Gardening with wolves- Albert Bridgman

  Albert Bridgman (Bridgeman) was the Victorian head gardener at Thames Bank House in Marlow. The riverside garden was not as big as that of those of similar grand houses in the neighborhood so you may think Albert's job was comparatively easy and peaceful. But not many of his brother gardeners can have had to garden under the eyes of a pet "wolf" with tame squirrels and otters galloping across his carefully maintained lawn. Albert worked for the Somers Cocks family, one of whom, Alfred Heneage Cocks, maintained a menagerie of tamed British wild animals at Thames Bank. Many of these were sadly constantly caged..at least in theory. But there were escapees, including a Scottish wild cat that was never recovered. Albert was naturally drawn into the search at such times. The so called wolf said to live at Thames Bank was in fact a large hunting dog which had been trained to pursue elks in its native land, or so it was said. Polecat Snap (named due to its habit of nipping fingers) was allowed to run about the lawns but was tethered when the gardeners tended the grass, for obvious reasons! Albert also had to put up with the visits of local men and boys bringing bags of dead rats and mice which Heneage Cocks used to feed his collection, along with skinned hedgehogs! 

Albert was born in Wiltshire, the son of a carpenter. He arrived in Marlow with wife Elizabeth to take up his role in the early 1870s. (By 1873) The garden at Thames Bank included lawns, flower beds, and a glasshouse as might be expected. The pride of the garden was always it's fruit trees however.  All the local "big houses" entered the fruit of their gardeners labours into the local, regional, and sometimes national horticultural shows. Different gardens had different specialities, and Albert was often crowned supreme in the fruit growing categories. This is a great credit to Albert, as he was working in a smaller garden than his rivals, and without a large team of assistants to aid him.  He always had a garden boy to do the more menial tasks, but did not always have a full time adult assistant. I can however find records of several live-out journeyman gardeners who were brought in to assist with particularly busy times. 

In addition to sending his prize grapes and apples to horticultural shows, Albert provided flowers which decorated the parish church at times like Easter. And then there were the blooms used to adorn the stage and walls at the St Peters Street public hall (aka the Music Room, now the Masonic centre) during untold numbers of fund raising events. It's fair to say a large proportion of Marlow got to enjoy Albert's horticultural skill, beyond his employers. The gardens themselves were sometimes open to the public. For example in 1876 it hosted a church bazaar to raise funds to pay off money spent on recent improvements. Albert provided some specimen plants for sale - all available for 1s each.  Visitors also had the chance to view the menagerie for an extra fee. 

A Tragic Accident At Thames Bank

In the summer of 1875, Albert was engaged in watering some plants at Thames Bank. The water was stored in a large lidded cistern, and there was a metal grill over part of the opening below the cover. Albert had to remove the lid to fill his watering pot at the open part (a pot is a watering can as we would call it), replacing it as soon as he finished. Halfway through he was disturbed by a visit from a family friend, who was carrying Albert's two year son. Little William was set on the ground while the adults talked. He amused himself by playing with his dad's empty watering pot, pretending to water the earth while Albert and friend walked away to look at some flowers in another part of the garden. When they returned there was no sign of the toddler. A horrified Albert realised that he had not yet replaced the cistern lid. Tragically, the little boy had done what no one thought possible, and climbed up the cistern side to fill his can. He had tumbled in, and his lifeless body was seen under the grill. The watering can was also found in the water. Dr Shone was sent for, but there was never any hope of recovering the poor child's life. An inquest was held at the Prince of Wales pub, at which Albert gave evidence. Verdict: Found drowned. How hard it must have been to  walk past the cistern every day and be reminded of such a terrible accident. 

Wife Elizabeth would also be lost to Albert all too soon. She died aged 52 in 1888, when daughter Catherine* was 12 years old. He subsequently remarried, to Susannah. 

Happier Times

In the year 1878, the Gardener's Chronicle horticultural journal visited the gardens at Thames Bank. They concluded the grounds were "the model of good and clean cultivation" and that Albert was an "intelligent gardener." A particular marvel at this time was a wall trained pear that took up some 262sq feet of the north east wall. This tree had  1,390 pears and this in a variety that was usually bi-annual bearing.  (That is one that did not naturally always fruit every year.) 

Albert was involved in setting up the Chrysanthemum show which ran from 1886 (earlier ones had petered out) raising funds for the Royal Berkshire hospital. Before Marlow secured our own cottage hospital, it was to the Royal Berks that the very sick of Marlow would be sent. 

Afterwards

Albert spent around 20 years at Thames Bank. Between 1892-4 he left in order to start up as a seedsman and florist in Station Rd. He is also described as a nurseryman at this time. He was in other words growing plants to sell to others. Station Rd was an area long used for nursery gardening. In 1895 Albert also leased a triangle of land opposite the station which was described previously as an "unsightly mess".  He turned it into a small decorative garden, presumably as a kind of advert for his gardening skills. On top of this he had the contract to care for The Enclosure or the now unfenced grassed area on the Causeway near the church and war memorial. Wife Susannah also let rooms at their home "Inglewood" to short term visitors coming mainly to Marlow for the summer or "river season". As such she was a host the national Queen magazine/ newspaper  recommended as suitable one for respectable young ladies to take lodgings. A recommendation indeed! 

*Daughter Catherine would later be a servant to LJ and Alice Smith in Beaumont Rise. Later still she went to Cambridgeshire to act as a housekeeper for a Roman Catholic priest with whom she would stay for decades. 

 Researched and written by Kathryn Day. 

Related Posts

To find every mention of an individual here, see the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. 

For other posts relating to Thames Bank, see the index here

Biographies of other head gardeners, and general life in Marlow during Albert's life here

List of  gardeners at the big houses locally -here

Sources include:

Census 1881,1891 - Transcripts from the originals by Jane Pullinger and Charlotte Day. 

Bucks Herald, 31 July 1875. 

Gardeners Chronicle 1878 digitised by Google. 

Gardeners Chronicle 1880, courtesy of InternetArchive.org. 

Reading Mercury 26 May 1888. 

South Bucks Standard 14 February 1886, 10 May 1895 - these editions from the British Library partnership with the BNA. 

Kelly's Directories of Buckinghamshire 1883 and 1885. (Kelly's Directories Ltd) 

The Victoria History of the County of Buckingham, 1905. Editor William  Page F.S.A. (James Street 1905)

The Queen, June 1895 &  June 1896. 

© MarlowAncestors 

Servants at Remnantz 1871

 On the 1871 census 62 year old Anne Wethered had 8 other members of her family living with her at Remnantz and 9 live in servants.

The head gardener had his own cottage so isn't included in the household. Under gardeners likely came in on a daily basis. There are no grooms listed. There were rooms above the stables, which if occupied by any such might have constituted a different household to the census taker or perhaps any grooms employed did not live in.  The only male servant censused at Remnantz other than the butler was 18 year old William Saunder Brook. He might have taken on a groom's role amongst other household duties. He is simply listed as "general servant." By the time of the next census William had married an Elizabeth and become a French polisher. He was recorded as having been born in nearby Hurley, Berkshire, which indeed he was.

The only servant censused as born in Great Marlow itself was 19 year old general servant Mary E Maine, who I struggled to find any later trace of.

Coming from the furthest distance away was Aberdeen born general servant 50 year old Elizabeth Polson.

Elizabeth appeared on the next census on the Isle of Wight with her widowed niece before returning to West Street Marlow on the 1891 census. In both instances she lived on her own income/ annuities so somebody left her something or gave her a pension or she made some good investments herself.

One of the two domestic nurses in the household, Louise Davis, was said to have been born in Dieppe, France. French nurses were a fashion for a time. 

The other domestic nurse present was Elizabeth Coombes, a 22 year old Oxfordshire girl. There were 3 grandchildren in Anne Wethered's household ranging in age from a baby less than a year old up to a 10 year old. The term domestic nurse on a census isn't always easy to interpret. Both nurses may have been nursemaids caring for the children, or one may have been providing care for an infirm or unwell household member. On the 1881 census Anne Wethered's married daughter Sophia Fenwick* had Remnantz and still employed a live in "domestic nurse" despite there being no children in the household. 

Elizabeth Coombes returned to Oxfordshire. Never marrying, she was eventually a housekeeper.

The only two 1871 servants still at Remnantz in 1881 were Mary Tyler aged 64 in 1871 and Caroline Bridgeman whose age varies a lot between censuses. Both had been working there 1861 too when Anne Wethered still had her husband Owen with her (he died the next year). Mary Tyler was said to be a nurse 1861, general servant 1871 and a nurse and housekeeper 1881. Caroline went from housemaid to general servant to upper housemaid across the censuses.

The most senior servant censused 1871 was the butler Alfred Crockford from Chertsey in Surrey, born 1836. He was on the 1851 census as a page boy, perfect butler training! After Remnantz he could be found living in Holborn London working as a meat carver. The precise and neat carving of meat would be a requirement of a butler so his old skills were still being put to use. Alfred married in middle age, his wife Emily.

The final servant to be mentioned 1871 is another general servant Mary A Turner originally from Norfolk but whose family moved to near Sandhurst, Berkshire when she was a little girl.

Remnantz Related Posts: 

Biography of Stephen Remnant, early occupier here

Life for the young cadets at the military college- here

Photos of items once dug up at Remnantz and adjacent properties -here

Use for a cricket match here

The barge that came over the wall (!) here

*Sophia Fenwick nee Wethered had married Lieut Col Percival Fenwick in 1861. Her father was Owen Wethered. 

Sources:

Census:

Great Marlow censuses my transcription from microfilm.

GRO Death Index.

Hurley parish registers.

Great Marlow Parish Registers, my old transcription from the original.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use this material for family or local history research purposes providing you credit this blog and link here to make sure my sources remain credited for information provided.

Where Your Gardener Ancestor Worked

Those listed may be head or assistant gardeners. Domestic gardeners only in this post, more on the nursery gardeners of Marlow in future. There were a great many of those. Dates next to a name show when I have concrete evidence of a person being in the job. They may have been there earlier or later too. Many more names to add as time permits. Spelling as per original source which can lead to some interesting variations! *Updated by Charlotte May 2026*. To find out more about the houses themselves check the index here

Head Gardener Alan Day working on the New Kitchen Garden at Remnantz, 1991 (formerly part of the lawn tennis courts) . The old brewery chimney can be seen poking over the yew hedge - a hedge which was over a century old already at that point. Sorry the pic is not the best! © Marlow Ancestors

Beechwood, Henley Road 

1859 -  House then known as Beech Lodge - Thomas Gibson

1881- George Smith. Not the same as the George Smith at Suffolk Lodge.

1883 - Alfred Lambourne

1898 - E Keene

1901- E Keene (head), Thomas Brown and George Mealing 

1907 - E Keen qv and T Brown. 

1911-16 - George Henry Moores. Lived in a 4 room cottage on the estate. This was said to be part of the original older Beechwood house. With a stucco front, "rustic porch" and veranda it certainly sounds more impressive than the usual staff quarters. In 1916 his employer tried to get George totally exempted from military service but the local tribunal refused to grant this. From at least 1911-13 the assistant gardener was George Harris who lived in the Lodge at Beechwood. Though the rates for the lodge were paid for by his employer Thomas did not have the use of the cottage as part of his job and paid rent out of his wages to live there. 

1928 - G Austin. Arrives from the Manor House Stoke Poges. 

Bohemia

1899- 1917 Mr Thomas William Jordan. Was a domestic gardener living in Marlow High Street by 1891 probably working at Cromwell House.  Wife Louisa. Grave of their daughter and her husband here.

Borlase School (for head E W Clark)

1898/99- William Soley

Bisham Abbey

1846 - Mr Sutton

1866 - Mr Henderson. Wife Ann dies this year age 60 after falling down stairs while making a visit to a friend. 

1901,03 - G Martin. 

1927 - W McCaul (head) 

Unknown dates- Joseph Curtis who was later at Bridge House Marlow and who died in 1905.

Blounts, Bovingdon Green

1894 - Alan Axten 

1903-39 at least - J Platt (Head) - (to Walter Wethered then A R A Heath Esq) Blounts Cottage. Frequent winner of classes at the local Chrysanthemum show and a judge of classes at the Bovingdon Green Show.

Bridge House

To early 1905 from unknown date Joseph Curtis who had previously worked at Bisham Abbey. Ill health forced his retirement. Lived at time of his death 1905 at Platts Row Marlow. 

The Cottage, Oxford Road (a large size house not a little cottage and not the same as Oxford Cottage)

1861-1874 Dennis Wargent. Moved to Hurley by 1881 (probably 1878 ish) where he was also a gardener (mostly for Rev F T Wethered). He was a churchwarden there too. A detailed biography is available here.

1884 - Ernest Levy.

1898 &99 - E Harvey? 

Court Garden House

1827- John Stewart. Died that year. His will was subject to a fraud which caused a nationwide sensation. More on that here.

1861- 1864 William Neighbour and see Harleyford below. Lived in the lodge, Pound Lane. Wife Emma. For more see here and biography here.

1866-1872- Thomas Lockie. Probably moved on to Oakley Court, Windsor. Placed an ad in the Gardeners Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette May 1872 seeking a new position after 5 years at Court Garden. It said that he had been brought up to a garden from childhood. "First class testimonials" available. A champion cucumber grower! Friends with Mr Hancock gardener at Suffolk Lodge.

1873&4 - D S Gillett.

1871-1881 John Waitman. Not necessarily head gardener. Lived in the lodge with wife Eliza 1871. Later lived in rooms above the stables Court Garden (set of three rooms). Retired gardener living at Glade Road and widowed 1901.

1881 - Charles Swadling. 

1901 - 1911 at least Robert Gibson.

1915 - Charles Croxon. 

Cromwell House

1893 - Mr Jordan (later at Bohemia).

1895 -1900 Mr Weaving.

Danesfield.

1846 : Henry King.

1850-1859 Henry Wood. His family were Catholic converts. His sister Lucy Anne who lived with him briefly at Danesfield was a troubled young woman who struggled to hold down a job and was widely rumoured to, having become a nun, eloped from her nunnery with a baron. While the marriage to the Baron de Camin (or perhaps "baron") looks to have been true Henry insisted his sister had never been a nun. De Camin was generally regarded as an imposter himself. Henry was a grower of "extraordinarily fine fruit". In 1858 he won two silver medals at the Royal Botanic Society Show held in Regents Park, London. 

1860-1901 Head - Edward Croker who was also a Catholic. In 1867 Danesfield hosted the Marlow Horticultural show and rural fete, and Mr Croker carried off a number of prizes. Wife Arabella and he married in Marlow's Catholic church in 1861. Biography here

1861 - Garden apprentice is 14 year old Robert Columbine, whose family lived at Albion House, West Street. Dad Colour Sergeant James Columbine. More on this family here

1889 - Henry Bennett (assistant gardener). Joseph White (assistant gardener, see below)

1898 - William Murray Geddes (head), William Dalton (foreman), Joseph White (assistant gardener- early in the year but sacked on suspicion on stealing expensive flower seeds and sent to trial for the offence).

1899-1904 James Gibson. At first the Under Gardener, then Head Gardener from at least 1901. James was regarded as an authority on "vegetable culture" and lectured on this subject to regional horticultural institutions. He sent collections of vegetables for exhibition as far away as shows in Birmingham. Also won many prizes for carnations. When advertising his desire to seek a new position in 1904, James tells us that he has the "highest testimonials for "ability, sobriety and civility" as well as experience in estate re modelling - Danesfield was extensively altered during his time there. 

1905- Mr O Smith.

1906-07 Mr G.W Smith.

1910-1920 Webster Hillier. Wife Mabel. Moved eventually to Reigate, Surrey. Gardener to A H Lewis. Assistant gardener :Arthur Weller (1912) . Webster acts as a judge at local flower shows for categories he's not eligible for,  and wins many prizes himself. 

1910-William Buck assistant gardener (foreman of glasshouses). Died 1 week into post. Committed suicide on estate by jumping into the water tower. Had suffered a nervous breakdown a little before. 

1910 - Assistant gardeners: Arthur Cook, George Plumridge. 

1915 - Assistant gardener Anthony Martin Weller. Volunteered to fight in WW1 and died after contracting smallpox while serving in Mesopotamia in 1917. He was 21 years of age at the time of his death.

1926 -32 at least -Arthur E Friend. Received £500 from the will of Danesfield owner Mrs Helen Hornby Lewis, allegedly the richest woman in Britain. She left many generous bequests, to her staff and others. 

Field House, near Newtown Road.

1921 - William Grimsdale.

Gossmore House

1921 - Joseph Grove (lived Mill Road).

Gyldernscroft, Henley Road

1862 - Mr Adams. Assisted by Thomas Harris. 

1861 - Robert Thomas (probably assistant gardener) Lived Croft Lodge. 

1881-1883 Alfred Maxim. Lived Croft Cottage / Lodge nearby. Wife Amelia. Left Marlow by 1891.

1888 -1903 - Walter Lawrence - head. 

1901 - George Langley.

1910-1926 William Brigden, originally from Tooting. His employer in 1916 tried unsuccessfully to get him temporarily exempted from war service. William helps to judge the first Marlow Horticultural Society post war show in 1920 and many thereafter. 

Harleyford House

1822-43 Mr Kirby.  Not sure if head gardener (but likely).

1846,7 - John Cheetham. 

1861 - William Hunt, gardeners boy age 15. 

1861 -66 William Blackman.

1869 - Sir William Clayton has a telegraph system installed with 3 miles of underground cabling to allow him to communicate with the gardeners, lodge keepers and other staff. 

1866-1872- William Neighbour. See also Court Garden above. Biography here

1869 - 1879 - Stephen Goldswain, under gardener. Stephen's employment comes to an abrupt end when he is convicted of stealing potatoes from the gardens, along with 2 garden labourers. He received 1 month in prison for this with hard labour.

1875- Mr Harding.

1879- 1888 Charles Knowles. Lived in the Gardener's Lodge. Wife Elizabeth. In 1879 one of the assistant gardeners Stephen Goldswain who had worked on the estate for ten years was found guilty of stealing potatoes from the garden after Charles gave evidence against him.  Two casual labourers in the estate had also stolen some. Stephen was jailed for a month with hard labour. By the time he left Harleyford, Charles was the head gardener. 

1879 - Thomas Brewer and William Thatcher. Garden labourers. Unfortunately they are convicted along with Stephen Goldswain above for stealing potatoes from the gardens. William had a previous conviction so received a 6 week sentence with hard labour, while Thomas was sentenced to 4 weeks, also with hard labour. 

1881 - Walter Garner (under gardener) and Frederick Stratfield ditto. Frederick Cheetham / Cheethman is gardener's labourer. 

1886 - J Fletcher age 22, under gardener. Seeks position elsewhere this year as second gardener or "first journeyman in the houses". In other words he is looking to further his career by moving to another garden in a more senior role. The houses referred to are the glasshouses or greenhouses. Some large estates had gardeners whose main role was to tend to the vast amount of plants grown under glass. Experience in caring for these was valued and Fletcher says he has experience in this field. 

1888 - Alfred Myson, head. Possibly left 1890. 

1895- 1909 James Sharpe, head. Wife Millicent. Manages to grow bananas on the estate, harvesting 60lb of them in 1903. 

1915 - Walter Barklam. Assistant gardener then Edward Farmer. Edward died aged 29 in 1918. This was as a result of an accident during his WW1 military service. He was thrown from his horse and died of his injuries.

1926 - G Edworthy (head) 

Highfields

1881-1883 James Munday.

1903 - John Weaving. Lived in a four room cottage Highfield's Lodge.

1907 - T Weavin. Possibly a mistake for J Weaving.

1911 - John Weaving.

1924 -29 at least.  J E Jones. Came in 1924 from Major Argles in Westmorland. 

The Lawn, Mill Road.

NB not the same house as Thames Lawn.

1921 - Henry Smewing.

Little Marlow Manor.

1861 - Edwin Anstead? Might be at Westhorpe now. 

1863 - Edwin Anstead.

1897-98 - George Cooper.

1920 - George Latchford.

Little Dean / Littledean/ Littledene (New Town)

Probably the house formerly known as Rivermead(s)- if not they were very close together. 

1921 - Albert Brooks.

Marlow Place, Station Road

1739 - Robert Rudkin (to "Madam Wallop") [Alice/Alicia]

1907, 1915  - J B Trendall.

1921 - Benjamin Trendall (Head).

1930- Mr Trendall (Head).

*For 17 years prior to the first world war Henry William Reeves was under gardener. Unfortunately a leg wound sustained in 1917 at Ypres meant Henry could no longer work as a gardener as he could no longer bend his knee. Instead he eventually opened the longstanding Reeves tobacconists and confectioners in the High Street. 

Medmenham Abbey 

1911 - James Aird, head gardener for Col Douglas Frederick Dawson. 

1915 - Ernest Henry Wye Clark, under gardener. Ernest was killed in action at Passchendaele in 1917 aged 26. His parents, who lived in Queens Road Marlow, knew that he was missing but did not learn that he had definitely died for almost a year. A photo of Ernest's grave is on the blog here.

New Court, off High Street.

Uriah Piggott who died in 1906 was said to have worked there for over 30 years. Wife Ann. In 1881 he is listed as a coachman of Platts Row and in 1871 as a groom. 

1907/8- Mr Turnedge. Under gardeners- Mr Brinsden and Mr Silver.

1915 - A Brown .

1926 - C Absolom 

The Orchard(s), Bovingdon Green

Richard Evans by 1907 to Mr H Slattery. By 1913 to at least 1915 Richard was the gardener to Mrs Slattery, widow. Looks to have moved to Lady Findlay at Warfield by 1927. 

Remnantz, West Street

John Neighbour - 1850s. Read more here

1871-1889 Alfred Hitchcock. Lived 83 West Street next to Remnantz. He lodged with Charlotte Rose, a laundress employed by the family at Remnantz. Alfred died 1889. Wife Catherine (m 1878, née Orme). William was one of those who gave evidence as to the damage done during the election riots of 1880, of which more here 

1891 - assistant gardener, Walter Trim. Killed this year in an accident while climbing a tree (not at Remnantz) in pursuit of a magpies nest. 

1903 - Samuel Fisher. Lived at Remnantz Lodge/Cottage. 

1911- William Farthing. Lived at Remnantz Cottage (81-83 West Street, old numbering, 81 currently.)

1918- A Brown. Due to wartime labour shortages the 45 year old was managing all 12 or so acres alone AND acting as groom for Miss Wood, the tenant of the house.  He lived at Remnantz Cottage, which is now 81 West Street but was differently numbered in the past.

Rookery, off Chapel Street.

1863 - Richard Ward. He won first prize for his peaches at the Marlow Horticultural Show in this year.

1865- J Goldswain.

1872 - G Frith.

1888-1899 at least  - George Frith. Brings the fruit garden into a state of perfection, with renowned pear trees. 

1914 - T Allaway, arrives after  spending 7 years as second gardener at Englefield Lodge, Englefield Green.

1927 &8 - Mr Lewis. 

 

Seymour Court

1883-1890 William Andrews, lived Eton Place rather than on site. Left 1890. Is still censused as a gardener later in Marlow but I don't know where he worked.

1890- 1891 William R Williams (yes his name was William Williams). Head gardener. Lived Dean Street 1891 which would be about a mile walk to work for him each day, and home again. Born in Wales. You'd think William Williams would not be a common name but there was also another man of the same name in Dean Street 1891 in a different household! Moved to Seymour Court from position as garden foreman at The Cedars, Wells, Somerset, and prior to that was at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. 

1891 - Sidney Chalk. Also worked at Court Garden, date uncertain. See post here for more on Sidney's later career as ironmonger etc. 

1891 - Richard Heath.

1899- 1902 Walter Parsons.

1901 - George Giddings?

Spinfield Lodge / House (original largely demolished, but a 1930s house replaced it) 

History of the house and the occupants of it is available here

1841- Thomas Piggott? 

1847- H. King.

1853- Mr MacKeith.

1860- Mr Clews. Oversaw expansion and significant improvement of the gardens and grounds.

1863- William Neville. Or in second source G Neville. 

1873- H Heath. Seems to be under gardener or garden labourer rather than the head gardener.

1879 - Mr German.

1879 - Mr Excell (Second gardener. That is under gardener) 

1881 - William Thurman. Head  Leaves this year to take up position at Fairthorne Park, Botley. 

1881 - John Heath - garden labourer.

1882- W. J Clarke. Moved from Kilkerran, Ayrshire to take the job.

1883- Abraham Hubbard.

1887- John Kent. Lived in the lodge. Unsure of position within garden staff. 

1891-1899 William Shorter. Was in his 70s and shortly after this became the lodge keeper at Spinfield instead of gardener because of his ailing physical condition. He died at the lodge aged 81 in 1900. Wife was Rebecca who after his death became a ladies maid at Spinfield. She was some years younger than him. William had at his death worked for the wider Murray family 60 years plus and they thought the world of him. Assistant gardener Mr Finch (1898)

1892-93 Mr Cole. Moved 1893 to Swallowfield Park Berkshire. Effectively the head gardener on a day to day basis but the elderly William Shorter was officially still the head. 

1898- 1916 Thomas Blackmore. Rose specialist and florist who provided floral decorations for many public events in Marlow. Judge regularly at local horticultural shows. A native of Devon. He gave some talks to the local boy scouts on horticulture in 1914. He  provided the plants for some formal planting displays at Marlow Cemetery in the years after it opened. He lived in a 4 room cottage on the estate. The under gardener lived in the Lodge house in 1911. Thomas used a portion of Spinfield Gardens as an independent commercial enterprise (selling bedding plants etc)  from some point after 1916 until shortly before he set up as a nurseryman, seedsman and florist, at West Street 1921. 

Suffolk Lodge, off what is now Station Road. Later called Marlow Lodge (There was also a Marlow Lodge at Little Marlow) More on the house here

1840 - George Davidson.

1868- Edward Hancock. Died suddenly this year of a fit of apoplexy just outside the gates of Suffolk Lodge. Had suffered fits of apoplexy and occasional difficulty breathing for some months. Age 63.

1869 - Mr J Meakes. Won prizes at the "floral fete" held at Harleyford in this year. 

1871 - Bartholomew Dingle.

1874-1875 F Russell.

1881- George Smith. Wife Margaret a servant in the house. Both live in. Not same George Smith as at Beech Lodge above.

1882 - Mr Edwin, and a "boy". 

1907-1918 at least Herbert Elkington. Lived in the gardener's cottage with wife Florence.

1917 - A Frith also worked there, presumably under gardener.

The Sycamores, Mill Lane 

NB not the same as Sycamore House West Street. 

 1911 - 1921 - Sydney Charles Rye. 

Temple House, Temple.

A history of the house can be found here

1835-1852 - George Davison./Davidson. 

1853 - Charles Adams. Features in the press as the American Aloe plant at Temple is 30ft tall including its flower stem. 

1861,1862- Henry Payne.

1880, 1886- George Keates. Wife Charlotte. Plays a big role in assisting the other staff to remove valuables from the house during the devastating fire of 1886. An entire wing containing dozens of rooms is gutted. 

1888 - R Cooper (journeyman age 21)

1890-1920 at least George Grove(s) (head) moved there from the Rangemore Gardens in Burton on Trent where he was foreman. Meticulously monitored a weather station at Temple and so provided many meteorological reports to local newspapers as well as trade journals. In 1900 George's "magnificent melons" were used to illustrate the Sutton's autumn catalogue. He'd managed to produce 4 melons from one plant weighing in total just over 31lbs. Acts as a judge at local horticultural shows when not carrying off prizes himself. 

1891 - Arthur Williams (under) . Moves to be head gardener for Mr H. Willan at Albion Lodge, Maulleys Castle, Worcs. NB one source had him as Arthur Wilson.

C1892 - for one year, F J Toms. Came from 2 year stint in fruit department of Lord Sudeley, Toddington, Glos and left for Brakspear, Uxbridge where he would be one of the foreman gardeners. 

1890-1892 Albert Pearce (Foreman) Moved to Summer Hill House, Kidderminster.

1893-c1896 - Charles Horn (General Foreman). Previously at Spye Park, Wilts. Left Temple to seek position as head gardener. 

1892 - 6 gardeners kept. Has bothy and gardeners perks including pick of vegetables. 

1893-Thomas Watson. Under.

1908 - James Davis. We think he was an under gardener. From the garden saw the lock keeper's teenage daughter fall into the lock. By the time he reached the spot it was too late, she had drowned.

Thames Bank, Riverside.

1846-1870 Mr Robert Hobbs. Pear grower extaordinaire. (In 1862 one of his trees produced 320 pears, with some extraordinary specimens measuring 13" round. The tree was photographed by Marlow photographer Rebecca Blake.) When fellow gardener (not at Thames Bank) Ford of the nearby South Place committed suicide by hanging himself in 1867, Robert was the first one on the scene responding to the cries of the dead man's sister. He cut the deceased down and gave evidence at the inquest. More on the case in this post. Assistant Mr Hollis. 

1871 - John Rose

1872-c1892 -1894 Albert George Bridg(e)man of Wiltshire. His toddler son William drowned in a water cistern while "helping" dad water the garden with a toy watering can at Thames Bank in 1875. Albert won many prizes for his produce. Later became a seedsman. Wife Elizabeth died 1888, second marriage was to Susannah.  Biography here. In 1888 one of the garden labourers was George White. George had the unpleasant task of retrieving the dead body of a Marlow man from the river by the house.

1894 - Douglas Brown (head). Came from Boscombe Manor, Bournemouth.

1895- Mr Hobbs.

1901 - C Anderson. 

As LYMBROOK - 

1921 - . Albert G Earis (possibly the head), Thomas Blewitt & George Hester 

Thames Cottage

1916 -1921 - Robert Thomas Davis. Also caretaker. In 1916 Robert's employer Percy Hoar twice applies for Robert's enlistment to be delayed Robert himself may then have asked for a exemption on personal grounds as in April 1917 the exemption is still in place but it is made conditional on his also doing farm work. Previously it was given on the condition that he joined the local rifle volunteers. He is placed on a farm by the Substitution Officer (to free up someone else to serve).  NB at time of 1916 Local Tribunal hearings his address is 86 Dedmere Rd. 

1921 - George Thorne. 

Western House, West Street

1862- Mr Tait.

1874-1879 James Rimmell. Also spelt Rymel and Rimmel. Organised a horticultural show in the grounds of Western House in 1874.

1888 - H Everist. (Everest?)

Early 1900s- Mr Absalom who had a sideline in taking photographic portraits of children.

Westhorpe House, Little Marlow

1869 - G. Davis. 

1890- George Davis.

1911 - William? Davis

1915 - George Davis (to Major Herbert Spencer Gordon) 

Additional research by Charlotte Day.

To find other posts about general Marlow history, see the index here

People of Potlands post lists many gardeners: here.

©Marlow Ancestors.

Sources:

Journal of Horticulture,  Cottage Gardener, and Home Farmer, collected, 1882 and 1890.

Journal of Horticulture and Cottage Gardener Article by George W Johnson FRHS and Robert Hogg LLD. Digitized by Google.

1883 Kellys Post Office Directory of Buckinghamshire, published by Kellys Directories Limited.

1911,1913 & 1915 Kelly's Directory as above

Reading Mercury 25th April 1868.

The Gardener: A Magazine of Horticulture and Floriculture, collected  - 1871.

South Bucks Standard September 9 1902, February 21st 1908, 11th August 1905, 14th March 1912.

Journal of Horticulture And Practical Gardening, Volume 26 1893. Digitized by Google.

History and Topography of Buckinghamshire by James Joseph Sheahan. Published by Longman, Green, Longman and Roberts 1861.

Bucks Herald 1862 22nd November, via the BNA / British Library Archives.

Reading Mercury 7 June 1867.

Bucks Free Press 21st October 1932, and Oct 11th 1918,  Bucks Free Press Archives.

Census, Jane Pullinger's transcription from microfilm.

Royal County Directory of Beds, Bucks, Berks etc 1876 by J.G Harrod and co.

Gardener's Chronicle, 1882, 1886, 1888, 1890, 1894, 1927, 1928 

Private letters.

Marriage cert Alfred Hitchcock.

A Letter To The Editor Of The Hampshire Chronicle Regarding The Winchester Nunnery by Ignatius Collingbrooke, published in book form by the Catholic Publishers and Booksellers Company 1858. Digitized by Google.

Clipping "Morning Leader" March 1905, provided by Percy Colter with thanks. 

Marlow Almanack and Directory 1891.

 

here