Victoria Cross Holder David Rush

Victoria Cross holder David Rush may no longer be a household name in Marlow, but he was once a famous  adopted son of the town. His death was marked by Marlow citizens high and low with the streets coming to a halt for the funeral at All Saints. David was the yard clerk at Wethered's brewery too, so to the many locals employed there he would have been a familiar sight, supervising the loading of carts and drays. Still others would have known him as Colour Sergeant Rush, of the 1st Bucks Rifle Volunteers..

David was born in the 1820s in Bedfordshire, and he enlisted at the age of 17 joining the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers. He seemed take naturally to the military life and he was recommended for a commission before long. Unfortunately David was not actually awarded with one, due to the fact he had slightly exceeded the age then in force beyond which such a promotion could not be offered. If his superiors had hoped that discretion could be applied, they were wrong. He served in the East Indies and during the Indian Mutiny. David gained the Victoria Cross in September 1858 near Lucknow when he and a private took on 8 of their enemy, killing three. It was an act of "conspicuous bravery" and only one of many attributed to him. He received three other awards for gallantry, and 4 further medals over 25 years of active service*. In 1867, David was finally ready to retire, although he would not exactly leave all aspects of military life behind. For at the time of his retirement he was appointed a Yeoman of the Guard, and of course he joined Marlow's rifle volunteers. 

I believe he came to Marlow in order to take up his job as yard clark at the Brewery. During this time he lived in the High Street. He was on duty although not immediately present when labourer Job Jones was killed in an accident in the yard. The poor man was crushed below a cart that tipped up upon him. Only a little before another brewery worker had been killed while delivering supplies to the Hare & Hounds. The death of both was declared an accident, but in the case of Job it was recommended that the Brewery improve their procedures for immobilising their vehicles around the time of loading and unloading. David's job involved seeing that was done. A more happy role for him was presiding over the Brewery workers dinners and socials held at various places. He was almost inevitably voted to the chair at such times, as one of the most senior employees. He got to propose the toasts, and make a speech of thanks to his employers on behalf of everyone there. He seems to have been popular with both his superiors and the men in his charge, based on the riotous cheering that usually greeted the announcement of his name at the events. 

He joined the Rifle Volunteers shortly after his arrival in Marlow, when the Marlow Company was still very new itself and did not yet have it's own fancy headquarters in Institute Road. Victoria Cross or not, David started out in the Volunteers with the rank of private, although he was quickly promoted up the ranks. He was frequently chosen to represent Marlow at rifle shooting competitions eg at Wimbledon and he won many prizes for doing so. During the South African wars, Marlow residents could keep up with reports of the actions of two of David's sons, who were both serving in the Cape Mounted Police. David was often the subject of specific toasts at the volunteer dinners too. For example in 1868 he received three cheers and a toast. A cry out asking for David to tell the story of his gaining the Victoria Cross was "met with a tremendous volley of cheers". He replied to thank them for the "very kind manner in which they had received the mention of his name." 

When David died in 1886 after a "long and serious illness", most of the shops pulled down their shutters and a good crowd gathered to watch the sizeable funeral procession to All Saints despite appalling weather. After the service two volleys were fired over his grave. The South Bucks Free Press called it a "military funeral of very affecting character".  They praised not only his bravery but his "frank straightforwardness, diligence and attention" which he put to every task he tackled. The Maidenhead Advertiser added that he was a much respected resident. He left a widow Sarah and 6 children. Sarah remained in Marlow after his death, living in Glade Road with her elderly mother (also from a military family) and her youngest children. At the first annual dinner of the Brewery employees after David's passing, his empty chair was obviously felt when the Wethered's address "alluded in the most feeling terms "to the loss the firm had suffered. 

*David's medals were:

 1. Campaign Medal - Sutlej Campaign 1845/6

2. Campaign Medal "Panjaub Campaign" 1848/9 with clasps for Chillianwallah and Goojerat

3 Medal - Indian mutiny 1857-59 with clasps for Delhi, Lucknow and Relief of Lucknow. 

4 - Victoria Cross. 

5. Long service and Good Conduct medal. 

As to the other awards for gallantry, mentioned in a speech by the Wethered's at a brewery dinner, I could not trace them assuming them to be medals. 

Related Posts: 

To find every mention of an individual here on the blog, use the A-Z person index where you will find over 6,000 former residents of Marlow listed.  

Grave and research about another Marlow Indian mutiny veteran here

Colour Sergeant James Columbine, David's predecessor in the Volunteers : - biography here

The story of the Volunteer Encampments at Marlow here

For other military related posts, see the index here

Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

SOURCES:

Slough, Eton and Windsor Observer 20 January 1900, Slough Libraries. 

Census transcripts from the microfilm by Jane Pullinger and Charlotte Day. 

Bucks Herald 13 Nov 1886, &

 Maidenhead Advertiser, 06 June 1880, 5th December 1886 - British Library Archive. 

South Bucks Free Press, 30 November 1886, as above. 

Reading Mercury 30 July 1870, 14 December 1880, 29 January 1886 as above. 

The Volunteers Service Gazette and Military Dispatch 25 Jan 1879.  

No Fear, No Favour - Bob Perrin (BFP 1986)

With H M 9th Lancers during the Indian Mutiny - Harcourt F Anson  (Editor) W H Allen & Co, 1896. 

Heroes of the Victoria Cross - T E Toomey, (G H Newnes 1895)

© MarlowAncestors 

Rough Music and Rag Sorting - the life of Emily Frith/Jones

 

The subject of today's post is one of those former Marlow residents whose name we pick at random to research and feature. We do this to tell the story of as many people as possible, rather than focusing just on the famous or wealthy.  It was all the interconnected lives of our past residents that made Marlow what it is today. As always, even someone picked at random proves to be interesting.

Emily Frith of Gun Lane

Emily was born in the early 1830s in the surprisingly populous Gun Lane, Great Marlow, to Henry and Susannah. Henry worked mainly as a sawyer and carpenter. (Properties mostly demolished, now known as Trinity Road.) The cottage the family occupied was on the side later occupied by the Victorian Police station and petty sessions court, and it is now under the Dean Street carpark. The family had at least three other Frith households in the lane. Their home was one of the smallest there, with a assessed value of £3 10s in 1833. It was a fairly crowded area, with a relatively poor population, and as such many newly married young working class people took the opportunity to rent a affordable if unglamorous property within it. There are not many long standing Marlow families that won't have a Gun Lane resident amongst their members if they stayed long enough! Henry was lucky though to have a small garden attached to his home. Later he moved to the Common Slough (aka Spittal Square, where Chapel, Spittal and Dean Streets meet). Emily however, stayed in Gun Lane and at the age of 19 was lodging with her sister and brother in law Fanny and William Stroud in Gun Place. Gun Place was a little court of houses, all now vanished, off Gun Lane, and now under the Dean Street car park on the side of Rookery park. This was even more compact than Gun Lane, and suffered not infrequent problems with poor sanitation. 

Rag Sorter

Around this time Emily was working as a rag sorter while two sisters she lived with were satin stitch workers. The girls were therefore employed in two classic Marlow occupations of the time for young Marlow women. Neither role was well paid but both were at least steady jobs. Emily was almost certainly working at the Marlow paper mills, as they employed a good number of rag sorters, as rags were required in vast numbers to make paper at the time. It was not the easiest job as rag sorting was regarded as a frequently dirty and smelly task but it was a very highly skilled one. They needed to sort rags by type, before they could be washed and pulped and were required to work at a furious pace. Emily's hand and eye co ordination must have been excellent as would be her ability to concentrate. Most of those employed with her were also young women as females were regarded as better suited to the skills involved! 

Working Mother

In 1852 she married agricultural labourer Job Jones (of Forty Green by birth, later Great Marlow and Bovingdon Green). Job was lodging  in West Street at the time of the 1851 census. Job had spent a month in prison with hard labour in 1850 for damaging a tree. This means Job was most likely supplementing his income as very many Marlow men did, by gathering wood for the purpose of skewer making. The skewers were used in the meat industry. Making them obviously wasn't illegal but cutting bits off suitable trees or bushes to use as raw materials was, if you did not have the right to do so from that specific tree. (You can read about the skewering / "skewerter" trade in Marlow here). Plenty of Emily's Frith relatives had similar convictions as did many others in Marlow. Her father Henry had found himself in court at least once charged with theft (of a duckling from a farm) but that case was dismissed when the prosecutor failed to turn up in court. And her teenage brother Henry was fined for a "gross assault" on a young woman on a country footpath near Marlow Bottom. 

In 1861 Emily and Job were lodging with three young children at the Jolly Maltsters in Dean Street. (AKA the Jolly Malsters). As is true of many of the properties that would have been familiar to Emily, The Jolly Maltsters has been demolished. It was one of the larger and older drinking places in Dean Street and took in longer term lodgers for much of its history. While it started life as one of the more respectable Dean Street pubs and beer houses, it's reputation declined in the 1860s and by 1872 was in trouble for harbouring "people of notorious character" including poachers and prostitutes. (You can read about the history of the Maltsters here) Most of the trouble related to those drinking there, rather than living in so let's hope Emily and Job got plenty of peace! Emily was now working as an embroiderer, a useful job that many mother's could do at home around their endless domestic and child rearing responsibilities.  I have noted that many Marlow women who were previously rag sorters go on to work as embroiders too. Job was still working as a farm labourer, usually for the Wethered family. This was possibly the reason the family moved a mile or so out of Marlow to Bovingdon Green a short while later. 

In 1865 Job spent a few days locked up in the police station on suspicion of stealing coal from the brick kiln at Bovingdon Green. He was caught crossing the Green with a lump of it under his arm. When accosted by a constable, he said he'd picked up the coal from the grass. This was enough for the arrest of Job, despite the fact that Mr Corby had not missed any coal. Corby said he certainly could not identify it as belonging to him and Job was released. The JPs were not impressed by the case having been bought before them especially as the coal had a value of 2d!

Rough Music

Rough music involves a group of people going outside someone's home and making a cacophony of noise and disturbance to register a protest at the conduct of someone inside. It's often associated with alerting cuckolds or those engaged in relationships when unmarried that the community knows what's going on. I've noticed that many protests were directed at those suspected of violence towards their wives or habitual drunkenness but some also to those who had dobbed in someone else for committing an offence. It was getting to be a little old fashioned in 1874 and associated more with rural communities but it was not abandoned in our area for some time - especially around Bovingdon Green, Marlow Common and Lane End. 

In 1874 Emily was involved in just such an incident as a "musicker". A member of the household of Joseph Meade(s) in Bovingdon Green had "turned approver" in a court case relating to stolen corn. This means the "approver" had confessed to his involvement in the crime, and gave full information as to others involved, in exchange for a full pardon himself. The community of Bovingdon Green was very upset at this, and decided to let the Meade / Meades family know (or rather some members of it as some Meades were actually performing the music themselves!) Emily, along with her sister in law Eliza and several others created a hubbub outside the Meades home over two nights. Two policeman from Marlow tried to disperse them but they just came back repeatedly in circumstances described as "almost amounting to a riot". In the end 4 women including Emily and 3 men were arrested and charged with "unlawfully, wilfully and maliciously damaging the house and property" of Joseph Meades. Emily had to appear before the magistrates at the Marlow police court. Luckily for her, the magistrates were baffled as to why the charges bought were relating to property damage for which they felt there was no evidence, rather than "tumultuously assembling of the disturbance of the public peace". So the case was dismissed! It was alleged that Eliza had kicked the boards of Mead's pigsty and that all the women threw buckets of water at and into the house and banged on the window shutters with stones.

Smallpox

In 1870, one of Emily's daughters returned from London where she had been in domestic service. The girl had felt ill before leaving and, because smallpox was feared, dismissed, and shortly after arriving back in Bovingdon Green she developed unmistakable  smallpox symptoms. Another case was reported around the same time, also in a young person who had recently returned from London. Job's employer Mr Wethered was saluted for continuing to pay him while he was unable to work due to staying in precautionary isolation and helping to care for his daughter. The victim appears to have made a recovery although it is not stated if she was disfigured in any way by this dreadful disease. 

Death at the Brewery

In 1884 tragedy would intervene in the life of Emily. Husband Job was still working for the Wethered as a farm labourer but he was sometimes also employed by them to do casual work at their brewery. On one such day, poor Job would suffer a fatal accident in the yard. There was  loaded dray there, awaiting a horse, along with a cart loaded with a couple of barrels. Reports on the event contain some contradictory information as to what exactly happened but it seems most likely that Job tripped over the shafts of the dray and in attempting to steady himself grabbed the tailgate of the adjacent cart. This then tipped up crushing him with two barrells falling down. His son John was present and along with another lifted the cart off Job. He was placed on a horse blanket until the yard clerk David Rush told someone to fetch the stretcher from the armoury along with Dr Culhane who worked from  the High Street close by. He was taken into the Brewery office before the decision was made to take him home to Emily, with Dr Culhane accompanying the injured man. Sadly his internal injuries were severe and Job died the following day. He had according to his wife remained conscious to the last and had prayed unceasingly. 

At the inquest the verdict was accidental death but recommendations were made to the brewery to improve their procedures for immobilising loaded drays and carts. Some of those present said the wheels of the cart had been properly "scotched" that is wooden blocks or stones had been put under them to prevent movement, but others could not remember if it had been done and also it was admitted the stones were often slippery and wet and could easily be dislodged. It was also said by some that a two barrels had been placed under each end of the cart to prevent tipping up, or that one had been placed under the centre of the cart, and that the shafts were also resting on an empty hogshead for the same purpose. This last point was strongly denied by other witnesses and it's obvious from the questions asked at the inquest that some felt sceptical that a barrel placed under the cart could have been dislodged when Job stumbled given the weight of both that and the cart. At other times it was said the shafts were held by men while the cart was loaded which does not sound very safe either. Job was just 52*. His son John who was present at the Brewery was only 17. 

Goodbye Emily

A death notice for Emily, wife of the late Job Jones, appeared in the South Bucks Standard in May 1895. It tells us she was then living in Cambridge Place in Marlow. This is yet another entirely demolished address, which was previously located between Eton Place and Oxford Road, off Queens Road. I hope the last year's of her life were peaceful. 

NOTES:

There was another Emily Jones in Marlow of a similar age to our featured Emily. She was married to William Jones, who also worked at the brewery and lived in Bovingdon Green at times. This "other" Emily is most likely the one who took to casual nursing in the 1890s, working as an uncertified midwife. Uncertified was not the same as illegal, it meant she had not received formal training or qualifications which she was not bound to do at the time. 

Related Posts:

To find every mention of a family or individual here, use the A-Z Person index in the top drop down menu. There are thousands of people listed there with more names added weekly. We do try and indicate which families will soon be featured in published content, but the order can change if requests are made. 

Another death of a brewery employee in 1884 features here

To find other posts relating to Bovingdon Green see here 

Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

Sources include:

1833 Parish Assessment - our transcripts from the original notebooks in our possession. 

Census transcripts from the microfilm by Jane Pullinger and Charlotte Day. 

Bucks Herald, April 1850, January 1874 and November 1884 -  British Library Archive. 

South Bucks Standard November 1884, May 1895 and clippings related to the Job Jones inquest, courtesy of Miss Morton. 

Berkshire Chronicle November 1884, British Library Archive. 

Buckingham Express November 1884, as above 

Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News April 1850. 

"England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2JGT-KGC : 31 December 2014)

 Emily Jones, 1895; from "England & Wales Deaths, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Death, Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.

© MarlowAncestors

 

Research And Grave of Indian Mutiny veteran - Stanmore, Marlow

 In loving memory Thomas Stanmore  - an Indian Mutiny Veteran - Died March 22 1911 age 74 .

"Until the day break and the shadows flee away"

ALSO OF

Thirza wife of above. Died Christmas Day 1916 age 84.

"Peace perfect peace"

Location: Marlow cemetery

Research:

Thirza Carter married Thomas Stanmore at Marlow in 1870.

Thomas joined the army in 1856. He belonged to the 95th Derbyshire's also known as the Sherwood Foresters.  After he left in 1866 he worked as a coachman for Thomas Owen Wethered at Seymour Court. The two men both supported the Marlow branch of the Bucks Volunteers. Thomas won their shooting challenge cup for 2 years in a row. 

Thomas died of bronchitis. He had been an invalid for some time before that.

Thirza worked as a dressmaker after her marriage but was a servant prior to that. She grew up in Oxford Road Marlow, while her husband was from Wiltshire.

The couple's single known child was Thomas junior who went on to be a clerk at the Wethered family brewery in the High Street.

Photo and transcription by Kathryn Day, Research by Charlotte Day.

FURTHER INFORMATION

For more graves see the Graves menu here  

All mentions of someone on this blog can be found on the Person Index in the top drop down menu. And for military related posts, see the General Marlow History menu  here

Over 6000 Marlow people are mentioned on this blog so far!

©Marlow Ancestors. 

Brewery First World War memorial tablet

 

Placed on the courtyard wall, on the right if you enter from the High Street, it's quite high up. 

It reads :

"In  honoured memory of the four employees of the Wethered Brewery who were killed in action during the First World War. 

Private Robert Crew 

Private James Frith

Private Joseph Gilmore

Sergeant Henry Haddon

80 men and women served on the western front, in the Balkans and in the Middle East. Their names are recorded on the Wethered Brewery roll of honour"

Related posts:

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

1914

1915

1916

1917

1918-19

Historic Cost Of Living In Marlow *expanded May 2026*

Updated May 2026

Historic cost of living in Marlow (up to 1939) Part One. Part Two concerns the historic cost of fun, leisure and transport in Marlow and is available here. We have gathered these from many period sources- adverts, court cases, letters, auction information etc all specific to Marlow. To put these costs into context see Charlotte's post on wages in Marlow history here. A post about the Marlow cost of living for the 1940s -60s is now available here.

Homes:

(All unfurnished unless stated) 

Rent of Widmere Manor, per year 1518 = £12.

Rent of a 2 bedroom cottage with garret, wash house, wood house and garden in St Peters Street 1785 = £6 per annum. 

Rent of Albion House West Street 1817, per year = £63.

Annual rent of a 2 bed cottage and garden Dean Street 1829 = £3 10 shillings.

Annual rent of a 4 bed, 2 reception cottage near Holy Trinity 1861 = £14.

Weekly rent of a small cottage West Street, 1862 = 2 shillings 6d.

Annual rent for The Parsonage, St Peter's Street, 1865 = £50.

Annual rent for a 2 bed, 2 reception cottage with a small garden in Quoiting Square, 1866 = £11.

Weekly rent of a 5 room cottage with a garden in West Street 1872 = 2 shillings 6d.

Max rent a lady and gent were prepared to pay for 4 unfurnished rooms in a "genteel house" in or near Marlow, 1879, per year = £16.

Annual rent of a six bed house with walled garden in the High Street, 1879 =£45.

Combined sale price for two 2 bed houses in Station Road 1891 = £250 for the two.

Annual rent of Court Garden estate, (17 room house, and 33 and a half acre grounds including lodge entrance, stabling, kitchen gardens, vineries, peach houses, boat house and creek to river) 1891 = £225. By 1898 this had risen to £300.

Danesfield Estate 1896 [mansion, gardens, park, farm etc] sale price = £36,000

Freehold house Weir Cottage sale price 1896 = £1,930.

Building plots in the newly laid out Seymour Park Road suitable for bungalows or small villas 1899 = £40-50 (mostly not sold though!)

Yearly rent of a 4 bed, 3 reception room house in the High Street with an interior w c but no bathroom 1899 = £45

Yearly rent of a 2 bed bungalow in Newtown Road early 1900s = £25. 

Down payment required to secure one of several building plots on Newtown Road 1904 (cash only, no credit) = £25

Weekly rent of semi detached cottage Wycombe Road 1905 = 6 shillings 2 pence.

Rent for a semi detached 3 bed villa in Little Marlow Road 1905 = 9 shillings a week.

Rent of Quarry Wood House 1908 (7 bedrooms, 4 reception rooms, cellarage, conservatory, large garden, coach house, stabling) = £55 a year.

Rent of a 2 up 2 down cottage Dean Street with yard and outbuildings 1909 = £13 a year.

Rent of a "prettily furnished"  2 reception 3 bedroom house with bathroom, near to river, 1912 = 2 and a half guineas a week. Seems very expensive compared to Quarry Wood House above, which shows the sharp difference between furnished properties and those that were not. 

Rent of a brick cottage with two bedrooms, kitchen, scullery, store room and pantry (no living room), at Highfields on the outskirts of Marlow 1913 = £18 4 shillings a year.

Board and residence for a gentleman as paying guest in home Station Rd, inclusive of meals etc, 1913 = £1 a week. 

Rent of 3 bed, 2 downstairs rooms house Marlow 1914 =  5 shillings 6 pence a week.

7 room house to let, includes bathroom. Furnished, 1921 = 30s a week.

Rent of the one of the newly erected concrete pre fab 6 room cottages at West Str/Spinfield, 1924 per week - 10s. Only applicants with children need apply!  (These rents are deliberately set lower than local average)

A 4 room detached cottage with gas supply, for sale Marlow, 1925 = £525m

Single room to let to a lady, unfurnished, 1926 = 4s 6d a week.

To let in Wycombe Road, 3 bed detached house with three quarter acre garden and garage, 1932 = £80 per annum.

To let modern 3 bed, 2 reception room semi in Marlow with bathroom and electric lighting, 1933 = £1 per week.

3 room bungalow with 1/4 acre garden, Marlow, 1934, to rent = 11s a week. 

5 room bungalow known as The Rest, Oak Tree Road, with "splendid garden" and garage, 1935 = £700 freehold or would rent for £60 a year. 

And to furnish or maintain your home:

Print showing the cavalry of the Bucks Yeomanry, bought from an artist selling out of the Crown, Market Square, 1829 = 1 guinea.

Print of "North West View of Great Marlow Church" by Thomas Rumble, 1835 = 1 shilling 6 pence. 

Silver polish from Foottit's Chemist, High Street, 1859 per large bottle = 3s.

Cheapest clock available from Mr Stradling, "practical clock and watchmaker", High Street, 1862 = 7s 6d. 

A metal teapot, from the High Street shop of John Boroday, 1864 = 6s.

A Harper Twelvetrees washing machine (hand powered) ordered from agent  J Meakes ironmonger in Spittal Street and delivered free, 1864 = 50-60s.

Gas from the Great Marlow Gas Company per 1000ft consumed, 1866, = 7s 6d. This price is seen as extortionate! In 1897 the price was only 4s 6d for the same.

A ton of coal delivered from Walter Porter, whose wharf was at the Railway Station, 1873 = 37 shillings. In 1892 it was possible to obtain good coal for just 20s -21s a ton, delivered so the price fluctuated.

Tin of metal polish from Clifton's grocers in the High Street, 1885 = 1s.

Pair of solid silver salt cellars and spoons in a case from Rowes the jewellers in High Street, 1894 = 13 shillings 6 pence.

Oil-fueled table lamp, from Jasper Collins of Chapel Street, 1895 = From 9 and a half pence. 

Smokeless kerosene oil for lamps from Jasper above 1896 = 7d a gallon.

Expected cost of hiring a cart from the Marlow Urban District Council to empty your cesspit (you providing the horse to pull it and the labour to actually do the emptying) 1897 = 3 shillings 6d plus 5 shillings refundable deposit to ensure you returned cart in good condition.

Silver plated toast rack from Rowes, High Street 1897 =  from 3s 6d.

Bed quilt, from J Morgan & Sons, 1901 = from 2 to 30 shillings.

Cost of hiring the most basic small gas cooking stove from the Marlow Gas Co, per quarter 1901 = 2 shillings (includes repairs but not the cost of the gas itself or the rental of the gas meter)

Dust proof alarm clock from Rowes jewellers in the High Street 1904 = 4 shillings.

"Jewel" Anthracite stove (the latest tech with smokeless operation and little maintenance required they say) from Eddowes ironmongers 1909 = from £2 17 shillings.

1 pound in weight tin of paint for your walls, many colours to choose from, Barnard's Stores Chapel Street 1909 = 3 shillings.

Plate glass mirror with oak frame, from Barnard's as above, 1909 = 6 and 1/2 pence

Occasional table from Cudes furnishers in the High Street 1909 = from 5 shillings 6d.

Complete bedroom suite from G H Cude as above, 1909 = £2 17s 6d Note this didn't include a bed. It comprised dressing chest, wash stand, chair and towel stand, enamelled in any colour.

1 broom from Newman & Chalk, High Street, 1910 = 1s 9d.

Van load of firewood, mostly beech from G Dean & Son, 1920 = 10s .

Bunch of flowers, delivered free locally, from Coryton, Marlow Bottom, 1928 = from 1s. No telephone so send a postcard or call in to place an order. 

Second hand ice chest (to hold a block of ice for keeping food stored in the lower part cool. A no electricity "fridge"), 3ftx2ft, 1929 = 35s

A ton of coal, delivered by G E Stevens, Oxford Rd, 1934 = 38s for "London Brights" coal for general purpose use, 42s for Steven's "22 hards" blend "splendid for open grates" or the very best coal 54s. 

Second hand timber built garage, to fetch from Winchbottom Lane, 16x10ft, 1935 = £6 10s

Murphy brand radio set from R J Platt Radio Shop, 1937 = from £6 10s.

1 dozen daffodils, picked while you wait, from Millhouse Farm, Marlow Common, 1939 = 2d.

For the garden:

Gravel from Mr Allum / Allam Bovingdon Green 1874, per cart load = 5 pence.

A dozen tulip bulbs from Elliott's in the High Street, 1881 = 1 shilling.

Flower seeds from Elliott's in the High street 1882, per packet = 3d.

Cauliflower seeds from Elliott's in High Street 1882, per packet = 3d.

Broccoli seeds as above = 6d.

Lettuce seeds as above = 3d.

1lb of raffia grass for tying in garden plants, from Newman & Chalk, High Street 1898 = 6d.

Loam ideal for growing roses. From the brick works in Newtown Road (which also sold gravel for your garden paths) 1910 = 1s 6d a load.

A Ransome motor lawnmower from Batting & Sons, 1933 = from £22 17s 6d with 5% discount for cash payment.

Food and drink / preparing it: 

A half peck loaf of bread, price as fixed by MP William Burt Esq during severe winter of 1767/8 =  6d [a half peck loaf was the typical loaf size at this period, weighing 8lbs 11oz. Remember that poor ate bread for every meal, and sometimes only bread for a meal]

A pot of beer [equivalent to half a pint], regulation price in town 1846 = 4 pence. Went up to 5 pence in 1847.

"Large" loaf of bread Little Marlow 1847 = 4 pence.

3lb beef from Rachel Hall's butcher's shop West Street 1850 = 1 shilling.

2lb basic bread from Charlotte Sawyer baker of West Street 1851 = 2 pence. 

4lb loaf of finest white bread from baker Joseph Maskell of West Street, 1857 = 7d

2 ounce packet of coffee from George Cannon the bookseller (many booksellers and stationers sold tea and coffee too), 1858 = 2 shillings.

Cost of one pigs foot (yum!) in Marlow 1859 = 2 pence.

Pint milk from Westhorpe Farm Little Marlow 1860, delivered in Marlow = 1 and a half pence.

A pound of "nutritious" arrowroot, as prepared by native Christian converts at missionary stations in the South Sea Islands, from Fullicks, 1861 = 1s 6d 

A pound of pure unadulterated China tea from George Cannon, High Street 1861 = from 3s 6d.

1 quart of soup, from the town soup kitchen, cost subsidised by subscribers, 1862 = 1 penny. (Available only to any poor with a ticket, twice per week over winter.)

Tea (food and drink) served at the Temperance Societies rural fete at Harleyford 1865 = 9d. 

A pint bottle of Guinness Extra Stout from Fullicks and Coulton Grocers in the High Street, which was also an off licence, in 1867 = 4 sh 6d.

Supper of bread, bacon and potatoes served at The Carriers Arms, Wycombe Road, 1873 = 6d, plus a pint of beer for 2d.

A 4lb loaf from Mr Brooks on the Causeway, 1873 = 6d., a 2lb loaf from Henry Turner of West Street 1875 = 3 and a half pence.

Bottle of "Castle A" sparkling hock (white wine), from Edward Hewett, 1874 = 2s 9d . (Prices had recently increased due to demand created by "favourable recommendations from the medical profession" the makers said)

One orange from Walter Lovegrove the grocer in the High Street 1878 = 1 penny.

A rabbit from Coster's grocers in West Street, 1879 = 1s 7d.

Tin of biscuits from Joseph Dorsett's grocery shop 1881 = 4 shillings

A pound of "very fine" Black Hamburg grapes, sold by the gardener of Suffolk Lodge to the public, 1883 = 2s 6d.

A bottle of claret from the Greyhound Hotel, Spittal Street = 2s 6d.

Jar of marmalade or glass tumbler of blackberry jam from Robert and Sarah Ann Loosemoore's Spittal Street grocers 1885 = 4 and a half pence. 

Cost of hiring one of the new parish allotments Berwick Road 1886 = 6 pence [6d] a pole. Foxes Piece allotments 1908 = 10 pence per pole.

1 pint of gin, served in a jug with two glasses - Hare and Hounds, Red Pits, Henley Road, 1886 = 2 shillings.

A pound of pork sausages from Stillmans Spittal Street, 1888 = 9d. (Or go for cheaper beef ones at 6d a pound)

Pot of lemon curd, from confectioner William Kempster, High Street 1888 = 1 shilling (Confectioners didn't just sell sweets but all kinds of sweet treats e.g pastries too. Most were also or primarily bakers).

A bottle of rum from Clifton grocers and wine merchant High Street, 1888 = 2s 3d.

A cup of coffee from the Mission Rooms, Dean Street 1891 = 1 penny. This was subsidised in the hope it would divert the locals from alcohol!

Bread, butter and tea at Hurley Lock 1893 = 6d. This seen as a real bargain.

1lb tin of biscuits from Death & Sons 1894, "suitable for gifting" = 9d.

Home cured bacon from Joseph Dorsett, mild cure, 1894 = from 6d per pound. 

1 egg from Wymer's Farm 1895 = 1 penny.

Bottle of Spey Royal Whiskey, from Smith & Co, High Street, 1895 = 4d plus 1d deposit on the bottle. 

1lb "Special" Ginger Nuts from Death & Sons Bakers 1895 = 4d.

Bottle of whiskey from Smith and co, High Street 1896 = 4 shillings plus 1 shilling returnable deposit for the bottle.

Fancy box of dates, part of Christmas range, from Walter Lovegrove grocer of the High Street 1896 = 9d.

A dozen bottles of Jacob's Pilsner Beer from Walter Lovegrove grocer, 1896 = 5 shillings.

14 mince pies for Christmas from Death and Sons bakers 1897 = 1 shilling, a pound of mincemeat for Christmas from Browns in the High Street 1909 = 6 and a half pence, a pound of Christmas "New Marlovian Shortbread" from the same 1909 = 8 pence.

1lb lard from the Co-Op Market Square 1897 =  3 and a half pence.

Can of salmon from the Co-Op Market Square 1897 = 5d.

Wholemeal loaf from Death's Bakery 1899 = 1 and a half pence small, 3 pence large. (Weight not given)

Grapes from A E Howard, grocer High Street 1900 = 6d a pound.

York ham from A E Howard, High Street 1900 = 1s 2d  per pound.

Fresh butter from A.E Howard 1900 = 1 shilling 2 pence per lb. In 1902 it cost from 1s a lb from Howard's successor Frank Over.

Ripe stilton as above = 1s 4d per lb.  

1lb finest pork sausages from A.E Howard, High Street 1900 = 6d to 8 and a half d.

Half gallon of ale or stout from High Street grocer A E Howard 1901 = 8d.

A pint of beer at the bar of the Crown Hotel 1901 = 4d. A glass of beer cost 2d in the bar or 3d in the coffee room of the Crown. 

1lb of finest Ceylon tea, 1902, from Frank Overs Stores, High Street = 1s 6d (Frank took over A E Howard's premises in 1902). Alternatively 1lb of special blend tea from another High Street grocer Alfred Illsley would cost from 1s 4d per lb in the same year. 

Demerara sugar per lb, Frank Over's Stores, High Street 1903 = 2d.

Bag of self raising flour from Brown's Market Square 1905 = 3d.

3 pint tin teapot from Barnard's Stores Chapel Street 1909 = 6 and a half d.

4 pint iron gas kettle, from Barnard's as above, 1909 = 6 and half d.

1 cup and saucer, from Barnard's, 1909 = 1d.

Fancy pastry cutters from Barnard's as above, 1909 = 1 and half d.

7 lb (yes 7) jar mixed fruit jam, Barnard's as above, 1909 =  1s 4d plus 3d extra for the jar.

Large tin pineapple chunks, from Barnard's, 1909 = 4 and half d. (In 1929 a tin of pineapple from International Stores cost 5d).

Hindquarter of best Canterbury lamb, from E Hogg butcher of Market Square 1910 = 7 and a half d per lb. 

1 pint of soup served at the Communal Kitchen, High Street 1917 = 2d (Bring your own cutlery). 

1/2 pint portion of stew with dumplings, in Communal Kitchen as above = 2d

Treacle Tart, as above 1917 = 2 and a half pence.

Quartern loaf of bread (4lb, a traditional loaf size), from Co op Stores, Station Rd, 1917 = 10&1/2 d

A lb of damson from Neighbours in Market Square 1917, = 1 and a half pence. Delivered free.

Tin of haddock (no size given) from Barnard's Stores, 1921 = 4&1/2d (this is a special offer price as they have just taken in 1,000 of the tins apparently).

Mitre margarine "made like butter, looks like butter, tastes like butter, made with butter" , from International Stores, High Street 1923 = 10d per llb.

Large pork pie, available from The Queen pub Marlow, 1923 = 6d. Delivered fresh daily from Broomfield's bakery, High Wycombe. 

3lb bag of "Tastit" self raising flour from grocer Mrs Coventry in Chapel Street, 1923 = 8d "the cheapest and best money can buy". 

Lunch for hotel guests at the George and Dragon 1924 = 3 shillings 6d.

Large tin Ovaltine (weight not given) available from various Marlow shops, 1926 = 4s 6d. "Builds up brain, nerve and body"

Bottle return charge for bottled beer sold to be consumed off the premises at the George & Dragon, 1928 = 2d. (A label is stuck to the bottles by the barman when purchased to identify them. You pay the 2d charge then and get it refunded when the same bottle is bought back. If you don't, you loose the 2d which the landlord has then to pay the brewery for the loss of the bottle.)

1lb good cooking potatoes from Tomlinson the potato merchant, Dean Street. (He's also a corn and coal merchant and seedsman), 1929 - 1d (which seems cheap compared to other suppliers in South Bucks).

A 5lb cake from Dorsett's grocers 1930 = 5s.

Bottle of "toasting port", 1917 vintage, from Budgen's Stores - grocer/wine merchant, High Street, 1932 = 7s 6d.

2 pounds of oats from International Stores Marlow 1933 = 3 and a half d.

Tin of pilchards in tomato sauce from International Stores 1933 = 5 and a half d..

A pound of Empire Cheese from International Stores 1933 = 8d.

1lb pound of Burford Marvel tomatoes, picked while you wait, at Coryton, Marlow Bottom, 1933 = 6d.

Full course dinner at The Crown Hotel, c 1934 = 5 shillings. Cheaper dinners available on request! The most expensive breakfast available in the same year cost 3s 6d but sadly we do not know exactly what food was on offer for that. 

Can of grapefruit, from the Chesham & High Wycombe Co Operative Society Society shop, in Station Road, 1934 = 8 & 1/2 d.

1 quart milk from the Seymour Court Farm dairy, delivered, 1935 = 7d.

Large tin of red plums, sweetened, from Brown's, High Street "the Quality shop" 1935 = 7&1/2d

8lbs loaf sugar from Dorsett's grocers, 1937  = 2 shillings.

1lb tea from Dorsett's grocers, 1937 = £2 2 shillings.

 

Tin of assorted chocolates from Barksfield Brothers in the High Street, 1937 = 6 shillings 6 pence.

Medical and Health Costs:

Tincture for scurvy, per bottle from Mr Hubbard, 1768 = 1s 6d.

Cure for bladder / kidney stones from John Howe, patent medicine supplier (and stationer and bookseller) High Street 1784 = 2 shillings a bottle.

Box of "Pectoral Lozenges of Tolu", for hoarseness, asthma, coughs etc, from John Howe as above, 1785 = 1 shilling. 

Dr Waites Celebrated Worm Medicine in the form of gingerbread flavour "nuts", per 13, from Miss Hawes, 1792= 1 shilling 1&1/2d. 

Cure for itching and "skin eruptions" from the shop of Miss Hawes, per bottle 1815 = 2 shillings 9 pence.

A "cure" in a bottle for cholera from Little Marlow quack medicine supplier 1851 = 1 shilling.

Large bottle of Dr Torren's one minute toothache cure from Foottit's chemist in the High Street, 1857 = 1 shilling.

Trowbridge Pills Of Life And Beauty" (actually indigestion pills for women!) from Foottit's chemist, 1860 = 1 shilling 1 and a half pence per packet.

A pair of "patent pantheoscopic" glasses for all types of vision difficulties from Stradling's the jewellers /watchmakers in the High Street, 1862 = 5 shillings. More basic glasses could be got there for 1s 6d.

Woodcock's wind pills from Foottit's chemists in the High Street 1862 = from 1sh 6d a box.

A small bottle of Johnson's Sarsparilla And Bark Pills for skin eruptions (which also cures scurvy, liver complaints, bowel problems and dyspepsia while they're at it) from Foottit's chemist in the High Street, 1864 = 13 and a half pence. Especially recommended for anyone about to embark on a course of sea bathing or a trip to the tropics.

Bottle of Heald's Essence for "head ache, face ache, and ear ache" from George Cannon in the High Street, 1864 = 7 and a half pence.

Orchard's cure for deafness from Foottit's chemist in the High Street, 1873 =13 and a half pence per bottle.

Dr Wilkinson's midwifery fee, 1874 = 10 shillings 6d.

Herrington's Balsamic Cough Elixir from Banbury's chemist shop Marlow per bottle, 1874 = from 13 and a half pence. A bargain 11 shilling extra large bottle available. This elixir was fir all coughs including those by consumption.

Complete set of artificial teeth, upper and lower, as made by "legally qualified  surgical and mechanical dentist" William Gregory of Maidenhead. Sold through Banbury's Chemist Marlow, every other Tuesday.  1875 = £3 3 shillings. Liberal discounts for mechanics and servants. Consultation free. 

Bottle of Banbury's own label tasteless Digestive Pills for indigestion, from William Banbury, chemist, High Street, 1876 =7&1/2d. William says the population of Marlow suffer from digestive complaints to "an enormous extent" and in fact very few people don't need his pills. 

Course of first aid training by St John's ambulance at Marlow, 1883= 5 shillings or free to firemen or members of the Royal Bucks Volunteers.

A bottle of "invigorating" health saline from Charles Dye's Pharmacy in the High Street 1896= from 1 shilling.

Tube of Burnolia cooling cream for sunburnt skin, especially marketed at boaters, tennis players and cyclists, from W Baxters chemist High Street 1896 = 6 pennies.

Oleatum Japanese rheumatism remedy from Baxters chemist 1896 = from 1 shilling a bottle.

Bottle of the "best nerve and brain tonic" Sulphurized Quinine and Iron, from W Baxter as above, 1897  = 1 shilling 9 pence.

A box of Harris's anti-nit children's hair pomade from Harman's Chemist 1908 = 4 and a half pence.

Bottle of a cure for neuralgia from Snow's Chemist in the High Street 1909 = 1 shilling.

Snow's exclusive bronchial balsam from Snow's chemist High Street 1912 = from 1 shilling.

Nostrolene naval spray to guard against hay fever, flu, thrust infections and head colds from Snow's Chemist High Street 1919  = 1s 3d.

Extraction of a tooth and an artificial replacement, by the American Dental Co who attend Marlow weekly, 1920 = 2s 6d (reduced prices available to servants, soldiers and seamen and their dependents).

A pair of good plain nail scissors from Rowe the jeweller, High Street 1921 = 2 shillings.

Education:

Yearly fee for a pupil Mrs Trash's boarding school for young ladies 1799 = 30 guineas.

Cost of attending the Royal Military Academy, West Street if you did not have a father in the military 1802 = £100 a year (boarding). A discount of between 50 and 90 per cent was available to sons of army men. Orphans in these circumstances paid nothing. The pricing structure changed over the years.

Yearly fee for attending Prospect House Academy boarding school for boys 1849 = 22 to 25 guineas.

Annual fee for boarders aged 5-8 attending the Misses Westbrooks prep school for boys and girls in Chapel Street 1850 = 18 Guineas. Daily pupils 4 guineas. Laundry 2 guineas extra. 

Mail order school books written by Joseph Guy the former geography teacher at the Royal Military College Marlow, 1852, each = 1 shilling to 9 shillings.

Day pupil cost for boys attending George Verney's school - the place for farmers and tradesmen to give their sons a "sound business education" so he says.  1857 = £5 a quarter with extras "a mere trifle".

Day pupil cost for a quarter at the Misses Winter's Preparatory School For Young Gentleman, West Street Marlow (there was a separate school for girls), 1865 = 12 shillings 6d. This did not include optional music, singing or drawing classes.

Annual fee for boarding pupil (boys) at Marlow Place School for boys 1870 = 70 guineas. Some subjects cost extra.

Italian classes for the young ladies at Chapel House School, per quarter 1881 = 15 guineas.

Cost of 10 dance lessons at Downshire House School for girls (open to non-pupils) 1882, = 1 guinea .

Annual fee for scholars at Borlase who did not have a Foundation scholarship, 1882 = £1.

Cost of painting class for ladies, per term, as organised by the Marlow centre of the Technical Education Committee, held at the Institute, 1903 = 10s 6d. (A two hour class a week). General classes in French, shorthand, chemistry, woodcarving (popular with women) and maths cost 2s 6d per term with sessions lasting between 90 minutes and 2 hours a week at the Institute.

Annual boarding fee at Borlase 1906 = £54. 

Annual fee for girls at a school (boarding) in Glade Road 1909 = 18 guineas.

Clothing and Footwear etc:

Printed cotton for dress making, per yard, from Messrs Wilkinson and Burrough, 1789 = from 10d to 4s 6d (These gentleman were selling the items at a reduced price as they have bought up the discounted stock of a London draper who was giving up his business)

A petticoat, Marlow 1850 = 2 shillings.

Pair trousers from John Morgan's drapers and outfitters shop in the High Street 1859 = 7 shillings.

Value of a man's smock frock stolen from a Turville farm in 1858 = 4s 

Man's coat from John Collins Clark tailor 1861 = £2 12 shillings 6 pence

Cheapest silver watch available from Mr A Stradling, watch and clockmaker, High Street 1862 = 15 shillings. 

Pair of man's slippers from Mr East shoemaker of Marlow, 1863 = 2s 6d.

Pair of boots (probably top quality) from Charles Phillips bootmaker, 1864 = £1 1 shilling.

Gold wedding ring, from Stradlings, High Street, 1865 = from 7s 6d

Cost of hiring a Britannia sewing machine as hairdresser Robert Pearse of Marlow did in 1876, per week = 2 shillings. Ideal for making your own clothing. 

"Fancy dress material" for making your own fine dress, from draper etc Alfred Davis, High Street, 1880 = 1&3/4d - 4&3/4d per yard

Child's ready made jacket, from Alfred Davis as above, 1880 = 6&3/4d

Reward for finding and returning a fancy striped silk shawl lost near Marlow, 1880 = 5s

Good quality overcoat and trousers from Richard Barnes, tailor of Spittal Street 1885 = £3 10s

Ladies watch, solid silver, guaranteed 10 years from Rowe's the watchmaker / jewellers, High Street 1894 = £25 (the cheapest one advertised by Rowes  in 1897 was just 15s 6d- probably silver plated only).

Special all wool trousers from tailor Alfred Davis, High Street 1894 = 10s 9d

Beaver overcoat for a gentleman, with velvet collar and tweed lining from Morgan's 1895 = 21s

 "Suitings" (men's suits) from James Gray, tailor, High Street 1895. Made to suit any shape = from 45 shillings. 

"Special Quality" made to measure  flannel trousers James Morgan & Sons 1897 = 12 shillings 6 pence. Other qualities from 10 shillings 6 pence.

Special Quality made to measure tweed suit James Morgan & Sons 1897 = 35 shillings. Other qualities from 27 shillings 6 pence.

"Ironside" brand tweed and serge suits, to measure, from A E Sutton General Clothing and Boot Store, West Street. "Fit, style and wear guaranteed" 1897 = from 2 guineas.

Gold scarf pins from Rowes, High Street 1897 = from 2s 6d.

Cheapest gold necklace from Rowes, High Street 1897 = 10s 6d.

Shoes from West Street Post Office (which was also Suttons clothes and shoe shop at this point ) 1899 = from 2 shillings 6 pence a pair.

Men's overcoats from Sutton's as above, 1897= from 3 shillings 6d.

Flannelette for making underclothing, from Morgans as above, 1901  = from 2 and three quarter pence to 8 pence per yard. 

"Lotus" thick soled laced ladies shoes from Langston's Boot and Shoe Warehouse, High Street 1905= 12 shillings 9 pence a pair. 

Tin of black or brown shoe polish from Barnard's Stores Chapel Street 1909 = 1 shilling.

Ladies blouse in "cotton crepe", from James Morgan & Sons, 1920 = 9s 8d. 

Leather gauntlet motoring gloves but "suitable for anything" , from Walter Davis tailor/hosier, 1923 = 3s 6d (extra shilling if lined).

Ready to wear winter suit for men in Wearproof Tweed (a branded item for which Todd was sole local agent), from Frederick Todd, West Street, 1926 = 60s. Youth size 55s. 

Pair of men's flannel trousers in the latest shades of grey, from Morgan's, 1931 = from 6s 11d to 21s.

Delta ladies shoe suitable for "town wear" in "black satin mat kid" leather, also available in the shades "bulrush" and brown, Milward's, High Street, 1933 = 23s 9d (one of the more expensive shoes).

A pair of "topping summer shoes" for young gents, in black or brown suede, from Milward's in the High Street, 1934 = 12s 9d.

Dunlop Wellington's from Milward's, 1935 = from 14s 9d .

Ladies Sunshine Sandals in white green or blue, from Milward's, 1938 = 6s 11d.

Business and farming costs:

Annual rent of a butcher's shop in Lane End (then part of Great Marlow parish) 1757 = £6.

Annual rent of Wethered's brewery premises in the High Street which they had on a repairing lease 1795 = £15.

Annual Rent of Seymour Court Farm 1833 = £172 18 shillings.

1 lamb in Marlow or Little Marlow 1837 = 1 shilling

Annual rent of Fountain Head beer house in High Street with the carpentry workshop attached 1838 = £12 12 shillings.

Team of 3 farm horses sold by Mr Eeles of Lane End, 1843 = 16 guineas.

An ewe sheep, Little Marlow 1849 = 30 shillings.

Rent of land in Great Marlow Common Field per acre 1849  = between £2 15s and £3 .Note that this land was what would be soon known as Wycombe Road Farm, and was subject to some common rights still although this portion was privately rented. The following year the rent was doubled.

Forty pounds in weight of good meadow hay, from Little Marlow, 1852 = 3 shillings.

Rent of Jacques water powered corn mill with associated family residence 1858 = £105.

Rent Westhorpe Farm Little Marlow 1860 per annum = £500.

Annual rent of a combined house and baker's shop with a stable West Street, 1862 = £16.

Cost for a licensed victualler of getting a licence to sell alcohol at a one off event like a fete or cricket match 1862 (a new requirement this year) = 5 shillings. 

Annual rent Hope Beer House, High Street 1865 (a small but newish, purpose built premises) = £15.

A reaping hook from Battings, Marlow 1875 = 1s 10d. Workers who already had their own tools were much more likely to be hired by a farmer.

Rent Wymers Farm 1876, per annum = £68.

A bottle of Wrights Universal Embrocation for horses, cows and sheep (but could be used on chapped human hands too). This cured "joint evil" in lambs, swollen udders in cows, sore feet, lameness and wounds and acted as a fly deterrent. From Foottit's chemist, High Street, 1883 = 2sh 1 and a half pence.

Rent of Dog and Badger Medmenham 1895, per annum = £30 10s.

Rent paid by Spindlo's bakery 1897, per annum  = £30 (this included the house which incorporated the shop, plus a separate bakehouse, flour store and small stable).

Cheapest bullock at Marlow Cattle Market sales 1897, generally = £17.

One first class sheepdog, from Bockmer Farm, 1898 = £1. 

Annual rent of a small  tobacconist shop with living accommodation in the High Street, 1902 = £35.

Annual rent of a double fronted grocer's shop in Marlow High Street with living accommodation, 2 stall stable, two storey warehouse and coachouse 1908 = £80.

Ton of coke from Marlow Gas Company 1909 = £1. Delivery fee 3 pence per ton.

Stable lantern, from Barnard's stores 1909 = 6 and a half pence

Sale price of Holmers Farm (123 acres) Marlow 1910 = £2,150.

A pail of food supplement for stock animals (horses, cows, sheep, pigs), strengthening them, purifying their blood, and encouraging milk flow from J North corn dealer West Street, 1913 = 14 shillings.

Cost of buying Westhorpe Farm Little Marlow 1917 = £5,450.

Nanny goat juvenile from Field House Farm 1917 = £1.

A dozen Rhode Island Red day old chicks, from Seymour Hill Poultry Farm, 1934 = 12s

100 egg incubator secondhand from Woolmer Farm, Marlow Common, 1934 = 50s

A secondhand Chevrolet lorry from the Gibbons secondhand dealership in York Road, 1934 = £35

Personal Care

Exotic scented perfume from Little Marlow supplier W Brown 1844 = from 2 shillings sixpence.

Mail order tablet of high quality soap sent from London to Marlow 1855 = 6 pence [6d].

Hair colouring shampoo from George Cannon the chemist 1866 per packet = 10s 6d.

Butler's Rosemary Hair Cleaner from Footitt chemist High Street (invigorates hair and removes dandruff), per packet 1860= 6 pence [6d] This makes a pint of "hair wash" up.

Marlow Bouquet - a perfume from Baxters chemist in the High Street 1896 = from 1 shilling 6 pence [1s 6d].

Antiseptic tooth powder "cleansing and refreshing", from Walter Duplock chemist, High Street 1906 = from 1 shilling.

Vaseline from Barnard's Stores 1909 = 1 penny a tin.

Tin of tooth powder (for cleaning teeth) from Barnard's 1909 = 1 penny a tin.

Shaving stick from Barnard's Stores, 1921 = 6d

A permanent wave at Milady ladies hairdresser and beauty parlour, West Street 1937 = 15s. Edith Neighbour of Derriford, Newtown charged the same price in 1934. 

Other:

Cheapest gold wedding band available from Stradling the watchmaker, 1861 = 7s 6d

Dutton and Allen and Co Commercial Directory for Bucks with map 1863 = 21 shillings if you were not a subscriber.

13.2 hands high pony 8 years old, and "strong", sold from Oakengrove Farm, 1920 = £45

Second hand navy blue pram, with canopy and hood, 1920 = £7.

Pedigree Alsatian puppy, 1927 = £4.

1905, Smith & Co ad.  Generally a newsagents and bookseller etc, they were one of a number of non grocery stores in Marlow who were agents for one particular brand of tea or other.

Complied by Charlotte and Kathryn Day. 

To find out more about everyday life in old Marlow see the post listing here

For more on the shops etc mentioned above, see the index here

You may also like Food in Victorian Marlow

Sources too numerous to fully list but included:

South Bucks Standard 28 December & 27 March 1908, 15 January, 23 July, 26 November 1909 - Copies from the British Library and accessed via the BNA. August 2020.

Dickens Dictionary of the Thames (Dickens, 1889)

Dickens Dictionary of Thames from Oxford to the Nore (1880 edition, issue 2)

Marlow Guide 1903 &  1905

Information from Kathleen Day, Jane Pullinger and Jean Martin. 

Slough Eton and Windsor Observer October 24 & 31 October 1885; Slough Library

The Victoria County History of Buckinghamshire, 1908. Edited by William Page.

Maidenhead Advertiser 13th January 1875. 

Adverts, receipts, bills, account books, and letters etc. 

©Marlow Ancestors. 

Steadman Camden

Shoemaker and clothier Steadman Camden ran his business here in Marlow High Street (modern Oxfam) by 1833 until his death in 1880. This property was owned by the Wethered family.

Steadman bought the Roebuck Inn in the Causeway in 1835 and renamed it the George Inn, which morphed into the George and Dragon we know today. The current pub building is the result of expansion and multiple refurbishments after two fires and general wear and tear so looks quite different to the building Steadman bought. He rented it out to others. (An overview of the history of the George & Dragon can be found here)

His own business premises as shown above consisted in 1833 of a house, shop and lofts worth £12 a year. There was also then a malthouse and lofts in his yard which Wethered's brewery used. The brewery at the the time had bits of property all about the High Street on other peoples premises as well as the main brewery site.

According to the census Steadman was born in Wantage Berkshire circa 1802 while his wife Catherine was from Medmenham near Marlow. Steadman is obviously related to the other Camdens in Marlow who use the name Steadman in their family too but I haven't found Steadman's baptism.

As well as the shop and the pub rent, Steadman and Catherine earned money by taking in lodgers (biography of one of them retired baker Eliza Brighton is on the blog here).

In 1842 Steadman was sworn in as a Hurley Borough constable parish only to be almost immediately replaced for unknown reasons. A few weeks later he was successfully elected as a petty constable for Great Marlow instead. Probably the need was greater here. 

In 1845 two pairs of shoes were stolen from his premises during a mini crime wave affecting the town.

Catherine died aged 71 in 1879, a year before Steadman.

Post researched and written by Charlotte Day.

Index of other posts about historic High Street traders and residents here.

All mentions of any individual on the blog can be found on the A-Z Index. Thousands of people are included.

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

Sources:

Property records held by my family.

Post Office Directory of Bucks etc 1847, by Kelly's Directories Limited.

Windsor and Eton Express 2st Jan 1842. Copy held British Library and accessed via their partnership with the BNA.

Great Marlow Parish registers. 

Censuses transcription by me from microfilm.

Women Of Oxford Road Almshouses

The almshouses for widows which stood in Oxford Road had been a gift of John Brinkhurst in the early 1600s.

Here's something about a few of their Victorian residents who received entry into them by being voted for in a meeting of the trustees. Voting took place upon the death of an occupant. As well as their home the widows received a small weekly income from the charity. In 1893 this was 5 shillings. The minimum age for entry was 60. Residents could come from Bisham or Marlow.

Elizabeth Keen

Born Elizabeth Windsor circa 1818 to parents Thomas, a postman, and Mary. She worked as a satin stitch worker as a young woman like so many other Marlow women, including her sisters Fanny and Eliza.

Elizabeth was elected into her charity house in 1893 and continued as resident until her death in 1901 following a short illness. Her young granddaughter Mary Deane lived with her then. At the time of her election to the Almshouses Elizabeth was around 75 years of age and living in Eton Place, Marlow. Two years earlier in 1891 at the time of the census she was a widowed needlewoman living in Dukes Place with her daughter Louisa born 1847. Both Louisa and Elizabeth's son Edwin (1839) and other daughter Sarah (1835) had been born illegitimately to Elizabeth prior to her marriage in 1857 to John Keen / Keene. Sadly Louisa was an inmate of St John's Hospital in Stone, Buckinghamshire, an asylum for "pauper lunatics" by 1901.

Emma Boddy

Emma received the happy news that she had won a place at the Almshouses in 1903. She was circa 70 years old and the widow of brewery labourer George Boddy who died between the 1871 and 1881 censuses.

Emma herself had worked as a needlewoman during her marriage and as a charwoman as a widow. At the time of her winning an Almshouse she lived at Cromwell Cottage which I think was the old gardener's cottage for Cromwell House. At the time Cromwell House was no longer in domestic use. The garden cottage was behind the High Street*. 

The first home she lived in with George was perhaps in South Place where she appears on the 1861 census.

In 1870 they lived in Gun Lane (now called Trinity Road). Here Emma was assaulted during a heated argument with her neighbour Julia Martin. Emma took Julia to court where the guilty party was fined 5 shillings.

Charlotte Kilham

Admitted Autumn 1900. There until her death in 1910.

She was born as Charlotte Frith circa 1833 in Great Marlow according to the census. She may have been an inmate in the Bledlow children's workhouse as a child, otherwise her early youth is hard to trace.

In 1871 she was the unmarried housekeeper or perhaps "housekeeper" of Henry Kilham a widowed bricklayer in Little Marlow. She and he had a baby daughter Clara that year. The next year they married but Henry, who was 65 years old (26 years older than Charlotte) died within weeks of the ceremony.

Charlotte moved to Marlow and supported herself as a needlewoman. Before entering the Almshouse she lived in Trinity Road Marlow with Clara who was also a needlewoman.

More widows of these houses in this post. To find every mention on this blog of a person of interest to you choose the Person Index option on the drop down menu.

Researched and written by Charlotte Day.

* A description of a  "Cromwell House Cottage" in 1898 refers to a bigger premises however as it had a coach-house and three horse stable in addition to a small garden. (South Buck Standard 6 May 1898)

© Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use this material for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog and a link here so that my sources also remain credited.

Sources Included:

GRO Marriage and Death Registration Indexes. 

Census Great Marlow 1861, 71, 81, 91 my transcription from microfilm. National Archives, Kew.

1901 England and Wales Census Database Louisa Windsor in Stone record from https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9Y1-G5C. National Archives.

Little Marlow 1871 census Charlotte Firth [Frith] from England and Wales Census Database, Familysearch https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KXS5-262 National Archives Kew.

Newspapers in British Library Archives, via the BNA:

South Bucks Standard 26th October 1900 and 20th December 1901.

1833 Parochial Assessment High Street Great Marlow Part One

I have transcribed this from the original handwritten assessment working notebooks which have been in my family for some years and are in a fragile and faded condition. The books were annotated with corrections and changes until about 1840. I will add any such information and flag it as such. Other notations are from my other research.

Transcription by Charlotte Day.

© Marlow Ancestors. You can use this transcription for local or family history purposes if you credit this blog.

Town- Houses and Buildings (land is a different record I also have and will transcribe in the future). 

No Street Address Given

Edmund Flemming (late)=

Property occupied= Marlow Place with suitable offices, large garden, lawn, green houses etc [Their "etc" not mine]

Annual value of property= £110 

High Street West Side [West Street side]

John Snelling Wright=

Dwelling house, yard and garden

£22

*****

Misses Rolls [this is Brampton House. The sisters ran a school for girls]:

House with yard and garden

£25

*****

Jane Fowler=

Cottage with small yard 

£4

*****

Thomas William Allum [brickmaker and bricklayer. Multiple properties] =

Dwelling house, shed with loft and building, late malt house and garden

£16

Loft over Mr **** store house 

£1

Also a Kiln at Bovingdon Green

£9

*****

John Frith [multiple pieces of  property]=

Dwelling house and garden

£11

Woodhouse and loft on the opposite side of the yard

£1

*****

Theophilus Clifford [Stonemason. See my previously published post on Marlow Bridge for more on him here. Also, a fuller biographical post on him is available here ]

Dwelling house, yard, shops, loft and garden

£12

Shed etc at the Wharf 

£2

*****

John Collins (carpenter, builder. Later at pub next door)=

Dwelling house, workshops, garden and yard

£10

*****

James Creswell [publican and carpenter. Occupier till at least 1838]=

The Fountain Head [This was a beerhouse whose occupier had a carpentry business out back] which is a house, 2 shops, paint house and garden]

£9 [when property sold 1838 the rent was up to £12 12 shillings per annum]

*****

Mrs Sarah Aveling. [Note: title Mrs is mistaken or given as mark of respect to a popular and respected but unmarried woman. Will 1844]=

House, garden and yard

£9

*****

Owen Wethered esq=

House with requisite offices, shrubbery, kitchen garden and orchard 

£75

*****

Wethered and Son [Brewers]

Garden adjoining above

£1

Large timber yard, sawpits, sheds, piggery and store room for timber

£10

Store rooms, 7 in number. Large extensive building with counting house etc 

£35

Cooperage, scalding shed, dray house and stables

£8

Two stables, coach house etc

£8

Carpenter's shop, malt loft, and store houses

£18

Table beer run room (?) with the loft over it

£12

Brewhouse and buildings in the centre of yard with malt lofts etc 

£70

Flow room in Miss Roll's yard

£2 10 shillings

Malt house and shed in Mr Hatch's yard

£15

Ditto in Mr Maddock's yard with store house [Robert Maddocks, further along the same side of the High Street. Sometimes given as Maddox]

£20

Store cellar under Juggins and  Stallwoods' houses

£3

Malthouse and lofts in yard behind Steadman Camden's [this was other side of High Street, near where Sainsbury's Local is now]

£15

Store house and loft adjoining Mr Wade's

£3

Small store house in Mr Wade's garden with loft over it and small garden

£3

In yard leading from High Street 2 large stables and lofts over them 

£4

Two stables, cart house, dung yard, piggery, large cart shed and store house

£12

Small store house in yard

£1

Malt house, late Mr C Wethered's [Charles Wethered, liquor merchant. Active by 1823. Will 1827], barley lofts and coal houses

£25

Screening rooms and lofts and a malthouse

£20

Two stables with store rooms and barley lofts adjoining

£6

*****

Thomas Wethered

Orchard at Bovingdon Green

£3 10 shillings

*****

Late Mrs Gordon [Jane, widow of George who was originally of Croughly Banffshire Scotland. Couple had lived in Marlow since at least 1808].

Dwelling house with convenient offices, stables, greenhouse, yards and garden

£45

*****

William Hatch [baker, a VERY troublesome character who is featured in a post of his own here]=

House, bakehouse, flour loft, yard, 2 gardens, cart house, stable and piggery

£10

Large garden called Hanging Acre

£5

*****

Ann Washbourn [an embroideress and maker of children's clothing and later a teacher. She later moved to both St Peter Street and West Street. See her West Street school premises and read more about it here]

House and garden

£8

*****

Robert Maddocks [a carpenter and, tut tut, party to electoral fraud in the early 1830s. Electoral fraud was to be fair a Marlow speciality. Biographical post on him and his wife Jane here]=

Part of a house for billiards etc 

£6 (This was the "News Room")

Dwelling house, stable, 3 chaise houses, shed, work and store shops, yard and garden

£12

*****

William Allum [a tailor]=

Dwelling house and garden

£6

*****

George Rogers [plumber painter and glazier]

House, shop, yard, garden

£8

*****

Thomas Hewett [butcher, in this property by 1826]=

Dwelling house, butcher's and baker's shop and garden

£7 10 shillings

Slaughter house up the yard

£1

Stable and loft

10 shillings

*****

Matilda Newell [bonnet maker. Not in this property 1826]=

Dwelling house and garden 

£8

*****

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

To find more High Street content see the"Specific Shops, Streets, Etc" menu here

To be continued....