Will Elizabeth Barnes, 1715.

 Will of Elizabeth Barnes, spinster of Great Marlow. Proved 1715.

Says she sick and weak in body but of sound and disposing mind.

Puts soul in to hands of God. Asks body to be simply buried as executor sees fit.

To my loving master Thomas Abington a pair of golden and a silver crucifix now in the custody of ?William Henklett.

To Mr Thomas Osbourne 30 shillings. 

£5 to Jane wife of Thomas Pye of Great Marlow, labourer.

To kinswoman Mary Kinsell spinster of Worcester all rest of goods, chattels and personal estate. Mary is told to be kind and loving to her mother Ursula Kinsell and to assist her according to her ability and being mindful of the Day Of Judgement. Mary is made sole executor.

Witnessed by John Griffiths, Winifrid Pomfrett, and Thomas Beesley.

Will held at the National Archives Kew. Transcribed and then summarized by Charlotte Day.

Notes: Elizabeth was a Catholic. Other records say that she was the servant of Thomas Abington's sister. The Abingtons were also a Catholic family.

Executor of the will Mary was Elizabeth's niece. By 1716 she had married Henry Humphreys of Dorset, an innkeeper.

Winifred Pomfrett was a Marlow innkeeper. Thomas Beesley witnessed a huge number of Marlow wills. Probably Rev Thomas Beesley, though he was Protestant.

Will transcription index for this blog here

More posts on Catholics in Marlow History indexed here

All mentions of someone on this blog can be found under the A-Z Person Index.

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

Will Summary John Burridge of Great Marlow 1726

Tailor.

Will written 1724, proved 1726.

Says he sick and weak of body but of sound and disposing mind.

To dear and loving wife Frances for life:

Two messages or cottages situate in the High Street Marlow in the occupation of Elizabeth Small and John Brindscombe. Also the two cottages next to Potlands in Marlow with the close of land and premises belonging in to them in the occupations of James Harding and John Jordan.

After Frances's death the cottage occupied by John Brindscombe to my nephew John Burridge son of my brother Richard deceased. Other properties mentioned to niece Mary daughter of my brother George deceased.

Sole executor wife Frances.

Witnessed by Mary Lattimer, Thomas Clidsdell, Thomas Beesley.

I transcribed this from a will at the National Archives, Kew and then produced a summary here.

©Marlow Ancestors.

You are welcome to reuse my summary for family and local history purposes with credit to this blog.

King's Arms / King's Head Little Marlow Occupiers.

AKA Old King's Head / King's Head Inn / Kings Head Arms / Kings Arms.

Updated by Charlotte October 2024.

Existed 1689 but landlord at that time not known. There was also a Kings Head in Great Marlow High Street at that time but the latter is very long gone.

The pub was occasionally used to host auctions in the late 1700s and earlier 1800s. It was also frequently used for Coroner's Inquests for the Little Marlow dead.

1823- Joshua Phillips, who was also a plumber, glazier, one of the constables of Little Marlow and the Inspector of weights and measures for Buckinghamshire. "Old Kings Head" He was at the nearby Queens Head 1830.

1839 - 1864 Joshua Phillips again after seemingly having been in between times at the nearby Queens Head. Note that one 1839 trade directory incorrectly gives his name as Jessie. It is annoyingly common for these directories to make such mistakes (and to be 1 to 2 years out of date by the time they were published) This is one reason I don't use them routinely for research as often as I wish I could. His first wife died 1843 as per a death notice (which doesn't give her first name!) in the Berkshire Chronicle 14th October 1843. He married secondly Elizabeth Sawyer in 1851. In 1849 William Polley who worked for Joshua stole a glazier's diamond from him and was thus transported for seven years. Joshua died 14th February 1864.

1871 - 1874 Charles Phillips. Also a plumber and glazier. Born circa 1814. Died at the pub in February 1874 aged 60 and his widow Ann took over. 

1874 - 1891 Ann Phillips, widow of above. Charged with opening her pub for illegal hours in 1881 but the court believed her claim that the beer found inside had been drawn the day before and just had not been cleared up yet. In 1886 she lent a field she had to the Little Marlow Sunday School for a fête day for the pupils. [Bucks Herald 9th Jan 1886. This newspaper via the BNA / British Library partnership].

1891 - 1904 Charles Phillips, son of Charles and Ann above. Also a house painter. Pub then had a slate club. Wife Ada (née Beesley married High Wycombe, she of there, 1889).

1904 - George Henry Dancy very briefly.

1904 -1910 Henry Jordan.

1911 - 1912 Roland Ernest Kennedy. He was born in Bradenham, Bucks. Wife Florence (nee Peppal, married 1899). When he took over the pub he had no experience in the trade and found himself in trouble for not filling out his stock book for the Customs and Excise properly. Fined £5.

1914 Joseph Lambert [Joseph Lambert had a troubled marriage see Gravesend and Northfleet Standard 5th June 1914 available on the British Newspaper Archive]  - William H Woodridge.

1915 - William Woodridge

1920- Used for the inquest in the Kate Bailey murder case. For more on that see my post here Alfred Smith

1939- David James.

1949- Jimmy James and Mrs James. See picture below of a Christmas 1949 postcard issued by them.

This is going beyond our usual pre 1920s remit so I will stop there.

Dates next to a person are when I have personally seen firm evidence of their occupation at a pub. They may also have been present earlier or later. Pub occupations are compiled by me from wills, property transactions, adverts, court cases, censuses etc

Researched and written by Charlotte Day. 

For other Little Marlow content please see the Nearby Places Index here. The Person Index option lists every mention of a person on this blog, over 7,500 of them! See also the Pub post listing here

©Marlow Ancestors. If using our research please credit this blog and link here. You are however very welcome to do so.

Will Summary Hierom Gregory of Little Marlow 1675

Transcription by me from a will held at the National Archives, Kew and then summarised here. If you use this summary please credit to this blog but please feel free to do so.

HIEROM GREGORY, CURATE, OF LITTLE MARLOW. WILL PROVED 1675. WRITTEN 1674. [Note in other records name can be given as Hieron but is usually Hierom]

Says he weak in body but of good and perfect mind and memory.

Puts soul into hands of Almighty God.

To be buried at discretion of his executor who is his son Isaac.

Oldest son Hierom excused debt he owes plus given 5 shillings.

Edward Dunkley husband of testator's daughter Hannah excused £20 debt he owes him.

John Dunkley son of the above given £5 for his apprenticeship.

Testator's daughter Rebecca Beesley, wife of Thomas Beesley, clerk*, £50 plus household goods comprising [amongst some things I could not make out] 2 silver spoons, one dozen of the best napkins, a featherbed, 2 feather bolsters, 2 pillows, 2 pillow covers, the best sheets, 2 joined stools, the great green chair, the low red chair and a needlework cushion. Thomas himself got "the first act from the Book of Martyrs" and all Latin books testator has.

Grandchildren Charles, John and Hannah Beesley £5 each.

Daughter in law * Sarah Mark £5

Kinswoman Anne Slaughter £5

Rest of goods and chattels to son Isaac who is the executor.

Will overseers his loving brother William Bailey of Oxford and kinsman Jeremy Gregory citizen of London.

Witnessed by John Cook and Elizabeth Bulter.

*Language has changed since the 1600s. Be aware the term clerk meant vicar as well as someone in administration. The term daughter in law was used for both a step child and for a woman married to your son. As I have not researched this family further I can't say what is meant specifically by the writer of this will.

Most wills of this period had both executors and overseers. To be excused a debt you owed the will writer was also common.

Will transcription and post by Charlotte Day.

To find every mention of a person on this blog use the Person Index option on the drop down menu.

So far this blog contains mention of

125

people from or associated with Marlow.