Edwardian Spittal Street and Spittal Square Part Two

EVEN NUMBERED PROPERTIES SPITTAL STREET.

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

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

In this post I follow the popular perception of the "Edwardian age" as extending 1901-1914. Some incidents in the earlier lives of the named residents are also included. Spittal Square addresses are very sloppy and reconstructing this street was tough.  If anyone has been missed we hope to remedy that as soon as possible.

2 - 4 George Dorsett's grocery shop. Really in Market Square but numbered as Spittal Street at this time. Bacon curer too. 

6 - 8 William Fisher's butcher's shop. Managed in a day to day basis by Frank Fisher from 1905 but William still in charge of the business overall. William was involved in an accident in 1910 when his horse drawn trap was in collision in the High Street with another vehicle and he was thrown out of it. William was much injured but fortunately had no broken bones. In the Edwardian era William supplied meat and groceries to the Union workhouse school in Bledlow Bucks which took children from Marlow and elsewhere. The quality of the meat he provided was questioned more than once. It has be said that the premises of William were considered a continuous serious health hazard by his Spittal Street neighbours and he was multiple times in court over sanitary breaches. The details are somewhat stomach churning and as you may have recently eaten we'll just draw a veil over the details. Like many butchers he kept some animals for slaughter - mostly pigs- out the back of his premises. In the Victorian era he had kept a stall at Marlow market too but it isn't clear whether he was still doing that in this era. By the end of the Edwardian age William no longer lived on the premises of his shop, but in Glade Road. His wife Elizabeth was nee Webb of the Webb of Field House Marlow family. William himself came from Aylesbury originally.

Premises on the edge of Market Square.

10  Sometimes given as Market Square but numbered as Spittal Street. Shop of Thomas "Tom" Rippington (bn 1879) fishmonger in 1907 and 1908. He also dealt in game and poultry. Smoked haddock a speciality! He was an assistant fishmonger on the 1901 census so must have come into his own business after that. Thomas is not to be confused with his dad Thomas Rippington of nearby Chapel Street who was not a fishmonger but a shorthand writer and marine store dealer. Tom and his wife Ruth moved to Great Missenden in late 1910 or 11 and his former Marlow premises were taken over by Nelson and Sons butchers. 

12 Sydney Smith's greengrocers. Members of this family continued the shop there for some years.

14 - 16 Bernal Harman chemist until his death in 1906 when his son Henry "Harry" Harman took over. A full biography of both Bernal and his son is already on the blog here. Long term chemist premises. 

18 William Smith, draper's shop. Wife Martha Jane ("Jane") born circa 1853 Maidenhead but William was a Londoner of origin. He was one of Marlow's volunteer firemen. Martha died after what was said to be a long and painful illness in 1908 at their home The Garth, Beaumont Rise. William continued to live at The Garth as a widower with his children Herbert and Dora. (Currently a greengrocer & sweet shop) 

Advert, 1905. 

20 Ironmongery ran by George Meakes until his death in 1903. Assisted by John Eddowes who then took over. A biographical post on these two is already on the blog here. Currently M&S food. 

22 - 24 Arthur Barnard's stores which were built at the very end of the Edwardian era. He already has a biography on the blog here where you will also find information about his two other shops. Prior to that three very small cottages stood on the site. Those properties were previously occupied by Thomas Andrews the hairdresser (wife Elizabeth), H Carter and the Steele family headed by William and Rosanna "Rose" Steele. William was a french polisher on his own account. His and Rosanna's son Sydney died of wounds he received while fighting in the First World War at Salonika. The Steele family previously lived at Bovingdon Green but had to leave when their thatched cottage burned to the ground. It was thought a spark from their fire of furze ignited the thatch. No one in the family was hurt and the family's possessions were saved. A lack of available water for the fire brigade and the fact the road from Marlow was so bad that the fire engine got stuck had contributed to the fire's destruction of their home. Using furze for fire would have been common at Bovingdon Green and Marlow Common as it could be gathered easily in the vicinity. Currently Marlow Bookshop. 

26 - 30 The Greyhound. For the Edwardian and other landlords of this historic  inn / hotel see here. (Demolished) 

32 Jacob's family home & store. Ralph Jacobs was a "marine store" dealer - that is a seller of secondhand items that would largely be of interest to those in trade or craft occupations (e.g carpentry tools or lead piping). They also traded in secondhand items a householder might use for gardening or home maintenance tasks. Examples of such items would be cloths  that could be used for cleaning, slop pails and garden tools. He later also operated as a rag and bone man and offered shoe repairs. His shop was at 32 but he also kept a storeroom for larger items in Duke's Place. His sons John and Ernest both helped in the business. Sadly Ernest was killed in action while fighting in the First World War. The mum in the family was Emily Margaret. This property no longer exists. In the first world war the Jacobs collected many items for the war effort. Demolished. 

34 Over the Edwardian period George Dean boot and shoe maker and Ellen White needlewoman both occupied this cottage at different times. This property no longer exists. The cottage was a very old one that had in Georgian and Victorian times been a grocer's shop. To read about the grocers who operated from no 34 in the 1800s see here (Eagle Family) or here (East and Harriman). The latter post contains some upsetting content. Demolished. 

36 - 38 a largish property divided up in several ways. Wiggington family premises for many years. Robert Wiggington the coal dealer with a sideline in timber dealing operated from here as apparently did George Aughton a timber dealer who had a sideline in coal. George was also later recorded as a greengrocer and haulage contractor. Robert Wiggington died unexpectedly while out on his coal van in 1915. The property incorporated a shop (officially 38) which was ran as a general shop in the Edwardian era by Miss Emma Glynn Jones the Wiggington's granddaughter and later by George Aughton's wife Charlotte. This property no longer exists in any way.

40 - by the 1920s incorporated into number 38. This property no longer exists. In 1915 just after our era R Hawkes.

42 -cottage considered unfit for human habitation in 1907, owned by a Mr Collins. Probably lived in then by Mr J Edwards. This property no longer exists. 

44 cottage considered unfit for human habitation in 1907, owned by a Mr Collins. Probably lived in then by Mrs Young. Must have been refurbished as in 1915 just after our era no 44 was lived in by Walter Tew. This property no longer exists.

46 The Cross Keys SPITTAL SQUARE properly. Historic landlords listing here

48 at the end of this era the home of John Baxter. In earlier Edwardian times it was George Baxter, "wardrobe dealer" (that was a second hand furniture dealer not just selling wardrobes) who lived here.  SPITTAL SQUARE. Note the Rippington's wardrobe dealers was at no 2 Chapel Street next to the Cross Keys. Due to the bizarreness of the street numbering no 48 Spittal Square was actually on the opposite side of the street from the Cross Keys at no 46 which from bare numbering you would think would be next to it.

50 the home of widow Mary Ann Walker embroiderer at the start of the Edwardian era. She lived there with her niece Miss Mary Ann Stockbridge born 1857, who was a maker of embroidered baby bibs for her aunt's business, and then following her own death on her own account. Both women were beneficiaries of the will of Mary Ann Walker's husband Henry (who ran the baby linen and bib manufacturing business with his wife) following his death of bronchitis in 1894. The family had occupied this property since at least the 1870s. The Walkers employed many women in the town as embroiderers. Henry had spent his youth in the army, where he rose to the rank of Sergeant, not an easy thing for an ordinary man to do in those days. During his time serving in India he was part of the force which seized the famed Koh I Noor diamond and fought against the Indian Mutiny. After he left the armed services in 1864 he returned to Marlow, married and set up the embroidery business with his wife. SPITTAL SQUARE.

52-54 bakery of Walter Harris (also confectioner) and then Mr W Clark. SPITTAL SQUARE.

56 Mrs Mary Holland seamstress, self-employed. SPITTAL SQUARE.

58  John Birdseye. Baker there since at least the early 1890s. Spittal Square. He was in the same block of 4 properties as Frank Harvey the chimney sweep see above, so was an even number. John was born circa 1831 in Chesham. His wife Eliza was of Marlow origin. She died in 1904 and so late in the era as a retired widower John went to live with his daughter Sarah and son in law James Gray (a grocer and rent collector) at the impressive house Thamesfield near the river. Back in 1897 when Queen Victoria's jubilee was being celebrated in Marlow John put on an unusual public display when he exhibited some bread and cakes which he had made for the 1887 Jubilee, 10 years previously still in very good condition! John as a younger man served as a parish constable. The graves of Eliza and John are on the blog here. Both were members of the Baptist Church in Marlow and helped to raise money for its Glade Road building. Their daughter Sarah was a Congregational Chapel member.

When John Birdseye retired Edward Harvey baker and confectioner (wife Alice nee Barnes) took over. Early in the Edwardian era John sold bread and beer in nearby Chapel Street. They lived York Road.  Harvey's bakers was in operation for many years and was fondly remembered by many people. This property no longer exists. SPITTAL SQUARE.

60 the home of the West family headed by couple Emma and Owen West. Late in the Edwardian era Emma lived here as a widow supporting herself by working as a charwoman. SPITTAL SQUARE .This property no longer exists.

62  Francis "Frank" and Annie Harvey. Frank was a chimney sweep. In a block of 4 properties in SPITTAL SQUARE not far from the corner with Chapel Street. This property no longer exists.

Unplaced people of Edwardian Spittal Street, may be on either the odds or evens side of street unless otherwise stated. By unplaced I mean not certainly placed, there is often conflicting information:

Samuel and Rose Higgs. Samuel was a boot maker.

Mr Price who had a shop here in 1905 in which a fire broke out.

Mr Ransom butcher?

Mrs Elizabeth Sexton dressmaker and furrier. Born circa 1848 in Dorking Surrey. A widow who lived with her daughters Eleanor and Winifred, sister Eliza Plumridge and a lodger. Elizabeth had moved to Marlow from Maidenhead. Initially she lived with her daughters in Oxford Road. Eleanor married into the Gurney family of Glory Farm, Penn. Before marriage she worked as a stationary shop assistant.

Annie Trash milliner late in the era. Even numbered side of the street.

And in Spittal Square unplaced people =

Mrs Atkins or Adkins. Near the corner of Chapel Street. Sometimes because of the property's corner position described as being in Chapel Street itself. 

John and Jane Bryant early in the Edwardian era. John was a shopkeeper.

M Fisher the greengrocer.

Charles and Emma Hawkes. Charles was employed as a shoe maker. 

Joseph Hawkins carpenter.

Tillion family. In the same block of four properties as Frank Harvey the chimney sweep so an even numbered property. Charles Tillion was a packer for a fisherman. See also The Horns, Chapel Street landlord listing. 

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

For selected sources see Spittal Street part one which deals with everyone who lived in odd numbered properties

Sunnybank House *'Updated Feb 2026*

 Sunnybank (or Sunny Bank) was an eight bedroom house with formal gardens that stood on the banks of the Thames at Marlow. It was built by 1872 and stood close to Rye Peck and the bridge. It is not to be confused with the street address Sunnybank on the other side of Marlow. If you came to this post hoping for some early history for the street Sunnybank please click on this link for a story involving one of the early residents there (the post contains distressing content).

For much of it's history Sunnybank, the riverside house, was used only as a second home for it's various wealthy owners, and if they decided to holiday elsewhere in any given year it was often let out to some of the hordes of summer tourists that used to descend on Marlow. Sunnybank's position close to the river made it a magnet for those who loved rowing. Plus the property had its own boathouse. When the house was remodeled in the early 1900s a new luxury version topped with a terrace was added.

The earliest named resident I have found for the house was the Revd Francis Gledstanes Waugh who was there back in 1873. He was the vicar of Llanwenarth in Wales so presumably, like many of Sunnybank's later residents, he used the house at Marlow at first only as a country or summer retreat rather than a year round residence. Nevertheless that year Francis married Anne "Annie" Whiting in Kent and Sunnybank briefly became their main residence. Both bride and groom were the children of clergymen. Perhaps Annie hadn't been an easy catch for her future husband as a few months later he sent a local paper a poem which he had written on the theme of a man's painfully unrequited love for a woman. We'll give him credit for not being so insensitive to his new bride's feelings as to seek to publish a poem about his previous longing for another woman!

By 1887 a Miss Caird was a resident of Sunnybank. She gave a gift of a shilling that year to all the widows of the Marlow almshouses. This Miss Caird was obviously a relative of Henrietta Caird who in 1890 /91 was left the house and all of it's furniture by it's elderly owner Charles Hammersley of London, an army agent and banker who also had Abney House in nearby Bourne End. His relationship to Henrietta has not been identified by me. The Miss Caird and Henrietta may of course be one and the same person. There was also a Mrs Caird in Marlow, exact address unknown, at around the same time. The Hammersley family loved rowing- the women of the family competed in their own team of eight made up also of their friends and guests.  If Henrietta Caird was also a sportswoman I can find no record of it. 

Charles also left Henrietta a £400 annuity and a £1000 gift. She must have sold the house almost immediately, as early in 1892 the owner was Percival Harter, formerly  of Court Garden house in Marlow and soon to be the resident (and builder) of Stoneyware on the other side of the river. Percival and his wife used Sunnybank as a summer home while waiting for Stoneyware to be completed. They also spent money on repairing Sunnybank. For example they discovered it's boat house was in poor condition. So when the river was "drawn" to allow repairs at Temple Lock, they took advantage of the low water levels to pin its walls and replace the floor. In 1893 Percival offered to sell the property to the Marlow Rowing Club so that they could demolish it and build a much needed boat house on the same spot. Although a cheap price was offered it was still too much for the club's finances. He was said to have originally purchased the house in order to much enlarge it  but then he seems to have quickly abandoned this plan. Presumably this because the future site of Stoneyware became available which offered much more scope for building purposes - it was a blank canvas so to speak. Harter's offer to sell Sunnybank to the Rowing Club sounds generous but he seems to have struggled to get rid of it - in October 1895 he offered the house rent free to a careful tenant until March 1896 - no children allowed! Why Percival did so I'm not certain - perhaps he just did not want it to remain empty during the "off season" and thought this course of action better than employing a caretaker to air and guard it. Perhaps he already had his next tenants, Mr and Mrs Henry Nesfield of Bexhill lined up. They signed a seven year lease in the spring of 1896 but stayed just 3 years and are recorded as coming into residence during each summer only. 

In 1896 Captain and Mrs Stanley Edwards had let the house briefly as a second home but would return as regular residents from June 1899. Stanley's mother was Mrs Bennett Edwards of whom more on this blog in various places. He was also related to Harding Cox of Weir Cottage Marlow. Stanley was a captain in the army with the King's Royal Rifles. He was a keen supporter of the sport of rowing in the town and the Vice President of Marlow Regatta. Whether he was able to participate in much sport is uncertain as it seems that he  suffered from frequent illnesses and despite a recent voyage to New Zealand for the sake of his health died of enteric fever aged just 28 in 1900. He was buried in a grave close to to the river in All Saint's churchyard. His widow Inez (and little daughter) continued to live intermittently at Sunnybank until at least the early 1920s. According to some reports the house was renamed Dunstable House in 1922. However the name does not seem to have stuck for several years. 

Above grave of Stanley Edwards at All Saints. 1871-1900

It was during the occupation of Inez that the house was remodeled and the terrace topped boathouse added. Sunnybank was described then as being in the 18th century style- whether this was before the alterations or only afterwards isn't a hundred per cent clear. The architect for the remodel was W. Henry White who later designed the Marlow war memorial. 

Sunnybank itself was left empty by its owners for at least part of the First World War as in 1915 it was used to billet members of the Royal Engineers. Mrs Edwards had offered it to the authorities for use as a hospital. It may also have been used as that, I am uncertain.

As I said above the house was apparently renamed Dunstable House in the 1920s and seems to have then experienced quite a bit of remodelling. Margaret Walton was the owner responsible for the name change. She brought the name Dunstable House with her, having previously lived in a home of that name in Quarry Woods. The new Dunstable House was divided into flats by the mid 1930s, possibly by the mid 1920s, the picture is a little confused. The residents of the property under the name Dunstable House will be featured in their own post, time permitting, in the future.

Written and researched by Charlotte Day. 

To find posts about other specific named residences or areas of Marlow, see the index here

To search for an individual, see the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. 

Some Sources:

Bucks Herald August 22nd 1904 and 25th December 1915. British Library Archives.

The Royal Academy of Art: A Complete Dictionary of Contributors and Their Work from Its Foundation in 1769 to 1904. 

Will of Charles Hammersley 1891.

The Builder (journal) June 28th 1902.

South Bucks Standard 20th April 1900, 11th October 1895,  21st April 1893, via the BNA.

Reading Mercury  21st April 1900, as above.

© MarlowAncestors 

WILL OF ANN FULLER

Ann Fuller of Great Marlow, singlewoman. Will written 1851 and proved 1852.

Margaret Hickman has kindly offered to be her executor so she is appointed as such.

Just debts, funeral and costs for proving the will are to be paid first.

1 guinea each to:

Sarah Truss, widow.

Elizabeth Piggott, widow.

The wife of Edward Edwards.

The wife of Benjamin Marcham.

Elizabeth ?Mayor? 

The wife of Thomas Robinson of Harleyford.

To the wife of Joseph Austin her fire irons, fender, and sheets.

To Hannah Austin her best ....ing.

Tea caddy to ....Hickman.

Chest of drawers to Margaret Hickman.

From the rest of the furniture and clothing Martha Atkins, Susan Cleobury, Ann B.... and Caroline ?Dark? can choose something to remember her by.

Rest of her possessions: half to the said Mrs Austin and half to be divided between the children of Mrs Austin.

Witnessed by Ann Fry and William Fry both of Marlow.

The will was proved by Margaret Hickman wife of George Hickman.

Notes:

Ann lived with an elderly William Hickman, a surgeon, in West Street Marlow at the time of the 1841 census. I am unsure if she was related to him as the 1841 census did not record household relationships. William died aged 94 in 1850. George Hickman was his son and also a surgeon. Margaret Hickman was nee Aitchinson.

Benjamin Marcham and his wife lived in Oxford Road.

The wife of Thomas Robinson of Harleyford was named Mary. He was a Chelsea Pensioner.

Elizabeth Piggott was a laundress in Chapel Street Marlow.

Sarah Truss was an elderly laundress of Spittal Street.

William Fry was a servant (live out) who lived in West Street. It is uncertain whom he worked for. He had a daughter called Ann but she would have been only in her mid teens in 1851 which seems young for a will witness, though not unprecedented. The grave of William and his wife Phebe / Phoebe can be seen on the blog here, and their home here

More Marlow will summaries indexed here.

All mentions of any individual on this blog can be found by looking at the A-Z Person Index.

©Marlow Ancestors.

Will is held at the National Archives Kew. Transcribed by me and then summarised here.

Biggs / Bristow Family Bakers

 Joseph Biggs, originally of Dinton Bucks, moved to Spittal Street Great Marlow in the very late 1850s or 1860.

He was a middle aged widower with a much younger "servant" Sarah Bristow in tow, by whom he had had 3 children - Ellen, Joseph and Alfred. The children were referred to as both Bristows and Biggs at different times. Sarah had worked for him since at least 1851.

Joseph was a corn dealer and baker with a shop in Spittal Street. After his death in age 71 Sarah, sometimes as Sarah Biggs and calling herself a widow, other times as Sarah Bristow, ran the business herself. In 1868 she was fined for having deficient scales used for weighing out bread and also, interestingly, meat. Such prosecutions occur frequently with shopkeepers whose scales needed to be recalibrated every so often to keep them true but who often forgot to organize this. In 1890 Sarah was again fined this time it was 10 shillings for selling bread without weighing it first, another very common offence. Such prosecutions arose from random test visits by the authorities.

By then Sarah's children were no longer at home. On the 1891 census she had a ten year old servant Nellie Edwards living with her to assist her. She may also have had daily shop staff that didn't live in with her.

Sarah's premises on the left hand side. 

Sarah's son Joseph junior with two of his friends had been hailed as "romantic" and "gallant" heroes for diving into the Thames to rescue an exhausted and capsized rower following a competitive race at Marlow in 1874.

One of those friends, John Langley junior, went on to marry Joseph junior's sister Ellen in 1877. Both Joseph junior and his brother Alfred were successful young rowers at Marlow themselves. Women did row competitively at this time but I have found no evidence of Ellen Biggs also competing. You can see the grave of Ellen Biggs/Langley at Holy Trinity church, Marlow here. 

I think Sarah Biggs may perhaps have died in 1909. She had left these premises by 1907 and they became a cafe.

****

Thousands of people are mentioned on the blog in relation to Marlow and some of its nearby places. Use the Person Index on the top drop down menu to search for individuals.

More posts about specific Marlow families indexed here.

More Spittal Street content indexed here. Other nearby streets also have indexed content on the same index.

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

Some Sources:

"England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KXS5-G47 : 26 June 2022), Ellen Biggs in entry for Sarah Biggs, 1871.

"England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4GGB-V6Z : 22 February 2021), Sarah Biggs, Great Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1891 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 12, Buckinghamshire county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.

1881 census Great Marlow, my transcription from microfilm. 

Bucks Herald 15th August 1874. British Library Archives.

Reading Mercury 26th July 1890. British Library Archives.

Great Marlow Parish Registers, original.

The Fountains of Dukes Place / Burroughs Grove

 The Fountain family lived in Dukes Place Great Marlow from (at least) 1908 to (at least) 1913. Peter Fountain was born 1868 in Wendover Bucks to Emmanuel, a gamekeeper for Alfred De Rothschild Esq, and Charlotte. Mary Ann his wife was née Clarke and married him in 1895. 

Peter appears on the 1881 census as a 12 year old plough boy. The following year his family suffered the loss of his baby brother Henry. The 16 month old died from convulsions brought on by severe whooping cough.

By 1891 Peter lived at "Dirty Bottom" Marlow Bottom and was an agricultural labourer lodging with a 62 year old widower James Clarke who was presumably a relative of his future wife. In the years prior to his marriage however he was working as a gamekeeper for Lord Carrington. As such he appeared in several court cases as a witness for the prosecution when poachers were bought to justice. That didn't seem to stop Peter taking an interest in poaching himself - he was fined in 1901 for stealing a nest of pheasant eggs from another man's land. At the time this was classed as poaching because pheasants were game birds. This didn't seem to stop Peter being employed in later years as a gamekeeper.

Mary Ann was born around 1869 just outside Marlow at Burroughs Grove. I saw an online tree that gave her parents as William and Mary however on the 1881 and 1891 censuses she was living at Burroughs Grove as the daughter of David and Mary Clarke. David was a farm labourer. 

In 1908 Peter was fined for being drunk in Little Marlow. This was (at least) his second conviction for public drunkenness. (Fine 10s including costs.) By then the family had moved from Burroughs Grove to Dukes Place. Greater trouble came to the family through Mary Ann a few years later. In July 1912 she was fined £1 for stealing a pair of scissors and a hairbrush from Mrs Debbin at Prospect House. Mary Ann was not a very careful thief as after the act she went for a drink at the Horns public house just down the street from Prospect House. Multiple people in the tap room saw the stolen scissors on the floor at Mary Ann's feet and the hairbrush sticking out of her pocket. In December that year she and James Clarke (perhaps her brother) were found guilty of stealing a ferret from the garden of her Dukes Place neighbour Archibald Grainger. Again careful planning was not foremost in Mary Ann's mind. The theft occurred while another neighbour Mrs Ann Tilbury from no 2* Dukes Place was visiting Mary Ann and was thus a witness to her and James disappearing into the garden and coming back with the ferret. When suspicion began to be thrown at Mary Ann and James, Mary Ann told Mrs Tilbury not to admit to having seen them with the ferret, while James tried to get rid of the incriminating animal by offering it for free to a fellow drinker in the bar of the Railway Hotel. The original intent was to sell it. James tried to say he had found the ferret in the garden of the Carpenter's Arms around the corner from Dukes Place but the court dismissed this explanation.

In May 1913 Mary Ann was jailed for two months hard labour for stealing the hand bag of another woman on the train between Cookham and Maidenhead. Her accomplice was another Marlow woman Gladys Edwards. Inside the bag was 2 sovereigns which the women split between themselves and a gold watch and chain. Gladys kept the gold items. She sold the chain to High Street jeweller Frederick Rowe. The bag was thrown down a drain to hide the evidence. When arrested Mary Ann claimed that the bag was found by Gladys on the Maidenhead platform and having asked anyone around if it was their bag, decided to keep it when it was otherwise unclaimed.

Context for this is provided by a newspaper report that later the same year Peter was brought to court for abandoning his wife and family and thus rendering them as paupers dependent on the Parish. Poor Mary Ann may have been desperate when she stole the ferret. Her youngest child Annie was then only two years old. How much of her previous stealing had been acts of desperation caused by an uncommitted breadwinner? Peter said he left his home because it was used for "improper purposes". The Bench said there was no doubt his house was "badly conducted" but that was no excuse to leave. He was sent to prison for a month. 

Four years later Peter, during WW1, was arrested in Marlow as a deserter from the army. More humiliation for Mary Ann. 

Mary Ann knew what it was like to be on the receiving end of theft. When she was six her sixteen year old neighbour Sarah Green and Green's father John were jailed for breaking into the Clarke's home via a window and stealing from a box some shoes, 2 pairs stockings, a bonnet and 2 petticoats. The loot was discovered by a constable under the Green family's kitchen floorboards. Mary Ann was out with her mother at the time. Her brother William discovered the theft.

Above, Dukes Place in 2022 including the row known as Sunlight Villas/Cottages. 

*numbering in Duke's Place seems to have altered since.

Related Posts:

All mentions of a person on this blog can be found on the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu - 4,000 plus individuals are mentioned here. 

A short biography of another, earlier Dukes Place resident Elizabeth Keen is here.

Everyday life in old Marlow post index here

Index of posts relating to specific streets, properties etc here 

Other Borroughs Grove related posts here

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to use this material for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog.

Sourced included:

Census transcriptions from microfilm. my own.

South Bucks Standard editions 18th July 1912, 11th December 1913. British Library Archives.

Bucks Herald 16th October 1875. As above.

1820s Address Directory Great Marlow

 After exhaustive trawling of wills, property records, court cases, advertisements and more I have compiled a directory of addresses for Marlow residents in the 1820s. To find address references isn't easy. Nowhere near everyone will be included here of course but I will add any future finds as I wade through my mountains of research notebooks. House numbers were not used in this period. This is to supplement our recreated 1820s trade directory which is available Part One here  Part Two here

Many of these people have multiple mentions on this blog. See the A-Z Person Index to find every mention of anyone. Several thousand people are listed there!

This post does not cover Little Marlow or Lane End.

Beech Lodge

Wyndham family. 1823+. Biographical post about them here

Bovingdon Green

Joseph Pratt. Tenant of land. 1820.

Burford Farm, Marlow Bottom

Richard Webb. 1817-32. Also at Marlow Bottom Farm, see below.

Causeway

James Brooks. Baker. 1823+

William Lloyd. Roebuck. 1823+. A man of the same name was a butcher at the same time in an unknown location.

Robert White. Swan landlord. 1823.

Chapel Street

Thomas Archer. Running White Hart 1829 to post 1820s. Possibly 1827+. More here

James Bowles. Fruiterer.

John Collins. Tenant 1824.

John Coster. Watchmaker.

James Creswell /Cresswell. Baker 1823+

William Crouch. Corn merchant. 1822-25

Mary Fletcher. Running White Hart 1824 to at least 1829 More here

Henry Goldsmith. Attorney. 1823.

John Green wheelwright.

Joshua Meakes. Blacksmith. 1823.

Thomas Meakes. Blacksmith. 

John Mossenton. Cordwainer/ shoemaker. 1819-24. John was probably the "Jno" Mossenton who in 1814 witnessed this will.

Charles Plumridge. Bricklayer. 1823.

Church Passage

George Davis. Landlord Barge Pole.

William Sparkes. Landlord Black Boy 1823+

Court Garden

J.C Stroude. More here

Dean Street

...Blackall. Tenant 1826.

Ann Beaver. Tenant 1826.

Richard Clark. Landlord Jolly Masters. 

Ann Davis. Tenant 1826.

Martha Downer. Tenant 1826.

Zachariah East. Butcher. 1823-25.

Ambrose Frith. Tenant 1826.

John Glover. Lace merchant.

George Goldsmith. Plumber. 1823.

Mary Gray. Tenant 1826.

James Grove. Tenant of cottage there.

John Hackshaw. Harness maker. 

William Plumridge. Grocer 1823. (Probably also beer seller)

John Price. Tenant 1829.

William Sparks. Tenant 1826.

Gun Lane (now Trinity Road)

John Gunnell. Tenant 1826.

William Hoare. Landlord Three Horseshoes beerhouse 1827+

Handy Cross

James Ayres. (Ayris) Blacksmith 1827.

Harleyford House

John Beaver, servant there aged in his 90s.

Sir William Clayton. Owner.

High Street

Thomas William Allum. Bricklayer. 1823+

William Allum. Tailor 1821-23. 

Richard Aveling, grocer. Find out more about him here

Benjamin and Sarah Baines, he a confectioner 1822+. She died 1824. For more on him see here and here.

John Badger. Ironmonger. To at least 1825. In business the previous decade, unknown street address but likely the same.

Emily Blackbourne. Bookseller. 1823-24.

Thomas Burrell. Blacksmith. 1823. See here

Samuel Carter. Bootmaker.

William Cock. Bootmaker.

Theophilus and Sarah Clifford. Theophilus was a stonemason. 1823+. More here

George Davis. Landlord the Chequers.

John Goodman. Surgeon. 1823.

East and Harriman. Grocers. 1828 to post 1820s. A tragic pair. Both would go on to commit suicide in 1837. Said to have lived together 30 years on their deaths. More here

George and Mary Ellison. Alfred House, now known as Cromwell House. Pre 1820 to post 1820s. More here

Mr Flint. Tenant of a cottage. 1829.

Avis Gibbons. Lived with John and Charlotte Ralfs, see below. Had done so for years.

George Hammond. Tenant 1824.

Sarah Hatch. Baker. Before 1820 till 1840s. Her son William assisting later. The notorious William Hatch! More on him here

Francis Hewitt. Tenant of a cottage 1829.

Thomas Hewett. Tenant 1824. [A butcher of this name was in High Street 1832].

John Hone Esquire. Died 1823 aged 32. See also one in West Street below.

William Humphrey. Harness maker.

William Irving. Insurance Agent. 1824+

James MacLean, High Street. More on him and his wife here

William Mathews. Grocer and tea dealer. 1817 to post 1820s. Wife Ann. More  here

John Meadows. Draper. 1829 to 1839. More here

John Morris. Draper, and family. Pre 1820s to post 1820s. To see the site of his premises and more about the family see here

Thomas Jonathan Oxlade. Draper. Will 1822.

Charlotte and John Ralfs and children. John was a draper. 1824. He owned his property. This was West side of street. John died 1826. He was also an insurance agent.

John Rolls draper.

Misses Rolls. Running school in Brampton House. 1823. 

Rolls and Sons auctioneers. Pre 1820 to post 1820s. Also estate agents by 1829.

William Rose. Died at his residence High Street 1829. Aged 94. A William Rose was a cooper in the High Street earlier in the 1820s but this likely a younger man.

John Shaw. Surgeon.  1822. See his grave and will here

John Tonge. Bookseller. Selling up 1823.

Mr Wright. Attorney. 1822-29.

Frederick Wyatt. Coach proprietor. Tenant 1824. Began business 1820 but not sure if then in High Street. In business post 1820s. More here.

Market Square

Richard Furnell. Upper Crown. Died of a fit of apoplexy on premises 1820.

Daniel Humphries. Pawnbrokers 1821-26.

Richard Westbrook at Upper Crown. 1824. Mr Westbrook 1826 [a George Westbrook was there 1830-35].

William Westbrook. Butcher. To post 1820s.

Marlow Bottom Farm

Richard and Mary Webb. 1829+ More here

Marlow Common

Mr Butler. Died 1825. His widow died 1833.

Medmenham Mills

Mr Thatcher. Died 1827.

Moor Farm

Joseph Webb giving it up 1827.

Munday Dean Farm

Thomas Oxlade. To 1822. Also at Widmere Farm.

Elizabeth Oxlade and Thomas Wyatt. 1829. Elizabeth became by marriage Meadows and then Sawyer.

Oxford Road 

William Robert Clayton. The Cottage (a reasonable sized house!) 1826.

Ann and William Hales. William owned a messuage, warehouse stable, garden and yard by Oxford Road next to Marefield stile in his will written 1824, proved in 1826. He was 75 at death. Left the property to Ann. William looks to have been of Deptford Origin. Ann moved to 19 Lower Phillimore Place Kensington in 1827 and died there in 1831.

Prospect House (junction of Wycombe Road / Chapel Street)

Henry and Mrs Terry. Running a boys boarding school till went bankrupt 1826. More here

William and Rose Faulkner. William there 1826+ running it as a school. He married Rose, daughter of Ann and William Bond in 1828. More here

Quoiting Square

William Bowles. Six Bells landlord 1823-24. Probably moved to the Greyhound.

Thomas Cox. Wheelwright. To post 1820s. These premises later burnt down.

Joseph Langley. 1820+. Draper.

Seymour Court Farm

George Lunn. 1822 till death 1830, seemingly jointly with Mr Poulton.

Mary Lunn. Wife of George Lunn above. Died 1822.

Mr Poulton. Seemingly jointly with George Lunn 1822. Also there 1824.

Spinfield Lodge

Caroline and Henry Pearson

Spittal Street

William Bowles. Greyhound Inn 1825 to post 1820s. Mrs Bowles his wife died there 1825. Probably previously at the Six Bells.

Robert Mossenton. Greyhound Inn before William Bowles took over. 1819-25.

St Peter's Street

William Cresswell. Tenant of a cottage 1823. Probably sub let it as William was of the Compleat Angler.

James Downer. Tenant of a cottage 1823.

Richard Gibbons. 1823. His father Thomas owned this property and left it to him 1824.

Thomas Gibbons. Coal merchant.

Thomas Grovesnor. Tenant of cottage 1823.

George Hawkins. Of Two Brewers. Died of smallpox 1826.

Richard Heath. Tenant of a cottage 1823. Still in the Street 1833 and 1841. Labourer. Also Mary Heath his wife.

Mary Horniman. Tenant and chandlers shop keeper. West Street 1825+.

James Peters. Blacksmith.

Joan Sparks. Tenant of cottage 1823.

Temple House. Also called Templegate House.

Owen Williams. 1820-post 1820s.

Thames Bank

Sir James Morris. 1820.

Town End Farm

Mr William Bullock. Pre 1820s -1824.

"Under The Bridge"

Elizabeth and John Rolls the Elder.  John was a coal merchant. Also had property Bisham.

Sarah Russell. Servant to Elizabeth and John Rolls above 1820.

West Street

Misses Bond. Running a school.

Thomas Bowen, Red Lion 1824 to post 1820s. More here

Mrs Burrows. Albion House, leaves for London 1825. 

Mrs Carter. Albion House West Street. Circa 1821.

Joseph Fryth. Tenant 1826.

Abraham Clark - 1825, house  adjoins that of John Langley. 

George Clark. Tenant 1826.

Henry Clark. Tailor. 1823.

Samuel Clark. Tailor. To post 1820s.

William Clark. Landlord the Ship. 

Edward Collins. Tenant 1826.

Richard Cowper. 1824. Clearly well off. Leaving his home 1824. Wife of unknown name died earlier that year.

William Cox. 1828. Tenant but had sub let to another.

...Dalby / Dolby. Tenant 1826.

William Derrick, Tenant 1825. A small tenement "behind" his property is let to Sarah Sparks 1825. (In another source she is merely "adjacent". William possibly the shoemaker active in the 1810s. 

Misses Field. Running a school. Probably Matilda Field and her sister.

John Gibbons, grocer and tallow chandler 1820 to post 1820s. For more on him and his family see here

Elizabeth Guppy, tenant 1825. Her home lies between the residences of Mary Horniman and Moses Wyatt. 

Rachel and Robert Hall. He was a butcher. More here

Henry Harmon. Tenant 1826.

William Harper. Tinplate worker.1823 to post 1820s.

Charles Herbert. Resident 1825. House known.

Ann Hone (Miss). Owner and occupier 1827. Will 1831.

Mary Horniman. Chandler. 1825 to post 1820s. Tenant. Shop and residence. Adjoins the residence if Sarah Guppy. 

Mr Howard. Tenant 1826.

Edward Jackson. Watchmaker.

Lydia Lane. Ironmonger. More here

Mr J Langley. Late resident 1825. Believe he was evicted when he was foreclosed upon. Next to Abraham Clark. His house is described as recently built in 1825. It has a stable as well as a yard, garden and wash house. 

Henry Lovegrove. Lace Merchant. 1823.

John Lovegrove. Died at his home there 1827. 

Joseph Mead. 1823+. A painter and glazier.

Mrs Mossenton. Tenant. 1827.

Mr Owen. Tenant 1826.

John Pierce. Landlord Coach and Horses. 1823.

John Plumridge. Tenant 1828 but had sublet to another.

John Prytherick / Prytherock, tenant 1825. Adjoins the home of Moses Wyatt. 

John Sadler. Butcher.

Wethered family. Remnantz.

Moses Wyatt. Resident 1825. Tenant. House adjoins Elizabeth Guppy's. 

Widmere Farm

Thomas Oxlade to 1822. Also had Munday Dean Farm.

John Webb. Lately in 1829.

Wood End (near Medmenham)

William Townsend. Pre 1820s to at least 1820. (Townsends were at Wood End for a long time)

Researched and written by Charlotte Day.

 

Link to index which includes posts about specific trades and general Great Marlow social history  here

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

Part 2 1820s Marlow Trade Directory

After exhaustive trawling of wills, property records, court cases, adverts etc I have put together a trade directory for Marlow in the 1820s. It will never be complete, especially for women who make less of a mark in surviving records, but it may be interesting to you anyway. For some of those listed the exact premises are known, and some of the traders have dedicated posts about them already on the blog. See the A-Z Person Index for any mention however small of any particular person or Biographies of Individuals for full length dedicated posts only.

This is ongoing work. I have lots more names to add.

Part one contained occupations Auctioneers to Insurance Agents alphabetically and is available here

Can't find your ancestor? Look at my 1820s Street Directory of Marlow. This lists for every street not just those with a known trade but anyone we have found as a tenant of land or property there but for whom no known trade has been identified.

Ironmongers

John Henry Badger. 1822+ High Street.

Lydia Lane, West Street. To death 1844. More on Lydia here.

Lace Makers

Samuel Washbourn (business owner). Probably Chapel Street, was later.

Lace Merchants

John Glover. Dean Street. 1822

Henry Lovegrove. West Street. From pre 1820s. In 1822 Henry was injured when his gig was run into by the Greenwich stage coach. He received £10 compensation for his injuries and the damage to his vehicle.  

Lawyers / Solicitors

Henry Allnutt. Died 1821. Keen amateur gardener whose detailed notebooks of his success and failures in his Marlow kitchen garden were used by grandson Henry to produce "A system for Cropping a Kitchen Garden" published 1867. 

Henry Goldsmith. Chapel Street. 1823. Started as clerk to Robert Goldsmith, in Marlow.

Ralph Spicer 1826 to after 1820s. Biographical post on him here.

Mr Wright. Pre 1820s. High Street 1822-29. Probably John.

Liquor Merchants

Charles Wethered. 1820+. High Street. Earlier described as a malster.

Malsters

Samuel Barnes. St Peter's Street.

James House. Medmenham.

Thomas Webb.

Millwrights

Charles Moss. 1828.

Papermakers

John Dell. Will proved 1821.

John Jacques.

Francis Pepper. From pre 1820s.

Joseph Wright. From pre 1820s.

Pawnbrokers

James Clark from at least 1806 to at least 1823.

Daniel Humphries 1821. Will written 1826. Also a substantial landlord. Market Place. Someone tried to sell him a stolen velveteen waistcoat in 1822.

Plumbers

Mr Cox. Market Square. 1826.

George Goldsmith. Dean Street. 1823.  In business to at least 1836 but not necessarily in Dean Street. 2. George Wilmer Goldsmith, plumber and glazier, died July 1834.  

John Rance Lovegrove. West Street. Also glazier. Pre 1820+. Died 1827. Will proved 1828. First wife was Susanna. Second was Henrietta. Third wife Harriet (all as per will). Business left to his son James Thomas Lovegrove who worked with him by 1823. John witnessed the will of fellow West Street resident William Sawyer. See  here. Will summary of John's daughter Mary is available here

Joshua Phillips. Little Marlow. Also Publican etc. See here

Postmaster 

James Field, also insurance agent. Also teacher, see schools below. Will here

"Publicans", Innkeepers, beer sellers etc - for more on all these pubs and publicans see our Pub Related Index of posts here NB publican as job description was not in common use at this time, it is included to aid modern readers. 

Thomas Archer. White Hart number 2 (Spittal Square) see Mary Fletcher below. 1823 to post 1820s. 

James Biddle. Unknown premises. 1826.

Thomas Bowen. Red Lion. 1823 to post 1820s.

William Bowles. Greyhound Inn. 1825. Greyhound landlord listing - here

William Bowles. Six Bells. 1823-24. Probably same as above.

Richard Clark. Jolly Maltsters. Dean Street. More here The name Clark has a very long pub / innkeeping heritage in Marlow. Later at Rose and Crown Dean Street.

William Clark. The Ship. West Street. 1823-24. Wife Ann.

Robert Collins. Victualler. Will 1826. Premises unknown.

William Cresswell. 1823 to post 1820s. Complete Angler/ The Angler(s), Angler Inn. Read more on him here

George Davis. The Chequers.High Street.

George Phelps Dell. Barge Pole, to into the 1830s. See the grave of him and some others of his family here

Mary Fletcher. White Hart number one (Chapel Street). To post 1820s. There were two White Hart pubs at the same time.

Richard Furnell. Upper Crown. Died on premises of a fit of apoplexy 1820.

John Green - at the Three Horseshoes, Burroughs Grove. 1826. More on him.and his family 

William Harding. Throughout period. Turks Head. High Street.  Also shoemaker.

George Hawkins. Two Brewers 1823. Wife Mary. This may be a mistake for John.

John Hawkins. Two Brewers. Died 1826. Wife Mary then ran.

Mary Hawkins (nee Hewett). Widow of John above. Two Brewers. 1826+. 

William Hoare. Three Horseshoes Gun Lane. 1823+

William Lloyd. The Roebuck, Causeway. 1823+ A man of the same name was a butcher. Probably not the same man though many beer sellers had other occupations at the same time.

Robert Mossenton. Greyhound Inn. Started 1819. Left 1825. Also a horse dealer. Went Uxbridge. Coach from his premises to and from London Piccadilly via Maidenhead. Only a five hour trip each way! For more than on this and other stagecoach services, see here

Joshua Phillips. Kings Arms, Little Marlow. See here.

John Pierce / Pearse. Coach and Horses. West Street. 1823+ There was another man who was a butcher with this name in town at the same time.

Richard Ruddle.1829. Was a few years later at the Hare and Hounds and was most likely already there in 1829 too. Earlier in the 1820s was described as a tallow Chandler.

William Sparkes. Black Boy.

Richard Westbrook. Upper Crown. 1823-24. Mr Westbrook 1826.

Robert White. The Swan. 1823.

Thomas Wyatt. Horns Inn. 1823 to post 1820s. Much more about him and his family here 

Rope Makers

Richard Gibbons. From at least 1822. Also Hemp and Flax Merchant. In the 1840s Gibbons of Marlow provided ropes for ringing the church bells at Hambledon on several occasions. Lived St Peter's Street. Also brewer etc 

John Muspratt. 1819+. Labourer rope spinner.

Saddlers 

Hackshaw and Son. (And harness makers) Thomas and John. Partnership dissolved 1821 (insolvent) West Street. Thomas provided ropes for ringing the bells of Hambledon church 13 times between 1803 - 1839. He may be the parish constable mentioned here. John was again insolvent 1823. See under harness makers for more on him.

Sawyers

Robert Rose. 1828+

Shoemakers - see Bootmakers and Cordwainers. 

School Teacher's see the Education section on the General Marlow History menu here for more on these schools and teachers.

Misses Bond. West Street. Perhaps Mary Ann and Elizabeth who were apprentice teachers early in the 1800s to Sophia Tylecote at Albion House set up their own school later.

George Cole. Day School for boys Chapel Street. 1812 to post 1820s.

William Faulkner. Great Marlow School at Prospect House. 1826 to post 1820s.

William Francis. Borlase.

James Field. High Street. Also post master. To post 1820s.

Misses Field. West Street. To post 1820s. Probably Matilda and her sister.

Mary Garland Lovegrove. 1829+. West Street. Day and boarding g school for girls. Her will on the blog and more on her here.

Misses Rolls. Brampton House. High Street. 1823 to post 1820s.

Henry Terry. Prospect House. 1823-26.

Servants (selected)

William Hackshaw. 1822.

Skewer Makers -more on this trade in Marlow here

Mr Robinson. 1829. (Business owner)

Mr Todd. 1829.

Stone Masons

Theophilus Clifford, High Street 1823 to post 1820s. Post on him here

Surgeons

Robert Colbourne. Started in town in 1823. Also apothecary. To post 1820s.

John Creighton. 1828. 

Henry Riggs Goodman.  1825-27 at least. By 1831 he was living in Portland Place Islington and was the Surgeon for an orphanage. Looks to have emigrated to Canada with his second wife shortly afterwards.

John Goodman, High Street 1823,24.

William Hickman. Pre 1820s to post 1820s. See here for more on him.

John Shaw. From pre 1820s. Will proved 1823. Also apothecary. High Street. See his grave and will summary here. Robert Colbourne takes over his practice. 

Robert Colbourne : see Shaw above. 

Tailors

James Allum. 1821.

William Allum. Through period to at least 1840s. High Street. A Mr Allum senior tailor died 1830. Perhaps a father to William?

Henry Clark, West Street 1823

Samuel Clark. West Street. To post 1820s.

Joseph Grey. 1824+. In High Street 1830s, may already have been.

William Massey. 1820.

Tallow Chandlers

John Gibbons. See Grocers above, same man. 

Mary Horniman. West Street. 1825.

Richard Ruddle. 1823. By 1829 was a publican at unknown premises and by 1833 ran the Hare and Hounds pub. 

Thatchers

William Higgins. Died 1829. Well End near Little Marlow. 

Tinplate Workers

William Harper. West Street. 1823.

Turners

George Ball. 1828.

James Ball. 1826.

George Bavin. 1825. Brother of William below.

William Bavin. Chair maker and publican later. See here

Henry Hawes. 1823+

James Pusey. To 1822.

Watchmakers

Mr Costar. Chapel Street. 1829. May be same as below.

John Coster. Chapel Street. 1821

Edward Jackson. West Street. Pre 1820s to 1823.

Wheelwrights

George Butler. 1820.

James Cox. 1826+ Probably working for Thomas below.

Thomas Cox. Oxford Road / Quoiting Square. To post 1820s.

Stephen East. 1823 to post 1820s. Was later in Spittal Street running the Wheelwrights Arms pub too.

John Green. Chapel Street.

Wine Merchants

Charles Wethered. High Street.  Earlier described as malster.

Wire Manufacturers

John Washbourn. Bankrupt 1822.

Wood Cutters

Francis Friar. 1827.

Related Posts:

Recreated 1600s trade directory Part One

Recreated 1700s trade directory here

Index of posts related to specific shops and businesses here

Call the Apothecary! here

 

To find every mention of a family or individual here, use the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. 

By Charlotte Day. Additional research Kathryn Day. 

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to reuse this material for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog.

Votes For Women?

UPDATED BY CHARLOTTE OCTOBER 2023

We have mentioned the "no tax without presentation" protests of Mary Sargant Florence of Lord's Wood, Marlow Common and Edith Hayes of Bovingdon Green and Bourne End in our previous Groundbreaking Women of Marlow History post which you can read here. This entry gives a background to some of their work in Marlow - and that of their opponents. 

While campaigning for election as M.P for Great Marlow in 1852 (ultimately unsuccessful) candidate Mr Bell pledged to act to give women the vote and got loud cheers from women and men as a result at the hustings. So support for universal suffrage is older in Marlow and the country as a whole than you might think. Bell of course was campaigning on many other points too.

The first specific public meeting in Marlow dedicated solely to supporting women's suffrage that we have so far found record of was held in 1872. The National League of Woman's Suffrage* was behind this meeting, as well as others in neighbouring towns such as High Wycombe and Maidenhead the year before. This group does not seem to have had as much success with regular meetings in Marlow compared to their activities in these neighbouring places. The meetings took the form of lectures and/or debates, with guest speakers, often from London. Attendance is usually said to be modest, or growing. In 1873 a Miss Beedy gave a lecture in Marlow in support of a proposed bill to remove the "electoral disabilities of women". 

Bring your bells and whistles! 

Things were rather quiet as regards public acts in support of women's suffrage in the next two decades within Marlow. But in the Edwardian era, the cause was invigorated by the determined Sargant Florence mentioned above. In 1908 the Public Hall (now the Masonic centre) in St Peter's Street saw a meeting of the Women's Freedom League to debate the issue of women paying tax when they had no say at the ballot box about how that tax should be spent. The meeting was presided over by a London member, Mrs Holmes. This meeting had been well advertised in advance and so those opposed to votes for women, or general troublemakers came armed for action. As soon as the meeting open, a crowd of young men came in and stood at the back of the room. From there, they did their utmost to disrupt proceedings and drown out all speakers. They blasted tin whistles, rang hand bells and sang a raucous  version of the National Anthem whenever one of the women on the stage attempted to speak. In the end the meeting was abandoned before most of the women had been on the stage. Some went to an ante room to attempt some kind of plan on their tax protests, but the youths followed and forced their way into the room. No one was thankfully hurt.  If the mob thought they'd silence the women for good, they were however wrong. Perhaps it is not surprising that several subsequent meetings of the Freedom League were held in the quieter surroundings of Lord's Wood. The ladies would however soon be back in the town centre. 

The following year the group met there to discuss what to do about the forthcoming Kings Speech. Some hoped it would include a mention of voting rights for women, but should it not, the League was going to protest on the spot. Meredith MacDonald volunteered to be the Marlow groups representative in London. There would first be a deputation to ask for the voting issue to be included in the  Speech, where Meredith would also represent our group.  During their debate, a visiting woman from Australia expressed the view that politics had become more responsible and political debates more calm since the vote had been extended there.

 How many less well off Marlow women attended the meeting we do not know. It was held in the afternoon when many were at work. Reports about meetings tend to focus on those in organisational roles or giving speeches, who tended to be better off. But the issues of course affected all. 

Suffragists in Market Square

The ladies (and their male supporters) decided to have a large scale open air meeting in the Market Square in 1910. The crowd was said to be considerable although the caveat was added that many were curious children. Although some mention is made of cat calls and the like, the event seems to have been more more peaceful than previous ones. Mrs Sargant Florence presided over many of the meetings around this time. It may have been hard to hire some premises due to the fear by the owners that damaging trouble would follow. Another venue used by the women was the now demolished "Duchess Studio" in Victoria Road, which housed a girls club supported by many of the women attending. 

Hands off my property

In 1911 & 1912, Mary Sargant Florence and Edith Hayes had both decided to stop paying their taxes in protest at their lack of voting rights. Their jewellery was seized in lieu, and auctioned off in the High Street by Mr Kendall. The women were prepared to let everyone know their sacrifice so marched through the town, banners aloft, and alerting all as to the turn of events. The secretary of the Tax Resistance League, Mrs Stanley Edwards, joined the ladies - Sargant Florence was a founder member of this movement. Also in attendance were many supporters from far and wide - including London. One member of the Tax Resistance League gave a speech in which she stated that it was "the duty of women taxpayers in this country to refuse payment of all imperial taxes until such times as they are allowed through their elected representatives in parliament to express their opinions as to the way in which these large sums should be spent." During the sale, Mr Kendall might well have felt a little intimidated. He was at pains to stress he was just doing his job. Most if not all of the seized items were bought by supporters of one of the Leagues or the other and proudly and publicly returned to their owners. Auction over, the women took the chance to hold a protest meeting against the seizure and sale. In 1914 the two again had property seized in lieu of unpaid tax, and the unfortunate George Kendall was again responsible for selling it off. A dog cart, silver kissing cup and candlesticks were the purloined articles this time around. 

National League For Opposing Women's Suffrage

This group lived up to its name and was also active in Marlow, if for a shorter period. They were for various reasons against any extension of the vote to women. The first Marlow based meeting of the group seems to be that that occured in January 1913, in the town hall.  Marlow set up their own branch in March 1913. It was held in the home of Mr W C Lyndell (The Cedars as it is now known) and his wife was the honorary secretary. Alfred Davis was the honorary treasurer - a figure better known for giving his name to the Marlow Football club ground in honour of his work in the sporting sphere. Other committee members included "Miss Wethered", Lady Frances Higginson, Mrs Bath, Mrs Hawton, Mrs Fell, Mrs Thomas, and Miss Hewett. The group first meeting ended with the successfully passed resolution to ask their local MPs to vote against women's suffrage. (Some of whom were at the meeting.) It seems our local groups activities were curtailed by the First World War and I can't find much evidence that the initial enthusiasm saw many more meetings. 

We know which side won, although if you were not over 30 or a homeowner, the vote was still denied to you in 1918 while it was granted to other women. It wasn't until 1928 that all woman over 21 could vote. 

Written and researched by Kathryn Day, additional research Charlotte Day. 

© MarlowAncestors

* This group was founded in 1867 and later was part of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies. A meeting of the latter, non political and non militant, were held at Danesfield in 1912. (Mr & Mrs Hornby Lewis then in residence) 

Related posts:

Women's riots of 1800 - here

General listing of posts related to women's history in Marlow and also general everyday life - here

To find every mention of an individual here see the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu. 

Sources include:

The Englishwoman's Review of Social and Industrial Questions Volume 13 edited by Jessie Bourchet (1882) and Volume 4 1873. 

Annual Report of the National Society for Women's Suffrage 1872, digitized by Google. Accessed August 2020.

First Report of the Executive Committee, National Society for Women's Suffrage.  July 1872. 

 South Bucks Standard May 1908, February 1909. January & November 1910, January & April 1912, March 1913. 

Maidenhead Advertiser January 1913. 

Woman's Franchise Journal 11 February 1909. 

The Vote, November 1912. 

Slough, Eton and Windsor Observer, 28 February 1914 , Slough Library. 

The Danger Of Fire

 Long clothes and ribbons do not always mix well with open fires and candles. But our ancestors had no choice but to use what to us seems risky forms of heating and lighting around small children or the infirm. From researching the lives and deaths of many hundreds of Marlow citizens of old, we know how often accidents occured. This post is dedicated to telling the story of some of them, but be warned, it is sad reading. 

Deaths of babies and children whose bed linen or more often clothing had come in contact with an unguarded candle or a fire spark were sadly the most common. In December 1892, 5 year old Annie Katie Leach of Wood End accompanied her mother Mary Ann and her little brother stone picking in the fields. Her father Jesse worked as a cowman for Mr Field at Wood End. It rained and was freezing cold, so Mary Ann let the children go home ahead of her to their cottage. The boy still felt cold inside, so tragically Annie decided to try and light a fire to warm him. It was not something she was generally allowed to do and there was no fuel in the grate. So she used her initiative and tried to use a little wooden toy horse in the fireplace. She had found some matches which it is believed her father had accidentally left out earlier. Seconds later screams were heard and Annie come running out of the cottage, her clothes ablaze. Neighbour George Low heard her shouting for her "mammy" and managed to catch the running girl and beat out the flames. He ran to collect her Dad and Mum. Little Annie was severely burned but managed to say "Mammy don't hit me, I won't do it again, I was lighting the fire". The adults wrapped her in vaseline coated linen strips and Mr Field came with his cart to take the girl to the Marlow Cottage Hospital in Cambridge Road. But her injuries were so severe she died the same day.  

An adult who suffered a similar accident was "fancy goods" and toy dealer Hannah Bliz(z)ard. Hannah was a 70 year old spinster, but one who was shortly due to marry - possibly. More of which in a moment! She had lived in Marlow 23 years.  Her premises were in the building now occupied by Sainsburys in West Street, which at the time was divided into small shops of which Hannah eventually occupied the next but one to where the Giggling Squid restaurant is now, which then was the Sadlers Arms pub. In June 1896 Hannah was cooking potatoes for her dinner on a small portable or "bargemans" stove in the living room behind the shop. She later said she had been attempting to stir up the fire when her apron caught the flame. She attempted to beat it out with a "chip of wood" which did not succeed. She had then ran screaming into the Sadlers Arms adjacent, where John Adams who occupied the shop next door (see note below) and a youth passing in the street rushed to her aid. They did the best to put the flames out quickly and took her to the Cottage Hospital in Cambridge Rd. But sadly Hannah died. She had been suffering from poor health previously, and had had a paralytic stroke some time before the accident. She seems to have been regarded as tough, stubborn and independent and had resisted attempts by friends to get her to avoid using the stove amongst other things. At her inquest it was said she had been shortly due to marry. However Hannah's nephew Richard Truckell or Tricknell of Rotherhithe strongly denied this and while he admitted banns had been published to this effect, he believed this was against her will. Contemporary accounts are careful to avoid naming the prospective groom, especially given they were hinting at some kind of fraudulent intent on his behalf. Hannah left her business to her family, with niece Ruth North taking over, so any attempts to gain an inheritance by marriage were thwarted. On the other hand, Hannah was known to do her own thing so perhaps a late marriage was something she did not involve her nephew or others in, hence their surprise to hear of it later. You can see Hannah's grave here. Hannah's executors gave a gift of toys and coffee in her honour to the Marlow Cottage Hospital. Such gifts were the life blood of the perennially cash poor hospital and were very gratefully received. 

Last mention goes to Mary Edwards, who was killed by fire in 1838. While in a "state of intoxication" poor Mary fell asleep with a pipe in her mouth, which fell into her lap, and set her clothes aflame. Severely injured, Mary lingered for a few days before succumbing to her burns. The inquest was held at the Greyhound. (It was not as unusual as you may think for working class women in Marlow to smoke pipes.  I have spoken to someone who remembers walking up Chapel Street in the late 1920's as a young boy, past pipe smoking women sitting in their cottage doorways while working on things like sewing or the podding of peas! He associated it mainly with older women at the time)

Note 1

Hannah had taken over the fancy goods, toys and sweets half of neighbouring shopkeeper John Adams. John occupied the little shop immediately next to the Sadlers Arms as a stationer/newsagent. He had originally expanded into toy and novelty sales, taking on the second shop that Hannah would occupy later. He operated both as a bazaar for a while  before financial ups and downs meant he had to split the business and pass the toy shop on to Hannah. He was found dead in his back of shop living room about 6 months after Hannah's terrible accident. He was 70. 

Related Posts:

To find every mention of your ancestor here use the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu. 

Hannah's grave here

Ruth North toy dealer here

John Adams toyseller  here

Patients treated at the first Cottage Hospital here

Other medical related posts can be found in medical section of this index here including the history of the Cottage Hospital and what it was like for patients. 

Ann Phillips Will

Will summary Ann Phillips of Great Marlow. Written 1822. Proved 1826.

Says she in good health with a sound mind.

Niece Ann Edwards wife of George Edwards of St John's Street West Spitalfields, London gets the home testator now occupies in Chapel Street Marlow with the gardens, outhouses and appurtenances belonging to it. To her and her heirs. If niece has no issue [that reach the age of 21 I think it says] then that property will then go to his nephew James So.... of Wooburn.

Niece Ann Edwards appointed executor.

Witnesses:

William Tapp, Mary Allnutt, Henry Allnutt.

You can obtain a copy of this PCC will from the National Archives.

Transcribed and then summarized by Charlotte Day.

For other wills see the Will option on the menu. Every mention of an individual on the blog can be found by consulting the Person Index.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use this material for family of local history purposes with credit to this blog.

George Alexander Gratton "the Spotted Boy"

 

 George Alexander Gratton as he was later known was born to two enslaved parents on the island of St Vincent in the Caribbean in July 1808. He had a condition that meant much of his body was white skinned with only some black patches while his face and hair were mostly dark with lighter patches. 

Presumably through sale, George came into the possession of a ship's* captain who brought him to England. According to some reports he was at that point an orphan, and had already been exhibited in his nations capital. It was also claimed the little boys life was in danger due to the "superstitious prejudices" of the locals, although how far this was true or a later attempt to justify his removal is unclear. At Bristol the captain sold him to travelling showman John Richardson for a reported 1000 guineas. If true that was equivalent to the cost of buying multiple houses but John was a highly successful showmen already and could afford it. He was known to be a big spender. George was then between 14 months and 19 months old depending on which report you believe. It appears the Captain had sought out Richardson as a buyer rather than the other way round. 

John Richardson had been born in Marlow Workhouse. Again, according to which story you believe he either ran away from the workhouse or from a job he had been found at the age of 14 and went to London. There he became involved in running a pub and organising travelling theatricals. These seem to have been largely comic. He was not a "freak show" proprietor as such. 

For many years a Bible passed down through the Wildego family of Great Marlow which was said to have been gifted by Richardson to one of their female forebears. This was in recognition of her role in feeding and clothing the young runaway when he had no one else to turn to. Once he had made a success of himself, Richardson remembered her kindness and rewarded her with the Bible and a miniature chalk portrait of the Spotted Boy. The Bible was still in the family hands when the recipient's granddaughter Hannah Wildego died in 1883. 

George was exhibited as a toddler for several months in the Summer and Autumn of 1810. He was at St Bartholomew's Fair in London, at Sadler's Wells and at Croydon as well as at Marlow. I have not myself found any mention of his appearing anywhere after 1810 (though there were imitators who did).

The sideshow was called The Beautiful Spotted Boy and was billed as a chance to see the wonder of God's creation. The Star newspaper said George was the "without exception the greatest beauty and most interesting curiosity ever seen" while another dubbed him a "lovely infant". At Sadler's Wells in September 1810 the Spotted Boy was well down the list of attractions but by October his appearance was one of the most highlighted attractions.

Those he appeared on the bill with in September included Grimaldi the clown, the Sampford Ghost, Lambert the Fatman, Sadler's Baboon and The Yorkshire Giant. These did not work for Richardson, they just appeared as part of the same shows.

The comedy performer Charles Edwards must also have worked on the same bill as George at one point as his wife Anne in writing her biography of Charles said that he met the child and developed "a great attachment to him". He visited George regularly. Ann recalled that "the child loved him very much and they played together by the hour". The same affection was said to exist between George and John Richardson. Robert Chambers in his book The Book of Days for instance called George "a child of amiable manners much attached to Richardson". As well he might be, as John's affection aside, who else did he have in the world?

John had George formally baptised when they were together in Surrey. I believe the Gratton name had been given to him by the ship's captain -  it was supposedly the name of the overseer of the plantation on which George was born. ("Mr Alexander's", that is the Colonarie Vale sugar plantation of William Alexander which had around 300 slaves working there.) I do not think that it is possible to discover his birth name or those of his parents. 

In 1811 John commissioned an artist to paint the boy. In the painting George is posing with a bow and arrow which may reflect how he was taught to pose at the fairs. Typically those with unusual skin or body appearances either sat while people filed past them or stood on a stage and struck a series of poses to allow their appearance to be fully demonstrated. Later John began to educate George, who was said to have a "quick and penetrating mind." But the child is thought to have had tuberculosis and died in February 1813, just short of the age of 5 or 6. (A swelling of the jaw was mentioned as the first symptom, and a fever.)

Above, Alexander as depicted in the painting hung in the church. 

He was buried in John's native Marlow in a brick vault within the churchyard. Apparently the showman feared the boy's remains would be stolen and so had chosen not to bury him for 3 months. I have not been able to ascertain whether this rumour was true. When John himself died in 1837 he asked to be buried next to him, which is what happened. Their graves can still be seen in All Saints churchyard. In the parish church is the portrait of little George**

The popularity of George as an attraction led to many "spotted boys" popping up at fairs for decades after George's death. To see one (real or subject to some body painting) in a sideshow became as commonplace as seeing a bearded lady or a strong man. I also found one case of a painted statue purporting to be a likeness of George being used as an attraction in the 1830s, after John Richardson's death.

An additional memorial is now in the churchyard for George, alongside his grave. This notes that George is the first known person from St Vincent's to have come to Great Britain.

You may be interested in this post on the blog which is about an African boy who lived in Marlow for a while also in the 1800s. And see this post about Marlow's links to slavery and its abolition.

Life at Great Marlow Workhouse 1775-1843 - here and later at the Wycombe Union workhouse at Saunderton here

All mentions of an individual on this blog can be found under the Person Index on the top drop down menu. More posts dedicated to one person can be found under the Biographies Of Individuals menu option.

*Possibly aboard The Friends of Emma, arriving September 1809.

** Another portrait from life was made by Mr D Orme. It shows George sitting on a turtle or tortoise with a Dalmatian dog at his side. 

© MarlowAncestors.  Written by Charlotte Day and researched by Charlotte Day and Kathryn Day. 

Sources:

Memories of Charles Mathews Volume 4 by Mrs Anne Mathews. 1839. Copy in the British Library, digitized by Google.

The Book Of Days or A Miscellany Of Popular Antiquities by Robert Chambers 1864. Published by W and R Chambers.

The History and Antiquities of the County of Buckingham by George Lipscombe. 1847. Digitized by Google.

The Morning Advertiser, 29th September 1810 and 10th October 1810. Copy held in the British Library archives and accessed via the BNA.

The Star (London) 10th October 1810. As above.

The Morning Post 7th April 1810. As above.

Graves Great Marlow.

Literary Journal and Miscellany of  Science, Art, History and Politics Vol 2, 1819. 

 https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/2146636936

Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News, 12 May 1883. 

South Place, Great Marlow

South Place seems to have been first developed in the 1850s. It was formerly the rick yard for Platt's Farm whose farm house you would have found off Mill Rd a little further towards the river and on the other side of the road. It was purchased by George Cannon in 1839. 

South Place is one of those Marlow Streets that if you lived there your address was likely to be described in a bewildering variety of ways in its early days. If you believe your ancestor lived in South Place watch for them being stated as being in Mill Road/Lane (which is the road that South Place leads off), Strong Beer Acre (a vanished area of Marlow previously adjoining the location of South Place), Mill Lane, Platts Road (alternative early name for parts of Mill Road) or Marlow Fields. Census records usually give South Place correctly but other records are very wayward. By the 1890s you should be alright with little variance of address to confuse things.

The earliest residents of South Place lived on the edge of the then built up area of town. Once the nearby railway station arrived in the early 1870s development of the surrounding area picked up pace. The people of South Place however remained easily able to walk out onto open fields and down to the River Thames. 

Being close to the river could have disadvantages of course - the little street was badly flooded in 1894, 1896,1903,1908 and again in the 1940s.

The Prince Of Wales pub on the corner of South Place and Mill Road was often used by barge men for lodgings. The pub started as a beer house. It was there by 1861, getting a full licence in 1864. For a list of the historic landlords of the Prince Of Wales see this post.

As well as the pub lodgers other residents worked on the Thames. One such example was George Picton who lived in South Place with his wife Ann by 1881. In 1893 George was labouring for the Thames Conservancy when the punt he was using overturned near Oxford, drowning him. It was some time before his body was recovered. Ann's first husband James Rockell also drowned in the river. To help manage financially after the death of her husband she took in lodgers at her South Place home but emotional recovery from her double widowhood proved impossible for Ann. Six years after George's death she slit her throat with a razor that had belonged to him. Her married daughter Jane Cox who also lived in South Place and the local surgeon Francis Culhane tried unsuccessfully to save her life after Jane discovered her dying mother. 

For another sad case of a South Place resident drowning in the Thames see Kathryn's post here. 

Ann was not the only suicide in South Place history- twenty two years earlier resident John Ford, a gardener, hung himself in his bedroom. His wife had left him taking his 4 young children and many of their possessions with her. He had gone to Coventry for a while in an unsuccessful attempt to find them. He was described as very depressed upon his return. He had also been physically ill and was living off money raised by selling what remained of his furniture. His body was discovered by his sister Sarah Sparks who had been keeping an eye on him and trying to lift his spirits.

The cottages in the street were generally very small- two rooms up and two down was the standard. In 1897 two such cottages with each their own wash house, outside toilet and garden were rented out to two different families at a collective rent of 17 shillings a year. Bargain!

Small houses didn't deter larger families from settling there. Francis and Prudence Corby present on the 1861 census had six children aged from one year old Harriet up to 18 year old journeyman plasterer Henry at home. Francis was a journeyman bricklayer. Journeymen were skilled labourers who had finished training in their trade but worked for others rather than on their own account. The family still lived in South Place a decade later.

Thomas and Annie Croxon meanwhile squeezed 8 children into their home at the time of the 1881 census. Thomas then was a servant. Later he is censused as a general labourer and an army pensioner.

The couple were still in South Place in the 1910s.

A new and better well and pump were provided for the residents to share in 1866. Other mod cons like street lighting and a proper paved street took longer to arrive in South Place. The road was labelled unsanitary in 1896 so more improvements were still needed then.

Additional notes:

Francis Corby was the born 1817 son of Ambrose and Sarah Corby. He and Prudence Martin married in West Wycombe in 1838. Before they lived at South Place the couple lived at Dean Street [under its original name Well End, not to be confused with Well End Little Marlow] with Prudence's parents.

Thomas Croxon and Anne "Annie" Edwards married in 1866. Their daughter Alice had an illegitimate baby girl who died soon after her birth in South Place.

More information: 

See the "Specific Shops, Streets Etc" menu here  to look for other Marlow addresses and check the Person Index in the top drop down menu to look for all mentions of any individual here. 

Thousands of people are listed!

Posts about everyday life for your ancestor in old Great Marlow: here

©Marlow Ancestors. .

Photo snapped September 2020 by Kathryn Day. Researched and written by Charlotte Day.

Sources:

Censuses, my transcription from microfilm. Census content always remains Crown Copyright.

Property records 

Pub and beer house research of Kathryn Day.

Maidenhead Advertiser 8th Feb 1893 and South Bucks Standard 6th January 1899, British Library Archives.

"Particulars and Conditions of Sale of a very valuable and highly productive freehold estate called Platts Farm" 1839.