The Energetic Smiths of Beaufort Cottage

 Reuben Nereus Smith and Mary Ann Smith lived in Beaufort Cottage from at least 1874 when their baby son Henry Bernard was born there. Sadly the infant died the next year.

Reuben was the collector of rates and assistant overseer for Marlow for many years, the agent for the Harleyford estate, the Managing Director of the Marlow Water Company, Chairman of the Wycombe Chair Company, Chairman of the Buckinghamshire Chair Company based in Marlow, a house agent and the clerk of the Great Marlow Parish Council. He had many of these roles at the same time. When did the man ever sleep? More on the Buckinghamshire Chair Company and Reuben's involvement here

Reuben started off his working life quite humbly as a teenage shop boy working in London. He was born circa 1834 -36 - according to the census this was in Marlow. Reuben may have worked as a tax collector in London too. He spent the years c1854-1862 in Australia before returning home with a good amount of money behind him. Five years later he was appointed inspector of nuisances for the Wycombe board of guardians, and in 1872 he became the collector of parish rates, only relinquishing this role in 1899. 

His brother Robert Hayes Smith** was a hairdresser come printer/ bookseller/ newsagents who had premises in Spittal Street Marlow, then later the High Street. 

We can presume Reuben's youthful leisure activities did not include skinny dipping as he was one of those, along with his father, getting into a flap in Marlow in 1877 about the younger generation's way of bathing in the Thames. There was he said "an infestation" of young men running along the riverside at Marlow without a stitch on. It was still a problem decades later so Reuben didn't win that round. (More on the swimming here!)

Lawrence Joseph Smith son of Reuben and Mary Ann was also bookseller and stationer by 1893 when he applied for a alcohol license for his premises and became a spirit merchant too. Those Smiths liked to keep busy! Did I mention that he also later had a role in the Wycombe Chair Company and the local parish too just like his dad?

Angela* Theresa their daughter was a student at Northampton School of Sciences and Art. She was an art student, their best pupil in 1893, and passed examinations qualifying her as an art teacher, though I have found no evidence she actually took on that role.

In 1899 the fact that she, as a female, was one of the winners of a football results prediction competition ran by a local paper generated an incredulous (but good natured) article from that said paper.

Angela was Reuben and Mary Ann's second daughter. Their eldest Celestina died aged only in her 30s in 1902. Against social norms of the day she had set herself up in business -as a furniture dealer and coal merchant- and headed her own household as a young unmarried woman. She lived as such in Dallington Northampton on the 1891 census with her younger siblings Angela and Reuben junior as her assistants. Angela had quite an unusual career path then. There can't be too many young women who went from assistant coal merchant to art student! On the 1901 census Angela had no listed occupation probably as she was about to be married to William Davis of Northamptonshire.

Celestina is on the same census as a resident in an Isle of Wight boarding house living on her own means. So no more furniture or coal dealing. Given that she died a year later it is possible her residence on the Isle of Wight was for reasons of poor health- it was a popular destination for that. She died at Beaufort cottage and is buried in the Catholic churchyard.

Reuben died in 1915. I am unsure as to Mary Ann's death. Unfortunately I can find little about her as a person except that she came from Inverness-shire Scotland.

* Name registered at birth as Angela but she is referred to elsewhere as both Angela and Angelina. Unusual names ran in the Smith family- Reuben's mother was apparently called Ledger. Angelina is a name that is predominantly Catholic in use at this period. 

** Read about a theft at Robert's shop, and the surprising perpetrator here and more about Robert here

Some research Sources:

Censuses my transcription of images on microfilm.

Newspapers held by the British Library and accessed from the BNA August 2020: South Bucks Standard 10th February 1899, 10 March 1899 and 25th August 1893. [Football competition, Angela's art success].

As above but accessed March 2021: Bucks Herald 23rd June 1877. [Nude bathing].

Marriage certificate and birth certificates obtained from the GRO. Death registration indexes on the GRO website, death certificates.

Researched and written by Charlotte Day. Additional research by Kathryn Day. 

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

Lane End Chairmakers

Lane End within the parish of Great Marlow for a time was home to a large number of men, women and children working in the chair making industry. The village specialised in not only domestic chairs but in church seating too. There was a pub there called the Chairmakers Arms.

Below is listed with as much detail as my notes contain everyone I have ever come across working as a chair maker in Lane End whether as a business owner or a labourer.

I have been compiling this list for years from court cases, censuses, adverts, wills, etc that I was looking at for other research reasons. There are more to upload both in terms of references to individuals already listed and of new individuals to list. The names below will just be the tip of the iceberg in terms of involvement in the trade.

Dates next to any name are when I found reference to them as being both a chair maker and in Lane End. The person listed may have operated earlier or later too.

Allen, Albert. 1894.

Allen, Isaac. Accused of poaching 1876.

Avery, Daniel. 1890.

Bennell, Henry. Accused of assaulting John Sharp (Reading Mercury, 12th October 1872 via the BNA / British Library).

George Biggs. Accused of poaching. 1876.

Bird, Richard. Chair turner 1893.

Bishop, Henry. 1910, 13.

Bishop, Ralph Spence. 1902.

Catton, Amos. Chair manufacturer. 1861- 1893. In 1871 employed 37 men and 27 boys. Born circa 1832.

Catton, Joseph. 1876.

Collier, A. Manufacturer at Moor Common. Garden as well as indoor furniture. 1910.

Cooper, John : In 1897 John suffers a serious accident while working on a "reeding machine" at Mr E Smith's chair factory. This machine has knife blades within it, and John's hands are drawn into them, resulting in injuries to 4 fingers. One is subsequently amputated. This was nevertheless considered a miraculous escape. 

Cutler, Charles AKA Charlie. Chair maker 1881, 91. Wesleyan. Trained as a preacher. Son of Reuben and Sarah. Dad also chair maker. Brother of chair maker James.

Cutler, Edwin. Born circa 1835. Chair maker 1861, 1871. Wife Frances who was a lace maker. Parents Ann and William. Brother of Elizabeth, Isaac, Jane, Reuben too.

Cutler, Elizabeth. 12 year old chair caner on 1861 census. Daughter of Ann and William Cutler. Mother dead by 1861. Father also chair maker. Sister of chair makers Edwin, Isaac, Jane, Reuben.

Cutler, Isaac. Chair maker 1871. Son of Ann and William, also a chair maker. Wife Elizabeth a lace maker. Brother of chair makers Edwin, Elizabeth, Isaac, Jane, Reuben.

Cutler, James. Born circa 1866. Chair maker 1891. Son of Reuben, a chair maker, and Sarah. Brother of chair makers Charles, Owen and Walter.

Cutler, Jane 15 year old chair caner on 1861 census. Daughter of Ann and William. Dad also a chair maker. Possible marriage for her West Wycombe Albert Stephens 1866. Sister of chair makers Edwin, Elizabeth, Isaac, Jane, Reuben.

Cutler, Owen. Chair maker 1881. Chair back maker 1891. Born circa 1862. Wife Mary. Moved to Bolter End. Son of Reuben, a chair maker and Sarah. Brother of chair makers Charles, James, Walter.

Cutler, Reuben. Prominent Lane End Wesleyan, involved with the Wycombe chapels too. Member early 1900s of Lane End Parish Council. Prize winning cottage gardener. Specifically chair back maker. Son of Ann and William, who was also a chair maker. Brother of chair makers Edwin, Elizabeth, Isaac, Jane, Reuben. Wife Sarah lace maker early in marriage.

Cutler, Walter. Born circa 1861. Chair maker 1881. Son of Reuben, a chair maker and Sarah. Brother of chair makers Charles, Owen, James.

Dunn, Harry. Fined for being in a pub after hours. 1879.

Ellis, George. Born circa 1825. Apprentice chair maker 1841. Chair maker 1851,61. Born West Wycombe. Son of Alice and Stiles Ellis. Wife Sarah. Father of chair maker Sarah Jane.

Ellis, Sarah Jane. A 15 year old chair caner 1861 census. Daughter of chair maker George and Sarah his wife.

Fletcher, William. Charged poaching Stokenchurch 1869.

Gill, Charles. A 16 year old chair maker census 1861. Brother of chair maker William.

Gill, William. A 14 year old chair maker on 1861 census. Brother of chair maker Charles.

Gray, Richard. Drinking in a pub after closing time. 1879.

Jarvis, James. 1843-52.

Jarvis, Joseph. Grocer and chair manufacturer 1861-83. Born circa 1824 Reading according to census. Wife Sarah who was buried Lane End 1903 and was nee A..ns (Atkins?) Father of chair makers Leonard and William.

Jarvis, Leonard. 1881-92 when became insolvent. Born 1857 West Wycombe to Joseph, also a chair maker. Mother Sarah. Wife Charlotte.

Jarvis, William. Chair maker 1881. Born circa 1862 to Joseph, also a chair maker and Sarah. Brother of chair maker Leonard.

Jones, Joseph. Fined for being drunk and disorderly. 1879.

Plumridge, George. Born circa 1848. Was a 13 year old chair maker 1861 census. Brother of chair maker Henry. Child of James and Susannah.

Plumridge, Henry. 15 year old chair maker 1861 census. Son of James and Susannah. Brother of chair maker George.

Rolfe, William. 1877.

Rose, John. In a pub after hours 1879. (Bucks Herald. 10th May 1879. Via the BNA / British Library)

Savage, John. 1843.

Savage, William. 1852.

Sears, Emmanuel. Born circa 1833. Parents Henry and Hannah. Chair maker 1851, 1861. Wife Ann lace maker. They moved from Lane End. Emmanuel died 1908. Siblings Henry, James, Mary Ann and Richard all chair makers.

Sears, Henry (1). Born circa 1810. Chair turner. 1861-9. Wife Hannah. Father of chairmakers Emmanuel, Henry, James and Mary Ann and Richard. Hannah died in Maidenhead aged 81 in 1892.

Sears, Henry (2) born circa 1846. Chair maker 1861 census and 1868. Beer retailer and chair maker 1872-1883. Pub was Bricklayer's Arms Moor Common. Son of Hannah and Henry. Dad a chair turner. Brother of chair makers James, Mary Ann and Richard.

Sears, James (1). Old offender fined for drunkenness 1865 ( Bucks Herald/28th Jan 1865).

Sears, James (2). Born circa 1844. Chair maker 1861. Parents Henry, a chair turner, and Hannah. Siblings Emmanuel, Henry, Mary Ann and Richard also chair makers.

Sears, Mary Ann. A 12 year old chair caner 1861. Daughter of Hannah and Henry Sears. Dad a chair turner. Sister of chair makers Emmanuel, Henry, Richard and James.

Sears, Richard. Born circa 1837. Chair maker 1861. Son of Hannah and Henry. Siblings Henry, James, Mary Ann all chair makers.

Sears, Samuel. Chair maker 1861 census employing 60 men, 10 boys and 15 girls. Owned Brickmakers Arms Lane End 1872. Still chair maker and also grocer 1883. Wife Anne. Samuel was born circa 1816 and died 1890.

Sears, Thomas. Accused poaching 1876.

Seymour, George. 1918. Employed by Mr Smith.

Smith, Richard. Owned chair making business from circa 1892. Sued 1896 for unpaid timber bill of £50. Sued for alleged damage at Twyford caused by him carting timber over the land of Francis Bulkeley (Bucks Herald 7th Aug 1897, via the BNA and British Library) Bankrupt 1904.

Stevens, Thomas. 1880.

Trendall, John. 1877.

For more Lane End content see "Other Places" on the menu.

All mentions of an individual on this blog can be found under the Person Index.

©Marlow Ancestors.

Royal Chair Makers and Cunning Burglars!

William and Edmund Mealing- furniture makers occupied Great Marlow High Street premises for many years in the 1800s.

William was born circa 1775  in Penn near High Wycombe. Like so many Wycombe Mealings he went into the furniture trade though he was 10 years in the army first. Wycombe was especially famed at the time for chair making. William was also an upholsterer and cabinet maker while his son William Junior focused on chair making. 

The Dictionary of English Furniture Makers cited below conflates the two William Mealings, "my" William and his son. This they acknowledge is a possibility. After a lot of a research I can confidently sketch out the family and their royal links. 

William Senior was the one listed as located within the High Street High Wycombe in 1823 (near the Market House). The other William would be only a child then. 

William Senior was still by the Market House in 1829 when he went bankrupt. Not only his stock in trade but all his own furniture had to be sold to satisfy his creditors.

After he left the premises, his "large and handsome shop" and home which occupied a single build were put up for offer as well. William must have been doing well as the house had no less than 6 bedrooms, 4 sitting rooms and 2 kitchens not to mention a chaise house, stables and granaries.

His wife was Ann but I have not been able to trace their marriage. She died after 1815 but seemingly well before her husband.

Their son Edmund (in the dictionary mentioned above mistakenly rendered as Edward) married Sarah Stevens in Hedsor in 1828. This marriage like other life events for these Mealings took place in Non-Comformist places of worship. They were of Wycombe in the record. Their two daughters Ann and Jane were baptized at the Easton Street Ebenezer Chapel in High Wycombe.

Circa 1830 the couple moved to the premises in Marlow High Street. 

In 1833 the Mealing's Marlow house, shop and yard next to what is now Liston Court  had an appraised annual value of £9. A little later the family would use now demolished premises a couple of doors down where Sainsburys Local is now.

It is Edmund then who is the listed occupier or head of household in 1833. Where his dad was living then is uncertain. William was still in business however as "William Mealing and Sons" with a premises near the Red Lion Hotel in the High Street High Wycombe before a fire damaged the premises. Either because of that or because he needed extra room William had set up chair making premises in the Newlands area of High Wycombe which was awash with other chair and furniture makers.

In 1838 his company provided two gilt and carved music chairs for Royal Pavilion Brighton, and six chairs for Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace. In 1839 they supplied 48 carved beech stools for the music room of Buckingham Palace plus more chairs and stools for the Royal Household 1840-41.

At the time of the 1841 census William was living in Marlow with his son Edmund. Presumably due to seniority of age and experience William was then listed as the head of household rather than Edmund as previously. William was also listed as the head of the business in Marlow in other records. William Junior as I say remained as a chair maker in Wycombe while William Senior focused on cabinet making and upholstery.

In 1853 Musson and Craven's Directory William was also listed as a paper hanger. (Early wallpaper that is). His workers also painted interiors and in common with other businesses such as builders and chairmakers that employed skilled carpenters, Mealing manufactured coffins and as a natural extension of that organized funerals.

In 1861 at the time of the census another son of William's - a Robert - was also living and working in the family business. Previously Robert had worked for the Excise office. William died in 1863 aged nearly 90, and Robert and Edmund were jointly listed in Kelly's Directory 1864 as running the business. William is buried in All Saints Churchyard Marlow. His estate was valued as less than £800 which was of course still a lot in those days. Son Edmund was the executor of his will.

Sarah Mealing, wife of Edmund died in 1864 and is on the same headstone in Marlow as her father in law. Please see the Graves Index for a photo of the grave.

By 1871 Edmund had moved to a large and attractive house on the other side of the High Street. Robert and his wife Sarah lived in the old family premises for a few years before the building was given over entirely to use as a showroom. 

On the 1881 census Edmund said he employed 3 men. That would be permanent employees and others may have been taken on as and when required for particular commissions. One of the permanent employees was Charles Stark who had married Edmond's daughter Jane. Another was James Stark, brother to Charles. The Stark boys were sons of the Mr Stark who was the coachman at Bisham Abbey. 

Edmond died a little later age 80. The business continued for a few more years as Mealing and Stark under the care of Charles. 

In 1884 the premises were burgled by thieves who managed to squeeze in through a tiny side window they had completely removed. The reports of the robbery tell us that the premises were a house incorporating a two storey showroom for their stock with workshops out back. In the show rooms were glass display cabinets showing samples Utrecht velvet and silk plush upholstery plus accessories you could buy at the same time such as curtains and tablecloths. It was these items plus a large carpet that the thieves had taken. The carpet had been left outside as perhaps it was too bulky for a quick getaway. The goods that were carried off were valued at  £60- £70.

Charles had retired by 1891 (I think in 1889). Hopefully this was not because of his losses sustained in the burglary. He sold out to Messrs Hill and Tugwood who had worked for him from the time of their apprenticeships onwards. In 1898 many of their business goods were sold off by auction, implying perhaps temporary financial difficulty. The Hill & Tugwood partnership would be dissolved not long afterwards. The Hill family however carried on alone as cabinet makers etc.

Researched and written by Charlotte Day. 

Mealing grave here

For a biography of the Mealing's assistant John Adams see Kathryn's post here here

More posts on historic Marlow traders are indexed street by street here.

For every mention of an individual on this blog see the A-Z Person Index on the top drop down menu which contains thousands of people.

Sources: 

'M' in dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660-1840 ed Geoffrey Beard and Christopher Gilbert (Leeds 1986) pp. 563-8. British History Online http://www.britishhistory.ac.uk/no-series/dict-english-furniture-makers/m Accessed March 24 2021.

1833 Great Marlow parochial assessment. Original handwritten notebooks held by my family and transcribed by me.

Bucks Gazette 23rd May 1829. Copy held by the British Library Archives and accessed by via via the BNA March 2021.

Windsor and Eton Express 17th January 1829. As above.

Bucks Herald 26th July and Reading Mercury 19th July 1884. As above.

South Bucks Standard 11 November 1898

1841,51,61,71,81,91 transcribed by Jane Pullinger.

Kelly's Post Office Directory 1864.

Musson and Craven's Commercial Directory 1853 from University of Leicester archives.

GRO Death Index.

Hedsor Independent Chapel marriages transcribed from microfilm images by me from film #007561679 provided by the LDS church, Intellectual Reserve Inc.

National Archives Royal Hospital Chelsea Soldiers Service Documents Ref: WO97. 

Graves Marlow All Saints Churchyard 

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to reuse this research or image for family or local history purposes if you credit this blog and link here so that the sources listed above do not lose credit for their contributions.