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.

Edwardian Spittal Street and Spittal Square Part One

Odd Numbered Properties

Note: Our Marlow ancestors were terrible at giving precise or consistent street addresses for themselves or others, knowing exactly what number they lived at (!), and the authorities made some bizarre property numbering decisions (don't get us started on Berwick Road... ). Some properties in Market Square at the bottom of Spittal Street were officially numbered as if in Spittal Street and could be described as being in either Market Square or Spittal Street  depending on the whim of the describer. They are included here. Properties in Spittal Square were also numbered as if in Spittal Street (but could also be referred to as being in Chapel Street or Dean Street by local residents depending on the property). Throughout history Spittal Street and Chapel Street which run into each other were repeatedly confused. Never believe any property is definitely in one street rather than the other without multiple pieces of evidence!

Edwardian building numbers are not necessarily those of the modern day. Multiple of the properties mentioned below no longer exist.

In this post I follow the popular perception of the "Edwardian age" as extending 1901-1914. Some incidences in the earlier lives of the named residents are also included. This is an ongoing project, if anyone has been missed we hope to remedy that as soon as possible.

For unplaced people who were in unidentified buildings in Spittal Street or Spittal Square see that the end of the upcoming Edwardian Spittal Street Part Two post here

1-3 Anne "Annie" Badger's fancy goods repository. Anne (born c 1842) had been in the shop for some years, though initially as a boot and shoe seller. Late on the night of Christmas Eve 1896 the horse-drawn omnibus from the Crown Hotel next door crashed into Anne's shop, smashing the window glass and breaking the gas pipe used to fuel the illuminated lamps in her windows. This represented a major fire risk but thankfully the leak was swiftly spotted and contained. Not a great Christmas present for Anne nevertheless! At least the accident did not occur in the run up to Christmas, when fancy goods shops were especially busy (they were effectively gift shops). Giving New Year gifts to friends was common at this time period however so any disruption to Anne's business would still have been costly to her, and of course the premises were also her home.

The omnibus horse received cuts from the plate glass window but the driver and sole passenger of the vehicle were unharmed.

Anne was the widow of Joseph Badger who had first ran the boot and shoe shop on these premises. He died aged just 35 leaving Anne with 6 children but thankfully also the shop to support them. Anne already served in the shop before Joseph's death. Her daughter Mary assisted in the business. A son Joseph junior was a solicitor's clerk.  When Anne retired in 1903 she moved with Joseph Junior into the newly built house Lulworth in Claremont Road. Sadly Anne died of heart disease not long afterwards. She was a Roman Catholic and is buried in St Peter's churchyard in St Peter's Street Marlow.

The Badger's shop was properly in Market Square. Confectioner Elizabeth Bennett may have been in these premises at the end of the Edwardian age.

5 John Ford's wholesale and retail tobacconist's / newsagent and confectionary shop in 1912 and 1913. John sold some unusual tobacco varieties as well as cigars  according to his ads. He supplied publicans amongst his other customers. Gone by 1915. Site later a cafe. Previously the International Tea Company Stores (who also occupied other premises in Marlow at different times). Property usually considered to be in Market Square.

7 Allam's fishmongery, then George and Elizabeth Davis newsagents who would remain there to at least the late 1930s.  Alfred Allam took over his mother Sarah's fishmongers. It has previously belonged to his father who was also called Alfred and who operated it as both a fishmongers and fruiterers plus a horse and carriage hire business. To read more about the characterful Alfred senior and Sarah, not to mention their brush with a "poltergeist" see this post. Alfred also features in this post. 

9 The Wheelwright's Arms pub. For landlords Edwardian and otherwise and for the history of this pub see this post.

11 The home of a Mr Welch in 1905 but seems to have been the site of business premises too. Situation needs clarifying.

13 Emma Carter's butchers premises. A biography of Emma is on the blog here.

15 The Carpenters Arms. Ran by Charlotte Rose and then her grandson Thomas Probert. More on the history of this pub and it's landlords here.

17 -  updates to follow.

19 Henry Harris master harness maker and saddler, rope and twine maker and - early in the Edwardian era - agent for motorcycles and a seller and hirer of bicycles too. He also sold horse care equipment like blankets and cleaning sponges. A long standing business in Marlow. In 1904 his ad says that he also traded in Wooburn. Henry was born circa 1854. Wife Ellen. In 1915 their only son Edward, who had previously worked as an engineer, was killed in action when the Navy ship he served was torpedoed and sank.

21 Richard Bowles boot and shoe dealer. Richard was born c 1839. Throughout the Edwardian era he had several members of the Bailey family as his lodgers, previously he had himself been a lodger with Baileys. Richard died circa 1914. By 1920 his former premises were incorporated into no 23.

23 Charles Baker gentleman's outfitter and hatter. Charles was originally from Wiltshire and born circa 1856. His wife Catherine took over the business as a widow. By them number 23 had been incorporated into it. The shop was still in operation in the late 1930s as "Baker's Clothiers" with a live in manager.

25 Colonial Meat Stores ran by Grace and co. Employee George Tennant lived on the premises with his wife Eliza in 1910 and 1911 (at least).

27 Boot family. Eliza (nee Collins) Boot kept a confectionery shop. Her husband Henry Boot was a French polisher. The family housed several lodgers. Daughter of the family Florence attracted much sympathy when she was stood up at the altar in 1907 by her fiancee Arthur Henry Lynch. He left her family home where he was helping with final preparations on the Sunday in order to go home to London where he lived with his mother. He was due back in Marlow on the day of the wedding on the 9.15 train from Paddington. He sent a telegram to Florence saying that he had missed the 9.15  but would arrive on the 11.15 instead which would be early enough for the wedding. However he never turned up. Nor as it turned out had he even told his mother he meant to get married and she did not know where he was either. The couple had "courted" for 5 years. Poor Florence had used much money from her savings to help pay for the wedding and the necessities for their first home together. She had also given up her long standing job in readiness for her married life. Arthur had been given as a wedding gift by his employers Great Western Railway two free passes to Teignmouth in Devon for their honeymoon. Henry Boot died  in 1907, the same year as his daughter's marriage disaster. A tough time for the Boot family. Eliza died in 1927. She retired from the shop after 1911 but by 1915.

29 Sawyer family home, a small cottage. Ada Sawyer born circa 1876 with her husband George who was a builder's foreman in carpentry for Sellmans builders in Marlow. Amongst the Edwardian building projects George would have worked on for the Sellmans were six houses built in Station Rise in 1904, the new C of E Boys' School in 1913 (now Holy Trinity) and the Borlase School chapel in 1914. His brother Harry was also a house carpenter and in this era lived with him. 

In 1903 Ada and George's daughter Edith had a miraculous escape after being ran over by a cart in Spittal Street. The vehicle went right over her legs. After the initial swelling went down however Edith regained the use of her legs and was able to walk again.

George was one of Marlow's volunteer firefighters and in fact the deputy fire captain.

The building of this old number 29 longer exists.

31 cottage and premises of Henry Collins gas fitter and whitesmith born circa 1838. His wife was Eliza. She was born circa 1850. Building no longer exists. Henry also had premises in Chapel Street in 1915.

At end of this odd number side of street with numbers indifferently given, all really in Spittal Square=

S Dorrell wheelwright business premises. Building no longer exists. Probably Sidney Dorrell born c 1878 who lived in Station Road with his parents.

Albert Hillsdon blacksmith / farrier business premises. There by 1906 but had previously operated from premises in Institute Road. The buildings on both sites no longer exist. This Spittal Street forge were previously the premises of W.J Walker. Albert was born c 1874. Wife Kate born c 1876. Albert was the son of William who had been a blacksmith up at Marlow Common. 

Henry Arber's. Building no longer exists. Henry Arbor senior and his wife Rosa lived prior to this in Duchess Place off Victoria Road and their son Henry junior when grown up also lived in that street. It is not clear which Henry is the "Henry Arbor" recorded in a property in Spittal Square in 1907 though I'm reasonably sure it was Henry junior. In either case the Arbor occupation was not for long. Henry senior was originally from Cambridgeshire and had been a stone dresser in Stephen Smith's corn mill. He was born circa 1856. In 1898 he was one of those who formed a committee to set up a sick benefit club for women as an off shoot from the Clayton Arms pub slate club. A few years previously Rosa had been seriously ill and the couple's eldest daughter Lillian was kept home from school to help look after the other children in the family and her mum. This went on long enough to lead to Henry being summoned to court for neglecting her education. Extra money from a benefit club to pay for hired domestic help and extra medical support in such a situation would have helped this family tremendously so you can understand Henry's interest in such schemes. At around the same time his son Henry junior "Harry" was refusing to go to school anyway and staying out all night. His father repeatedly asked for him to be placed in an "industrial school" as he considered the young teen uncontrollable. This was eventually achieved when a place for him was found in an Isleworth industrial school. The school didn't work as after he arrived back in Marlow Harry soon found himself fined for  throwing stones in the station goods yard with other lads. Obviously he found self discipline in himself in the end as he became a regular player for Marlow Football club during the Edwardian era and also then won prizes for his punting on the river. He worked as a boat building labourer at Shaw's boatyard (who hired no one who wasn't hardworking and good at their job). While at work in 1908 Harry found in the river mud a diamond studded gold purse. It was realized to be the lost property of someone who had lost it when visiting Marlow seven years previously. Hopefully the eagle-eyed Harry got a reward!

Sadly Harry died of complications following an appendicitis operation while he was in service in France in the First World War. He left a widow Mary and three children. His bereaved parents had previously lost their baby son Edwin of convulsions caused by "teething".

By 1911 Henry senior appears to have moved to Water Eaton in Bucks to work at the Smith's corn mill there while Rosa was left behind in Marlow. This was probably a temporary job for Henry rather than evidence of a separation for the couple, however I do not know for certain. Rosa lived in Marlow Fields in the Newtown area of Marlow.

Lillian Arber became a domestic nurse.

Picture Palace cinema constructed 1913. Much more about the cinema on this post.

Post researched and written by Charlotte Day. © Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use my research for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog.

Compiled from a great many sources. It would take a blog of its own to list them all. Some are listed below.

Kelly's Post Office Directory of Buckinghamshire etc 1911, 1915, editions. Kelly's Limited. 

Kelly's Directory Of the Leather Trades 1881.

Marlow Directory and Almanack 1902, 1907 and 1914 editions. 

Marlow Printing Company.

Property and rental records, shop bills.

England and Wales Census 1901 and 1911 from the National Archives, Kew. Census information remains Crown Copyright.

South Bucks standard 7th Jan 1898 and 26th June 1903.

GRO death and marriage registrations from the National Archives.

"England and Wales, National Index of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1957", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7XNJ-PCN2 : Tue Mar 05 23:44:45 UTC 2024), Entry for Henry Walker and Mary Ann Stockbridge, 25 Oct 1894.

Avert Your Eyes..Bathers About!

People have always bathed in the Thames, sometimes for necessity, sometimes for pleasure. The trouble for Victorian Marlow residents was quite a lot of them liked to do so in the nude. 

If you read reports of those swimming and bathing in the river early on, often in terms unfortunately of their escape or otherwise from the prospect of drowning, it's clear they are swimming naked. Or at least the men were. It was expected and not commented on in a shocked way - it's more that the fact was revealed by statements about where their clothes were found and how the fact that they were wearing none was taken as an indication they had deliberately entered the water to bathe. This wasn't something restricted to youths and it cut across class boundaries. But as the Victorian era progressed, this changed. Mutterings begin about "bathing nuisances" and "public indecency" and it became an issue that got some people very hot under the collar indeed. 

A hygienic and life preserving exercise

Back in the late 1850s, swimming was said to be "quite the rage" among the (male) youths of Marlow. A Mr Goggs had taken it upon himself to teach a number of the boys to swim. Some of the private boys schools taught their pupils to swim, for example William Faulkner's Prospect House Academy and later Marlow Place School where swimming lessons cost a "moderate fee" in 1863.

Given that many of the boys would have grown up to work on or near the river, this sounds like a good idea. The boys' minds then turned to competitive swimming. Some unnamed gentleman thought that this craze for swimming was a hygienic and life preserving exercise and to encourage the lads, set up a swimming competition in August. There were also races for men but none for females of any age. This was the start of an annual but long forgotten sporting event that attracted big crowds. About the same time an Amateur Swimming Society was formed and they took on the organisation of the swimming races, as well as matches between two close rivals. There was a cup for the most successful competitor under 16 and other races were swam for prizes like fishing rods. In 1863 the juvenile cup was won by the ever sporty Augustus Creswell. In 1865 the annual swimming race was swam between Bisham Abbey and the suspension bridge with "many hundreds" of people watching from the bridge and along the tow path. Everyone expected Augustus Creswell to win as always but he was pipped at the last by Master Povey. Povey had a very successful day overall, as he also won the diving prize. And where were the boys diving from? Marlow Bridge! The winner succeeded by diving the greatest distance and remaining the longest underwater. Thankfully all the young men resurfaced without any broken limbs. Other names mentioned as competitors include Shaw, White, Rose and Blacksmith. The younger boys had shorter races - winners include Shaw, Gibbs and Honey.  These races continued for a number of years, and were revived in the late Victorian period. 

In 1873, the Reverend Cree wanted to create a designated safe bathing place. He knew that many used the back waters behind the mill to bathe but this was not always considered very safe. Funds were raised and a committee formed but then they hit a problem. None of the landowners owning the river bank land would give up even a small part to allow the project to be realised. So the plans came to nothing. Later that summer Dr Shone's young assistant surgeon William Henry Anderson, drowned whilst swimming in those fore mentioned mill back waters. He was 23. It was said that his death meant the poorer classes in particular lost a kind, patient and skillful friend. The jury at his inquest publicly made a plea that a proper bathing place should be provided for without delay.

Wash the London dirt away

Visitors to the town were advised to get one of the fisherman (fishing guides) to take them by punt to a suitable spot for a swim. They advised only good swimmers to attempt it, but the rewards would be worth it. Joseph Ashby-Sterry, writing a travel guide for 1874, said bathing at Marlow was a pleasure for which he would "gladly give a good part of my limited earthly possessions." It was just the thing for washing off the dust of London. He recommended bathing at the weir itself, holding on to the paddles, for an exhilarating experience. He may have enjoyed this, but he was obviously unaware of the number of people who have drowned in that vicinity. 

A perpetual infestation of nudists

In the late 1870's, the problem of nude bathing was starting to be treated more seriously. In 1877 High Street chemist Charles Miller Footitt went along to the Petty Sessions to plead with the magistrates to do something about the issue. Robert Hayes Smith seconded this and said the river banks were "perpetually infested" with those who not only bathed nude but wouldn't confine themselves to the water but were to be frequently seen running along the bank, sans clothing. The magistrates were sympathetic but could only act on the transgressors if they were bought before them. 

Six years later, a meeting was held to consider the issue of a bathing place again. If everyone had somewhere particular to bathe it could be sheltered from sight and limit the spread of our streaking friends. One of the speakers William Shone, made the good point that very many of the poorest in town had no real facilities to wash themselves properly in the summer unless they used the River, with the result the river banks were constantly covered by boys and men bathing. Everyone agreed that providing a spot for comfortable and decent bathing was a good idea, but what they could not decide was where it should be. Around 1900 Colonel Clayton offered the use of Slough Pond "near Gossmore" for conversion into a bathing pool. It would be equipped with an inlet and outlet so a constant supply of Thames Water would keep it fresh. But the work and expense involved made the Council shy away from this proposal. 

Beware the young savages of Marlow

Thames Conservancy bye laws to ban bathing without wearing a suitable costume were in force here by 1891. These rules also restricted bathing to before 8am or after 8pm. But the rules were routinely flouted. The police received many complaints, and so decided in 1891 to send a plain clothes constable duo strolling by the river to catch the offenders in action. And this they did. The police said they found a pack of boys dashing about the river banks entirely unclothed like a parcel of "young savages". They managed to round up 5 boys and they duly appeared before the magistrates. They were described as "poorly dressed lads". It is not hard to understand how unrealistic it would probably have been for their families to provide them with bathing costumes, or even a spare set of dry clothes to change into if they bathed in their others. Henry and William Rockell, Joseph Boot, George Thorpe, and William Tubb were fined 2s6d each but they were warned that a second appearance would result in a  sharp fine. General Sir George Higginson, as magistrate said it was "monstrous that ladies were deterred from walking by the river in the summer evenings" because of the risk of coming across such a group. The police should have stuck with the plain clothes approach. In 1905 some groups of boys, missing their garments, were reported to be having a riotous time in the water and on the river bank, splashing and running about. A constable in uniform attempted to creep up upon them but his helmet showed him up and the boys scattered. The constable did not catch any young savages this time! 

Progress was lacking on any public facility, but a privately owned island near Marlow Lock, the property of A G Lovell and later the High Street builder Young Lovell, was by the 1890's in use as a permitted bathing spot. It was said Mr Lovell seldom refused permission to anyone asking to use it as a base for swimming. It was secluded and regarded as a safe spot. He had generously erected a shelter there for the bathers use but after this was trashed in 1892, he restricted the use of the island for a while and introduced a small charge to use the hut. It was not manned, instead you could get a ticket to use it from the lock keeper at Marlow. It was still possible to use it at the time just before the First World War. The Boys Life Brigade had also secured a piece of land adjoining the backwater of the lock for their swimming base in 1903. Non members could get a ticket to use the facilities by applying to Mr Lunnon. This was also used unofficially by other young bathers who did not want - or could not - pay. 

Not for improper purposes

By 1900 the reports of illicit nude swimmers are a little less frequent but there were those worried about the potential for indecency during the dressing and undressing process. The Thames Conservators considered the solution was for local councils to provide wood and canvas screens not less than 4ft 6 high for people to change behind. They advised the council to take steps to make sure these screens were not used for any "improper purposes". The council noted the suggestion but took no action to construct the screening. 

I go by violence!

It was this issue of changing on the river bank that seems to have caught out Munday Dean resident William Macdonald in the summer of 1908.  He was bought before the magistrates for bathing without proper dress 300 yards from Marlow Bridge. He said in court that he had a bathing suit with him and must have been observed when only briefly nude as he was changing in or out of it. The constable who witnessed William's bathing session said he had been observed standing with nothing on, in the water and splashing himself.  He then began lounging on the river bank, still undressed, while reading a newspaper and keeping an eye on his 3 unconcerned young daughters and their three friends. At the time of his arrest William said he had bathed all over the world but had never been told it was indecent and Marlow should put up some warning signs if they thought it was. The magistrates disagreed and fined him £1 plus costs. William protested strongly and shouted "I go by violence" when forcibly removed from the court - something that took several policeman. 

But what of the ladies?

The idea that women might also want to bathe was now being considered by some. Mr John Foster wrote to the local paper in 1904 wondering why such a town as Marlow, which prided itself in facilities for visitors wanting to enjoy the river, should have no bathing place for ladies. The swimming race meeting of 1911 had events for women and girls. This was open to those living in or visiting the area between Henley and Maidenhead, and made use of the Marlow Rowing Club lawn. It ended with an "aquatic drama" enacted by members of the rowing club, entitled "Attack on the Settlers Camp". Sounds an interesting entertainment! 

A bathing place at last

 The arguments about providing any kind of bathing place were still rumbling on and 20 years of council meetings on the subject produced almost identical conclusions. They loved the idea, but not the cost of putting it together. Finally in 1912, Mr Vansittart Neale offered to provide a spot to construct a bathing space in exchange for a yearly fee. This would be accessible from the Bisham side of the river and while access from Marlow was considered best, no one on this side of the river would allow it. Mrs Taylor of Stoneyware,  threatened to ban public access to the tow path if bathing was not more tightly controlled. This was in her power to do as technically she only had to allow access to those involved in towing boats. If somewhere for swimming could be properly provided, she would however donate £50 towards the initial cost. This and a promise from the Thames Conservancy that they would ban bathing from the towpath altogether if Marlow provided a free bathing place, prompted the council to action. Tenders were sought to build a 21ft long and 8ft wide dressing hut. The bathing pool itself would be 75ft long, 20ft wide, and 3-6ft deep. The bathing hut would be on the eyot with plank bridge to gain access to it from "the new road leading to Cookham" (Quarry Wood Road). In the end a 7ft diving pool was also provided, with a 16ft long springboard (6ft projection) set 3ft above the summer water line.  

Progress on getting things going was slow thanks to bad weather but the bathing place finally opened in 1913. It had a timber and iron changing hut complete with earth closet behind. It would be open all year from 7 or 8am to 7-10pm depending on the season. An attendant was present although only in the evenings and on Sunday mornings. Boys under 12 had to leave by 7 and there was signs up reminding bathers that swimming without proper costumes or drawers was forbidden and you could only get changed within the hut. Anyone hoping to laze around on the island before or after their swim was out of luck. Loitering after coming out of the water was not allowed, nor was entry if you didn't intend to bathe personally. The Thames authorities were good to their word and banned bathing from the tow path between Marlow Bridge and Bisham Grange.

Female only bathing times were introduced in 1914, although none were on Sundays. Later the changing facilities were extended and you could pay to use boxes to store your things securely while you swam. This helped to make the bathing place self supporting as it needed regular dredging and cleaning. 

Death at the bathing place

Learning to swim here probably saved many lives. A large number of people especially children have drowned in the Thames at Marlow. Sadly even the bathing place saw a drowning in 1917. The then attendant George Higgins of Dean Street, (see note 1 below) died on entering the water to save two young ladies within the bathing place who had got into difficulties. He jumped in but never resurfaced. He is believed to have suffered a heart attack. Rose Maddox Morse, a young lady of Bourne End, who was bathing there at the time managed to retrieve the unconscious George and performed artificial respiration on him although sadly he could not be saved. Rose also rescued one of the two girls who had initially got into difficulties, with the other saved by a man who nearly drowned himself in the effort. Rose rightly recieved a medal for her bravery. Thank goodness women were allowed in the bathing place! 

This spot continued to be used until the 1950's. A proposed bathing lido for Higginson Park in 1933 never took off. 

NOTES 

1. At George's inquest questions were raised about whether he had rightly been appointed. Although he had been a strong swimmer at one point, he had suffered a paralytic stroke 18/19 years before which had left him with a limp. He had told those responsible for appointing him that he was confident he could swim across the bathing place 4-5 times if necessary.  They did not ask him to prove this. It seems his death of a heart attack could not be foreseen though. He was only 59. Some of the witnesses criticised the fact that the life preserver was only half filled with cork and had no rope attached. They said Mr Higgins had complained about it. The council denied he had raised the issue. 

Related Posts

Little lives lost in The Thames here

Bellows, bricks and brandy - reviving the drowned here

The Sorry Youth of Today - 1896 style here

Biography Robert Shaw, king of the river here

All mentions of an individual here can be found under the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. For more posts related The Thames, see the River sub category under the General Marlow History section of the same menu. 

SOURCES

Ashby- Sterry, Joseph. Tiny Travels. (Tinesley Bothers, 1874)

Taunt, Henry - A New Map of the River Thames from Oxford to London (Taunt, 1872)

Grace, William G, Outdoor Games and Recreations: An Encyclopaedia for Boys. (Religious Tract Society, 1892)

South Bucks Free Press August 26 1859. Copy from the British Library, and accessed via the BNA. 

A Guide To Marlow 1905, anon. 

Royal Humane Society - For the Reviving of Persons apparently dead by drowning -( R.H.S - London 1783) 

South Bucks Standard August 15 1863, August 21 1891, September 16 1892 April 6 1900, May 29 1903, January 15 1904, August 4 1905, 26 July 1907, June 26 1908, June 17 1910 , July 18 1912 as above

Reading Mercury August 15 1863, June 23 1917, as above

Berks County Paper July 22 1865, as above

Bucks Herald - August 2nd 1873, June 23 1877, August 22 1891, February 10 1933, as above

Maidenhead Advertiser September 6 1911, as above

Researched and written by Kathryn Day

©Marlow Ancestors.