Will of James Fish, Brewer

James Fish, brewer of Great Marlow. Will written and proved 1704.

Says he feels that he is growing weak of body but is of sound and disposing mind.

Bequeaths soul to God.

Asks to be buried in the chancel of Marlow church in a decent manner.

Any debts and funeral expenses to be taken care of first then £5 to son James.

The house where son James lives in Great Marlow to testator's dear and loving wife Elizabeth.

To son Benjamin the two properties adjoining the above. Like the above these two were recently purchased from Christopher Morgan. The two houses left to Benjamin were dwelt in by Richard Harding and William ....ing at the time the will was written. Also to Benjamin 6.5 acres of arable land in the Great Common Field of Marlow  which testator had bought from John ...st and Mary his wife.

The will's executor was to take the profit of all those properties left to Benjamin until Benjamin reached 21 or finished an apprenticeship whichever came soonest.

Also to Benjamin one silver....cup , two silver salts and three silver spoons.

To daughters Elizabeth, Ann and Katherine Fish his messuage with appurtenances and a close of land belonging to it called Bonners Close which he bought from Henry Cane and Elizeus Fletcher and the outhouse [seemingly a brewhouse] adjoining this property. Also a close of land which he purchased from William Elliott, butcher, deceased which is in the tenure of Mr Prosser.

Also to daughters all his household goods except the copper and utensils for brewing which go to wife Elizabeth.

To each grandchild 12p [not individually named].

Rest of personal estate to wife Elizabeth who is appointed executor.

Will witnessed by Charles Blewitt, [barber surgeon] John ..at and Richard Goddard.

Notes: Elizeus Fletcher was the brother in law of Henry Cane. Cane was the son of innkeeper and yeoman Matthew Cane.

The Fish family were related to the Moore family also Marlow brewers.

You can obtain your own copy of this PCC will from the National Archives, Kew.

Transcription and summary by Charlotte Day.

Other wills on this blog can be found ton the Wills option on the menu.

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

Hawkins Farm Occupiers and Timeline

 Mixed farm on the road to Frieth. 1833= 93 acres. There was a long history of gypsy families pitching their tents on a piece of rough grassland next to the farm and its environs were also a magnet for blackberry pickers coming up from Marlow in the 1800s. Hares were once abundant in this vicinity.

Occupiers of Hawkins Farm (who are not normally the owners) Gaps in dates are gaps in my knowledge. I will endeavour to fill them all in as I wade through my old research notes or do new research=

1574= Farm existed. The name seems to have come from a contemporary owner of part of the land. A Hawkins Lane was then close by, a now vanished address.

1833= RH Russell. Owned by Sir William Robert Clayton of Harleyford. 

1841= Richard Russell (census). His aunt Martha and sister Emma live with him. Note this is clearly the Henry Richard Russell mentioned below going just by "Richard".

1842= Henry Richard Russell. Henry seems to have owned the Coach and Horses pub in Marlow.

1851= Henry R Russell (census). Wife Susannah, aunt Martha Russell, sister Emma Russell and nephew Charles Russell also present and three live in servants.

1854= Henry Russell (Kelly's Directory).

1855-65= Richard Blackwell. Tenant. He may have given up Hawkins following a damaging fire in which two horses burned to death in his stables and buildings were damaged. [Reading Mercury 23rd September 1865, British Library Archives, via the BNA]. Does not appear to have resided in the farmhouse.

1865-77= Thomas Elliot who went bankrupt. Tenant. Wife Mary, who sold eggs from the premises. Thomas grew oats and wheat and raised cattle and pigs. In 1873 Giles Lawrence a long term employee on the farm, William Swadling who had been sacked from there the day before and 2 casual employees of Mr Elliott were accused of stealing oats from the farm. [Bucks Free Press 10th October 1873] In 1875 his 13 year old worker Stephen Higgs was killed by a runaway cart in his charge while gathering hay at the farm. The boy had apparently fallen off it and was then trampled. Strong comments were made at the inquest at the wisdom of leaving such a team under the control of such a young lad. He was tenant to owner Sir William Clayton.

1882-87 William Creswell / Cresswell tenant to owner Mr Crossman. William was a troublesome man himself and it seems that his workers weren't much better= William Swadling his carter was fined for being drunk in the Hand and Flowers (possibly the same man as the alleged oat thief above), Thomas Bird his carter was warned for prolonged blocking of the road with his cart in Marefield and John Jones his general agricultural labourer was fined for working a horse with an open pressure wound under its collar. Full biography of William Cresswell / Creswell here.

1901-02 (probably by 1897). Henry Brown, a cattle dealer. Wife Mabel. They moved to Harleyford Farm by 1911.

1924= Miss Potts?

1929= Mr S Keene.

1933= some of the land sold for building land.

1939= Sidney Keene. 

1944= Mr Keene. 

1954= Mr S Keene.

To find all mentions of any individual on this blog see the A-Z Person Index. Thousands are mentioned. Other Marlow and Little Marlow farm histories and occupier posts on this blog are indexed here.

Census information is my transcription or that of Jane Pullinger from microfilm. Census information remains Crown Copyright.

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

Will Mary Keen 1724

Mary Keen widow of Great Marlow. Will written 1723 and proved 1724.

Says she weak in body but of sound mind and memory, praise be to God.

To be decently buried at the discretion of her executor.

Daughter Susan Smith gets testator's best petticoat and her cloak.

To granddaughter Ann Smith the box that was testator's daughter Hannah's box.

Daughter Grace Keen gets all of the rest of testator's wearing apparel both linen and woollen.

To each grandchild living at time of her death 2 shillings sixpence.

Son Henry gets all rest of her good's and chattels and is to pay any debts. He is appointed executor.

Will witnessed by Anne Elliott, Mary Sawyer [makes her mark], Robert Tilbury solicitor.

Notes:

In her own will the daughter Susan Smith mentioned above calls herself Susanna.

P.C.C will held at the National Archives. Transcribed by me and then summarized here.

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

Spade Oak Farm Occupiers and History

Updated September 2023

Spade Oak Farm near Bourne End. Address usually given as Little Marlow in historic sources. Part of the Westhorpe estate.

Sources for my farm occupation listings: adverts, property documents, census, court cases, wills etc.

Description:

Near the site of an old and once important riverside wharf. Farm house built 1600s. It has been speculated that the farm house was originally part of the buildings of the wharf. Mixed farm.

1860= 265 acres. 1881=324 acres. 1917= 157 acres -then described as dairy or animal farm but most earlier descriptions show it to be a mixed farm. With 2 worker cottages and farm house 1917.

Known occupiers (who did not necessarily own it) and history timeline:

Dates next to a name are for when I can find reference to a person being there- that person may have occupied the farm earlier or later too.

1818 Edward Sawyer. Leaving that year and selling up- hay, clover, cows, cart houses, sheep all for sale as a result.

1829-32 Mr Horwood. In 1832 it is stated that Mr Norwood had lost 3 employees through accident in the last few years, the most recent Joseph Boddy who was run over and killed by the cart and team he was driving near Cores End. 

1835 John Bunce. Leaving that year

1841- probably Robert Morris brother of William Morris Junior below.

1851-71 Willam Morris [Junior born circa 1799, his father William Morris Senior who died in 1856 was also a farmer at Little Marlow in 1851 though apparently in his 90s!]. Wife Ann. In 1848 William Boddy and Edward Munro transported for stealing a ram from a William Morris but is that him or William Senior? The date is earlier than William Junior's known presence at the farm. 

William Junior's sons Stephen, Charles and William all worked for their parents at least at times but son Charles below seems main partner in the farm and by 1863 is the listed main occupier. In William 1851 employed 16 people on the farm. In 1860, two employees of Morris were due to be married after which it seems they had intended to leave his service. Unfortunately they helped themselves to a leaving gift of a great number of articles from the house and farm which were subsequently found on them. Edward Hodges and Elizabeth Stone plead guilty and were sentenced to 3 months each in solitary confinement at Aylesbury Gaol. 

1860-71 Charles Morris son of the above, working alongside his father at first but from at least 1863 it is his name that appears as the main occupier of the farm. Offered Summer pasture and rest for hunt or hacking horses. Possibly went bankrupt 1873. 

1876- 1881 Joseph Elliott. He was a churchwarden so his fields were used several times for picnics and fun events for Sunday School children. In 1881 sold off farm stock as his lease had expired. Wife Catherine. Note their son Edward Elliott also farmer at  Spade Oak Farm by 1878. 

1881- farm to let. Had been used for corn and sheep.

1882-95 Arthur Dyson. In 1886 his employee John Smith was convicted of stealing 6 eggs from him. Arthur was one of the Little Marlow parish councillors. Sadly he also organised hare coursing meetings.

1895 Mrs Dyson. Sold off her stock that year.

1896- William White worker there taken suddenly ill in field and died. Worked for Mr Roberts.

1899- 1907 Thomas Roberts. He died 1907 age 70. His meadow used for a ladies versus gents cricket match in 1900- with the men having to wear skirts too when they had to run. Sons John and G. Percy already involved in running the farm before his death.

1906-1921 at least John Roberts and G. Percy Roberts (tenants) operating as Roberts Brothers. Dairy farmers. Also let rooms to holiday makers in the Summer. Farm bought by Robert Burroughs 1917. A Richard Burrough qv is listed at the farm 1920. 

1939- Ralph Burroughs.

Post about Spade Oak ferryman William Round here.

To search for all mentions of any person on the blog use the Person Index option on the menu. Thousands of people are mentioned. Go to the Nearby Places option to see what else we have on the Spade Oak or Little Marlow area.

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Blounts / Blunts Farm Marlow

Historic occupier list. Occupiers are not necessarily the owner. Dates given are where I find firm evidence of someone being in occupation at the farm, they may have been present earlier or later too. 

Note= the name of the farm may spring from William Blount who was present in Marlow in the early 1400s. Perhaps he or his family owned or rented land that was or would become this farm.

Updated April 2026.

1587 Thomas Ponde sold it to Brinkhurst of Lane End, his relative. The later will of Thomas is on the blog here. 

1640 - John Langley.

1783 & 1788 William Brookes. Tenant to Nathaniel Micklem of Hurley. 

1815-18 Joseph and William Brooks. Probably brothers.

1833-1850 John Gibbons. Tenant to a Mr Micklem in 1833. Blounts then consisted of 173 acres. John also occupied Copy Farm in 1833. He retired from Blounts in 1850. Also at Widmere Farm. See here. At the time of John's retirement, there is a grand sale of stock. The animals on offer include "7 short legged powerful cart-horses", a 4 year old "well bred brown nag" who is a good roadster and hunter, and two handsome heifers. Also available to buy are 4 market waggons, 3 strong dung carts, a market cart, plough and cart harnesses for 8 horses, and the usual selection of ploughs, ladders, troughs, hurdles, turnip and chaff cutters etc. 

1854- Richard Blackwell, bailiff to the non residential owner who I think was still a Micklem.

1857-60 "Messrs Hewett", that is John and William. In 1857 sheep and corn stolen from them in different incidents. In 1859 their ploughman was charged with horse cruelty. William died aged 68 in 1860 on the farm. 

1860-67 John Hewett above. John died age 67 in 1867. Wife Sarah. Their daughter Sarah later married James Curtis of Wood Barn Farm, Little Marlow. Sarah senior died in 1893.

1869-76 William Thomas Bird. In 1871 summoned his carter John Edwards for allegedly stealing a pint of beer from him [Henley Advertiser 8th April 1871]. William moved to Abbey Farm Little Marlow but went bankrupt 1878. Note that earlier occupiers Joseph and William Brooks were related to the Bird family.

1883- Thomas Elliott? Kept sheep on the farm but was he the farmer?

1886- J and E Micklem owners but not living there. Bailiff Richard Sumner.

1888-89 Farm and the stock on it up for sale.

1889- 1899. Dr Francis Laking. Knighted 1893.  Resident only during the summer. Runs very exclusive West End doctors practice, with royal clients. In 1892 bailiff is John Warren. In that year a temporary worker on the farm George Cellam died from his burns after a fire there. George came from a Mr Mitchell of Burnham with a threshing machine hired to thresh barley at Blounts. He and other workers went drinking in the Royal Oak Bovingdon Green in the evening then returned to the farm to sleep the night up against the barley rick. Some of them had pipes and it was thought later that hot ash from one of those must have ignited the rick. That and the threshing machine were destroyed. George was taken to the Royal Oak and from there in a cart to Marlow Cottage hospital but died. [Some details from South Bucks Standard 26th February 1892]. There was no water sufficiently nearby to douse the rick and without that the Fire Brigade could not assist. In 1894 mains water was ran up to the farm for the first time. 

In 1893 Francis hosted a children's athletics sports event, with "useful" prizes such as cruet sets and teapots which perhaps does not strike us as the most exciting gifts for the youngsters. However each also recieved  a silver coin minted that year. Guy Laking is the starter. Over 200 children enter the races. A sumptuous tea is provided thanks to Mr Carter of Marlow and the Town's Drum & Fife band also attend. 

Dr Laking also raised pigs and heifers and grew oats and wheat on the farm. He purchased Clarefield, Maidenhead Thicket, on leaving Blounts. 

Gardener to Dr Laking  - Alan Axten 1894. (Lived Blounts Cottages.)

1899-1926. Walter Wethered. His farm manager and gardener was James Platt from at least 1903. James was still the farm manager in the late 1930s but I am unsure if this was for Walter or someone else.

1940- Mrs Heath. Lives with a butler, cook and other servants so property perhaps more of a home with land now.

Farm occupancies are compiled by me from advertisements, trade journals, censuses, court cases, property records and more. As I sort my research notes mountain I will probably add more information.

To search for other farm posts like this see the Specific Shops Streets Etc option on the top drop down menu. To look for a particular person use the Person Index.

© Marlow Ancestors. If using this research credit this blog and link here but you are welcome to do so. 

Clay Lane Farm

UPDATED January 2024

Written and researched by Charlotte Day.

Historic Occupiers (who are not necessarily the owners)=

Description- Half way between Marlow and High Wycombe. 1798= 100 acres with 80 acres of woodland used for timber which seems to have been separately let. 1861=127 acres. 1900=162 acres, mostly growing corn but also had pasture land. 1902 = 162 acres. 1944= 170 acres dairy farm.

1798-1810. Henry Crook. In will written 1800 left Clay Lane and Limmer farms Marlow to his son John and his children. If no child of John survived then Henry's nephews Joseph, William, Charles and James were to share the property. At the time of the will John did have a living son Henry who was under 21. Henry the testator did not die until 1810.

1810-1834 John Crook, son of Henry above. He died that year. His son Henry Junior was involved in the farm by 1831 when he died. Both buried at Little Marlow, see pic of grave below:

John Crook of Clay Lane Farm. Died August 5th 1834 age 53. 

And:

Wife of the above, Martha. Died July 24 1853 age 73

And:

Henry eldest son of the above. Died January 3rd 1831 age 25 [Henry died following a fall from his horse].

And: Martha Elizabeth, youngest daughter of the above. Died --Ju-- 1865. 

The Crooks fell victim more than once to  Webb's gang of marauders. Find out more here

1839-1840 James Crook. I have not yet looked at what relation he was to the previous Clay Lane Farm Crooks. The farm was used to host a ploughing match in 1840. In 1839 Marlow butcher Charles East was sentenced to 14 years transportation for receiving a sheep stolen from James by two Handy Cross (or Booker Common) men. Appeals sent by Marlow citizens, including James Crook, for mercy for Charles on the grounds that he was from a good family and suffered lameness failed. His gaoler reported his character to be bad! The funny thing is he had been the victim of theft from his shop a few years earlier with the thief John Neighbour receiving a sentence of 7 years transportation himself -see here. Note by Kathryn - Charles was transported to Van Diemens Land on the ship Lady Raffles. This departed England on November 30th 1840 and arrived in Van Diemens Land on March 17th 1841. He had the company of other Great Marlow/Bisham men onboard- for details on them see the post here

1841-8 Mr Wane. In 1844 a Mr J Simmonds was also occupying some farm land at Clay Lane- his main crop was corn. Could be a sub tenant.

1848-53 Alfred Keene, farmer [owned by Joseph White]. Alfred farming 127 acres with 5 labourers at Clay Lane Farm on the 1851 census and when he sells up and leaves neighborhood 1853.  Joseph Blackwell also said to be at Clay Lane from 1851 so he must have been farming some of the land, the remaining 60 odd acres, while Alfred Keene was farming the rest and residing at the farm house. Joseph took possession of the whole when Alfred left in 1853. Alfred was at Woolley Farm in 1861. 

1851 (part of), 1853 (the whole) - 1880 Joseph Blackwell. Went bankrupt 1880. Wife Elizabeth. Robert Morcott his employee sentenced to 3 weeks in jail for upping and leaving Joseph's service without notice in 1860. Joseph moved to Hill Farm, Marlow by 1881. See here. For all or part of this time the farm was OWNED by Joseph White.

1881 - Clay Lane Estate up for sale, freehold. Consists of the farm, two model cottages and beech woodlands, in all just over 224 acres. 

1897- farm stock all up for sale. Farm owned by Thomas Phillips?

1899- farm itself up for sale. Charles Stone occupier, probably as bailiff for Wethered family. 1898- 1903 William Hatt lived and worked at the farm as a Carter / labourer. Lived in the farm house with his wife Mary Ann and children.

1903- Thomas Owen Wethered owner, Mr Slocock farm manager. William Hatt, carter as above killed at Marlow Bottom when his horse spooks and runs over him with the cart. Postman Joseph Preston Shipton who was on his round came to his aid but was unable to save him. 

1908- Thomas Owen Wethered selling off stock from the farm.

1909- 1921 Marshall Croxford. Sold up stock and left 1921.

1934- at least 1958 Richard Morris Kimber. Dairy farm but oats also grown. Land Army girls worked on this farm. Mr Kimber was prominent in local farming affairs and often a judge at cattle shows. 

Post written and researched by Charlotte Day with photos by Kathryn Day.

Farm occupancy compiled from adverts, censuses, property records, farming journals, court cases, wills I have transcribed and more. Ongoing research, I hope to fill in the gaps as I sift through further notes.

For other farm occupier listings soon the Specific Shops, Streets Etc option here if you want a Marlow Farm. If you want a Little Marlow or other nearby farm this menu here

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