenticed to a cabinet maker, of whom there were several "high class" ones in Marlow. But he is best known for his role as Parish Clerk - a role in which he followed in the footsteps of several previous generations of his family. He kept this job for some 50 years, starting in 1855! It was Henry Wildsmiths's great grandfather and fellow Parish Clerk Wildsmith Badger* who conducted the very first official if fairly basic census in Marlow, held in 1801. This was not necessarily an easy task given the people were unfamiliar with the idea and suspicious of such information sought by officials. The number of questions would only grow over time! (Population in 1801 was given as 3236) The role of census enumerator passed down through the Badger family and it's not hard to see why Henry Wildsmith was given the responsibility in turn. As Parish Clerk there can have been few families he did not know to some degree. He was someone who was known to be conscientious and thorough in his parish work so he would be unlikely to miss any household or visitor. We do not know how difficult Henry found it to persuade the reluctant to fill in their household returns. We do know the difficulties other enumerators could have on occasion though. Some of these were simply practical - leaving an early census return at an illiterate household that possessed no pen and ink to fill it in was useless for example. In all Henry Wildsmith conducted the Great Marlow parish Census between 1860 - 1901. It's hard to remember that amongst all this parish activity, Henry did actually have a day job - that of confectioner. 

Henry's hardworking personality and honest reputation saw him co opted to act as secretary and committee member for many local fund raising efforts. As Parish Clerk he oversaw the distribution of the Parish Charities, some of which were the results of ancient bequests. During the extremely hard winters of 1890-92 Henry was also entrusted to distribute additional relief. In 1891 more than 700 tickets for assistance were given out by him to the poorest families in Marlow. These could be swapped for goods at any grocer in town up to a certain value, others could be swapped for coal or clothing. For his labours as Parish Clerk, Henry's wages were £20 in 1896. 

The Badgers were a musical family. Henry's father was also the organist at the parish church for example. Our Henry played several instruments and was a member of the relatively short-lived Marlow Orchestral Society as the pianist, as well as a member of fundraising orchestras formed to raise money for the Literary and Scientific Institute. It's no surprise that bookish Henry was an a supporter of the Institute, and he acted as it's librarian for a period, in between his many other roles. This was a little more difficult a role than it might get seem, as he was responsible for ensuring the material he bought was regarded as morally suitable for a respectable organisation to offer to its members! 

In 1905 Henry was now in his 70s and his wife Mary Ann was already dead. He was living with his son William, an organist at Holy Trinity Church in Marlow. His long service in the role of Clerk attracted national attention, and a journalist from the Express was one of the those that travelled to Marlow to interview Henry. Stories about his life and work can therefore be found in regional newspapers from all over England. One of the stories Henry shared with the newsman was the one concerning a drunken would be bride groom whom he and the parish constable had been forced to eject from the church on the intended day of the nuptials. The Vicar has refused to see him married in such a state. The shamefaced groom returned to be successfully wed the following day after making a confession that he had partaken a little too freely in some Dutch courage previously! Henry would also tell the story of how he had accidentally shut a number of sheep in the church when new to the role of locking it up. They belonged to the vicar and habitually grazed in the churchyard. They had sought shelter in the church and lurked unseen by Henry. The scene the following day when Henry returned was quite a sight. The curious and probably hungry animals had taken a bite out of several cushions amongst other things. 

The parishioners of Marlow clubbed together to present Henry with a purse of coins and an illuminated address on his retirement. He had overseen 5,600 christenings, 1000 weddings, and 3,400 burials. It was also noted that his role in census taking meant he was in the awkward position of knowing the real age of all the ladies in town! Appointed by the Rev Frederick Bussell, Badger served with a number of vicars and out lasted 57 curates. He had taken just one Sunday off from his role in all those years. 

The end came suddenly for 74 year old Henry. He was said to have had what at first seemed a mild attack of bronchitis. But he deteriorated rapidly, and three weeks later he was dead. Heart disease was considered to have contributed to his decline. Almost everyone in Marlow would have seen Henry's face at some important time in their life - a christening, wedding, family funeral, application for emergency relief, or census time. Or just at a church service, shop, concert or library visit. I'm sure many missed him a great deal. And yes, his son succeeded him as both Parish Clerk and confectioner. 

* See the grave of Wildsmith and wife Ann  - here where you will also see the grave of Henry Wildsmith Badgers young brother William. 

FURTHER INFORMATION:

If you are looking for information about the Victorian Catholic family of Badger in Marlow who were beer sellers, boot makers and fancy good shopkeepers see this post  here

To find every mention of a family or individual here, look at the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. 

For posts about everyday life in the Marlow of Henry Wildsmith Badger lived in, see the index Here

SOURCES INCLUDE:

Cocks, A H -  The Church Bells Of Buckinghamshire (Jarrod 1897)

Information from Anthony Wethered. 

1841,51,61,71,81,91 census from the transcripts from original by Jane Pullinger and Charlotte Day. 

Harrods Directory 1876 (J G Harrods and Co 1876)

Slaters Royal and Commercial Directory 1850 & 1852. 

Kelly's Post Office Directory of Buckinghamshire, 1850. (Kelly's  Directories 1850)

Slough, Eton and Windsor Observer May 21 1887. 

South Bucks Standard 11 December 1896, 4 August 1905, 31 January 1908 accessed via the BNA. 

Henley Advertiser 18 February 1905, as above. 

Bucks Herald - August 1891, as above. 

Great Marlow Guide 1903. 

Daily Express cutting, 1908. 

Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

© MarlowAncestors. 

Bull Inn Landlords The Smiths

Bisham isn't part of our patch but going to the Bull Inn across the river in Bisham for a drink was a common activity for Marlow people and we have a weakness for old innkeepers so couldn't resist including Thomas and Elizabeth Smith.

The grave proudly states that Thomas was "many years landlord of the Bull Inn" Bisham. The stone is also in honour of his wife Elizabeth.

Thomas died February 1833, in the 69th year of his age and Elizabeth died January 1849 in the 68th year of her age the grave says.

The will of Thomas proved 1833 calls Elizabeth his "dear wife". She received all his household furniture and effects including his plate [silver], linen, china, and wearing apparel not to mention his stock of wines and liquors.

His daughter Sarah wife of Thomas Fenner, farmer of Bisham was left £100 invested in 3.5℅ stocks. 

Executors of the will were his friends John Badger and Richard Shelton, both of Bisham who received £10 each in compensation for their trouble.

All residual property to wife Elizabeth. 

The will was witnessed by Marlow solicitor John Wright and his clerk W Jackson who had probably been there drawing up the will.

Elizabeth became landlady of the Bull after her husband's death. She appears as such in Kelly's Directory for 1847 for instance.

For the grave of Richard Shelton and more about him (tragic) see here.

Look at the  option on the menu for any other Bisham Scraps we have gathered and for a link to an excellent podcast on Bisham History.

See Pub Related on the menu for Marlow, Little Marlow, Medmenham, Handy Cross and Lane End pub history posts.

Sources:

Will of Thomas Smith, PCC, held at the National Archives. Transcribed by me.

Kelly's Directory 1847 published by Kelly's Directories Limited. Digitized by Google.

Gravestone Bisham churchyard.

Badger Graves Parish church Marlow

 

Sacred to the memory of Wildsmith Badger - 42 years clerk of this parish, he departed this life January 21st 1852 age 79 [Age 80 according to press reports]. The Reading Mercury reported he was an "honest man, punctual in his official duties and universally respected" [Reading Mercury 30 Jan 1832, copy held in British Library and accessed via the BNA January 2020]. Wildsmith conducted the very first census to be held in Marlow in 1801, as well as the next few that followed. He was a keen  gardener and in 1805 he made it to newspapers around the country for pulling a carrot more than 4ft long from his garden! 

ALSO Ann Jemima Badger, wife of the above who departed this life January 2nd 1851 age 74

Above:

Sacred to the memory of William, son of Henry and Jane Badger d. Jan 13th 1844 age 7. 

Further information:

A detailed post about Henry Wildsmith Badger, son of Wildsmith is available here

For all mentions of an individual and family here, check the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. There are over 4,300 people mentioned there and counting! 

©Marlow Ancestors.

The Badgers of Lulworth, Claremont Road

 

Built 1903, Claremont Road, Great Marlow. Perhaps built as one house? 

Anne Badger AKA Annie moved in as the first resident of Lulworth in 1903. She had just retired from running a fancy goods repository in Market Square. Prior to that she had ran a boot and shoe repair shop. In 1879 a man stole a pair of boots from her shop. Luckily nearby shopkeeper Owen Wright saw and took off after the man capturing him and handing him over to police. See Owen's premises and find out about the historic occupiers of it here.

Sadly Anne died of heart disease aged 64 just a few months after moving in to Lulworth. She was a Catholic and is buried at St Peter's Roman Catholic Church in Marlow. Her husband Joseph, a master boot maker, had died aged just 35 back in 1874 but Anne was survived by six adult children. 

Her son Joseph junior had lived with her and continued in residence at Lulworth after her death. He was a solicitor's clerk / cashier in Marlow but had sidelines as a photographer and a seller of typewriters using some of his mother's shop space for the latter. His photographic work featured in both local newspapers and the London Evening News. He was also a property speculator buying up plots of building land on Newtown Road then selling them on.

He was a politically active man being one of the founder members of the Marlow branch of the Tariff Reform League which pushed for tariffs to be imposed on the import of foreign goods into Britain to protect British businesses.

Joseph taught Pitman shorthand to both men and women at the Marlow Institute (being paid 5 shillings per class taught) and at Borlase School. At the Institute he took part in musical entertainments on the cello and viola. His musical talents and willingness to both act in and stage manage amateur dramatics also made Joseph a useful participant in fundraising events for both the Institute and the Catholic Church. Being a Catholic was difficult in late 1800s England with some people still questioning whether Catholics should really be able to hold any positions of authority in the country or vote for instance. These doubters included local people and an angry Joseph found himself writing to the papers many a time to object to Anti-Catholic hate speech by visiting speakers or letter writers to the local press. *

Did I mention he was an amateur competitive rower too, or one of the electoral returning officers who supervised polling stations in Marlow? That was one busy man. He still had time to tend his garden though and was on the committee of the annual Marlow Horticultural Show. 

He appears to have left Lulworth by 1907. By 1913 he lived in Glade Nook, "Claremont Estate" Marlow. I think this house was in Claremont Gardens as we would call it today. When living there he served as Honorary Secretary to the local committee set up to help house Belgian refugees in the First World War. To read more about Marlow in the First World War see Kathryn's series of posts beginning with this one.

I found no evidence of a marriage for Joseph.

Photo by Kathryn Day. Research and text by Charlotte Day. Additional research by Kathryn Day. 

*Being Catholic also opened up a few employment opportunities. Ann's teenage son John for example secured a position as a page at Danesfield House in Medmenham, home to the wealthy Catholic Scott Murray family. They had paid for the construction of the Catholic church in Marlow. 

©Marlow Ancestors. 

More information:

To find every mention of an individual here, use the A&Z person index in the top drop menu. There is over 4,300 people mentioned there. 

For other posts about specific houses, and Glade Rd see the index here

 

Occupants From 1702 - Corner House, Marlow

 Updated July 2023

The oldest references to this house usually call it The Corner House but it doesn't seem to have gone by that name for a while. It is on the corner of West Street, in Market Square / High Street. Not to be confused with a later property known as the Corner House on the corner of Institute Road and the High Street. ( For more on that building see the post here ). The property had three rooms per floor in its early days.

In 1702 until at least 1705 the property pictured was occupied by chapman Richard Greydon.

In 1719 Richard Langley made the place his home. He may just have used it as an alehouse.

Joseph Webb, butcher, along with his wife Ann bought the premises in 1743 from the heirs of Thomas Constable, a merchant linen draper from Reading who had owned the property for some years. The grand asking price? £40! At that time a Thomas Wright was the tenant. However Joseph himself occupied the house at the time of his death in 1756. He left the premises to his wife Ann but two years later upon the death she asked her son in law William Sneath the Marlow surgeon to organise the sale of them on her behalf. The property was supposed to belong to Ann only for her lifetime and then descend to her and Joseph's son John and his heirs but she had the consent of her son to sell it (or she would have been illegally selling entailed property)!

The premises were auctioned off at the nearby Crown inn to the highest bidder.

Ann's sole heir was her daughter Elizabeth Sneath which suggests that her son John was dead by then. The will of Elizabeth Sneath herself can be read here. There was an unmarried daughter Mary in Joseph's will too. She, Elizabeth and John were that will's joint executors.

By 1833 Henry Menday / Mendy (born circa 1795) had a bakery in the Corner House. The premises then comprised a garden and yard as well as the main building. The annual value of the property was assessed at £12 then. Henry also occupied a garden and yard opposite with an annual value of £2. His shop was only two doors down from Sawyer's bakery- more about that business here.

Henry continued in the Corner House for some years before he retired in middle age and went to live further along West Street with his wife Mary. He died in 1869.

Owen Wright the baker was in Menday's old premises by 1853 until at least 1884 when there was a failed attempt to break into the shop. Marlow was enduring a little crime wave at the time.

In 1879 when Owen heard that fellow shopkeeper Ann Badger had had a pair of boots stolen from her business he went off in hot pursuit of the suspect, retrieved the boots and handed the man over to the police. Playing cricket probably helped keep him fit!

Owen was no stranger to appearing in court. He twice had to sue men who owed him money. John Jones hadn't paid for £1 worth of bread in 1855, while "MacMillan" owed a whole 4p for flour in 1865. Most Marlow bakers in the 1800s also acted as flour dealers.

In 1879 during a routine inspection Owen was found to have be selling bread at less than the advertised weight, though only marginally so. Near neighbour and fellow baker Charlotte Sawyer was similarly guilty along with a host of other retailers whose scales were found to be in less than perfect working order. You typically were fined for this.

Owen died at home on the premises in 1884 aged just 54. He and his family were worshippers at the Salem Chapel, Quoiting Square which is now called Christ Church. 

The Corner House premises were used for most of the late Victorian period and earlier 20th century as a refreshment rooms or cafe. George Fryer decided on the slightly posher "refreshments caterer" for his occupation when filling out the 1891 census. He listed himself as having a coffee house in the Kelly's 1903 and 1911 trade directories. George was the subject of a number of thefts from his premises, usually of food. One of the most ambitious was the theft of a four and a half pound portion of a German sausage taken from the window in 1887. That was some sausage! The guilty party, a tramp from Aldershot, was seen to put it under his coat and was caught with it still there a little later. His snatch cost him 14 days jail time. 

George and his wife Sarah suffered the death of their eldest child Florence aged 13 in 1893 and insolvency the next year. I'm not sure who occupied the premises immediately afterwards but it was still an eatery.

This blog focuses predominantly on pre 1920s Marlow so we'll leave it there!

To find other High Street / West Street content please see the "Specific, Shops, Streets Etc" index here. All mentions of an individual can be found under the A-Z Person Index options on the menu. Thousands of Marlow people are listed.

Sources:

Will of Joseph Webb 1756, PCC. Copy from National Archives, Kew. Also Ann Webb 1771 and Thomas Constable 1729 as above. All transcribed by me.

Commercial Gazette 15th August 1894. British Library Archives.

1833 parochial assessment original handwritten notebooks, held by my family and transcribed by me.

1841-1891 censuses reels, transcribed by me. 

Property deeds Buckinghamshire Archives.

Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire 1883, 1903 and 1911 by Kelly's Directories Limited. Via the University of Leicester.

GRO death index online.

Ipswich Journal 7th January 1758. Bucks Herald 18th October 1879 and 14th April 1855. Copies held at the British Library Archive and accessed by me via the BNA March 2021.

Buckingham Express 2nd August 1884. As above.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use this research or the image for the purposes of family or local history research if you credit this blog and provide a link here.

Menageries And Moving Pictures - Marlow Fair Memories *Updated Jan 2024*

If your ancestors lived in Marlow at any point up to the early Edwardian era, Marlow Fair would likely have figured largely in their lives. The fair was an old one, but this post isn't the story of the granting of charters and the like. Instead we want to concentrate on describing what living in the town was like when the fair arrived, and what it was like to visit the event. There was also a May Fair but this post is concerned with the October event, which survived the longest.

Originally held on October 18th, St. Luke's Day, it was extended to 3 days and then reduced to 2 in the 1770's, by which time it had also moved date to October 29th. It moved back to a 3 day event at the end of it's life. 

Most of the descriptions we have of the fair come from the last decades of it's existence when many considered it had become an embarrassing anachronism not least because it was held in the town centre streets. These descriptions were given mainly by those who wanted to abolish the event, the councillors and journalists whose day job as town centre traders left them with little love for the fair. Reading these, it can leave you with the impression that the fair was so despised that the showman and traders travelled great distance to attend an event in tumbleweed strewn streets, watched perhaps by pickpockets and drunks with everyone else staying home waiting for the horror to be over. In reality, traders kept coming back because trade was good, and while the original purposes of the fair may have changed, business was brisk enough. I hope to make this description as balanced as possible and also give a voice to those who looked forward to October 29th with more joy than trepidation, using original sources. 

Surviving images of the fair leave no doubt that it was disruptive to traffic, with booths and caravans or "vardos" lining the streets. It occupied the High Street, Causeway, West Street, Quoiting Square, Oxford Road, Spittal Street, Station Rd and Chapel Street, as well as Crown Meadow, or Riley Recreation Ground as we now know it. For traders in the High Street area, getting on with business during these few days was clearly going to be a problem. References to the unsanitary arrangements of the horse drawn caravans, who obviously had no plumbing, give an insight into another practical difficulty! Many of the traders got fed up with looking out of their shop windows on crowds spending their coin elsewhere, and with disruption putting off others from venturing out at all, several shut up their shops for the two days. Others took the precaution of boarding up their windows in areas where livestock was sold, in case a runaway beast should do any expensive damage. Horned cattle were eventually banned, and restrictions were also placed on the sale of pigs. Sheep feature mainly in pre Victorian descriptions if talking about large numbers of them, but they did continue to be traded throughout. 

Those writing about the fair at the time often struggled to square the circle of their own opinion (the fair is dirty and disliked by all, trade is dull) and the contrary evidence before them. For example in 1898 we are told by the writer in the South Bucks Standard that the fair was opposed in all influential quarters and continued to "defy public opinion" by turning up at all. He hoped the event would soon die from indifference. However he also noted the streets were crowded on the first day despite heavy downpours and remained so until late at night. So many people making an effort to turn out in the rain to an event nobody wanted to go to! And despite saying trade was poor, he admitted almost all of the horses put up for auction found a buyer.

WHAT YOU COULD DO AT MARLOW FAIR

In its early incarnation the fair was there to allow the sale of farm stock and produce but there was always a pleasure element. Each day was technically devoted to the sale of certain categories but as time went on, this became more blurred. The first day was usually devoted to horses and cattle, and also formed a statute day for hiring of farm servants. If your ancestor was seeking a long term job on a farm, they would head to the fair, wearing a symbol of their skilled agricultural trade, or carrying a tool to indicate what they did. Farmers could then approach them, conduct an interview and conclude a legally binding arrangement for employment for a fixed term such as 6 months or a year. The hiring aspect tends to get mentioned most pre 1830's but there are plenty of examples of people gaining casual work there until the fairs street based end. Helping to erect or take down the booths or manage the horses were popular ways to earn a little extra. 

Farmers and businessman travelled from all over the region to buy the horses and stock on offer. Marlow fair was regarded as somewhere to buy the very finest Welsh ponies and cobbs. In 1839 it was called "one of the first marts in England for the number, quality and superior breed of cart colts." The sellers could be more sure here of a good price and ready sale than almost anywhere else. Description of the trade done was considered worth reporting in the papers far and wide. In 1849, a good 2 year old colt would cost you between £32 and £35. Gradually trade decreased from this height but it was subject to lots of fluctuations reflecting the agricultural economy as a whole. It was still a place people met dispersed family - an annual family reunion for farming folk as one contemporary put it - describing how many attended in their best clothes.

Day two (and three when it existed) was for "all kinds of wares." Cheese, butter and hops get frequent mentions, along with toys and clothing in the late 18th and early 19th century. As the 19thc goes on, there were more side shows, rides and entertainments on offer, not to mention the traditional gingerbread and cake stalls. In the 1887 the goods for sale were summed up as "all things dear to the heart of little children."  Another stall offered cheap art prints of the finest quality. Or so they said. 

In 1892, a journalist reminiscing on Marlow Fairs past, noted it was once renowned for it's onion sales, with heaps of them to be seen in every direction. Vegetables also featured in vast quantities early on, less so later. 

There was also a time when traders, especially smaller ones, welcomed the fair for other reasons  - stocking up their own shop supplies. The South Bucks Standard Marlow guide of 1891 noted that the older inhabitants "still remember a time when the Gipsy dealers bought in large stores of all kinds of merchandise, which in great part provided the shop keepers with their goods for the year." 

MENAGERIES AND MOVING PICTURES

George Stevens, a Marlow man who wrote a series of nostalgia pieces for the local press in the 1890s, reflected too on the 1840s fairs. He recalled the excitement of seeing Wombwell's Menagerie, complete with elephants and other wild animals. They paraded down Henley Road, proceeded by a band, a day before the fair proper. Setting up in Quoiting Square, the shows took place in a tent with Crown meadow used for some of the vehicles. Space must have been at a premium. The less well off probably seized the chance to catch a glimpse of the exotic beasts as they arrived, as admission was regarded as a bit more expensive than to other shows. (1 shilling in 1869, with reductions for those under 10.) Wombwells visited Marlow for decades, under different owners and had the distinction of claiming Royal patronage in the 1860's - they had exhibited before Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle twenty years before. It also visited outside of fair time, on a regular basis, usually setting up in Crown Meadow. The same can be said of some of the other attractions. 

Wild animals unfortunately continued to pop up throughout the Victorian period, with a lion keeper in 1898 narrowly escaping with his life after a lioness attacked him. This man, Monsieur Viola, was part of Biddalls Menagerie this time using the Market Square. He recieved large lacerations to his torso and legs and his clothes were left in shreds. A surgeon was called and it seems he survived his injuries. (Incidentally Biddall's gave an entertainment at the 1890 fair in aid of the Marlow cottage hospital raising over £4 and Mr Bailey whose roundabouts filled the Causeway also made a substantial donation to the same cause in 1891, while Mrs Wilson, roundabout proprietor occupying Strong Beer Acre 1898 sent  the entirety of her Friday afternoon takings to the same cause. This is just a selection of fundraising by the fair people occuring every year the late Victorian period. Mrs Wilson gave a generous charitable donation at every place she went to in fact.)

Quite how the farm animals felt with predators caged close at hand must be wondered at! (An account of the 1867 fair says the hugely popular Manders Menagerie "somewhat interfered with the cattle fair". ) The ponies were exhibited in Oxford Road, with cart horses in West Street and cattle and other livestock took up Crown Meadow. A separate auction of working animals and vehicles was carried on at the Crown, taking advantage of the gathered crowds. West Street was also the place to go for equestrian accessories stalls selling items such as whips. 

Swing boat rides feature in 1840's descriptions and were still mentioned  in the final fair to be be held in the streets in 1903. They were regarded then by some as a sort of nostalgic throwback to fairs of yore. Originally placed in Quoiting Square once the horse sales were over, they later tended to occupy spots in the Causeway and Spittal Square, or the Common Slough as that was then known. Plum spots were regarded as the Market Place and the Spittal Square, because they could house the larger and most exciting attractions.

Knife throwing acts were perpetual favourites, with Biddall's show in the Market Square regarded as the most popular attraction in 1892. (The show was also stationed in Spittal Square on occasion.) A lady stood in the traditional manner while knives were thrown - hopefully - around her outline. Breaks is another knife throwing entertainment that came to Marlow, also occupying Market Square. Biddalls also offered feats of "jugglery", and rope dancing performed by a young girl. An occasional waxworks joined the fun such as Sedgwick's Menagerie and Waxwork in 1889. 

Travelling theatres featured heavily in the first three quarters of the 19thc eventually giving away to peep shows, cinematoscopes and moving picture shows. George Stevens, mentioned above, earned extra money by painting scenery for these theatres while they were in town. The theatres did not produce plays in the main, but included things like comic performances, and in 1838 a pipe smoking wheelbarrow wheeling monkey featured in William's theatre!

Here's an idea of some of the other attractions of 1880's fairs - In Quoiting Square was Taylor's Naval and Military warfare exhibition plus "Birds Galloping Horse Circus" while in Market Square you could encounter boxing booths, and see models of steam engines and silk machines shown by Mr Gregory. The Causeway was the place to go for Baileys Steam Circus while food stalls, photography tents and "cocoa nut throwing" booths popped up all over. A steam powered roundabout with "galloping horses" set up outside the George and Dragon in 1886 when it was the top attraction of that years event. In the 1890's there's more mention of steam powered roundabouts, as well as shows in booths, whose nature can be seen by the fact the public "were informed by printed placards that females would not be admitted." Apparently putting up these signs caused a rush of men to the shows concerned. The show people were clever marketers after all! Other peep shows included "The Horror of War" outside the Chequers in 1889, and an "Exhibition of Startling Events" in Market Square in the same year. In 1902 "animated photographs" joined the attractions. (Before Marlow got it's first cinema basic films were also shown at the Music Room in St Peters Street with special showings at times like Easter). In 1903 a bioscope is mentioned for the first time - more moving pictures. 

Side attractions included "machines" to weigh you (best used before a visit to the sweet stalls),  wheels of fortune, throwing at nine pins (to win a prize of a quantity of nuts) and darts competitions (hit the bullseye for a prize). All of these cost a penny a go in 1872. 

Shooting Saloons were forbidden after 1887, after a bullet from one positioned in the Causeway during the summer regatta smashed a bedroom window in a house next to the George and Dragon, causing much alarm but no serious injuries. (Many of the rides that came to the fair also came for the Regatta, causing "great obstruction" around the Causeway with one roundabout also setting up in St. Peters Street. The council was much less vocal about this issue than the fair, despite the same proprietors attending both. If you see an old photograph labelled as Marlow Fair, have a look at bystanders costumes. If it's summer clothes, it's likely to be a photo of the rides attending the regatta rather than the late October Fair.)

One last performer to mention - an unnamed "wonderful man" who was born without arms but who nevertheless demonstrated his wood carving, neat letter writing and concertina playing abilities. This 1889 "act" could be found in West Street at the junction with Quoiting Square. 

"A DELIGHT OF ANTICIPATION FOR YOUNG AND SOME OF THE OLD"

So is the fair described by George Stevens, looking back to the 1840's. He described the mounting sense of excitement as the date approached and the town began it's preparations. For some traders this meant stocking up on extra provisions to cater for the increased trade. Yes, for every shop that complained of a loss of income occasioned by the rival attractions outside, there were others who looked forward to a bumper few days trade. For example, in 1891 - the Messrs Myrton Bros had laid on "extra stock of provisions to deal with increased demand caused by visitors to Marlow fair" according to their advertising. And in 1896 Death the bakers of West Street advertised their special Marlow Fair ginger nuts and ginger buttons from 4d a pound with the very best quality a snip at 10d a pound - "rich, good, fresh". 

Stevens also remembered speaking to a man named Gunnell who had been born in Marlow in 1770. This man had seen George Alexander Gratton,  known as "the Spotted Boy," exhibited at Marlow Fair by showman John Richardson who also came from Marlow. Little George Alexander had black and white mottled skin and had been bought by the showman. He died age approximately 4, and is buried in Marlow. This is one of several references I have seen to Richardson exhibiting in Marlow.  A full post on young George is available here

TROUBLE AT THE FAIR? 

The perceived influx of ne'er do wells into the Town come fair time was one of the reasons presented as a reason to close it down. Pre and early Victorian records show that pick pocketing and the use of counterfeit coins were a frequent problem although reports of both actually declined as time progressed. Thomas Wyatt discovered £8 worth of counterfeit coinage in his strawyard in 1827, supposed to have been intended for use at the fair. On the other hand, in 1838 the Reading Mercury reported that while the pickpockets had arrived in Marlow, the activities of the officers meant "we did not hear that they had much success." And again in 1865 there was not one recorded incident of robbery or pickpocketing. 

In fact when the parish constables put in a claim for their attendance at the 1868 fair, much grumbling was made as to why they needed to be there at all - there were 9 members of the Bucks constabulary present after all and this was considered more than enough to keep order by the naysayers. 

Those who had been seen to do a few good sales were at risk of being followed on their way home and robbed of their profits. An unnamed local farmer was relieved of £40 in banknotes and 9 guineas in gold coin in this way in 1797. However Constable Thomas Hackshaw was on the case and apprehended the culprits who were sent off to Aylesbury Gaol. 

Fast talking salesman or "Street Jacks" offering poor quality goods or confidence tricksters plying their scams were also a feature, both of these said to move on quickly in order to avoid dissatisfied customers. And of course drunkenness was also to be found. But despite the impression given in late Victorian times, things seemed to get much tamer as time wore on. An especially busy fair in 1886 due to fine weather saw "no disturbances" while the show people were said to have behaved themselves perfectly. In 1892 the local papers reported that while extra police were on duty, there had been not a single arrest for pickpocketing or drinking. They reported the same in 1901, that extra police had not been "seen to be called upon in any requisite." A trawl through petty session records supports these eyewitness accounts of declining crime associated with the fair. Mostly it relates to drinking, and the magistrates often took the approach of letting non locals off the hook if they promised to leave town. Not quite the scene of crime that's lingered in the popular imagination! In fact just as many cases of drunkenness were bought before the magistrates at regatta time and far more at Christmas. 

Many of the beer sellers applied for permission to open early on fair days and this was generally granted. This recognised trading could start early in the morning. The White Hart, Greyhound and Coach and Horses were three establishments you could generally rely on to be open should you wish to have an early pot of beer. Clearing the crowded pubs at 11pm was a little more tricky. When it was reported in 1872 that a number of boxing exhibitions would take place at fair time, with a predicted increase in "roughs" attending, the landlords of the Greyhound (George Abbott), the George and Dragon (James Tilbury) and some others applied to the magistrates for the police to be ordered to clear their premises for them just before 11pm. The magistrates thought they would have to ask the chief constable not them, and the latter thought such action unnecessary. They would have extra police on duty and would attend any premises having difficulty if their attention was bought to it. But the victuallers solicitor Ralph Spicer pointed out it was difficult to find a policeman on such a busy day. To no avail. No trouble was in fact reported at closing up time and the only reported crimes at any point were two picked pockets. Incidentally Ralph, who lived in West Street, and Quoiting Square right in the thick of fair action, was absolutely against any plans to suppress the event. He saw "no harm in it." 

 Another cause of complaint was the fact the fairground rides and accompanying organ music continued late into the night. It was suggested in 1898 that the fair men could be asked to cut off their music at 11pm rather than the early hours of the morning! It had been determined that the council probably did not have the power to make a bye law to restrict the noise however. In 1896 the residents of Market Square complained they had been kept awake all night by the roaring of wild animals at a nearby menagerie! A description of the fair from 1879 does make it sound hard on the ears. Most of the stall holders and showman were using "voice trumpets" to make their cries carry further and one man was also using a gong, drum, pipes and a horn. And then there were the barrel organs. 

Other troubles, like perhaps striking a bad bargain are harder to trace. There were also a few minor accidents, mainly relating to rides and attractions. A little boy belonging to one of the fair people, aged 4 or so, run down by a waggon in 1892 is one unnamed example. He was last heard of doing as "well as may be expected." And then there was the freak accident that resulted in the death of a young servant, Elizabeth Townsend in 1886. Elizabeth was walking close to a "strength testing machine" when the man using it lifted the mallet to strike the target and accidentally struck her a blow on the temple instead. She was knocked senseless. Reports then vary as to what happened next. She was either carried still unconscious to the High Street home of her employer Miss Ralfs or she recovered sufficiently on the spot to walk away up the street until she met Dr Culhane who sent her home immediately. Sadly her wound was more serious than first suspected and nothing could be done for poor Elizabeth and she died soon afterwards. Although it was accepted that the man welding the mallet was not guilty of negligence, he had ran off after the accident and I do not believe he was identified. At the inquest it was suggested he was a person temporarily put in charge of the strength tester by its owner who did not know his employees name. The owner had visited Elizabeth before her death to express his sorrow at the incident. 

Lastly there was the problem of litter left behind. Confetti sellers had become a feature of the fair in the last decade of its existence and they also attended the regatta. This obviously left some mess to clear up. As for the refuse left by the fair people themselves, the Rev Whittingstall* was one of the few to point out that they had no means of rubbish disposal available to them and no effort had been made to provide a solution. 

CLANDESTINE GOINGS ON

In 1879 some of the traders and gentry discovered that if just a few of them as rate payers wrote collectively to the Secretary of State to ask for the fairs abolition, the Secretary could consider their request. This needed to be signed by the magistrates, but did not need to be endorsed by an particular number of residents. So a meeting was organised in the Boys schoolroom in the Causeway. It was a private rather than public meeting and only those against the fair were invited.  Word got out and some others attended, 40 people in all. 22 of those voted to petition the Secretary of State. However when the news spread of the action taken in their name, many of those not invited to participate were furious, even those supportive of its demise. A second petition was sent to the Secretary asking him to make no decision until a proper public meeting had been held to discover the town's wishes. A parish vestry was called, and those present at the earlier meeting were met in part with boos and hisses, and much criticism of their "high handed action" . While the idea of removing the pleasure aspect from the street in favour of another location seemed to gather much support, the out right abolition of the fair did not. It had now been ascertained that the Secretary of State could not order the fair to be moved from the streets to a less crowded location, and could not forbid just  the pleasure part of the fair from continuing. He could only order it's complete abolition, and this was not supported. And so no further action was taken.

 The abolition supporters said the cause had been ruined by an influx to the Vestry meeting of the denizens of Well End (Dean Street as we'd call it, not Well End, Little Marlow) and Marefield - in other words the working class. The Maidenhead Advertiser, which was probably the most balanced in its reports of the various camps, pointed out that these people had in fact been specifically invited and their opinions had just as much weight at a parish vestry (in theory at least) as the wealthy. In fairness it must be noted that many wealthier people did support the fair and/or did try to understand why others did. For example Owen Peel Wethered appreciated it was often the one holiday that labourers got and that they much looked forward to it. 

The language used at the first private meeting, as regards the reputed evils and moral dangers of the fair caused amusement in some quarters even at the time. One letter writer to the Maidenhead Advertiser was quite baffled by these peoples description of the event - he said he'd never witnessed anything at all objectionable there. Of course for some any game of chance, of which the fair had many, was regarded as a form of gambling that would lead the poor into a downward spiral. Just seeing someone spending their money on an activity "debasing to public morality" was enough to make it objectionable in their eyes. 

THE END IS NIGH

The amount of agricultural trade done at the fair declined from it's pre and early Victorian days gradually. It's demise in this guise was predicted from the 1870's as we've seen but it continued for decades. In 1898 those residents living in the streets immediately occupied by the fair such as Oxford Rd and West Street (up to Quoitings Square) had been asked to append their names to a notice either pro of against pursuing the abolition of the fair. The result was 15 persons for its continuance and 105 against. While considering the wishes of those most immediately affected by the fair was obviously important, it meant that the vast majority of Marlow's residents and in particular the poorer ones, had not had their opinions considered. 

Later that year the Marlow Urban District Council wrote to General Owen Williams esq who had the right to collect the fair tolls, as without his support, cancelling the fair would be virtually impossible. (For example the tolls were 2d of each animal sold, 2d for a small booth, and 1s to 10s for larger ones in 1892.*) They did not receive an immediate response but Williams agent promised to speak to his employer about it. Williams had however replied to a query from the Marlow Rate Payers Association to say he had frequently recieved letters and petitions related to the abolition of the fair. But he had never acted on them as on closer enquiry it proved that "it was by no means the desire of the majority of the people of Marlow that the fair should be abolished." He added that for all those that were inconvenienced by the event, there were still more who were bought pleasure by it. He regarded himself as a "guardian" of this very old institution. Furthermore he said the fair was very well managed and the attendees "very well conducted". Abraham Baldwin of the aforementioned Ratepayers Association generally agreed. Abraham added that if there was a sanitary concern related to the holding of the street fair, why had the town's sanitary inspectors not used any of their powers to deal with it? He considered they had made no effort at all to this end. He also considered that if the fair was moved to somewhere further from the town centre, it would lead to an increase in immorality rather than the opposite. The goings on would be less public and open you see!

Not to be deterred, the council wrote again to Williams in 1899. He responded that he had received a second petition, this one in favour of KEEPING the fair. He noted that this latter had the support of many working class people and the smaller traders.  Sweetly some worried children had added their names to this pro fair petition too. Williams thought that the working classes would overall be more interested in keeping things as they were, and asked if the council had actually asked the voters their views. It seems they still had not done so in a comprehensive way, as they then arranged a canvas of rate payers and electors. They went house to house and you could also vote in the Post Office. Turn out was very small but the tally such as it was read - For abolition 263, against 151, neutral 96, did not vote 300. This was enough for the council and they wrote again to General Williams. He had previously said he would act if this was the wish of the majority of the population. In the end he changed his mind, and accepted the vote in which a minority of the population had voted at all, let alone for the fairs abolition. He agreed to support the councillors proposal if he was compensated for the loss of income from the tolls. A subscription fund was set up in 1902 with this in mind. 

In the meantime, the authorities decided to restrict what they could of the event. The police did not have the power to stop the fair while it had its charter, even if they wanted to. Rules were instead introduced by the local councils to limit when the stalls and show people could arrive in town and how soon they had to leave. Some did question whether they had the authority to ask the fair people to do the latter, as they were told to clear out by 10am on day three and many remembered  that the fair had a three day charter even if they had not used the third day often in recent years. (Some stalls stayed and traded on day three regardless of the official arrangements. Eg in 1886 30 stalls were still present and open for business on the Monday, when the fair had started Saturday.)  An attempt in 1903 to restrict the arrival time of the fair people to after 3pm did not work out well as the roundabouts and caravans were just forced to queue on the Berkshire side of the bridge, blocking passage of traffic. Nevertheless the subsequent setting up of stalls and rush for a good spot was said to be conducted in "an orderly manner."

  In 1901 it was decided that no one could set up any kind of booth or tent that in any way involved disturbing the surface of the streets. At a stroke, this made it impossible to safely erect many of the rides and attractions. The fact that posts for tying horses to could no longer be knocked into the road caused chaos at the horse fair in West Street. 

Alfred Ball, proprietor of the Market Square "Cinematograph" exhibit in 1901 was summoned for damaging the surface of the road which had recently been repaired with broken granite and steam rolled. He had driven in some small iron pegs to secure his large booth. In his defence, he stated that he had attended Marlow Fair for 20 years and had always used them. Any such restrictions would be the death of the fair he added, which no doubt was the point. He was fined 20s plus costs. The necessity of fixing booths properly was demonstrated in 1887 when an overnight gale knocked over several. No one was thankfully hurt. 

NOT IN MY BACK YARD

When the circular asking for donations towards the Williams compensation fund was put out, a suggestion was included that perhaps the fair didn't need to disappear altogether but could be moved to somewhere off the streets, perhaps Crown Meadow (which was already used by the fair). This upset an anonymous letter writer to the South Bucks Standard who said that if the event was such a nuisance, why should moving it to a different part of town be considered a reasonable solution, as it was just handing on the problem to others. He or she also cast doubt on how representative the ballot on removing the fair had been - "from what I have seen in this neighbourhood of late, I am of the opinion that the working classes are more in favour of carnivals than ever." 

Plans to make the abolition of the fair a memorial for the Coronation of Edward the 7th came to nothing. But in 1903 enough funds had been raised to pay off General Williams so steps were taken to apply formally to the Home Secretary for the axing of the fairs Charter. The last event to be held in the streets was therefore 1903. Local photographer J Badger went out and took many pictures, one appearing in the South Bucks Standard, with prints available from Mr Badger. He obviously felt there would be enough nostalgia for the event to make his efforts worthwhile! 

The horse sale at this last street wide event was described as well patronised and good prices were recorded at the accompanying equine auction at the Crown. 

In 1904 Williams received his money but what of the fair? It's fate had been described as "up to the fair people." But the horse and cattle fair was held in the Star Meadow in 1904 with the pleasure part in the Crown Meadow, complete with Alfred "Professor" Ball's Cinematograph after all. It is definitely not the case that the fair ceased to have any kind of agricultural function by the time it left the streets. 

In 1908, Mr Porter's meadow off Dedmere Road was also hosting rides and the event was back to 3 days in length. From 1910, both the pleasure and much reduced cattle and horse fair were to be held in Star Meadow but just to confuse things, the animal sale and the greater part of the rides then switched back to Crown Meadow. They continued for a number of years there with Star Meadow taking the overflow. The former still saw rides and theatres take up residence at other times too. The show and ride proprietors continued coming to Marlow in October specifically until the outbreak of war saw the cancellation of the 1939 Marlow fair. We now associate the pleasure fair with the summer regatta only. 

The fair could never have lasted long term in the streets in the motor car age, as it stood in 1903. The authorities actions only hastened the inevitable. But it was definitely mourned by many, including the children of Oxford Lane infants school which had previously closed during fair week. The teachers reported little attendance and those that did could scarcely concentrate over the noise of the steam organs in Quoiting Square. 

* In some years in the first half or so of the 19th century, at times of agricultural depression, the tolls were remitted fully or partially. They were then under the control of the then Lord's of the Manor, the Clayton family of Harleyford.

To read about the Edwardian Fair  see here. 

Pets in Marlow History kept by those without an menagerie (but still including monkeys and the like) here.

Written and researched by Kathryn Day

Above - Bottom picture the memorial to enslaved child  George Alexander Gratton, who was used as a show exhibit, and top picture the grave of the Marlow born showman John Richardson who exhibited him and had requested that they should be buried together. More on both here

*Rev Fearnley Whittingstall thought it would be better overall for the fair not to exist anywhere but he recognised that not everyone would agree. He thought that given that fact, it was desirable that the venue should remain somewhere in the town rather than outside it where there would be added difficulty in policing it thoroughly. He was also one of the few to express partial sympathy for the fair people themselves, who he pointed out were in his experience no more likely to contain villainous members than any other group of people. He thought it a pity too that their children should rarely have any schooling and so their "excellent qualities of heart and character" were not more often utilised for the public good. 

Researched and written by Kathryn Day. 

Sources:

Oxford Journal, 14 April 1764. Copy held at British Library and accessed via the BNA

Encyclopaedia Londinensis, Wilkes, John 1816, J Adlard, London. 

The New British Traveller or Modern Programme of England and Wales, Vol 2, Dugdale, James. 1819 J Robins &Co. 

Robson's Directory 1839

Pigots Directory 1831

Kelly's Post Office Directory 1854, 1883.

South Bucks Standard Marlow Directory, 1891. (Courtesy of Michael Eagleton) 

The Ethics Of Performing Animals, Aflalo, Frederick George, 1900 

Royal County Directory of Beds, Bucks and Berks, 1876

Maidenhead Advertiser 6th November 1872, 5 November 1887, 2 November 1898 - Bayliss Media Archive. 

 South Bucks Standard 17 July, 1896, 30 October 1891, 4 November 1892, 12 August, 7 October & 4 November 1898, 8 December 1899, 6 April 1900, 8 November 1901, 9 May 1902, 30 October & 6 November 1903, 30 October 1908, 6 October 1910, copies held at British Library Archive, as above. 

Berkshire Chronicle 8 December 1827, 3 November 1849 as above

Bucks Herald -  6 November 1847, 28 March 1885, 6 August 1887 as above

Reading Mercury 17 November 1791, 03 November 1838, 26 October 1839, 02 November 1867, 25 April 1868, 20 March 1869, 8 November 1890 BNA as above. 

Petty sessions reports, as above. 

Slough, Eton and Windsor Observer November 6 1886, Slough Library. 

©Marlow Ancestors. 

Clark and Clarke Graves, (Also Rose and Wade) Parish Church, Great Marlow, and at Bisham

Note this post groups Clark / Clarke graves located in All Saints Parish Church Marlow plus two at All Saints Bisham, but they may not be related! 

 

 Sacred to the memory of Frederick Clark, Feb 17 1812 age 51

"A husband kind, a father dear, a faithful friend lies buried here"

ALSO 

of one child who died an infant [Not named on grave]

At All Saints, Marlow

Above, Ann Clark - 26 May 1852 age 65

Josiah Clark 8 Nov 1870 age 88

Also on grave: 

William Rose 25 Feb 1829 age 94

Ann Rose 22 May 1836 age 84

At All Saints, Marlow

Above, Samuel Clarke. Erected by Mrs  or  Miss Winford in recognition of his 37 years of service as servant in her family. She erected similar graves for other loyal employees. No date visible now. He was 61. Believe he died 1800/1801. 

Mrs Winford lived at Thames Bank. Read about Samuels' testimony on Mrs Winford's behalf relating to the behaviour of some bargeman outside her windows here Another Winford servant grave can be seen here

All Saints, Marlow. 

This graves inscription above, is unfortunately facing the now fully grown tree but we have done our best to read it. 

Thomas Clark died October 182(9?) age 42. 

ALSO his children who died in infancy (not named)

ALSO - Susanna Clark - the bottom half is crumbled away so it is not possible to read her date of death as given here. This is located at All Saints, Marlow .

Above, John Clark d Jan ???? age 59. 

And Catherine died August 27 1831 age 83

ALSO

Mr. John Wade - date unreadable 

In All Saints Parish Church.

Above, grave of Helen, wife of George Clark. Died 10 April 1883 age 59. 

This grave is at All Saints Bisham. 

Above, John Badger Clark. Died March 26 1917, age 66. "Thy will be done"

This grave is at Bisham All Saints.

Use the drop down menu Grave tab to find other stone inscriptions, and the "Person Index" to see who else is mentioned on the blog thus far. 

©Marlow Ancestors. Reproduction of these images and transcriptions is freely allowed for local or family history purposes if you link back here and credit this blog. Thanks.

SEVENTY NINE Marlow Schools And Their Staff

Some of those listed will be the subject of their own biographical blog posts in the future.

Most early schools were conducted in the home of the owner-teacher with a room set aside as a school room but the very smallest establishments might not have even that. Boarding pupils do not on the whole seem to have come from very far away to go to Marlow Schools.

Schools and Educational Establishments to 1929:

Any dates given after school names are earliest and latest dates of known operation but are guidelines only as I don't necessarily have a source of information for every single year. THIS LIST IS NOT YET COMPLETE ONLINE. I have record of well over 80 educational establishments existing in Marlow before 1929. I have not included Sunday Schools.

For a post on the adult scholars of Regency Marlow and the very first Institution (teaching adults to read) see the post here

Albion House School - see Mrs Tylecotes. 

Ann Washbourn's School. West Street overlooking Quoiting Square Assisted by sister Elizabeth who had previously been the one running the school in the same premises with the help of another sister Mary. It seems a switch to specializing in skilled embroidery lessons alongside other subjects that pushed Ann rather than Elizabeth to the fore in the school. A few boys accepted but largely day school for girls. Later the site of Mary Pinson's school. See post published here a few weeks ago for a photo of the premises of Ann's school and more about her and it. 

Ann Winter's School. Ladies "seminary" boarding and day school. West Street 1855 -1864.  Offered a "polite education". Then Sycamore House, West Street from 1865 when it restyled itself as a school for young ladies and prep school for boys. Ann's husband William taught the boys. See Misses Winters school

Beech House School, Station Rd AKA Miss Sherrington's school. For girls with large garden, tennis courts and croquet lawn. 1888-94 then Miss Sherrington bought a larger school on the Isle Of Wight and removed herself and several of her teachers. Miss Burnham took over the Marlow premises, moving the school back to it's original Chapel Street location, then known as Gazeley.  She remained until 1895 only when Miss Aisbett became principal. Formerly Downshire School (Q.V).

Bluecoat School. This or The Free School was the name used for most of history for the school we know now as Sir William Borlase Grammar School. Founded 1624 as a charitable school for boys by Sir William in honour of his dead son. Later boys could also pay to enter. Only the charity boys wore the distinctive blue coat uniform. Faced closure due to severe financial difficulties in the early 1880s but managed to overcome them and is now a co educational state school using in part the original 1600s buildings. West Street Marlow. Thomas Heather headmaster 1780, taking over from his dead uncle William. Rev Gore takes over 1793, Thomas Heather dying two years later. Mr Francis sacked as master 1835.  George Gale master on the 1841 census. Mary Gale, presumably his wife, living with him is described as a governess. Also see under National Schools for him. To read about the life at the school for boys in the 1830s-1850s see the post here

Borlase - see Bluecoat School

Bovingdon Green School- a little school not thought by Victorians to perform particularly well, largely because of the difficulty of not having enough pupils to warrant age based separation. But a favourite of the Higginson family who treated the pupils to outings and fun so probably the place to attend! No longer operational. Sir William Clayton gave land for the building of the school in 1866. 

British School 1853+. Marlow is long believed not to have had a so called British school (one set up under auspices of  British and Foreign Bible society to embrace non Church of England denominations) However news reports from 1853 describe a meeting organised by the Salem chapel to discuss setting up just such an establishment. More importantly fundraising had been ongoing for some time and so the school was due to open for boys the following month (March) in temporary premises, with girls to follow. Funds were being raised to erect a permanent building. The boys school did indeed open then, and the girls British school opened 1854. Both closed c1859 but this is subject to ongoing research by Kathryn. Overall history in Marlow here

Caroline Anthony's School. West Street. Caroline was also a bookseller and stationer. Next door to the Washbourne's school. 1852. See a photo of the premises and read more about Caroline here.

Chapel House School. 1881-82. For young ladies but also offered Prep for young boys. The establishment of Mrs Mather before she relocated to Kenton Villas in July 1882 after her husbands death. Mrs Mather was the wife of the Congregational minister. Chapel House is Aka The Manse. A biography of Minister William Morton Mather can be found here

Charlotte Corby's School. Over by 1853. Mentioned as something she had previously ran, in her father's will.

Clarke's School. Chapel Street. Boarding school for girls. Details sketchy. George Stevens 1896 memory of this school placed it in the 1840s in what was later called Prospect House, at the junction Wycombe Rd, Little Marlow Road, and Chapel Street with a brick wall that came to a point at that area. Note at the time the Prospect House name was used for another adjacent school, this one for young gentlemen, in what was later known as The Glade at Chapel End.  

Coles school - see George Cole

Convent School/ St Peter's Catholic School/ The Catholic Charity School. All one and same. Started 1845. Initially at Albion House West Street under the Sisters of Mercy. Located in premises  previously used as a private boarding school for girls (see Elizabeth Barnes below) but moved circa 1854 to St Peter's Street. There was a convent to the rear of St Peter's Church and its nuns, Sisters of St Paul, ran the schools to 1886. The Catholic School continued without them in St Peter Street after that. Considered unsanitary and not fit for purpose in 1910! Today St Peters school is in Prospect Road. Note: there was also a Convent School at Danesfield near Marlow run by the same nuns. Both under the patronage of Mr Scott Murray of Danesfield House.

Convent Higher School AKA St Peter's Higher School AKA Convent Upper School. St Peter's Street. Private day school for children of the wealthy on same site as the convent school for ordinary children. Miss Crowther head 1894. Art teacher then Frank Percy Wild. See my future post on Artists in Marlow History for more on him.

Coopers, Mrs School. Station Rd 1911. Later Mrs Violet Cooper and Florence Farmer run a girls school from Wellingrove, Station Rd 1926. 

Darlinghurst School. AKA Darlinghurst Academy. At Number 26 High Street from 1899 but in existence earlier in Chapel Street. Numbering has changed since so this 26 High Street then isn't 26 today.  Darlinghurst was the building previously used for first High Street post office and for the Field's school (Q.V , not same as Miss Fields place in West Street)  For girls, with a kindergarten. Shorthand amongst subjects taught. 1895-1908. Proprietor: Miss Aisbitt/Aisbett 1899. Moved to Glade Rd later (by 1907)

Dean Street National School. Mixed. Mistress from at least 1852 to at least 1863 Grace Hayes. Maria Robinson was another mistress and lived on the premises with her children 1861. Somewhat hidden from sight off Dean Street, Trinity Road side. 

Deanery School - see Woodman's School. 

Dial Close School, sometimes called Dial House School -private, The Causeway. 1929-1972. Not related to the house Dial Close on Winter Hill.

Downshire School. Chapel Street.  In operation by 1880 when Mrs Ellen Edmonds was head. Her daughter Miss Edmonds assisted her. Boarding for girls. Mrs Edmunds was formerly of Abbey Barn farm and emigrated to Australia. School moved to Beech House when Miss Sherrington took over Q.V Beech House School. Miss Aisbet in charge 1897. Probably moved back to original Chapel Street premises in 1894.  

Eleanor Lord's Ladies School AKA Miss Lord's School. West Street, close to the turning for Quoiting Square 1833-42. Exact premises known and will be shown in a future post. Residential. Pupils on 1841 census are from age 7 upwards. Her sister Louisa assisted her in teaching. Eleanor left Marlow in 1842. Premises taken over by young Maria Dench by 1851 but there must have been someone else in between as Maria was too young to have been running things in 1842. Eleanor wrote a book called Modern Education in 1841, in which she cautions against providing knowledge "indiscriminately placed in the hands of the multitude".  This knowledge might become a means to remove the labourer from "their proper sphere of life" or cause a "levelling of that barrier which must in a well organised state always exist" between those in authority and the masses. 

Elizabeth Barnes' School. Probably a minor establishment. 1830s + Has 2 live in pupils, on the 1841 census. In subdivided Albion House West Street. Premises used 1848 plus for the Catholic School so Elizabeth was gone by then. 

Elizabeth Washbourne's Prep School. Old Vicarage, St Peter Street. 1844. Assisted by sister Mary. By 1852 moved to West Street. Shortly afterwards Elizabeth took second place behind another sister Ann at the school as it began to offer specialist embroidery training too- Ann's speciality. Became then known as Ann Washbourn's School. Q.V Ann Washbourn's School. 

Farmer and Coopers School. Station Road. 1911. Ran by Miss V Cooper and Miss Farmer. For girls.

Faulkner's School- see Great Marlow Academy.

Faux's Academy- circa 1757 to 1797. Boys. George Faux ran a popular and respected boy's school. His wife Ann was also involved. This school became the Great Marlow Academy, see below. To read more see this post here here

Freeman's School. AKA Miss Freeman's Boarding School. High Street,West Side. 1780s. On the site of what was later Wethereds brewery. 

Gazeley School - see Beech House. 

George Cole's School- Chapel Street 1812+ Day school for boys. On site of what is now Liston Hall. George died 1834. Former instructor at the Royal Military College in West Street. 

Girls and Infant National School. St Peter's Street. Built 1869. Expanded in early 1900s with two new classrooms but still considered inadequate in size and facilities in 1910.

Gores School - Run by Rev H H Gore, who was also master at the Blue Coats school (now Borlase). He also took on private pupils or "young gentleman". 1793+ Offers to educate his charges with a view to them proceeding to a public school, university or trade. 

Gower's School. Run by Henry  Gower. Boys' boarding. Oxford Road 1787+. See also Mary Gower's School. Henry offers French, Latin, Greek etc. 

Great Marlow Academy. [Sometimes referred to as Great Marlow School which is the name of an unrelated modern school in Marlow]. Began as a school by 1757 as Faux's Academy, see above. Under the new name of Great Marlow Academy, proprietor Henry Terry was in place by 1818 and went bankrupt 1826 meaning all of his desks, and school books (300!) had to be sold. His premises, which were in Chapel Street at the junction of Wycombe Road / Little Marlow Road at what was later known as The Glade, were then refurbished and taken over by Mr Faulkner who used the same name for the school. His school was also referred to as Mr Faulkner's School. Boys' prep school. Had it's own playground 1833. Faulkner's son was assisting him by 1835. In 1838 William left and the school changed hands. It was reborn as the Prospect House Academy in Prospect House(q.v).  For more see here

Heather's Boarding School, at The Heathers, West Street for young gentleman 1770s+. At first carried on by William Heather with sister Jane taking care of the domestic arrangements for looking after the boys. William was also the master of the Free School (Borlase) but was allowed to take on private pupils independently providing it did not affect his work. On Williams death in 1780 his nephew and assistant master Thomas Heather took over at both the Free School and the private establishment with Jane continuing her role. Fees then 1 guinea entrance and £14 a year. 

Industrial School, 1831- at least 1861. Off Dean Street, Queen's Road side. Ran by the parish. Poor children trained to work. AKA Parish School Of Industry.

James Field's School. Day and boarding for boys. High Street 1823-33. He was also tailor and post master! See Matilda and Elizabeth Field's school below.

Jane Sime's AKA Syme's School. For girls. Seemingly a day school. High Street, West side of in former Lower Crown building. 1831-32. Jane was evicted by her landlord after she reported electoral fraud he was a party to. More on this and Jane in future.

Kenton Villa School For Young Ladies. Glade Road. Prep school ran by Mrs Mather after she relocated from Chapel House. July 1882 + 

Lace Making School. Charity school for local girls West Street founded 1624 by Sir William Borlase but did not operate as long, as funds from the Borlase charity were insufficient.

Leighton House School, Glade Road. Boys boarding school age 10-16 yrs, ran point by Miss Curtis who previously ran Misses Curtis' School Q.V. At Leighton House late 1883 till at least 1898. Classical education but cricket and football offered too. See here for more

Little Marlow National School. About to be opened in 1854. In 1920 the elementary school is described as a former Sunday school.

Lyle House School, Glade Road from at least 1898 to 1905 when it moved to Quarry Wood House, Station Road and changed name to Quarry Wood House School (Q.V) Girls. Seems original plan to take Lyle House name with it did not take. Emphasis on musical accomplishment. Boys prep department and later a kindergarten too. Boarders accepted but mostly day school. Had "branch" at Coralyn, Bourne End by 1903. Principal Miss Curtis 1899. Misses Reeves 1902+

Mearns school, short lived school ran  by Rev Andrew Mearns, congregational church minister (Quoiting Square) 1865-1866, boys boarding. A biography of Andrew Mearns can be read on the blog here 

Maria Dench's School. West Street. 1851. In same premises as previously used by Eleanor Lord (see). Boarding for girls. A number of her pupils came from abroad.

Marie Gough's Private School for Girls. Station Road 1911. Victoria Road 1915. Must have been a small establishment.

Marlow Place Academy. Boarding school for boys in Victorian era established after Thomas Mathews relocated from Prospect House (q.v) in 1857. The focus then became a little less prep and a little more towards preparing boys for a life commercial. The Mathews family left for Southall in 1865 but the house was later used by others as a boys' boarding school. Reverend Thomas Gwynn operated it in 1868 to at least 1870 while a Mr A.C Bartholomew had the school in 1875/6. It closed in 1877. Marlow Place was a large house in Station Road. It is now used as offices. The school had extensive grounds including a cricket pitch and was renowned for its young cricket teams. Will be the subject of its own more detailed post- now available here

Marlow Institute- offered adults technical, fitness and art classes. Held first lecture as Great Marlow Literary and Scientific institution in December 1853 at the Town hall. Classes as opposed to lectures featured more 1890+ in the new building, Institute Road. Post on the early days of the Institute here

Mary Gower's Preparatory School. Oxford Road. 1831-32. See also Gower's School which may have been run by a relative of Mary.

Mary Garland Lovegrove's Day and Boarding School for girls. West Street. She took over the premises from an unknown person in 1829. Ran till at least 1832. Will 1835 transcribed here. Seems to have ran the school with assistance of her mother Harriet. 

Mary Pinson's School. West Street. Took over the premises of the Washbournes but doesn't seem to have lasted long.

Matilda and Elizabeth Field's School, West Street. 1823- 41 as day school for girls. Schoolroom apparently a separate building out back. Probably the same as the Miss Fields School advertising as a boarding school for girls from c1814 - this earlier  establishment caters for only 6 pupils and had a twin establishment in Blackwater, Surrey also for 6 boarders. 1814 boarding fee 22 guineas per annum for board and instruction in  English and "fashionable needlework". This doesn't mean no other subjects were taught - they were most likely charged as an extra. The ladies will attend constantly to their charges "health, morals and instruction" they say.  The site is now the Penguin Fish bar. See here for more about some other historic occupiers of the spot. 

Medmenham Church of England School. Substantial improvement works circa 1894. New schools formally opened May 11 1894. Had hot air circulated in the cloak rooms to dry the children's coats on rainy days, a purpose built mess room and a paved playground, all highly unusual features for the day. Bitter disputes between the family who gifted the school to the parish and the vicar led to the school quickly shutting down but as the old buildings had been replaced the children had to be squeezed into the other remaining school there. I am uncertain as to whether the improved school ever reopened. Will be further researched. Kelly's Directory 1911 lists one mixed elementary school, built 1898, for 150 pupils. Mistress then Miss Jane Forrester, with average attendance of 64 pupils. 

Medmenham School- the other school, probably a National School. See above. Medmenham had two free schools by 1847, and both still there 1866. 

Misses Bond School. West Street. 1823. Two Miss Bonds, Elizabeth and Mary Ann were apprentice school teachers at Sophia Tylecote's ladies school in Albion House in first few years of 1800's and this may well represent the school they started up on completion of this. 

Miss Curtis' School -  Martha and Alice sisters run at Burford Farm 1881. At Cambridge House, Cambridge Road 1882-1883. Then moves to Glade Road, late 1883 and changed name to Leighton House Q.V ran by Martha Curtis, sister Alice assists with another teacher and live in servant 1891. Boarding for boys, age 6-12 years, boarding. See here

Misses Heath's School. Day and boarding for girls. Existed 1843. Listed Prospect Place 1844 but this seems an error. Not same as Prospect House Academy. All other sources give a West Street address. Said to be the largest and most prestigious ladies academy at the time. "Midway between the Crown and Quoiting Place". Listed as Miss Ann Heath Ladies School West Street in 1847 and 1852.. 

Miss Hides School, West Street. Jessie Hide- 19 year old schoolmistress living with her family in West Street 1891. Took in pupils herself in 1898, possibly earlier. "Prospectus sent on application". 

Miss Hobbs' School For Young Ladies. Recently taken over by Mrs Parker in 1814.

Misses Robinson's school. High Street 1834-35 (at least). Young boys' boarding school. For boys 4-10 years. 6 pupils only. Fee 20 guineas an annum including washing and mending. Conducted in their father's house. 

Mrs Davis's Ladies Boarding School 1784+. Albion House. Mrs Tylecote below took over her business in 1793 because Mrs Elizabeth Davis was ill. Mrs Davis promises to pay the strictest attention to the morals and education of her charges.  In 1789 Mrs Davis is one of subscribers supporting publication of "Sermons for Children". Price in 1784 - 14 guineas per annum. 

Mrs Gale's and Miss Mary Gales prep school West Street 1847. This is the wife of teacher George Gale of both Borlase and the National school.

Mrs Grant's School, West Street, prep. Mrs Grant leaves in 1848 after many years, due to "death in family"

Mrs George Trash's School. Boarding for girls. 1799.

Mrs Tylecote's School. Ran by Sophia Tylecote. A boarding school for girls. Giving a French education. 1793-1810 when school moved to Burton. Took over from Mrs Davis, see above. At Albion House, West Street. Aka Albion House School. 

Nashe(e)'s School. Okey / Oakey Nash, Revd and schoolteacher 1798. Moved from Marlow at some point after 1813. Later ran Manor House School in North End before becoming vicar of Throwley, Kent. He and his wife Elizabeth were the parents of artist Joseph Nash born in Marlow in 1808. Joseph was a pupil of Augustus Pugin no less. 

Misses Winters' school, West Street 1827, for young ladies. Probably became Ann Winter's school. Day and boarding. Misses Winter school for young ladies is listed 1865, at Sycamore House, West Street, in which year they decide to also open a prep school for young gentleman aged under 9 years. To be conducted separately from the girls school. Prices for boys will be £16 per year for boarders including dance instruction and laundry costs, 12s6d a quarter for day pupils. Singing, drawing and music lessons extra. 

National School. One existed by 1815 when pupils from it went to a church service in All Saints followed by refreshments in Crown Meadow.

National School Spittal Street. May be the one already existing in 1815. That school was said to be "near Chapel Street" 1831. George Gale then master. He left to be master of his own school in Chapel Street briefly then to left to run the Bluecoats school by 1841 but after 1833. Address later given more specifically as Spittal Street National School. On the Boots / Crown Lane side of the road. Probably not a purpose built building as it included stables let out to someone else. Maybe premises behind Crown utilised later. 

National School Quoiting Place / Oxford Lane, now Oxford Road. Infant school. Originally in Mr Washbourne's former baby linen warehouse, Quoiting Place later in a purpose built building. In 1844 ran by Henry and Jane Badger.  They replaced the previous sadistic teacher whose cruelty was objected to even by parents with Victorian ideas of discipline. Henry and Jane later ran Bisham School. Head 1852 Henry Heald. Seemingly rebuilt 1854 [this probably its first purpose built building]. Enlarged later. Annie Jane Badger mistress in 1863. The school building remains and is a language learning centre.

National School in Church Passage infant school. Mistress 1853 Frances Costar. Mistress Mary Keir 1863. 

National Boys School. Established 1851 according to proud contemporary reports but at least three "National Schools" already existed before then. Presumably they were the infant mixed schools?! The boys school in 1869 seems to be the National School said to be then in a new building in the High Street. (Causeway) Boys School said 1912 to be on the Causeway but about to move. Moved to Wethered Road 1913. In the latter location is now a mixed C of E middle school called Holy Trinity.

Night School- intended for working class men and youth. 1859-90 but possibly with gaps in existence. Was originally set up by the Vicar of All Saints who taught there with 2 curates and some friends, 3 evenings a week during winter months. In latter times at number 8 High Street, unknown location earlier. No 8 High Street then is not the same as no 8 today.

Parmer and Coopers (Misses) School for girls. Station Road. 1911.

Prospect House Academy. At Prospect House which stood at the junction of Chapel Street, Wycombe Road and Little Marlow Road. Established by 1757  -previously called the Great Marlow Academy and Faulkner's School. (Q.V). For young boys. Day and boarding.  Bought by Samuel Field Hooper 1838. His widow Elizabeth Hooper had it 1841. William Baker had the school in 1843. He had been working for Elizabeth Hooper previously. Thomas Mathews had the school by 1848. His wife was actively involved in the boy's care, taking the younger boys aged 6-9. They sold themselves on a home from home environment and the pretty rural location of the house (if it still stood now it would have a heavy main road right by it and the fields the Mathews looked out upon would be under bricks and mortar!). Mathews held an annual public exhibition of his pupils' technical drawings, maps etc. Outgrew the premises and moved to Marlow Place (q.v) in 1857.  For more see here and here, plus biography of their drill master here

Prospect House School- not to be confused with the Academy above, though in same premises. 1910. Day and boarding. School for girls and also  boys to prep level. Subjects included Domestic Economy, Cooking, Callisthenics and Home Nursing. Headmistress Miss Leddiard. Day pupils from 2 guineas a term (extras to pay for lessons in drawing, singing, languages, and music.) Boarders from £20 per annum. 

Quarry Wood House School, Station Road. The former Lyle House School (Q.V) after a 1905 relocation. Girls originally, also boys prep, to at least 1910.

Royal Military College Junior Department, at what is now Remnantz West Street 1802+ Not all of the original buildings survive. Boarding school for anyone who could pay for it with scholarships available for the sons of those who had been in military service. Intended to train them as future officers. Other sites were used to board the pupils in Marlow too. Not a happy place apparently for many of the young pupils, with several running away and others rebelling. There was persistent unease as to the suitability of the location and fitness of the education the pupils received. Will be the subject of a future post. Moved to Sandhurst.

School for Manual Training and Domestic Science - a Bucks County Council training establishment erected 1929 behind the then boys school in Wethered Road. (Holy Trinity now) For pupils age 11 or over attending one of the schools in the neighborhood. They attended weekly. Woodwork is on the menu for boys, and cookery, "housewifery" and laundry work for the girls. 

Sharp's School. Tiny day school for boys ran by John Sharp, West Street (South side of) 1839-1852. John was also a boot and shoe maker! Had 6-7 pupils. 

Sir William Borlase Grammar School, see Bluecoat School.

Sneath's School. Ran by Mrs Sneath. 1770. Boarding school for young ladies. 

South Place Day School. 1861 South Place. Mistress Harriet Coster 1861. She was a teacher earlier but where is uncertain.

St Peter's Roman Catholic School, see Convent School.

Susan/Susannah Rolls' School. High Street 1823-45 in Brampton House. Day and Boarding for girls. Previously Susannah and Maria Roll's School. 1824- at least 1832. Unknown location then but may have been High Street as later.

Sycamore House School - See Ann Winters, above. 

Technical School. For adults. Without own premises. Under auspices of Kensington Museums. Used rooms in the Music Room, the Literary Institute and Borlase school. Taught French, carpentry, art and more. Included ladies classes. Also held classes at Lane End. 

 Turketts School, Mrs - in the sub-divided Albion House, in premises used at other times by Elizabeth Barnes, Sophia Tylecotes, Elizabeth Davies and the Convent for their respective schools. Girls boarding, small. 

Verney's School - started c late 1856, probably by the same Mr G Verney who had taught at the British School in the years before. Aims to give a "thoroughly sound business education" to the sons "of respectable farmers and tradesman."

Westbrooks School - run by the Misses Westbrook with Mrs Westbrook supervising the domestic arrangements. Set up in July 1850. Chapel Street. Mixed prep for girls and boys aged 5-12 years, day or boarding. "Strict attention to health, morals and improvement of the pupils entrusted to their care." Cost: 18 guinea per annum for ages 5-8, 20 guineas for those 8-12. Day pupils 4 guineas a year. Washing 2 guineas etc. Lessons for some accomplishments extra. 

Winters School - see Misses Winter and Ann Winter. 

Woodman's School. Boarding school at the Deanery St Peter's Street 1867-1872. Ran by William Woodman. AKA The Deanery School

Yates School - private boys school in Glade Road early 1880's. Run by former headmaster of the Bisham Schools John Yates, after he had resigned from that role. He could not make much success of the new school especially after the rival Borlase school was reorganised and given a new lease of life after suffering financial difficulties. He gave up teaching, built Gloucester Villa in Bisham and remained there until his death age 73. 

*******

 St Peter's Girls' and Infants school, built 1869 and extended. Photo ©Colin Groves and used with permission. 

Other School Staff Or Educational Professionals Not Already Mentioned a short selection only:

Thomas Andrews schoolteacher 1798. Unknown School.

Mary Ann East,  Chapel Street 1841 census.

Alice Endall - age 24 schoolmistress living in West Street 1891.

Nicholas George - schoolteacher 1798. Unknown school.

Nathanial Hart- private dance instructor 1782-98. Originally from London. Ran schools in Wycombe and other places as well as Marlow and hosted a yearly ball at Marlow Town Hall to give his pupils an occasion to work up to. See here

Miss Elizabeth Hunt - Head Mistress of St Peters Street National Infants school. Received award for 40 years service in July 1909. See more here.

Edward Lysett. 1841.

Jane Maskell. A "public teacher" living with her parents Crown Lane 1851.

Miss Mather - Teacher at unspecified boys school. See also Mrs Mather above. 1883 Kelly's Post Office Directory. May be for Mrs Mather. 

Jane Newnham, National School 1876 Harrods Directory, 1881 census (Mistress of Oxford Lane infants). Lodger in the High Street.

John Southby- 2nd master at Borlase School, under Rev M Graves.

Emma Street. Assistant schoolteacher Dean street Infant school on 1851 census living with her aunt Grace Hayes who was the mistress in Dean Street. Age 15.

Miss Mary Tennant - Teacher at one of National schools 1854 Post Office Directory.

Miss H Thimblethorp - mistress of St Peters Street National Girls School. A Marlow hero who will be the subject of a separate post. 1883 Kelly's Post Office Directory. This was Harriet. See post about her here.

MR J.S Walters  - "third master" at Borlase under Rev. M Graves, 1883.

Alice Way- young assistant school teacher 1881 census. Unknown school. Her family will be the subject of a post on this blog later this year.

Robert A Williams - Master of Boys' National school 1876 Harrods directory 1883 Kelly's Post Office Directory.

RESEARCH SOURCES

I have been researching this since my teens- my sources run into the many hundreds but some are:

Robson's Buckinghamshire trade directory 1839 provided by the University of Leicester on a no rights reserved licence. Also from them 1831 and 1844 trade directories. Later print copies of Kelly's guides.

My own census transcriptions from microfilm supplied by the LDS church at a Family History Centre.

Buckinghamshire Posse Commitas 1798 transcribed in the 1980s by Jane Pullinger. [Male schoolteachers in 1798]  Thanks Jane!

Private letters.

My own will transcriptions.

1833 Marlow property survey, the original notebook of this held by my family, transcribed by me.

Newspaper copies held at the British Library and accessed through the BNA September 2018-February 2021. Reading Mercury 5th Jan 1795, 10 June 1848, and 1st July 1848. Windsor and Eton Express 6th May 1826.  South Bucks Standard October 6th 1899, May 12th 1905 and 30th September 1910. Bucks Herald 17th December 1853. South Bucks Free Press 29th September 1865.

Reading Mercury July 6th 1850, January 10 1827, January 13 1835 as above. 

Harrods Commercial and National Directory 1876

1931/2 Official Marlow Guide by the Marlow Chamber of Commerce. 

Marlow Guide 1903 & 1907

Marlow Almanack and Directory qv 1907. 

Post researched and written by Charlotte and Kathryn Day.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to use this information for family or local history research. If quoting from this research please link here so my sources remain credited correctly for the information they provided for me. Thank you. 

Remember to check back to this post as more schools and educators are listed.

To find other education related posts, see the General Marlow History post listing here