Bowen, Dorell and Dorell Bowen graves, Great Marlow

Mary Dorell who departed this life November 3rd 1848 age 70 years. (Read her will, proved 1849 here )

ALSO OF

John Dorell Bowen died Aug 22 1850 aged 16 years.

The footer of the above grave. 

Above, Priscilla, wife of Thomas Bowen Junior of the Red Lion of this town. D.1837 (She was nee Dorell.) They married 1832, at Aston Rowant where Priscilla was from (Kingston Blount). Mother was Mary Dor(r)ell. 

The footer for Priscilla's grave giving her initials and death date, above.

 Above is the footer for a grave that is no longer visible as a yew tree trunk is within mm of it's surface. It contains the initials :

M.B 1829

T.B 1835

T.B 1843  [This is likely Thomas Bowen senior as he was known, father to Thomas and father in law to Priscilla, who died this year]

These grave stones are in All Saints Churchyard, Marlow. 

List of Red Lion landlords here

Grave marker image index here

© MarlowAncestors

Will Summary Mary Dorell Of Great Marlow 1849

 I obtained a copy of this PCC will from the National Archives, Kew. This I transcribed and now summarize here.

MARY DORELL / DORREL WIDOW. WILL PROVED 1849.

Asks for burial at Great Marlow Church.

Executors to invest £130 in public stocks for the benefit of her grandson John Dorell Bowen son of Thomas Bowen of Great Marlow until John is 21 when he is to receive the £130. If he dies before 21 both the lump sum and the income from it's investment go equally to testator's children= Joseph Dorell, Elizabeth Brooks, Jane Harding and Eliza Moss.

Son Joseph £130.

Daughters as above equal share in testator's wardrobe contents.

Household furniture and effects to be equally divided between son and daughters.

Rest of personal estate after debts paid to her three daughters as above.

Son in law Thomas Bowen and friend Robert ... executors.

Witnesses W.L Ward of Great Marlow and Henry Anthony bookbinder of Great Marlow. [Ward was the solicitor]

NOTES:

Mary Dorell widow of Great Marlow [Aka Mary Dorrell] Written 1847. Proved 1849.

Asks to be buried Marlow Churchyard.

Executor to invest £130 and take the dividends, interest and produce of that until testator's grandson John Dorell Bowen son of Thomas Bowen publican of Great Marlow is 21 then John gets it himself. If John died before then it to be divided between testator's son Joseph Dorell and daughters Elizabeth Brooks, Jane Harding and Maria Moss.

£130 to son Joseph Dorell.

Her wardrobe to be divided equally between her daughters.

Household goods divided equally between her son and daughters.

Anything else remaining in her estate after funeral costs and debts paid to be divided between her daughters.

Executors: son in law Thomas Bowen and friend Robert Footitt.

Testator made mark rather than sign.

Witnessed by W.L Ward solicitor and Henry Anthony bookbinder, both of Great Marlow.

Notes:

Mary was the widow of John Dorell / Dorrell. The family came from Oxfordshire. Mary lived in a cottage in Quoiting Square Marlow, very close to the Red Lion, owned first by Thomas Bowen senior, father of Thomas Junior, and then passed by will to Mary Dorrell's daughter in law also called Mary Dorrell who had married George Dorrell. If you are scratching your head at that- Mary of the will's son George and daughter Priscilla both married Bowens, the children of Thomas Bowen senior. I hope that helps explain the family!

Mary's daughter Priscilla, wife of Thomas Bowen Junior, predeceased her. The Bowens, a father and son both called Thomas, ran the Red Lion in Marlow for many years. Sadly young Thomas Dorell Bowen did not live to see his legacy payable at age 21. He died aged 16 and shares a grave marker with Mary. See the image  here

Mary's son George, not mentioned in the will, was also a Marlow publican.

Will witness W.L Ward was William Lakin Ward, solicitor of the High Street. 

Executor Robert Footitt was a High Street chemist.

Transcribed and then summarised from a will held at the National Archives Kew by Charlotte Day.

©Marlow Ancestors

To find all mentions of an individual here use the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu where you will also find a link to our other will posts and a grave marker image index.  

©Marlow Ancestors. Reproduction permitted with credit.

The Ship, West Street Marlow Landlords and historic timeline

 

Updated by Charlotte Jan 2024.

 We mainly focus on pre 1920 listings but sometimes list later landlords if we come across them during research. 

1792 - Thomas Hussey/ Hussrey 2.Thomas Humphrey

1823 - William Clark

1824 - William Clark

1831 -  George Dorell

1832 - George Dorell

1836 - "The Old Ship"  Mrs Dorrell qv. 

1839 - As The Old Ship - William Sawyer. For him see also The Coach and Horses. He was he son of bakers James and Charlotte Sawyer of West Street see here for more on them and his brother.

1841 - William Sawyer

1842- George Stevens

1843 - George Stevens. Fined £2 for allowing cards to be played on his premises. This was a high amount and considered unfair by many. 

1844 - George Stevens 2. John Clark(e)

1846- as The Old Ship Inn. John Clark transfers to Richard Green who is also a blacksmith.

1847 - As The Old Ship - Richard Green.

1851 - Richard Reeves. Richard and his wife Jane were previously managers of the Workhouse. See this post for a biography of them.

1853 - Richard Reeves

1854 - Richard Reeves.

1859 - Jane Reeves. Widow of Richard.

1863 -  Mrs Jane Reeves

1864  - Mrs Jane Reeves

1870 "the Ship Tavern" 

1871 -  Sarah Reeves. She came from the Prince Albert, Spittal Street and was the widow of William Reeves. Jane had just died.

1872 - John Cuthbert

1873 - John Cuthbert. 2. Henry Poole

1876 - Henry Poole transfers to Miss Jessie Macintosh. 

1878 -  Miss Jessie Macintosh died there age 28. 

1878 - Henry Poole again. A business partnership with John Tildesley relating to the manufacture of soda water at the Ship, came to tears. The two fell out and came quite literally to blows when Charles and several others tried to remove the equipment. They took out summons accusing each other of assault - in the case of John the attack was upon Felix Tildesley who had accompanied his father to the Ship. The case against Poole was dismissed. Charles was fined 13s including costs. Then Joshua Benjamin Gladding takes over. 

1881  - Joshua Gladding dies, James Rim(m)ell takes over. 

1883 -  James Rimmel(l)

1884 -  James Rimmell.

Thomas Barnes (temporary after James Rimmell's death) then "Mrs Rymmell" qv widow. 

1885 - Hannah Rimmell (Wife of James) 

1886 -  Hannah Rimmell. (Wife of James Rimmell) Lost her licence for harbouring prostitutes -  see Here   Thomas Barnes takes over again 1887. 

1888 - Thomas Barnes. 2 Joseph Warden

1889  - 1. Joseph Warder/Warden, 2. Thomas George Austin

1890 - Thomas John Richards (born Kent)

1891 -  Thomas Richards

1892  - Transfer from Thomas Richards to William Saunders, and then from Saunders to W Dominick Westcott. Thomas Richards left after marrying a woman of  private means living in Little Marlow. But this marriage of Thomas and Agnes was not happy and within 2 months of their wedding day they had separated, both accusing the other of drunkenness and violence. The case went to court, and Agnes was convicted of assaulting Thomas by whipping his face. (Agnes admitted to using the whip but said Thomas had started the trouble by swearing at her.) A counter charge against Thomas was made, but he was found not guilty as it was considered he was acting in self defence.  The costs of both cases were to be paid by Agnes. She claimed Thomas had married her for her money, and had became a beast when he could not get his hands on it. Thomas said Agnes had taken against the daughters from his first marriage (especially Ada) and had acted out of jealousy. He claimed she had developed a habit of drinking when acting as the former land lady of the Windsor Castle Inn at High Wycombe. Both were bound over to keep the peace. 

1893 - 1. William D Westcott 2. Charles Lisson Mathews

1895 - Charles L Mathews 2. Thomas Walter (or Walker) Lowe

1896 - Mr Lowe 2. ? Gunn. Suffers a chimney fire this year due to beam running through chimney beginning to smoulder. Marlow Fire Brigade had dealt with this kind of fire before and said it is not uncommon to find such badly placed wooden beams in old buildings. Damage limited. 

1897 -   1 G A Gunn 2. James Swain.  (Joseph Warder, Thomas George Austin two names possibly proposed and refused instead of Swain)

1898 - James Swain transferred licence to Thomas Watson. He had no choice after police complaints of months of disgraceful behaviour at the pub, including him being found flat- out drunk on the premises and drunkenly attacking his wife Sarah so blood was running down her face when a police constable found her. The local magistrates said that unless Swain left immediately the brewery would lose their licence for the pub. They swiftly dumped Swain.

1899 - Thomas Watson (Alt. William Watson).

1901 - Mr Watson transfers premises to Arthur Osborn. 

1902 - Survives attempt by authorities to close it down as excess to West Streets licensed premises requirements. The high turnover of landlords in recent years counts against it but the fact the licence is "very clean" and the premises in very good condition keep it open. Arthur Osborne 2. W A Bennett (previously proprietor of Royal Oak, Huntingdon)

1903 - Albert E Bull

1904 - A E Bull 2. Arthur Barlow

1906 - Arthur Barlow 2. Thomas Flaxman/ Flexman

1907 - Thomas Barnes (hold-over) 2. Joseph Warden ditto. 3. Edward Tygat (e) 4. Alfred Schreen. 

1908 - Alfred Screen / Schreen. Spelling varies. Pub has bowling alley and a stable but the latter is not used. Headquarters of the 200 strong Ivy Ramblers Club of London.

1909 - Alfred Screen. In this year the pub is described as having 5 bedrooms which were constantly accommodating visitors during the "river season." In 1908 only three bedrooms mentioned as available to visitors.  In addition the skittle alley was sometimes pulled into use as a little extra space when hosting summer teas. The pub sells twice as many barrels of beer as they did a couple of years ago when they catered for fewer parties. That's two barrels worth of beer a week being sold plus 18 bottles of beer on average and 6 gallons of draught spirits. And yes they sold non alcoholic cordials and mineral water too. The pub is "clean and well conducted" but needs some repairs to the actual premises according to a report submitted to the licencing committee. 

1910 - Alfred Screen leaves Marlow. Next landlord - Charles Percy Joy

1911 - Charles Joy

1920 - Charles Percy Joy. Fined 20s for profiteering in this year for selling gin at higher than the fixed maximum price. Charles pleads guilty but says he doesn't sell many spirit drinks and so can't buy it at a favourable price. If he sells it at the maximum fixed price he says he'd be making a loss. And his total profit per bottle were only 1s which he did not think could be fairly called profiteering. A charge against Mrs Joy for actually serving the drinks is dropped. 

1924 - James G Palmer

1939 - Charles Thornton Arnold. 

1962 - Mrs Doris Mary West is leaving for the Canary Islands. Licence transfers to Mr John Somerville Blundell 

* For more on the Rimmell family see separate post here*

Look on the menu here for more landlord listings for Marlow, Little Marlow, Medmenham and Lane End as well as biographies of some pub keeping individuals or families, a listing of the 100+ pubs Marlow has had, and pub histories.

See under "Specific Shops, Streets Etc" on the menu for links to posts about other historic West Street businesses and residents.

©Marlow Ancestors. 

SOURCES

1853 Musson & Cravens Commercial directory (Compiled 1852), published by Musson & Craven. 

1859,1864,1877,1883, 1899,1903,1907,1911 & 1915 -Kelly's Post Office Directory. 

1839 Robson's Directory

Pigots Directory 1823,1831,1844

Contemporary press coverage of licencing hearings, court cases, and other news accessed via the BNA including: South Bucks Standard, 12 August 1892, 16 July 1901, 22 May 1902, June 21 1907, March 5th 1909 & 28th Oct 1910.

Reading Mercury May 8 1879. As above. 

Various property deeds, wills transcribed by Charlotte and legal proceedings. 

Census 1841,1851,1861,1871,1881, 1891

Will Summary Thomas Bowen of Marlow 1844

Late Victualer [of the Red Lion, West Street. His son Thomas Junior took it over when Thomas retired. Thomas Senior lived next door in his retirement]

Will proved 1844. Written 1842. He died 1843. 

Says he of sound mind.

After all debts and funeral expenses paid, to my son Thomas and daughter Mary wife of George Dorell my house in Quoiting Place [now called Quoiting Square]. This property was in the occupation of a Mary Dorell [seems like a different Mary Dorell?? Note Thomas's son Thomas junior had married a Priscilla Dorrel of Kingston Oxfordshire in 1832. You can see her grave here ] 

Also to daughter Mary a four poster bed, the furniture that goes with it [the curtains and hangings], a feather bed and two blankets. She had these items at her home already.

Executors: Robert Clark builder and George Wyatt farmer, both of Great Marlow.

Witnesses:

Robert Crake, George Wyatt and William ....

I transcribed and summarized this will from a copy ordered from the National Archives.

above.

Thomas Bowen, at All Saints. See other Bowen gravestones here

Note: Robert Clark was probably the man of that name that lived in Quoiting Square.

Robert Crake was of Chapel Street in 1833.

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

To see a photograph of the house where Thomas lived in after he retired from the Red Lion watch out for a post scheduled April 2025.