Edwardian /WW1 Trinity Road Part One

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Holy Trinity Church

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

This cottage still stands.

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

This cottage still stands.

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

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

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

Similar Posts 

Victorian residents of Trinity Cottages Jeremiah and Emma Harding here

General earlier history of Trinity Road here

Edwardian St Peter Street here.

Edwardian Cambridge Place here

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

Edwardian wedding gifts in Marlow here

Some Sources=

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

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

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

Maidenhead Advertiser 17th October 1888. Baylis Media Archives.

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

Rent receipt from Jane Pullinger.

Excerpt Henley advertiser 26th June 1897.

GRO marriage Index, GRO online.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Will of Benjamin Griffin Esq 1761

 Will written and proved in 1761

Of Great Marlow. Says is indisposed of body but sound of mind and memory. 

Asks to be buried in whatever parish he dies in and that funerary expenses should not exceed £50. 

Gives all wearing apparel both linen and woollen to his manservant Benjamin Beaver. If Benjamin is still living with him at time of testator's death he gets £100 too.

To all other servants living with him at time of death £10 each over and above any wages due to them.

All freehold messuages, tenements, lands and hereditaments with their appurtenances in Great Marlow to kinsman Samuel Norman of Henley on Thames Oxfordshire and his heirs in trust for benefit of testator's nephew William Griffin son of his brother Nathaniel. He is to get annuity of ten pounds to be paid out in quarterly installments that is 25th march, 24th June, the 29th September and and the 25th December. First payment to be made on the first of those days occuring after his death. Also trust to pay yearly sum of £20 from profits of these messuages etc towards the maintenance of kinsman Benjamin Griffin Jackson son of testator's niece Hester Jackson paid in such manner as the said Samuel Norman shall feel most fit and proper for him until he reaches the age of 21 at which time the £20 annual payment for the benefit of Benjamin Griffin Jackson shall cease and he will get the property instead. That is the messuage or tenement with outhouses, gardens and appurtenances in Great Marlow in testator's own occupation (which was lately two tenements) discharged of the annuity to nephew William Griffin.

 If Benjamin Griffin Jackson shall die before the age of 21 Samuel Norman to convey the property to the testator's brother Nathaniel and his heirs (in trust that they will discharge the estate of the aforementioned £10 and £20 legacies and pay all charges and repair costs pertaining to the property and all costs arising from the execution of the trust vested in the hands of Samuel Norman) and pay over all the "overplus rents and profits" to Nathaniel and his heirs. From them on the aforementioned annuities shall cease.

To nephew John Griffin eldest son of brother Nathaniel and his heirs all messuages or tenements with outhouses and hereditaments in Oakingham Berkshire. These are lately purchased from John Hibbert and are now in the occupation of the said John Griffin or his under tenants or assigns. John also to receive £1000 within 12 months of testator's death. Interest is not to be paid to him in the meantime.

Brother Nathaniel and Samuel Norman, their heirs and executors to receive £10,000 in trust to be invested. The profits and dividends from that investment to brother Nathaniel for the term of his life and then after his death to Nathaniel's son John and then the whole investment and it's profits to go to Samuel Norman himself and his heirs for their own use.

To the widow of brother Jacob Griffin an annuity of £10 for life split into half yearly payments. This to start within six months of testator's death. After the widow dies if testator's niece Hester Jackson is still alive she is to get the annuity instead. Hester is in any case to have her own £5 annuity free from all deductions. This is to be paid in twice yearly installments, beginning within 6 months of the testator's death. 

If Benjamin Jackson lives to 21 he gets £100 without any interest accrued before it is paid out. It is supposed however to be paid out immediately. If he does before 21 the money just to be considered part of the general estate of the testator.

Benjamin Beaver as mentioned above is to have £100 in trust for the maintenance, clothing and education of Mary Hawkins niece if Benjamin Beaver. Whatever is not spent at the time of her death goes to Benjamin Beaver or his executors or administrators.

All residual estate to brother Nathaniel and his heirs. Nathaniel and Samuel Norman to be executors of the will.

Witnessed by Richard ?Sincons?, John Wakeling, Richard Sutton.

Will transcribed and then summarized here from an original at the National Archives Kew by Charlotte Day and Kathryn Day.

Notes by Charlotte:

Benjamin was originally from Wokingham, the son of Ann (nee Gyles) and Benjamin Griffin, a mercer. Brother Nathaniel remained in Wokingham. Samuel Norman of Henley was the testator's maternal cousin. The widow of Jacob Griffin as mentioned in the will was Elizabeth. 

Benjamin Griffin Jackson appears in an interesting Old Bailey case concerning whether keeping someone in poor prison conditions could constitute murder if that someone died. It is available on the Old Bailey Online website here. See also another related case on the same website here and yet another linked case amongst the Justices' Papers on the London Lives Website here. 

Some of this family were Baptists. 

1820s Address Directory Great Marlow

 After exhaustive trawling of wills, property records, court cases, advertisements and more I have compiled a directory of addresses for Marlow residents in the 1820s. To find address references isn't easy. Nowhere near everyone will be included here of course but I will add any future finds as I wade through my mountains of research notebooks. House numbers were not used in this period. This is to supplement our recreated 1820s trade directory which is available Part One here  Part Two here

Many of these people have multiple mentions on this blog. See the A-Z Person Index to find every mention of anyone. Several thousand people are listed there!

This post does not cover Little Marlow or Lane End.

Beech Lodge

Wyndham family. 1823+. Biographical post about them here

Bovingdon Green

Joseph Pratt. Tenant of land. 1820.

Burford Farm, Marlow Bottom

Richard Webb. 1817-32. Also at Marlow Bottom Farm, see below.

Causeway

James Brooks. Baker. 1823+

William Lloyd. Roebuck. 1823+. A man of the same name was a butcher at the same time in an unknown location.

Robert White. Swan landlord. 1823.

Chapel Street

Thomas Archer. Running White Hart 1829 to post 1820s. Possibly 1827+. More here

James Bowles. Fruiterer.

John Collins. Tenant 1824.

John Coster. Watchmaker.

James Creswell /Cresswell. Baker 1823+

William Crouch. Corn merchant. 1822-25

Mary Fletcher. Running White Hart 1824 to at least 1829 More here

Henry Goldsmith. Attorney. 1823.

John Green wheelwright.

Joshua Meakes. Blacksmith. 1823.

Thomas Meakes. Blacksmith. 

John Mossenton. Cordwainer/ shoemaker. 1819-24. John was probably the "Jno" Mossenton who in 1814 witnessed this will.

Charles Plumridge. Bricklayer. 1823.

Church Passage

George Davis. Landlord Barge Pole.

William Sparkes. Landlord Black Boy 1823+

Court Garden

J.C Stroude. More here

Dean Street

...Blackall. Tenant 1826.

Ann Beaver. Tenant 1826.

Richard Clark. Landlord Jolly Masters. 

Ann Davis. Tenant 1826.

Martha Downer. Tenant 1826.

Zachariah East. Butcher. 1823-25.

Ambrose Frith. Tenant 1826.

John Glover. Lace merchant.

George Goldsmith. Plumber. 1823.

Mary Gray. Tenant 1826.

James Grove. Tenant of cottage there.

John Hackshaw. Harness maker. 

William Plumridge. Grocer 1823. (Probably also beer seller)

John Price. Tenant 1829.

William Sparks. Tenant 1826.

Gun Lane (now Trinity Road)

John Gunnell. Tenant 1826.

William Hoare. Landlord Three Horseshoes beerhouse 1827+

Handy Cross

James Ayres. (Ayris) Blacksmith 1827.

Harleyford House

John Beaver, servant there aged in his 90s.

Sir William Clayton. Owner.

High Street

Thomas William Allum. Bricklayer. 1823+

William Allum. Tailor 1821-23. 

Richard Aveling, grocer. Find out more about him here

Benjamin and Sarah Baines, he a confectioner 1822+. She died 1824. For more on him see here and here.

John Badger. Ironmonger. To at least 1825. In business the previous decade, unknown street address but likely the same.

Emily Blackbourne. Bookseller. 1823-24.

Thomas Burrell. Blacksmith. 1823. See here

Samuel Carter. Bootmaker.

William Cock. Bootmaker.

Theophilus and Sarah Clifford. Theophilus was a stonemason. 1823+. More here

George Davis. Landlord the Chequers.

John Goodman. Surgeon. 1823.

East and Harriman. Grocers. 1828 to post 1820s. A tragic pair. Both would go on to commit suicide in 1837. Said to have lived together 30 years on their deaths. More here

George and Mary Ellison. Alfred House, now known as Cromwell House. Pre 1820 to post 1820s. More here

Mr Flint. Tenant of a cottage. 1829.

Avis Gibbons. Lived with John and Charlotte Ralfs, see below. Had done so for years.

George Hammond. Tenant 1824.

Sarah Hatch. Baker. Before 1820 till 1840s. Her son William assisting later. The notorious William Hatch! More on him here

Francis Hewitt. Tenant of a cottage 1829.

Thomas Hewett. Tenant 1824. [A butcher of this name was in High Street 1832].

John Hone Esquire. Died 1823 aged 32. See also one in West Street below.

William Humphrey. Harness maker.

William Irving. Insurance Agent. 1824+

James MacLean, High Street. More on him and his wife here

William Mathews. Grocer and tea dealer. 1817 to post 1820s. Wife Ann. More  here

John Meadows. Draper. 1829 to 1839. More here

John Morris. Draper, and family. Pre 1820s to post 1820s. To see the site of his premises and more about the family see here

Thomas Jonathan Oxlade. Draper. Will 1822.

Charlotte and John Ralfs and children. John was a draper. 1824. He owned his property. This was West side of street. John died 1826. He was also an insurance agent.

John Rolls draper.

Misses Rolls. Running school in Brampton House. 1823. 

Rolls and Sons auctioneers. Pre 1820 to post 1820s. Also estate agents by 1829.

William Rose. Died at his residence High Street 1829. Aged 94. A William Rose was a cooper in the High Street earlier in the 1820s but this likely a younger man.

John Shaw. Surgeon.  1822. See his grave and will here

John Tonge. Bookseller. Selling up 1823.

Mr Wright. Attorney. 1822-29.

Frederick Wyatt. Coach proprietor. Tenant 1824. Began business 1820 but not sure if then in High Street. In business post 1820s. More here.

Market Square

Richard Furnell. Upper Crown. Died of a fit of apoplexy on premises 1820.

Daniel Humphries. Pawnbrokers 1821-26.

Richard Westbrook at Upper Crown. 1824. Mr Westbrook 1826 [a George Westbrook was there 1830-35].

William Westbrook. Butcher. To post 1820s.

Marlow Bottom Farm

Richard and Mary Webb. 1829+ More here

Marlow Common

Mr Butler. Died 1825. His widow died 1833.

Medmenham Mills

Mr Thatcher. Died 1827.

Moor Farm

Joseph Webb giving it up 1827.

Munday Dean Farm

Thomas Oxlade. To 1822. Also at Widmere Farm.

Elizabeth Oxlade and Thomas Wyatt. 1829. Elizabeth became by marriage Meadows and then Sawyer.

Oxford Road 

William Robert Clayton. The Cottage (a reasonable sized house!) 1826.

Ann and William Hales. William owned a messuage, warehouse stable, garden and yard by Oxford Road next to Marefield stile in his will written 1824, proved in 1826. He was 75 at death. Left the property to Ann. William looks to have been of Deptford Origin. Ann moved to 19 Lower Phillimore Place Kensington in 1827 and died there in 1831.

Prospect House (junction of Wycombe Road / Chapel Street)

Henry and Mrs Terry. Running a boys boarding school till went bankrupt 1826. More here

William and Rose Faulkner. William there 1826+ running it as a school. He married Rose, daughter of Ann and William Bond in 1828. More here

Quoiting Square

William Bowles. Six Bells landlord 1823-24. Probably moved to the Greyhound.

Thomas Cox. Wheelwright. To post 1820s. These premises later burnt down.

Joseph Langley. 1820+. Draper.

Seymour Court Farm

George Lunn. 1822 till death 1830, seemingly jointly with Mr Poulton.

Mary Lunn. Wife of George Lunn above. Died 1822.

Mr Poulton. Seemingly jointly with George Lunn 1822. Also there 1824.

Spinfield Lodge

Caroline and Henry Pearson

Spittal Street

William Bowles. Greyhound Inn 1825 to post 1820s. Mrs Bowles his wife died there 1825. Probably previously at the Six Bells.

Robert Mossenton. Greyhound Inn before William Bowles took over. 1819-25.

St Peter's Street

William Cresswell. Tenant of a cottage 1823. Probably sub let it as William was of the Compleat Angler.

James Downer. Tenant of a cottage 1823.

Richard Gibbons. 1823. His father Thomas owned this property and left it to him 1824.

Thomas Gibbons. Coal merchant.

Thomas Grovesnor. Tenant of cottage 1823.

George Hawkins. Of Two Brewers. Died of smallpox 1826.

Richard Heath. Tenant of a cottage 1823. Still in the Street 1833 and 1841. Labourer. Also Mary Heath his wife.

Mary Horniman. Tenant and chandlers shop keeper. West Street 1825+.

James Peters. Blacksmith.

Joan Sparks. Tenant of cottage 1823.

Temple House. Also called Templegate House.

Owen Williams. 1820-post 1820s.

Thames Bank

Sir James Morris. 1820.

Town End Farm

Mr William Bullock. Pre 1820s -1824.

"Under The Bridge"

Elizabeth and John Rolls the Elder.  John was a coal merchant. Also had property Bisham.

Sarah Russell. Servant to Elizabeth and John Rolls above 1820.

West Street

Misses Bond. Running a school.

Thomas Bowen, Red Lion 1824 to post 1820s. More here

Mrs Burrows. Albion House, leaves for London 1825. 

Mrs Carter. Albion House West Street. Circa 1821.

Joseph Fryth. Tenant 1826.

Abraham Clark - 1825, house  adjoins that of John Langley. 

George Clark. Tenant 1826.

Henry Clark. Tailor. 1823.

Samuel Clark. Tailor. To post 1820s.

William Clark. Landlord the Ship. 

Edward Collins. Tenant 1826.

Richard Cowper. 1824. Clearly well off. Leaving his home 1824. Wife of unknown name died earlier that year.

William Cox. 1828. Tenant but had sub let to another.

...Dalby / Dolby. Tenant 1826.

William Derrick, Tenant 1825. A small tenement "behind" his property is let to Sarah Sparks 1825. (In another source she is merely "adjacent". William possibly the shoemaker active in the 1810s. 

Misses Field. Running a school. Probably Matilda Field and her sister.

John Gibbons, grocer and tallow chandler 1820 to post 1820s. For more on him and his family see here

Elizabeth Guppy, tenant 1825. Her home lies between the residences of Mary Horniman and Moses Wyatt. 

Rachel and Robert Hall. He was a butcher. More here

Henry Harmon. Tenant 1826.

William Harper. Tinplate worker.1823 to post 1820s.

Charles Herbert. Resident 1825. House known.

Ann Hone (Miss). Owner and occupier 1827. Will 1831.

Mary Horniman. Chandler. 1825 to post 1820s. Tenant. Shop and residence. Adjoins the residence if Sarah Guppy. 

Mr Howard. Tenant 1826.

Edward Jackson. Watchmaker.

Lydia Lane. Ironmonger. More here

Mr J Langley. Late resident 1825. Believe he was evicted when he was foreclosed upon. Next to Abraham Clark. His house is described as recently built in 1825. It has a stable as well as a yard, garden and wash house. 

Henry Lovegrove. Lace Merchant. 1823.

John Lovegrove. Died at his home there 1827. 

Joseph Mead. 1823+. A painter and glazier.

Mrs Mossenton. Tenant. 1827.

Mr Owen. Tenant 1826.

John Pierce. Landlord Coach and Horses. 1823.

John Plumridge. Tenant 1828 but had sublet to another.

John Prytherick / Prytherock, tenant 1825. Adjoins the home of Moses Wyatt. 

John Sadler. Butcher.

Wethered family. Remnantz.

Moses Wyatt. Resident 1825. Tenant. House adjoins Elizabeth Guppy's. 

Widmere Farm

Thomas Oxlade to 1822. Also had Munday Dean Farm.

John Webb. Lately in 1829.

Wood End (near Medmenham)

William Townsend. Pre 1820s to at least 1820. (Townsends were at Wood End for a long time)

Researched and written by Charlotte Day.

 

Link to index which includes posts about specific trades and general Great Marlow social history  here

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

A Victorian Christmas In Marlow Part 2

  

This is part two of a Victorian Christmas in Marlow. Part one deals with the Christmas ball, slate clubs, carol singing, shop displays and festive shopping...

Christmas Day at last

We think of snow bound Victorian Christmas Card scenes, but alas snow could not be guaranteed. A warm and muggy Christmas Day in 1885 saw one local journalist comment on how unlike the "old fashioned Christmas with snow covered ground and ice bound streams" it was, so the nostalgia for a white Christmas is an old one. From various reports we can gather an idea of how some of our ancestors spent their day. Church services obviously featured heavily for many, and work crept in for others. There are many reports of the town being busy with walkers on December 25th. A sweet account by the Marlow correspondent of the Maidenhead Advertiser in 1885, who was seemingly short of actual news, describes how the folk around him had spent Christmas Eve enjoying the traditional children's games beneath the branches of a Christmas tree groaning with gifts and "gaily dressed dolls, money boxes, flags, artificial fowls and bonbons". That certainly would make an interesting tree. Gifts were often hung directly on the branches if small, and some families invited guests to take a present off as they left. The games enjoyed by the youngsters in their "jolly juvenile Christmas Party" include Snap Dragon, and bran bag dips. (Small gifts hidden in sack of bran to be found by feel by a blindfolded child, a variation of a bran tub party game). Others played these kind of games on the 25th. The adults were said to have amused themselves with card games such as whist and nap as well as toasting the season. 

Of course not all children received much in the way of gifts, let alone a tree drooping under the weight of them. It's heartening to hear how many of Marlow's little ones did receive something courtesy of a benefactor, often via a Sunday school. The little patients of the Cottage Hospital always received a small gift and the hospital in general saw lots of donations of food around this time of year for example some turkey and vegetables from Lady Clayton in 1897. 

What's for dinner?

Beef was such a popular gift for the poorer folk from the various charities and well off givers that we know several hundred families in Marlow would have ate that for their Christmas meal. As for the others, it can be hard to pin down what they ate but we can at least know what was available to buy from Marlow shops. Smoked gammon was obviously popular as many sellers made a point of stressing how superior their offering was to all the others. In 1893, Clifton's provisioners in the High Street had 150 prime smoked gammon available. Geese do of course get mentioned, but turkeys are too. Mr Cripps of Highfields bred turkeys and poulterer Mr Wood was proud to advertise that he stocked them, along with turkeys from other local suppliers such as Finnemore and Wood End Farms. Mr Wood is often singled out as a man that made a particularly spectacular Christmas Show at his premises. In 1893, he also displayed ducks, pheasants and hares. In the same year, W H Clark advertised that they had a "lordly ox" on show, which had come from Winslow. Adverts do not often mention geese specifically because it was a given that they would be easily available. But turkeys were worth promoting. So we know that Mr Woods had competition from Mr Maddison in the High Street and Mrs Maskell in  Market Square on the turkey selling front. 

As a vegetarian, I think the display at bakers Messrs Death and Son, of West Street and later of the High Street is more appealing although lard probably featured in a good few recipes! Deaths were renowned for the fancy cakes they could make in almost any design.  So it's not surprising that their extensive Christmas exhibition was said to be a remarkable collection of the finest mince pies "and dainties in pastry of all descriptions."

Alternative Christmas traditions

 Prior to around the 1880's and stretching back decades, was a tradition Christmas Day gathering on Marlow Common with the main aim of catching rabbits and pheasants. Several hundred people are said to have turned up at times. Some were clearly there just to socialise but others came with dogs and guns. The authorities stamped this out as the land surrounding the common was in private ownership and the landowners said dogs and hunters strayed on their land and so were effectively poaching. A sweep in 1878 saw several arrests. 

Goodwill to all men? 

The Christmas period was a busy one for our police constables. Drunkenness and family squabbles feature strongly in petty session records of the time. In 1870, husband and wife Jacob and Julia Martin were charged with abusing each over loudly in Gun Lane (now Trinity Road) on the evening of Christmas day while under the influence of alcohol. They received a 16s fine. That is one example of many. Other seasonal misdemeanours include the frequent apprehension of those pilfering holly and mistletoe from private land in the hope of selling it on. Henry Beaver is one such Marlow man caught making away with part of a farmers holly tree in Hambledon in 1872. There also tends to be an increase in arrests for begging in the run up to Christmas, especially on Christmas Eve itself. But there are two ways of looking at this. There may have been more beggars congregating in town in the hope that the season would encourage generosity and the police might then act to deal with a nuisance. But many of those arrested were homeless tramps and it was a tradition in some places for them to be "round up" and arrested in order that they could be hosted in the relative warmth of the police station cells over Christmas. 

Boxing Day

On Boxing Day some may have been nursing sore heads and fraught domestic relations, but at least an increasing number of workers could enjoy Boxing Day off from their labours. In 1872, the Reading Mercury journalists praised the Marlow traders closed on the 26th, as "by this thoughtful act of employers many of their assistants were able to visit their friends at a distance." However 3 years later, they noted that the grocers and some other traders in Marlow had not closed on Boxing Day.  By 1900 it was announced that the drapers of Marlow, who traditionally took the lead in such things, would be closing for 3- 4 days over Christmas and other traders would likely follow their lead. However, it was possible that a knock at the door of a "closed" establishment would still be answered in an "emergency". George Hide the West Street draper advertised that his side door would be answered should there be any "special enquiries" requiring immediate attention over the Christmas closure. 

It was a tradition to drink the health of friends on Boxing day so pubs did a roaring trade. Those unfortunate to have many friends whose health they cared for might find themselves before a not too understanding magistrate if they ignored the soft warning to go home quietly usually issued by our local police. 

And of course Boxing Day was a traditional time for football matches, played at that time on Crown Meadow or Riley Recreation Ground as we call it now with the minor teams playing at Star Meadow or Gossmore or the station ground.  

The Salvation Army often hosted many of the towns poorest citizens on the 26th instead of or in addition to pre Christmas feasts. On Boxing Day 1892 100 of the needy sat down to a "meat tea."  

Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

Related posts:

Victorian Christmas in Marlow part 1 here 

Edwardian Christmas in Marlow here

New Year traditions here

Skating on the Thames etc here

Bonfire night in Victorian Marlow here

A listing of other posts about every day life in old Marlow  here

Easter and May day here

©Marlow Ancestors

Munday Dean Great Marlow History -UPDATED November 2025

 First some photos taken March 2021:

Denelands Farm, above

Munday Dean Farm, above

Munday Dean farm barn, above

Monday Dean Farm, above 

Munday Dean Lane, above, was widened in December 1905. 

Some History:

Richard Corby, yeoman had Munday Dean Farm in 1721. In his will proved the next year he left the farm house with pasture, arable and wooded lands to his son Robert. Possibly the lease only.

In a will written 1788 and proved the next year widow Elizabeth Plumridge widow of William left her messuage (house), cottages, garden, yard and land at Munday Dean, apparently the farm, to trustees for the benefit of Richard Corby of Red Pits near Marlow her "poor kinsman" until Richard's son Thomas was 21 then to Thomas himself. At that time the property was being rented by James Hollworthy. She also Richard and Thomas a cottage with barn, small meadow and garden at Hambledon which a Thomas Stallwood then occupied. Thomas Corby was to pay his brother Ambrose a guinea from the estate. Elizabeth's will was very long and detailed even specifying that the soil in the ground on her land belonged to Richard then Thomas! She didn't bequeath the worms in the earth to them but she probably just forgot about that... 

Elizabeth Corby had married William Plumridge at Hughenden 1757.

A Thomas Corby Senior, probably the same man as in Elizabeth Plumridge's will, still occupied some 67 acres of land at Munday Dean in 1833.

William Webb was a husbandmen also working part of Munday Dean Farm by 1773 until his death in the late 1790s.

Thomas Jonathan Oxlade left in his 1822 will his one third part of Munday Dean Farm with several cottages and woodland amounting to 20 acres. It was then in the tenure of Robert Oxlade and Richard Russell.

In 1829 the farm was in the occupation of Elizabeth Sawyer and Thomas Wyatt.

In 1861 Munday Dean Farm was in the tenure of John Simmonds and amounted to 87 acres. John lived there with his wife Catherine children and 2 young employees- 11 year old shepherd Matthew Bird and 15 year old George Wells who was working as a carter.

In 1883 labourer Henry Beaver was convicted of stealing 14 pieces of wool from the farm, which was then the property of General Owen Williams. The estimated value of the wool was £14 12 shillings 6 pence.

The farm bailiff in 1885 was James Langford.

In 1905 the farm was up for sale and consisted of a 5 bedroom farmhouse, cowhiuse, granary, carthouse, piggery, stable, orchard and 4 cottages. It was then reckoned to be 104 acres.

It was the home of Lady Joan Hartwell in 1930 when she was summoned for driving her motor car without a licence in High Wycombe.

*****

In 1895 further down Munday Dean Lane, nearer to Marlow, Frank Collins was found to be gambling in the highway with a game of chance and summoned to court to be fined. Slightly out of the way country lanes or little frequented town alleys were favourite places for young men to gather together to play illicit games of dice and marbles for money.

Researched and written by Charlotte Day. Photos and additional research by Kathryn Day.

Sources:

Will Richard Corby, PCC. Transcribed by Charlotte. Copies can be obtained from the National Archives.

Bucks Herald, Dec 1883. Copy held at the British Library Archives and accessed via the British Newspaper Archive.

South Bucks Standard July 1895, 2 March 1906. As above.

Will from the National Archives Kew transcribed by Charlotte: Elizabeth Meadows 1857, Elizabeth Plumridge 1789.

Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire 1883. Published by Kelly's Directories Limited.

Property records held by my family.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to use these research or images for family or local history purposed with credit to this blog and a link here so that the sources listed above do not lose credit for the information which they provided.

 

A Valued Maidservant

This interesting grave in All Saints reads:

Duffin White d. October 19th 1793, age 56

ALSO OF 

Sarah Dennis. Date of death unreadable as it's obscured by grass and grave is leaning forward slightly. However burial records tell me Sarah died 1794.

Duffin White was a cooper of Great Marlow whose will was written and proved 1793. In it Duffin appointed his serving maid Sarah Dennis [spinster], who is buried with him as his main heir and sole executor of the will. Sarah inherited the house they lived in [which was in the High Street] all the furniture, Duffin's stock in trade and any residual property.

She was also the trustee - along with George Trash the Marlow surgeon - of two more properties which Duffin had owned and which were to be sold to pay other legacies in the will.

These legacies were:

Kinsman Henry Laurence, bargeman of Great Marlow £5

Cousin Ann Webb widow of Great Marlow £5

Cousin Elizabeth wife of John Beaver £5.

The will was witnessed by Marlow men Thomas Rolls a draper, Richard Aveling a grocer and attorney Robert Goldsmith.

Duffin was baptised at Great Marlow in 1737 to Thomas and Ann White.

Sarah was baptised at Great Marlow in 1765 to Samuel and Elizabeth Dennis. She did not live long to enjoy her inheritance as she died the year after Duffin.

In her will she said that she was sick and weak. She asked George Trash to sell her home and all her china, plate [silver] and linen to pay the legacies she wanted to give. George himself got £10 while a Mary Glanville who lived with her was to receive £5. An income of 2 shillings a week each went to her aunts Jane Ayres a widow and Anne Humphreys. After their deaths I think her uncle Thomas Dennis, a bricklayer was to receive it.

Sarah asked for twin headstones to be put on her late master's grave. One to her, the other to Duffin White and a Thomas White whose headstone was to be altered or replaced (I couldn't quite read it) to say the names and ages of Thomas and Duffin White. Presumably this Thomas was the Thomas who was Duffin's father, though he may be a brother to Duffin or another relative. Obviously George Trash for some reason did not carry out these instructions precisely as to the gravestones. It is possible however that the stone we see today is a later replacement.

Will witnesses were James Glanville a maltster, Thomas Rolls a draper and Robert Goldsmith an attorney. 

Photo by Kathryn Day. Research by Charlotte Day.

To find other wills on the blog see Will Transcriptions on the top drop down menu. See also the Graves and Person Index options.

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

Hard To Find Farm, Little Marlow

Updated December 2024

Farm existed by 1752 Closer to High Wycombe than anywhere but was officially in Little Marlow parish. Description: 1873= 240 acres sheep farm (but was clearly also arable at that point).

Historic Occupiers:

Note that for farms these were rarely the same as the owners of the property in the past.

1752 - Robert Kitson of Hard to Find Farm buried.

1784 -88 at least. William Curtis (from Oxfordshire). 

1853 - farm to let. Possibly was in use by  William Wethered just before this date but he was a non-residential farmer there if so.

1860 - circa 1868 Thomas Dorrell. Wife Ann as below. Brother Abel a partner in the business. They farmed together at Coleshill 1849-1853 (at least). Not to be confused with Thomas Dorrell farmer of Bockmer End near Medmenham.

1869 - Ann Dorrell, widow of Thomas above. Her employee William Burt was in 1869 convicted of stealing eggs from her but she told the court she would take the young man back if he promised to be good in future. He received a formal reprimand but no further punishment.

Ann was in a less forgiving mood two years later when her 16 year old shepherd George Burt / Birt, probably a relative of the William above, was convicted of embezzlement after he failed to hand over the true amount of money paid to him by a fellmonger for sheep skins from Mrs Dorrell's farm. George was sentenced to 2 weeks in jail. He had spent the money on beer. By this time William Burt was not still working on the farm. The Dorrells left the farm in 1873. 

1893 -1911 John Stallwood. Moved to Hard To Find from a farm in Totteridge Bucks 1893. Had a farm Bradenham in 1887. Census says born 1856 Bledlow Ridge. Wife Ann born Downley 1854. Kids at home 1871= Albert, Annie, Frederick, George, Harry, James, Lily, Rolphe, William. Employee George Thorne convicted of beating Thomas's horse with an iron bar in 1893. In 1902 John's father William who ran the Beech Tree beer house in Littleworth Common, Bucks went for the day to Hard To Find to help his son on the farm. Later that evening he took a wrong turn in his horse and cart which plunged into the Thames killing him. It was thought by some that tiredness from his farm work earlier in the day (William was 71) may have been partly to blame. In the same year Emma Beaver of Great Marlow fined for taking turnip tops from the fields of Hard To Find. This was a common offence for poor women to be convicted of. They cooked the turnip greens as vegetables.

In 1905 John was summoned for employing his underage son Harry on the farm. Did not appear and was fined in his absence. Another fine came his way for "furiously driving" his horse and trap as a danger to others in 1906 and 1910. The term "furiously" refers to high reckless speed and is nothing to do with him being in a temper!

John went bankrupt in 1911. He was a litigious man in money matters both suing and being sued numerous times over business deals gone sour.

1912 Harold Secker. Describes his business then as a dairy and poultry farm when advertises for a live in farm boy.

1920 - H F Secker. Must be mistake for H.G Secker.

1932 - Farm used for military training exercises by the Bucks Battalion. Machine gun companies and others simulated an attack on the farm. I hope someone told the sheep it was only a drill.

1933 - H Gordon "Seeker" 

1939 - Henry (Harry) Gordon Secker. This year he advertised for a carter who could also milk. Cottage provided.  Wife Florence. Teenage son Frederick assisted his father on the farm. The family also took in lodgers.

For more farm occupier posts for Little Marlow and Great Marlow see the Specific Shops, Streets Etc option on the menu. You will also see a Person Index option on the menu to help you find every mention of a person on this blog. For more Little Marlow content in general see Other Places on the menu.

Farm occupancies calculated from wills, adverts, trade journals, censuses, property records, court cases etc.

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

My census transcriptions from microfilm. Census information remains Crown Copyright.

See:

Reading Mercury 24th April 1869, Windsor and Eton Express 11th March 1826 and Bucks Herald 22nd February 1873. British Library Archives.

Crooked Billet Sheepridge Little Marlow

Sheepridge is a tiny hamlet -it consisted of 13 homes in 1902- by Little Marlow.

Historical Landlord listings for the Crooket Billet:

1858- 1876 Maria Smith. In 1862 she was fined for using two jugs of deficient measure in her pub. She died in 1876. She was the widow of John Smith. The two lived at Sheepridge from at least the time of the 1841 census.

1876-1877 John Smith briefly as Maria's executor.

1877-1881 James Carpenter. Wife Rosannah also worked behind the bar. She was punched in the face by a belligerent customer Henry Beaver of Marlow for refusing to serve him and his friends another pot of beer after they ran out of money to pay for it. As a serial offender Henry was sentenced to 6 weeks in prison with hard  labour. Bucks Herald 22 Feb 1879.

1881- 1882 William Lovegrove. Some references put him there 1883/4 but licence transferred 1882 to Moses Tranter. 

1882-91 Moses Tranter. A shepherd before he had a pub. Moses gave evidence against some poachers he had spotted near the pub in 1882. He had been summoned for poaching himself as a teen. In 1891 moved to the Queen's Head Little Marlow and was later at the Live And Let Live beerhouse in Booker. Moses died in 1896 after falling suddenly ill while gathering hay in a field at Boulter End. He was a only 47. Left Widow Hannah and children including J.W Tranter, see below.

1891- 1896 Thomas Twitchen

1896-1899 Joseph Pope.

1899- John William Tranter briefly. He was called to war service in the Transvaal so the licence was transferred  to his mother Hannah Tranter.

1899- 1902 Hannah Tranter. Widow of Moses Tranter above. Hannah was née Bryant. She moved from the Live And Let Live in Booker which she had taken over from her dead husband in order to take over the Crooked Billet on behalf of her son who had the licence but was called into service in the South African Wars.

1902-  Hannah Tranter, James Jennings

1903- Hugh Hames

1903- T Jennings (very briefly)

1903- 1906 William Quelch. In 1906 accused of opening his pub illegally on a Sunday, and the previous year 8 men were found drinking there after hours. 

1910- Harry Sarney.

1910- 1911 Charles Barnes.

1912- Arthur Bristow. 

Our listings focus on pre WW1 or 1920's publicans. 

Pub occupancies are determined by me from wills, censuses, court cases, adverts, property records etc. Dates next to a landlord are for when I have firm historic evidence of their occupancy. They may have been there earlier or later too. Ongoing research- I will fill gaps as I sift through my research notes.

To find other Pub landlord listings or histories see the Pub Related option on the menu. For other Little Marlow content choose the Nearby Places menu option. All mentions of an individual here can be found in the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu.  

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

 

The Notorious William Hatch

William Hatch was baptised in Great Marlow in 1795 to William Hatch and Sarah who ran a bakery in the High Street. 

When the father William senior died he left all his surviving children who reached the age of 21 £150 each invested in stocks. William junior would have been one of them. The will is available on the blog here. Extraordinarily, one later report which accused William junior of acting out of pure malice as a police informer, also said that his real father had been a failed highwayman.

Whatever the truth of that William junior grew up to follow the respectable trade of baker. Initially he assisted his mother Sarah as a baker and corn dealer, then he traded briefly in Slough and Reading, both in Berkshire, before returning to once more help his mother. In 1831 he, but not his mother, who had not made him a partner in the business, was declared bankrupt. The bankruptcy notice also calls him a farmer.

This bankruptcy William survived and he continued baking. But he was not much liked and some kind of rumour or suspicion tended to be always around him. In 1828 John Boswell took out an ad in the Windsor and Eton Express apologising for circulating a false report as to William's character saying he was "extremely sorry" for his actions. The ad says he is taking it out as if he does it is agreed that William will not take legal action against him. Perhaps not the best wording if you want to suggest sincerity of apology but it worked. There is no hint as to what had been said about William.

Just a few weeks later however William won £5 damages from George Creswell of Marlow for calling him "Buffer the Hatch" when they were both in the Horns, Chapel Street. William claimed that "buffer" meant homosexual and that chalk scribblings using the same terms had been found on walls all around town. There was no suggestion George had been responsible for any of those. It is clear from the lawyers' arguments and witness statements that if buffer did signify homosexual to some it was not generally known to do so. The tone of George's voice and the fact the words featured on street graffiti meant they were presumed to be disrespectful words but without specific meaning. One of the lawyers said "buffer" had once long ago been used for lowly employees in law firms who had to do the unpleasant tasks like delivering eviction notices. I myself found evidence of the word being used as a term for someone who is willing to do other people's dirty work. Given that William when insulted was in a meeting with one of the Overseers of the poor, Thomas Broadway, then it may well be that outdated meaning was meant. It may also refer to Hatches electioneering work for the Williams family who held Marlow as a pocket borough.  George didn't explain his choice of words. The judge said it didn't really matter, an insult of some kind had been intended so damages were due to William. He however warned the offence did not warrant anything substantial. William had by the way formerly been an Overseer of the poor in Marlow himself.

In 1830 school master Mr Francis of the Bluecoats school (now known as Borlase), was convicted of assaulting William, when in drink. There was some amusement expressed at the senior, slight and short teacher taking on the 6ft tall and sturdy Hatch, and it seems Francis came off the worst.  Two witnesses on each side contradicted themselves altogether, but Francis was found guilty and had to spend a week in the house of correction. He also had to pay a £5 fine and find sureties for his future good behaviour. William said that Francis had called him a "sodom-ite" and he had retaliated with his fists. At this point the local magistrate presiding intervened to say he was aware of chalked graffiti in Marlow making a similar point but to the best of his knowledge there was no truth to the remark! However, the incident was widely regarded as politically motivated, as the two supported opposite candidates and feeling was still running high after a recent election. Hatch had been accused of brandishing a knife at an opposition voter at the previous election (which he denied doing), along with allegations that he had been banned from several public houses for violent conduct. It is true that certain establishments were strongly associated with one political candidate or another, and William may not have been too welcome in some simply for taking the other side publicly. He did say he did not regard his involvement in electioneering as very extensive. However the magistrates on summing up were no doubt politics stood behind it all. They expressed the wish that the school teacher would not let the electioneering spirit move him to breach the peace in future. 

William had plenty more court appearances. In 1829 he was fined 12 shillings for pulling up a crop of potatoes in a poor man's garden, a Mr Harding. This man may have been a tenant of his as the next year William had to pay the court costs when he failed in his attempt to prosecute his tenant Hannah Frith and her husband for picking fruit in the garden of the cottage they rented from him. The judge told William he didn't own the fruit, they did. In the same session the judge threw out William's suit against one John Simpson for allegedly throwing a stone at his window.

In 1829 William was also summoned for failing to support his illegitimate child with Ann Beaver and ordered to start paying up.

Three years later he was fined a shilling for trying to purposefully run down a servant of Mr J Clayton with his bakery cart. The judge condemned his reckless violence.

The next year William prosecuted Christopher Wildego for an alleged theft of a loaf from out of that cart.

In 1834 he stabbed a young boy who had formerly worked for him and stole the boy's knife. He was allowed to escape further penalty if he paid the boy 6 shillings compensation and give him back his knife!

The same year George Creswell was once again pitted against William. The Windsor and Eton Express said William was an "Ill looking man generally known as the appellation of the Buffer upwards of six foot high" who appeared in court with a cut face, two black eyes and 4 teeth knocked out. William said George had committed this assault on him. The paper said his usual "appalling" face was rendered more disgusting than usual as a result! Once more the setting for George and William's confrontation was a public house. William had used provoking language to the other man until he lost his temper. George was able to produce witnesses to prove that he was a respectable and "truly peaceable and steady man when unmolested" while William was the reverse so William's request that the defendant be bound over to keep the peace towards him was refused. George was however fined for the assault. The Creswells were renowned for being tall, strong and well built men. 

In 1835 William reached his lowest point being arrested for a "brutal attack upon his wife with intent to murder her". He had then run off for a few days but was arrested upon his return. He was unable to pay his bail, nor find anyone who wished to help him in this way ("no person having the remotest claim to respectability would become his security" said the paper) so was sent to Aylesbury Gaol to await trial. After three months in such custody he managed to prevail upon his wife to withdraw the charges on the grounds he would behave better in future.

He is referred to in reports at the time as the "notorious Will Hatch" and "Buffer the Hatch".

He had married a "Miss Spicer" in Henley, Oxfordshire in 1832. I have seen a marriage notice not a parish register so I am afraid I do not at the time of writing know the bride's first name. 

I find no further mention of William Hatch in Marlow records or any wife of his. They may have moved away to escape their recent scandals. William was still alive when his mother Sarah wrote her will in 1838. She had by then moved to Eton and left him besides money a bible. Making a point Sarah?

Sarah died in 1844. She was the owner of the row of houses in Dean Street called Hatches Row, which were sold off after her death.

For all mentions of a person on this blog see the Person Index. Over 2,300 people are listed as of December 2021. You will find more on Sarah Hatch for instance there.

Some Sources:

Wills of William Hatch and Sarah Hatch. Transcribed by me from wills held at the National Archives Kew.

Great Marlow Parish Registers, transcribed by me from the originals.

Windsor and Eton Express 8th May 1828, 12th Jan 1833, 25th Jan 1834, 29th August 1835, 19th Dec 1835.

Paper copies held at the British Library and accessed by me via their partnership with the BNA.

The London Gazette (compiled) Volume 2 by Thomas Neumann 1831. University of Iowa Archives, digitized by Google.

GRO Death Registration Index, online from the GRO.

Some First World War Graves Marlow Cemetery

Above, 31623 Private C W Collins 10th Hussars 21 September 1918

Above, 2016(3?) Private A F Bowles. Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry September 1918. Note added by Charlotte October 2025= This was Arthur Frederick born 1884. He died of pneumonia in Bedford hospital. See this post for more on him.

Above, Edith Nelson [nee Harris] second daughter of Henry and Mary Ann Harris, died July 12 1916 age 30. "Thy Will be done". 

ALSO OF

Phillip Francis "Jack" Harris

16th Service Batt K.R.R, the beloved and youngest son of the above Henry and Mary Ann Harris who was killed in Action on the Somme (France) November 3 1916 and buried in France age 21 years. 

"Greater love hath no man than this/ that a man lay down his life for his friends" 

Above, 1773 Private R J Tye. Bucks Batt. Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, 23rd January 1916. Age 17

Above, W H Beaver, Officers Steward 3rd RNL/3356 HMS Sentinel 2nd Jan 1917 age 21

A group of soldiers from the East Anglian Royal Engineers stationed locally attended Marlow Cemetery to give full service honours to Third class Officers' Steward William at his funeral. He had died of TB. He lived at 4 Trinity Road.

Above 2720 A.C Moody Royal Engineers Died 10 December 1915 age 20

Above, Thomas Sparks, 1st Garrison Batt. Worcester Rgt. Age 32 years. December 3 1918. 

"Sleep on dear one, take your rest/They miss you most, who loved you best". 

ALSO:

Arthur William Sparks d. November 28 1925 age 40. 

*These are only a selection of graves. Do a surname search using the Graves tab and persons index for your ancestor if you can't find them here. We upload images of graves or memorials dating prior to 1929 with a few exceptions*

You may also be interested in :

First World War memorial tablet at the Brewery. here

World War 1 in Marlow year by year (detailed). See also graves listings for more of the war dead, these are being uploaded gradually.

1914

1915

1916

1917

1918-19

©Marlow Ancestors. Reproduction of these images is freely allowed for family or local history purposes if you credit this blog. 

History of Marlow in the First World War - 1917

 JANUARY 

- A group of soldiers from the East Anglian Royal Engineers attend the Marlow Cemetery to give full service honours to Third class Officers Steward W.H Beaver of H M.S Sentinel who has died of TB aged 21.  He lived at 4 Trinity Rd. His grave can be seen here

- Marlow's first boy scout troop is formed. 

FEBRUARY 

- The Thames is frozen near both Marlow and Temple Locks and hundreds gather on flooded meadows at Cockmarsh to enjoy skating there. The price of gas is reduced to pre war levels by the Marlow Gas Company, to the relief of many. By the winter, it has inevitably risen again. 

- The Marlow tribunal suspends their work after its allegations by the military authorities that the recruitment figures from the district are less than satisfactory. They are furious and decide to immediately adjourn all appeals while they wait for a reply to their indignant letter requesting an explanation. They do not blame the military representatives who attend the tribunal, who they say do not appear to have been consulted. A few weeks later they hold a closed meeting to discuss the reply that has arrived. They feel accused of undue leniency in granting appeals and don't feel the letter gives a proper answer to their questions. So they fire off another letter to the authorities. 

- A Public meeting is held in the market square, and another at the Brewery to exhort people to take out War Savings. A savings bureau is opened at the Institute from 7-8pm each day so residents can find out more. A couple of weeks later the Post Office at Marlow say they have issued war savings certificates to the value of £1,910.

Above, The Old House in West Street,  which was used for officer accomodation for those encamped at Bovingdon Green when the camp got washed out. 

MARCH

- The home counties Royal Engineers (territorials) who have been in Marlow since late 1915, leave for Maidenhead. They have been so long associated with Marlow that their departure is sometimes mistaken for the end of soldiers being stationed here. However, they were immediately replaced by  500 members of the East Anglian  Royal Engineers (territorials) from Maidenhead. These would remain in Marlow into 1918. It's a cold day, with snow on the ground, but locals still stop and watch the men depart and their colleagues arrive under command of Major Walker.

- The newly formed Scouts begin collecting waste paper for the war effort.

- An advertisement in the local papers says the countries food stocks are low so every time a Marlow resident eats they should say to themselves that "our merchant sailors have died and are dying" to bring the food to them. 

- Local Government Board send a letter to the Marlow Tribunal saying Marlow should not have included in the list of unduly lenient ones. Pride is restored and the tribunal resumes adjudicating claims for delaying or stopping individuals conscription. 

- The war claims an indirect victim in young William T Bowles, age 7 who is run down and killed by a Red Cross Ambulance from the Canadian hospital in Taplow. The driver is exonerated of blame. It seems little William had been playing with a dog in the street and absorbed in his game, he ran out into the middle of the road immediately in front of the Ambulance. He sustained fatal head injuries. (William is the son of Thomas Bowles of 47 Dean Street. )

- The Royal Engineers have the use of Marlow cricket ground for the season, where they  mostly play military teams, in front of a civilian audience. And of course they hold one of their regular sports events, most recently a regatta, and then athletics  - held on the Borlase playing field. Gate receipts from both events raise funds for the Royal Engineers POW appeal fund.

JUNE - 

- Whitsun sees a crowded river and train service that remind some of Pre war high days and holidays. The number of motor cars heading into town is noted as petrol use for leisure activities is supposed to be limited.

JULY 

- Marlow regatta may have been cancelled for the duration of the war but the soldiers stationed in Marlow can't organise enough regattas. Military teams from a variety of local camps join the Royal Engineers in the latest military regatta held on the Thames. The evening sees a concert held at the Rowing Club in aid of the RE POW fund. 

- The Marlow War Supplies depot in Victoria Road, running since 1914,  appeals for funds as demand for their work outstrip supply. It is also a  branch of the Queen Mary Needlework Guild. 

AUGUST 

- The first Marlow Boy Scouts now number 100 members. They are asked to take part in a parade organised to commemorate the anniversary of the declaration of war on Germany. The Royal Engineers and Marlow Fire Brigade join the march. A platform is erected in Market Square and draped with flags and bunting. The town council address the crowds and propose a resolution that Marlow will carry on her war efforts through to success. Unsurprisingly, the resolution passes and the crowd cheers until the singing of the National Anthem brings things to a close. 

- Audiences attending the evening performance of Broncho Bills circus in the Crown Meadow get a surprise when the end of the show coincides with a raid aiming to catch men avoiding military service. The police, assisted by the military, arrest 4 men, one of whom is a circus worker. The others are "circus followers" who are not local. All are eventually handed over to the military authorities. 

- Sapper George Verney, Royal Engineers (Inland water transport service), and landlord of the Nags Head, Dean Street, dies of shell shock  on August 10th leaving a widow and 3 children. He was in Epsom hospital after active service in France. 

Other reports suggest an external head injury was also involved. 

OCTOBER 

- Marlow urban district council display a list of maximum coal prices that will be charged, which have been negotiated with the traders. The cheapest price is for "kitchen" grade coal at 35/6 per ton. 

NOVEMBER

The East Anglian Royal Engineers at Marlow decide to follow the example of their Home Counties RE colleagues and start a mixed hockey team with local ladies. This time they also decide to have men's teams, and civilians can join.

- Borlase school hosts special service in their chapel to commemorate the many former pupils who are among the fallen and injured. A collection at the end is made for the Red Cross. 

DECEMBER

The food control committee in Marlow announce they will be starting a communal kitchen at a unused shop at 55 High Street. They have secured it with half price rent and a grant from the local council to help set it up. This will serve both eat in and takeaway meals. The aim is to help workers get a filling meal and to assist fuel preservation by using economies of scale to cook in quantity. But if you go, don't forget to take a knife and fork as they aren't supplied. You will however get a bowl and plate. Eat in diners have to order their meal at the counter then carry it upstairs where there are two rooms set aside. (See also April 1918 and January 1919)

- John Langley, chairman of the Urban council and the Marlow Tribunal, gets caught in a London Air raid. He is in Paddington station when all the lights go out. In the dark, he stumbles and falls off the platform onto the rails. Thankfully no train is moving but he sustains a fractured thigh and has to spend 6 weeks in St Mary's Hospital at Paddington. It was Mr Langley that donated land for the new Cottage Hospital off Glade Road, using part of the area he let as allotments. See also February 1918. You can read a biography of John here

Written and researched by Kathryn Day

For a post on Marlow in 1914 see here , 1915 here 1916 here 

1918 here

Brewery First World War Memorial Tablet here

To find people of interest on the blog choose the Person Index on the drop down menu which lists every mention however small of an individual found on the blog. More detailed posts can be found under the Biographies sections. 

To read other posts relating to Marlow's military history or everyday life here in the past, see the post listing here

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