Marlow's Victorian Fire Brigade

 Marlow's volunteer fire brigade was formed in 1874 but the town had a fire engine before that and therefore volunteer fireman to operate it. The very old fire tender, gifted to the town in 1731 by MP John Clavering still exists and will hopefully be out on public display in the future. Clavering was not a local man. He was elected in 1727, although an attempt was made to overturn that result. He ceased to be our M.P the year of the gift, when he was promoted to the role of Groom of the Chamber. Perhaps it was a parting present. At first, it was kept in the church porch, or just behind. A good central location but it probably got evicted when the new church was built in 1832. 

How long that engine was in use I don't know, but the engine generally referred to as the "old" one in Victorian times arrived here in early 1831 made by Tilley of London. Unfortunately the first time the volunteers came to fight a fire with it, they realised they did not actually know how to operate the thing. So they had to fetch the old one instead! This fire was in the High Street and it was caused by a candle setting light to the bed curtains in the house of Mr White. 

The 1830s was a busy time for the early fireman. It was a time for incendiaries, Swing riots and social unrest. You can read more about this in Marlow and nearby here And the fellows did not just fight fires in Marlow itself - they travelled to nearby villages and farms. I should also mention that the various fire insurance companies serving our local area maintained their own engines, for the use on properties covered by their policies. Whether any of these were actually based in Marlow itself, I'm not sure. For example the Sun Fire Office and Royal Exchange insurance companies both of which had Marlow agents, joined the Marlow brigade to fight an arson attack in Hutton's farm, Hambledon in 1839. Their combined efforts saved most of the farmhouse but all of the outbuildings such as the barns, granary and stabling were lost. The Hambledon Association for the Apprehension of Incendiaries offered a £20 reward for information as to the culprit. 

The engine was of course horse drawn, and a report in 1849 tells us it was drawn by 4 horses usually. These were hired.

It's possible that the breweries in the town and the Marlow mills had their own small engines at this point as they certainly did later. Most mills seem to have done at this period. There's no mention of specific apparatus used in reports of a severe fire, also believed to be arson, at the mill in 1826. The wealthy Williams family of Temple House** had their own "engine" in the late 1850s if not before. It was said that it was made readily available to anyone with a fire in the neighborhood - for example it was used to fight a rickyard fire at a farm in Hurley in 1862. The Wethered brewery had an engine by the 1870s, which was also used on fires elsewhere on occasion. 

In 1868 it was decided the Marlow engine would be put under control of the parish overseers and that it's maintenance would be paid for out of the poor rates. 

The 1874 Volunteer Brigade

The idea of setting up a formal organised volunteer brigade was said to originate with architect and surveyor Charles Carter, who would be on the committee co opted to set it up. He would also act as their first superintendent. The idea was enthusiastically received. Col Williams of Temple promised £50 and lord of the manor  Sir William Clayton of Harleyford offered £20 and to pay for the helmets. The vestry voted to gift the existing 1831 engine to the volunteer brigade. It was recognised as needing some repairs and so the volunteers were told they could if they wish sell it and put the money towards a newer machine. This would not be cheap so it was decided to make good the existing one. So off it went to Messrs Shand and Mason for an overhaul. It arrived back after a month "thoroughly repaired and possessing every modern improvement".  

The general costs would be met by subscribers with a donation from the parish. The local fire insurance agents were also able to secure donations from their companies in several instances. The last item to be paid for were some uniforms made of "suitable waterproof material." It took until 1881 for the Volunteer Brigade to get their finances in the black after all this expenditure - donations not withstanding. If the Volunteer brigade did not adequately maintain the engine, it would revert to the parish control. 

The first members of the brigade were: 

Superintendent: Charles Carter

Foreman: Charles Miller Foottit* 

Engineer: William Batting*

Hon Surgeon: W J Shone 

Sub Engineer: John Langley *

Firemen: George Greenwood, R Wellicome, W Haynes, Walter Elgie, George Frith, George Barney 

Hon Secretary: Thomas H Wright

Other committee members: Owen Peel Wethered, John Tudor. 

To this list we should add the 5-6 members of the reserve brigade who often don't get named individually, and very many members of the public who acted as "pumpers" during a fire. At some places there was an organised list of reliable men who would be given preference should extra help be needed. Wycombe gave their pumpers a badge to wear to save confusion. I don't think anything of this type existed in Marlow. Pumpers were paid for their help, as other assistants sometimes were. A specific fund was available for the superintendent to use for this. It was customary for fire insurance companies to make a donation to the volunteer brigade if it worked on one of  their properties and the money sometimes depended on the amount of additional help that had been necessary to engage. The possibility of extra (if very hard) work is one of the reasons that when the fire bell went, it wasn't just the fireman that hastened to the scene of a fire. No fee was charged for calling the brigade out at first although it was customary for the better off to make a donation afterwards. After 1900 the property owners were charged for the brigades attendance including the use of the engine, and hire of the horse plus refreshments for the fireman or repair of damaged uniform etc as required. Water used as part of the clean up was free. 

The engine was housed in an arch of the Market House AKA the Market hall, and later part of the Crown Hotel. (The 1731 engine was also there.) A small token rent was paid for this. They also needed to pay to hire the horses to pull the engine. These were usually supplied by the Crown which has a long history as a posting house and place to hire a "fly" so it had plenty of steady horses at their disposal. These were grazed in the meadow behind the Crown. Once or twice a fire coincided with a time when all the suitable horses from the Crown were otherwise engaged and so they were hired from other establishments. One of the first major fires in the town they dealt with was actually in the Crown itself, when a chimney caught a flame. Getting to the source of the fire involved dismantling the brickwork. It was only put out after hours of "unceasing labour". 

Oxford Road A Flame 

Many of the fires covered by our brave volunteers have been covered elsewhere in the blog. I'll mention just a few more. The fire at the premises of coach builder and wheelwright George Cox in Oxford Rd 1877 involved 80 helpers. This was considered a serious risk to neighbouring properties which included thatched wooden barns behind them. George naturally had many highly flammable materials in his workshops such as varnish, paint and wood. A long chain of those bringing buckets of water to the fire, managed by publican John Langley* and aided by the Marlow and brewery engines, performed what was considered a miracle to prevent the fire spreading up Oxford Rd. George lost two carriages, his workshop and woodhouse, and most of his tools and materials. He was luckily insured. It seems a spark from a stove left on to dry a newly varnished carriage was to blame. The Temple House engine also came to help, but the fire was mostly over by the time it arrived. This engine was the source of envy by the Marlow brigade as it was steam powered and could draw up water where others couldn't. It was given to the Temple Volunteer Brigade when they formed, at the suggestion of Marlow's Charles Miller Foottit who was also responsible for drilling the new brigade. 

 Within a week, George's insurance claim was settled and the money with him, thanks to insurance agent William Crake*. 

The engine was regarded as heavy and sometimes awkward to manage. So two small "engines" were purchased in the 1881 to assist the fireman (after several years of fundraising.) And a carriage to transport them on was also necessary. 

Fun for the fireman

It wasn't just all work and no play for our firemen. Almost immediately they started playing as a football and cricket team for casual matches organised throughout the year. They put a crew to compete in many of the the regattas too. Then there were friendly drill competitions (and tug of wars!) with other fire brigades, usually involving a "capital dinner" afterwards. In 1877 fireman George Frith won a silver fireman's axe for performing best at his one man drill in a competition sponsored by a Maidenhead man. 

They had an annual dinner (often at The Greyhound)  and outing and on a few occasions a ball. 

The men were invited several times to form part of Lord Mayor of London's civic parades with a number of other fire brigades. And on any occasion there was a parade in Marlow, the fireman were at the fore, in uniform. In 1882, when the Prince of Wales arrived at Marlow station on route to a visit at Temple House the brigade were chosen to line the bridge as he passed. Then in 1891 their destination was the Crystal Palace where they took part in a review before the German Emperor. Dr Dickson, currently their commanding officer, was introduced to the emperor himself. 

The fire bell rings ...sometimes

The fireman had day jobs. When the fire bell rang (the rope hanging outside the front of the fire station at the town hall with the bell in the clocktower above) they had to stop what they were doing and rush to the station. The time it took for them to assemble from the time the bell first rang was carefully recorded, along with their arrival at the scene of the blaze. The bell caused frequent trouble. There were complaints about it almost immediately. In 1882 it was declared that the bell was finally in "good and effective working order". It's odd it seems to have needed more maintenance than the fire engine!  The rope broke often which perhaps is not surprising as those ringing it were supposed to do so vigorously for several minutes. On another occasion the bell itself was found to have split. 

How many fires?

To keep their place in the brigade, the fireman had to attend a certain number of drills (and perform them well). These were generally held once a month. Some years there were 5-6 fires, others none at all but the men had to be ready regardless. 

And some of them were injured in their volunteer work. To help this, the fireman were covered by accident and death in service insurance from 1885. The members were allowed to attend the local St John's Ambulance first aid training classes for free too.

It was generally considered the brigade did stirling work that saved many lives and even more livelihoods. Where they failed it was usually due to a lack of water, for example at the farms far from a hydrant. 

Playing with fire

You didn't have to go to the science of a blaze to see a fire fighting demo. If you went to the Music Room in 1883 (the masonic centre now) you could enjoy a lecture on fire fighting by Charles Miller Foottit who bought the two mini engines on to the stage. Two dolls were set alight to demonstrate the technique of putting out flames on clothing - a sadly all too frequent cause of death especially among little children. Charles also extolled the virtue of using asbestos paint as a flame retardant. 

They also sometimes performed a public drill, usually as part of a fundraising effort eg on the lawns of the Complete Angler. 

That old engine

In the 1880s the fireman were still using the 1831 engine, in addition to their mini ones. It had been modified in that time, most significantly by the addition of a brake. As Charles Carter said, without one, there was a serious risk of a nasty accident occuring. Thomas Corby the Marlow builder offered a prize to anyone who'd come up with a good workable brake for the engine and John Langley offered a second prize. I don't know who won though! (Thomas was visiting the brigade to thank them for putting out a fire on his premises). Running repairs were usually done by Marlow's Battings the ironmongers. 

In 1891 it was decided only so many more repairs could be made to the 60 year old engine. Fundraising would start for its replacement soon they hoped. However they considered trade was too bad in the town to make the timing right for an appeal. So Charles Miller Foottit  made an exhaustingly detailed report on modifications the old engine could undergo to give it a few more years of life. These suggestions were adopted. They did splash out on a new longer hose though. A fire escape to allow rescue from the upper storeys of taller buildings arrived in 1893. They wished to practice using this on buildings within the town, but recieved nothing but complaints from the occupiers. So a wooden tower was erected in Crown meadow (Riley Park) to use instead. This tower would appear several times, sometimes for public demos, other times a pretend house front did the job.  In 1907 John Langley was recruited to dress in a nightshirt and play the part of a feinting fire victim to be rescued from the heights! Fireman Harry Sawyer saw him safely to the ground, nightshirt and all.  In 1905 a wooden "house" was also erected in Shaw's boatyard  and set well alight to demonstrate the use of a hand fire extinguisher. Successfully - thankfully for Robert Shaw. 

By 1888 the engine house was described as possessing every requisite for modern fire fighting. 

A new engine at last

By 1894 the old engine was really creaking. Brigade Hon Secretary Walter Wethered wrote to the new Parish Council to say it was in a dilapidated and possibly dangerous condition. The following year reports that the most senior members of the brigade would resign unless a better engine was provided were addressed at the AGM. The rumour was denied but they described how the axles and bearings were so worn that they could not go very far without having to stop and oil them, and wait for them to cool down before proceeding. It was only a matter of time before the engine broke down completely on the way to a fire they said. It is decided to ask the newly formed parish council, who technically owned the old machine, for money towards a new engine. Although a steam powered engine was the dream, they decided to settle on a cheaper manual one that was expected to cost about £130-40. They also believed they wouldn't be expected to pay the full cost up front but would be given 4-5 years to settle the bill. 

The parish council agreed to pay £100 of the cost and to let the brigade keep the engine under their control provided them met the cost of ongoing repairs and maintenance. They would allow them to sell the 1830s engine and put the £20-30 they expected to get from that towards the cost of the new. The old engine's pumps were regarded as in good condition and it seems they expected it to be usable as parts - bearings and axle aside! Thomas Wright, the brigade treasurer leads a small party to London to view the premises of the two premier manufacturers of fire engines. They settle on a £140 manual machine from Messrs Shand & Mason which can take 22 men. This is the company that had done repair work on the old engine previously. It is delivered to Marlow on the first of August 1895, and immediately put  through it's paces by the firemen in the market square and by the Compleat Angler. They are satisfied that "it throws a great quantity of water at great force. "

After 1900

In 1902 the district council took over the brigade again financially speaking. They would meet running costs but the brigade would use their donations to pay for uniform as needed. (These had been replaced when 15 years old so I don't think any one can accuse the men of carelessness with them. The old ones were kept for drill use. They were supplied by local drapers, and the epaulettes by Batting while jeweller Frederick  Rowe re nickelled the helmets.) 

From 1910 they gained use of the second arch under the town hall, previously used by Battings for storage but enlargements were still ongoing in 1912 when our history stops. 

The sadness of George 

I've not covered the lives of many of the individual fireman here for space sake as many if not all deserve their own post. Names marked with an asterisk above have their own entry already, linked below. Charles Miller Foottit had a huge role in the development of fire brigades in general. But I feel I should mention longstanding fireman George Grace here as the poor man hung himself in the fire station in 1909 age 64. He had been out of work, except for the small amount of money he earned for looking after the engine and cleaning it. At the time of his death he was one of the reserve team after 27 years in the main brigade. He had spent some time in hospital two years before and had never recovered physically or mentally it was said. 

Written by Kathryn Day.

More information:

*Charles Miller Foottit biography here

John Langley here

The Battings here

Brigade surgeon etc Dr Dunbar Dickson here

**Temple House history here

To search for mentions of any others see the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. There's several thousand people mentioned there - updated weekly. 

Fires fought:

Buckinghamshire Chair Co, Duchess Place : here

Explosion at Gas Works, Dean Street - here

At the Crown here

Death by fire here

At Marshalls Menagerie here

Other posts about general Marlow history here

© MarlowAncestors 

Young Offenders At Marlow

This post is to give an idea on how children who committed crimes (in the eyes of their elders) were treated in Victorian Marlow. Some of our juvenile offenders have already received a post of their own. This is a more or less random selection of a few others that we came across during our research. 

The first thing that is obvious is the child's family would have a bearing on the sentence the young one recieved. If the miscreant was considered to come from an otherwise respectable family, this fact is carefully noted in reports and considered a mitigating factor come sentencing time. But if the child's parents were considered lacking in such respectability, the child was feared to be more likely to commit another misdeed and was without doubt treated more harshly.  It's unlikely a middle class child committing a theft would get sent to a  reformatory for example. So the child's appearance in court and that of their parents mattered. 

Thomas Plumridge

Going in date order, our first case is from 1843 and it involves Thomas Plumridge who is described at "about 11". He was caught stealing a piece of pork from grocer Joseph Eagle* of Spittal Street. There are two possible candidates for this young man - one the son of William and Ann of Gun Lane, the other from Handy Cross. The tearful lad presented a truly penitent appearance in their eyes.  He was able to present witnesses as to his "excellent character" which along with a guilty plea helped him escape with just 3 days in prison. He had been put up to the theft by other unnamed boys he said. Sometimes a explanation like this worked in a child's favour, in other cases it had the opposite effect and bought down warnings against a moral failing and inability to resist sin. Thomas does not seem to have erred again regardless! 

Emily Grace

Moving to 1860, we come to a contrasting case, that of twelve year old Emily Grace**. Emily was up in court for theft. She had gone into the Washbourne's Seminary for Young Ladies (a small private day and boarding school) and removed several items belonging to the young pupils from the place where the girls hung their clothes. These were later detailed as a hat and coat valued at 4 shillings and a hat and cape valued at the same. At the same time she was accused of stealing an umbrella from the parish church. Umbrellas were relatively more valuable as well as easy to abstract so were not infrequent subjects of thefts at the time. Emily was seen at the Washbourne's when the clothes were missed and a search at her home revealed the missing items hidden away. It may well be they intended to pawn them. Young Emily confessed and plead guilty at trial. Unfortunately for her, she was not regarded as coming from a strictly respectable home. The wider Grace family were frequently before the bench. PC Nash considered her a victim of bad parenting and suggested it would be "beneficial to remove her from the scene of her vice for a time."  The newspaper reports were also quick to accuse her elders as providing "very indifferent training" to Emily. A household that was considered likely to encourage their offspring into a life of crime, or at least one that did not prove capable of controlling an errant child was just the sort the authorities feared. And so Emily was considered the ideal candidate to be sent to  reformatory. This was a sort of prison come school where the children were taught "honest industry" in the hope they would gain legitimate employment on release. She was put into prison for 2 weeks first, which was at the time a requirement, and then was handed over to a representative of Hampstead Reformatory for Girls where she was sentenced to spend the next 3 years. (The minimum term was 2 years.) These institutions varied hugely in quality, but Hampstead was thought to be one of the better ones at the time. Let us hope it was. The father of Emily, Richard Grace, was summoned a few months later for failing to make the compulsory maintenance payments towards his daughters upkeep at the Institution. The newspapers headed that reported again that Emily was a victim of "bad bringing up". The court considered that Richard was earning good money and could easily afford to pay for Emily but "cared little" about doing so. 

There was no possibility of remaining annoymous if you were child criminal. Public shame was no doubt meant to act as a deterrent. But it must have made it difficult for the girls trained in their "honest industry" to get jobs thereafter, at least in their home area. Emily was 15 on her release. Obviously many young unmarried women were servants and this might well have been the job Emily was always destined for. But now she had a public bad character it was going to be difficult for her to access  this big source of employment. In the end she went to work as a servant for Elizabeth Keene, who is supposed to have taken her on out of charity. But less than a month into the job, Elizabeth missed a pair of boots which were found in Emily's possession. Emily confessed to taking them and this time she was sentenced to serve 9 months in Aylesbury gaol with hard labour. She was 16. On release Emily returned to live with her parents. She would go on to have two illegitimate children, before marrying James Smith in 1879.  (She was unable to prove paternity for the second child born 1871 so no money was forthcoming from the alleged father, John Howard. At the hearing where that was settled there was said to be raucous scenes with much swearing from both sides!!) The couple moved to Essex, the birthplace of James.

George Robinson

Next "criminal" is 12 year old George Robinson. He was guilty of doing what seems at first to be simply behaving as a child - running through a Marlow Bottom field with some other boys while playing a game. However corn was growing there and crop damage was taken seriously at a time when many farmers were operating on a small margin. The other lads got away, but George was recognised and somewhat unfairly was made to pay costs amounting to the whole estimated value of the corn damaged by all the group - 10s. His mother Emma said George was a good boy and she appealed for mercy as he "had no father". In this case it meant she was a widower. She explained that George worked to help support his household, along with brother William age 14. Both were working as furriers then but George was previously a shoemaker. Emma was a needlewoman. The court said they would be as lenient as possible and so George recieved a 6d fine plus costs and the compensation mentioned above. If his mother had not been able to pay, George would have been required to spend two weeks in jail. 

 Owen Hatch 

Lastly we have a case from the end of the era. Owen Hatch age 7 had set alight two pig styes and a shed at Cookham Dean. All were completely destroyed. It would cost elderly  owner Henry Clark at least £5 to replace them. As he had "respectable parents" and was normally well behaved, he was let off with a telling off.  It seems that Owen had been playing with matches and acting only out of misplaced curiousity. The petty sessions established that Owen's family could not afford to compensate Henry Clark for his heavy loss as the father was not in regular employment at the time. Therefore it was decided to set up a subscription fund so well wishers could make good his loss. I believe the amount was comfortably raised. 

Related Posts:

*You can read about Joseph Eagles grocer shop here

 **More about the Grace family (caution, some distressing content) here

The Washbourne's school here

Crime and punishment in old Marlow: here

Pictures of the old police station and police court and it's history : here

Case of Mary Ann Burt, child thief  here 

To find all mentions of an individual or family here, use the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. There's over 4,000 people listed there. 

Cookham Dean and other areas near Great Marlow - post list here

Written by Kathryn Day. 

Sources: Washbourne family research by Charlotte. 

Judicial record summary by Jane Pullinger 1975. 

Census 1841,51,61 - transcript from microfilm  by Jane Pullinger. 

Reports From The Commissionees Vol 38, Great Britain House of Commons. 1866.

Wilkinson, Robert  - The Reformatory and Industrial Schools Acts 1866 with notes etc  (Knight and Company 1867)

The Reformatory and Refuge Journal 1860.  (Reformatory and Refuge Union,1861)

Slough, Eton and Windsor Observer 28 September 1889. Slough Library. 

© MarlowAncestors.

Not You Again Reuben!

Today's subject is Reuben Anderson, a man who is fair to say kept the police constables and J.Ps more than a little busy! 

The age of Reuben differs by a few years here and there when he gives it in court, on censuses and the like. He generally decides on a birth year of 1845, although he may have been a couple of years older. He was the son of George and Emma Anderson of Dean Street (more commonly known as Well End, Great Marlow at the time Reuben was born, not be confused with Well End, near Little Marlow.) Another Reuben Anderson living in Marlow in the early Victorian era was our Reubens uncle, born in Maids Moreton, Bucks. 

Reuben's father spent several spells in prison throughout the boys childhood, usually lasting a month or two, mostly relating to petty thefts and trespass after game. His was not a wealthy family, and George's work principally as a general and agricultural labourer was not necessarily regular. Dean Street was a poor and populous neighbourhood, the haunt of many a poacher. Many lived on the edge of destitution in a way that's much underestimated now. Those that didn't tended to supplement their income in many  ways, not all of them quite legal. 

Starting Young 

Reuben therefore started his somewhat shady career rather young. In 1858 the boy found himself called to the petty sessions, suspected of stealing a quantity of iron from the premises of baker John Millward in West Street. (Formerly Gibbons the tallow chandlers - see the premises here) At this point the petty sessions were held in a small and often raucous room in the Crown at the Market Square. In court, his age was given as 11 but I think he was more likely 13-15 years. Generally speaking if a resident of Dean Street was bought to the sessions room, a crowd of friends and relatives from the area would attend to offer vocal support much to the magistrates annoyance. Perhaps the same thing happened to young Reuben. Regardless, he was found guilty and sentenced to be privately whipped. This was regarded as a lenient punishment compared to time in gaol. Two months before either Reuben or his uncle of the same name had been summoned and fined for stealing underwood at Little Marlow. I suspect it was the elder of the two. 

 Reuben is often recorded as either an agricultural labourer or general labourer, that catch all term for a variety of unskilled and semi skilled work. But the type of crimes he tends to get arrested for, indicates a slightly different story. By far the most common is wilful damage to a tree or stealing underwood. Reuben isn't gathering firewood, he is collecting the type of material he needs for his sideline as a "skewerter". That is he makes wooden skewers that are sold wholesale to butchers, usually in London. It was a very common and perfectly legitimate trade in Marlow, centred around Dean Street. However it was not legal to help yourself to the wood wherever you found it locally, as almost every tree belonged to someone specifically. Some landowners sold the right to collect the skewer materials to an individual, who naturally would be at a serious disadvantage if it all had vanished come harvest time. But skewer makers like Reuben could not afford to lease woodland and it's unlikely that buying the materials from a middle man would be profitable. Snarky comments were often made about how "wealthy" the skewer makers of Marlow were, given that it was pure profit to make goods from materials obtained free and illegally. But the reality was those we have identified as long time workers in the trade were in poor (sometimes shockingly so) houses and never escaped them. It was hardly a road to riches! Reuben is also identified later as a fruiterer - another classic Dean Street occupation. In this case it was the wholesale trade that involved Reuben along with his father - he did not have a shop. This was a seasonal source of employment for him, something to add to his other sources of income. 

Reuben's punishment for the wood rustling and tree damage tended to be a fine. (For example 2d plus costs in 1861 for damaging trees belonging to magistrate Benjamin Atkinson of the Rookery.) If he could not pay, he would be forced to spend time in gaol in lieu. Sometimes the fine was demanded immediately after the case was heard, on other occasions a week or two to gather the required finds was allowed. (Two weeks in the case mentioned above.) In 1862 he was imprisoned for 3 months for stealing the lunch of a farm labourer William Harris who was working in the fields. (His accomplice James Grace recieved 2 months)

A Familiar Defendant 

1863 was an especially busy year for young Reuben. He plead guilty to 3 offences in the same petty session in January. He was at this point described as a youth "well known to police", as was his co accused in two of the offences, James Grace. First up was two charges for stealing swedes and turnips, both offences committed on the same day. The quantity of swedes was large and they were likely intended for selling on as fruiterers had the connections to sell vegetables too. The second offence occured at Blunts Farm. In both cases the young men were bought to the intention of the authorities by an "informer" Thomas Tilbury. When Reuben heard this, he had gone after Thomas and threw stones at him several hitting their mark. Hence the 3rd case for which he was summoned. For each of the first two offences, Reuben was sentenced to 1 months imprisonment with hard labour. The same sentence was awarded to his co accused who had like Reuben plead guilty. For the stone throwing, Reuben was set a high fine of £1 plus costs. As he could not pay, he was taken to prison for an additional 2 months. As he was led away, our miscreant was heard to mutter threats of dire vengeance against the informant. Thankfully for both, nothing cane of these dark mutterings - as far as public records show at least! Come October Reuben was back in front of the magistrates again. This time he was accused of stealing a higher value item, and this along with his string of previous convictions meant Reuben was remanded for trial at the Assizes. The theft involved a large quantity of straw belonging to surgeon William Hickman. This time the sentence was for one years imprisonment. His age at sentencing is given as 18. 

Father George Creates A Scene

A little under a year after his release, Reuben's father was yet again in hot water. The cause this time was a very public act of rebellion. It was November, and he was out of work as many of those with partially seasonal occupations naturally were. He applied to the Relieving Officer Mr Russell for some parish aid. Mr Russell refused to sanction any "outdoor relief" - that is an allowance of bread or money paid to George while he continued to look for work and live in his existing lodgings. Instead he said he would issue an order that George should go to "the House". That is the parish workhouse. George was furious. No one wished to be admitted there, but the parish officers had decided to crack down on the giving of aid that would allow the poor an alternative to the house. It was considered the provision of out relief made things too easy for the poor and prevented the workhouse acting as proper deterrent to the merely idle. It was noted in the newspaper reports of the events that followed that George had a "good" summer income as a fruiterer and skewer maker, the inference being if he had no money now it was because he had not spent it wisely or saved enough. (This was of course usually an attitude espoused by those who had never had to manage on such wages or live in the condition of those that did.) But it's obvious from study of others in the Anderson families position that the debts and rent arrears speedily increased over a winter when little money came in. These then had to paid out of the next summer's income.  

The following evening, George was heard to declare publicly that he would "wreck" the relieving officers home. He took a bludgeon and smashed 15 panes of glass. He made no attempt to disguise himself and was arrested immediately. It may be that Reuben acted heedlessly out of bravado or anger or both. It may also be that his situation was dire and he did what many others in Marlow did and commited a public crime certain that he would be sent to prison and provided for. We have found many examples of people doing just that, often going to confess immediately at the police station. Was prison better than the work house? Unlikely, but it perhaps carried less stigma for men in Georges situation who had often been in prison before. Whatever the motivation, George's attack earned him two months behind bars, with hard labour. It just be said the conditions of providing parish aid were not set by poor Mr Russell and he could have been dismissed if it was considered he was too lenient. 

Happier Events

In 1879 Reuben married Martha Sparkes, daughter of Maria and William, the landlords of at various times the Barge Pole, Black Boy and Fisherman's Retreat inns in St Peter's Street/Church Passage. Martha was just over a decade younger than he. The couple made their home in Oxford Road, and then St Peter's Street. See links below for detailed information about Martha's family. 

It was not exactly the quietest start in life for the couple, as in 1880 Reuben was arrested for his supposed role in the wide scale election riots in Marlow. The case against him was dismissed over uncertainty about his identification although Reuben himself did admit to being present in the area - as an innocent bystander of course. The riot is covered in more detail in a post here

And now at last we have a report of Reuben in which he is the hero. A few months after the riot, he stepped in to rescue a women who was being threatened and harassed by her brother after the siblings had quarreled. It must have been quite the novelty to appear in court as a witness! But old habits die hard and less than two months later Reuben was back at the petty sessions in the role of defendant, along with John Price. The pair had stolen some wood and both recieved hefty fines based on previous convictions for both. 

Throughout the 1880s minor convictions continue to be earned by Reuben. Charges of drunk and disorderly behaviour, being asleep while in charge of a horse and cart, and tresspass in pursuit of game for example. All resulted in fines. 

Reuben died in 1890. He was only in his forties. Poor Martha was of course even younger when she entered her widowhood. She went to live with her brother George at first, then her elderly widowed mother and youngest  brother Thomas in West Street. At this point she took to working as a laundress or washerwoman.* 

*Tragedy struck in 1907 when Martha's brother Thomas went missing and was subsequently found drowned in the Thames. The circumstances were not known. He was working for Lovell's the builder as a labourer  and carter at the time. It was considered by some that he may have been worried about a summons he had recieved for drunk driving a horse and cart presumably because a conviction may have lead to the loss of his job. He had been sleeping rough at times over the few weeks before, although he had returned home by the time he was last seen alive. Verdict: Found Drowned. Age given as 49.  

Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

Related Posts

Sparkes family of the Barge Pole here

Index of posts about life in Dean Street when Reuben was growing up - here

The skewer trade in Marlow here

Posts linked to crime and disorder in old Marlow - here

To find every mention of an individual or family here use the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu. There's more than 4,000 people mentioned there! 

Sources:

Census 1841,1851,1861,1891 - transcript made by Jane Pullinger. 

Sparkes family and 1880 election rioters research by Charlotte. 

 Bucks Chronicle and Bucks Gazette 5 May 1858. From the British Library Archive and accessed via the BNA. 

Bucks Herald 27 March 1858, 25 May 1861, January 24th 1863, 10 December 1881 as above. 

Windsor and Eton Express 24 Jan 1863. As above. 

Buckinghamshire Advertiser and Free Press 24 October 1863,as above

Reading Mercury 3 December 1875, 

Slough, Eton and Windsor Observer, 21 September 1907. Slough Reference Library. 

© MarlowAncestors 

Bank Of England, Dean Street History and Landlord Listing *Updated*

 THE BANK OF ENGLAND /THE BANK/ YE OLDE BANK

1833- building of the pub built but it not yet a pub.

1840 - Described as "recently built" (of brick with slate roof) and "now licenced for the sale of beer"  It is let to a "most respectable tenant". Leasehold with 3 years left on it is offered for sale. "Near the turnpike on the Oxford Road". Has bowling alley, coach house, 2 stables, detached wash house, and other outbuildings plus the large yard. Inside there is 4 bedrooms, a cellar, parlour, tap room and pantry. 

1841 - George Clarke, son of Richard Clark(e) who had had the Jolly Maltsters Dean Street. See here for more. That post contains details of some trouble George got into as a young man. George's sister Emma was in turn landlady of the Jolly Maltsters, Mint and Cherry Tree all in Dean Street.

1844 - George Clark

1853 - George Clark

1861 - George Clark ("Ye Old Bank"), also carpenter. Twice fined in the 1860s for opening his beerhouse at illegal hours. In 1867 a suspicious constable secretes himself into a pile of faggots opposite in order to watch the comings and goings, and sees several men enter. These thirsty souls flee on the constable revealing his presence. Pots of beer with some taken out can be seen around  the tap room and parlour.  Fine that time? £5. 

1865 - George Clark. Also sells asses' milk (!) This was considered good for delicate youngsters you could not tolerate cows milk, among other things. 

1871 - George Clark - also carpenter, and has lodgers

1873 - George Clarke "The Bank Beerhouse". Transfer to John Finch who came from The Alma. Wellers brewery only got the licence for the premises renewed on the condition a new tenant was found, as they believed George harboured the criminally inclined. Wellers say that George had already been given notice to quit but he proved difficult to dislodged. Some of the Hussars recently billeted in Marlow when they spent a few days here in 1873 had stayed at the Bank..in the stable with their horses!

1875 - John Finch 

1881 - John Finch (b.1843) "The Bank" Wife Sophia. (Also lodging house) 

1882- John Finch summoned for refusing to let a Constable see inside his premises. Something to hide did you John!? The next year John received a heavy fine and an endorsement on his licence for opening his beerhouse before the legally permitted time on a Sunday. In the space of 15 minutes 10 people were observed going through the open gates into the yard, and through the back door, emerging shortly afterwards with a suspicious looking jug. The constables followed a trail of beer spillages down the passage that lead to the cellar steps, down which they found John with a selection of beer containers with the dregs still in them. John claimed the wet spots in the yard were where he'd urinated! He also said no one had visited him there, and in the cellar he was merely changing the taps on a barrel. The police must have seen people passing up a public footpath nearby he thought. Unfortunately for John, a policeman Constable Birch lived only 500 yards away and had an uninterrupted view of the Bank Of England. The excuses offered by the drinkers are amusing to read. They happened to call on John (at 6.30am in the morning) for all kinds of reason other than buying alcohol apparently. Dropping off some potatoes, showing him a piece of flannel, and talking to him about a pig were amongst the reasons to drop by. One man was not so good at thinking on his feet and said he only stepped into the yard, but couldn't quite remember why. (Four of the drinkers were summoned and fined.)

1883 - H Finch. 2. Charles Grace

1886 - Charles Grace. Wife Mahala leaves Charles this year taking some money and belongings which Charles says belonged to him. So he has her summoned for theft but subsequently asks for the charge to be dropped. He says Mahala had returned the items and had apologised for removing them. It does not seem she had returned to live with her husband though. 

1886 - William Cox? 2. Frederick Cox. 

1889 - Frederick Cox 

1891  - George E Lyons (from London)

1896 - George E Lyons transfers the  premises to William Howard.

1899 - James or William Cottrell /Cotterill. 2.  William Chaplin or Chapman 

1903 - W Dawes

1908 - William Dawes. 2. Edwin Dewey 

1911 - Edward (qv) J Dewey

1915-20 - James Turney and his wife. Their son Private A E Turney was badly gassed in France in 1917.

1926 - Harry Perry. Changes his name by deed poll to Harry Price this year. 

1928 - Harry Price. Sells 5&1/2 barrels of beer a week. Considered for forced closure under the scheme to limit the number of licenced premises in an area, but does not make the shortlist. 

1937 - H Price. It's proposed to demolish the premises this year as part of a slum clearance plan affecting Dean Street, and because the site is wanted as part of the new development of homes for the dispossessed at Seymour Court Road. Brewers Benskins of Watford will be offered the opportunity to purchase a new site in Wethered Road for the re erection of the pub. Due to the disruption of the forthcoming war, the demolition never happens. 

1939 Ye Olde Bank of England - Harry Price and his wife. They continue on the pub to at very least 1960.

Above, the former site of the Bank. 

1959- old building is demolished and a new premises built at the rear of it, back from the road. A matchstick model of the old premises is presented to Mr and Mrs Price by one of the customers in honour of their kindness to his unwell son. The Prices enter into their new premises just before Christmas 1959.

Find more posts like this about pubs in Marlow, Little Marlow, Well End, Medmenham and Lane End listed on the Pub Related option on the menu.

All mentions of a person on this blog can be found on the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu. 

Post researched by Charlotte Day and Kathryn Day.

Building now demolished.

This post is updated as new information emerges. All listings are as noted in original sources, including alternative spellings. Note that some listings may in fact refer to father's and sons sharing the same given name so be sure to double check this. Many Marlow landlords changed premises and there can be other family members running other establishments. We mainly focus on pre WW1 or 1920's listings but sometimes list later names if it ties in with research we are helping with. 

See the Pub Related post listing here on the drop down menu to find out about other pubs, beer houses etc. A land lord listing for most will be published here gradually. 

©Marlow Ancestors

Graces of Marlow (some distressing content) *Updated September 2024*

Whilst wading through my mountains of research on Great Marlow people I noticed that I had picked up quite a lot of information about those of the last name Grace so I have gathered a selection of it  here:

George and Sarah:

George poss bapt 1765 Marlow to parents George and Jane however there are two contemporary Georges and only one baptism between them. Married Sarah Nibbs [this name also Knibbs in local records] 1785 Marlow. Sarah buried 1820 age 68.

George and Mary

George son of above George and Sarah. Baptised 1790 Marlow. Wife Mary buried 1840. George on 1833 parochial assessment and on 1841, 51, 61 census Gun Lane [now called Trinity Road]. On 1833 assessment his home was a cottage and garden worth £3 10 shillings a year. This would be very small, though there were slightly smaller cottages in Gun Lane. George on 1851 census is bricklayer's labourer 

Children:

Richard 1.) bapt 1811. Died 1814. 

2.) bapt 1815. Wife Mary Ann. Lived St Peter's Street 1851. Richard in 1861 summoned for failing to contribute to the maintenance of his children who have been sent to Reformatory Schools. Children not named in case. Road labourer for the parish 1881 when he lived St Peter's Street. *Update - one of the children was young Emily, sentenced to 3 years in the reformatory for stealing the clothes belonging to some of the girls attending the Miss Washbourne's Ladies Seminary or school in Marlow. Emily was at Hampstead Reformatory.*

Elizabeth bapt 1813. Mother of illegitimate son William bapt 1837 (who probably moved to Downley). Both of them live with her parents Gun Lane 1841. Probable mother of illegitimate daughter Sarah Webb Grace bapt 1839 too. This second child is not on the 1841 census.

George bapt 1821. Home with parents 1841. George, or just possibly his father, was stabbed by teenage Gun Lane resident Alfred White in 1858. Survived but badly injured. Alfred went for 2 years in a reformatory school as a result. George probably married a Rachel Smith 1865 Buckinghamshire.  Wife definitely a Rachel. Lived 1871 and 1881 Coleshill Buckinghamshire.

Michael bapt 1826. Home with parents 1841. Ag lab. See below.

Mark bapt 1828. See below.

Frederick bapt 1836. With parents 1841. Later a labourer. Wife Eliza. Daughter Sarah born circa 1869/70 charged with stealing clothes from a woman she briefly lodged with at Rotherfield Greys near Henley in 1888. When arrested she was working at Shiplake Farm.

George and Jane

George born circa 1841/42. Parents of Mark and Penelope below. Grandson of George and Sarah above. Lived with widowed grandad George in Marlow 1851 and 1861 Gun Lane. In 1858 sentenced to 14 days in prison for attempting to steal a pie from the shop of Margaret Winfield. Accomplice Thomas Stone managed to run off with two pies but George was seized by Mrs Winfield while trying to take his one. Was not George's first conviction. That Thomas Stone later accomplice to George Grace's father Mark in stealing peas from a field. 1871 George was a casual lodger at Bear lodging house come pub Chapel Street. George married a Jane who died 1892 Oxford Road Marlow aged 50. They lived there 1891 too when George is listed as a shoe maker and Jane as a laundress, as was their teenage daughter Alice.

Mark and Penelope.

Mark bapt 1828. Son of George and Mary above. He home with parents 1841 and with wife and parents 1851. Ag lab. Married 1849 Little Missenden Penelope James. Children Michael, Mary Ann, Elizabeth (Betsy), Richard, George (possibly 2 with first dying) James,  Polly?. Possibly others. Some children born before couple's marriage. Penelope acquitted of pickpocketing William Saunders in 1859. Couple lived Dean Street 1861. Mark acquitted of assaulting a woman in Quarry Woods that year. Wife Penelope died 1871. She had been drinking heavily, including at the Mint in Dean Street with her husband. He went off for a while with his nephew to go to Burroughs Grove outside Marlow. There he spent some hours drinking at the Three Horseshoes. When he returned home with some friends in a donkey cart they ran over Penelope near Marlow Bottom. She had been lying there in the road drunk and it was thought had already been run over by a ginger beer delivery vehicle. It is likely she had intended to meet her husband coming back from Burroughs Grove but had drank too much to make the journey. The report of the Reading Mercury on her inquest is listed in the sources below. The newspaper can be accessed at the British Library or via the BNA online for a fee. If you choose to read it please be warned that it contains some graphic information about the autopsy. Her husband Mark and son Michael were witnesses at inquest. Penelope was buried at Holy Trinity Church Marlow. There is no visible gravestone for her now. To see pictures of the church and graveyard as it is today please see this post. 

Mark still lived Dean Street 1881. He had by then married a second wife Emily. In 1884 received 3 months in prison for receiving stolen goods, wire netting, taken from Mr Darrell of Medmenham. Had only just then been in court for attacking his daughter Bessy during a drunken argument in the Chairmaker's Arms Dean Street.

Working for High Street builder Young Lovell 1889 when charged with stealing 6 yards of asphalt from him.

George and Alice

George born circa 1856 to Mark and Penelope above. Married Alice Green Cooper 1876. Her two brothers John and George Green beat him up 1882 so he summoned them for assault. He himself was in court charged with stealing 2 cakes and some tea from Alfred Ilsley the grocer in the High Street. Sentenced to three months hard labour. Not his first conviction. To see a photo of what these premises look like today or read more about Alfred Ilsley see here.

Michael and Eliza

Michael was a coal porter and sometimes grocer, the son of Mark and Penelope above. He gave evidence at his mother's inquest. Lived Dean Street 1873. Worked for Mr Langley, presumably John Langley.

Young daughter Rose burned to death in 1880 after being left momentarily unattended by her mother Eliza in a chair by the fire while Eliza went to take husband his breakfast and to walk two other reluctant children of hers to school. Rose had suffered fits before, and had played with the fire, either of which may have led to her getting close enough for her clothes to catch fire.

Live Cambridge Road 1881. Eliza operating a corner shop 1887, 1888 in Dean Street near corner to Queens Road. Shop new built 1887 and part of "Jubilee Terrace" which honoured Queen Victoria's Jubilee. Still there 1891. No longer any old buildings there. Eliza fined £5 for selling adulterated butter (plumped with too much water) shortly after she opened. It seems a commercial traveller had taken advantage of her inexperience and given her incorrect advice about product labeling. As such Eliza's large fine seems very unfair. She must have been a determined business woman to recover from such a dent in her finances. 

Michael and Eliza's son Walter later managed her shop until a fire, probably cause by mice, destroyed his stock in 1906. He moved to a different premises in Dean Street in the corner of Trinity Road where it seems his father operated as the boss. Unbelievably the next year that shop also caught fire but with less serious consequences. By 1911 the Graces had left the premises. They did not live in there.

Mary Ann Grace

Mary Ann born circa 1857/58. Daughter of Mark and Penelope Grace, above. On 1871 census a furrier living at home. 1881 own household, she an ag lab with her illegitimate daughter Rose. Married 1881 Charles Boddy. Charged later that year with stabbing him in the head with a knife in an argument after he had hit her. Her sister Elizabeth Grace rescued their baby from being in the room in the midst of their argument. When she heard her sister scream she thought she was being attacked and fetched constables. When she realised the situation she initially told the policeman her sister always went for a knife if she was angry, before seeming to decide to help Mary Ann after all and struggling with the officer who wanted to take the knife as evidence. The force of the blow had bent the knife. The blade penetrated to the bone. Mary Ann was sentenced to 6 months hard labour in Aylesbury jail. Her husband tried to prevent her arrest and did not wish her prosecuted. He required stitches to a 2 inch wound and lost a lot of blood. She said he had continually mistreated her. On hearing her sentence she fainted. (The arresting sergeant in the case was John Maneely whose biography can be read here) At the same Quarter Sessions that saw Mary Ann put in prison, her husband Charles was himself sentenced to three months in jail on the charge of fowl stealing. She still lived with her husband in 1891 when she was again arrested for threatening him, and for drunk and disorderly conduct. A constable said she behaved towards her husband then in "the most disgraceful manner" and was seen to chase him up Dean Street with a poker. An 18 shilling fine was the punishment this time. Three years later Mary Ann, up for further drunk and disorderly offences, and for swearing in public, said in court that she was driven to drink by a husband that continued to mistreat her and her children. She said she was afraid to go home so she spent much time outside. She however denied she had been drinking on the occasion for which she was arrested because she said she had no money. Mary Ann said her husband drank it away and her children would starve if she was not there for them. It was obviously a sad and difficult case and the magistrates told Mary Ann just to go home and there was no punishment. 

Walter and Elizabeth

Walter son of Michael and Eliza above and born circa 1877. Wife Elizabeth of Devon origin. In 1901 lived York Road and Walter described as grocer. Probably working already in his mother's old premises. Certainly Walter in 1906 had the grocery shop on corner of Dean Street and Queens Road which his mother previously ran. The premises that year suffered a serious night time fire. A constable on his beat saved the family's life by seeing flames and waking them. Shop and family's living space both badly damaged. His shop, seemingly in charge of his father Michael this time, had moved to corner of Dean Street and Trinity Road in 1907 when a lamp fell over and caught the room on fire. This time the flames were extinguished before serious damage occurred. Walter and Eliza left Marlow not long after that second fire, leaving Michael with the shop. Walter was possibly a Salvation Army man. 

*************************************

The Graces were not the focus of my research so there is likely to be much more out there on them if you look purposefully. There are definitely many more criminal cases involving the Graces - as victims as well as perpetrators. All posts are updated with new research as often as possible.

To find people of interest on this blog use the Person Index option on the top drop down menu. There is also a Biographies of Families option on that menu which you may find useful.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to use this research if you credit this blog and link here so that my sources remain credited for contributing too.

Sources:

1833 parochial assessment. Original  notebooks owned by my family and transcribed by me.

My old transcription of Great Marlow Parish Registers.

My transcription of Great Marlow census from microfilm. Census content is the property of the Crown.

Little Missenden marriage, provided by Jane Pullinger. Also judicial records  / Quarter Session research of Jane. Thanks Jane!

Bucks Herald 23rd October 1858. Croydon Weekly Standard 16th April 1859. Reading Mercury 9th November 1861. Reading Mercury 11th September 1871 [Penelope's death] and 4th March 1882. Buckingham Advertiser 12th April 1884. Bucks Herald 18th December 1880. South Bucks Standard  28th September 1906. All British Library Archives. Via the BNA.

Death Certificate Jane Grace.

GRO Marriage Index online from the GRO website.

Sober And Honest Please

Updated October 2023

The above premises served as a grocery shop for much of the Victorian era.

William Hobbs established his shop here in 1838. Prior to his occupancy the building seems to have been only a residence.

William was originally from Reading in Berkshire where he married Sophia Butler in 1826.

In 1842 William advertised for a general servant to work alongside his existing one. The successful applicant was to be able to provide a reference as to her "sobriety and honesty" as well as perform "plain cooking". Two weeks later the ad was still in the papers so maybe sober, honest servants were in short supply locally!

William and Sophia left Marlow in 1844 and moved back to Reading to run a grocery shop. For whatever reason this didn't last and William was reduced to being an assistant in someone else's shop.

Sophia died in 1851 and William in 1855. This inevitably left their six children in difficult circumstances. An unusual advert appeared in the Berkshire Chronicle after William's death appealing for any kind readers to donate money to help the second eldest daughter Sophia set up a "fancy stationery" shop to support her family. The ad stated that 2 of her younger brothers had already been apprenticed into the carpentry trade while the other had been sent to school. Her younger sister was also at school all thanks to public donations. Her elder sister Sarah the ad said had suffered a series of illnesses and could not work in any way. 

I'm pleased to say that the appeal must have been successful as Sophia appears on the 1861 census in Gun Street Reading as a 30 year old bookseller employing one live in assistant as well as her 17 year old brother Edward as a stationer. Sarah was living at home without occupation so presumably was still unwell.

***

George Kidd, a native of Sussex, took over the Marlow grocery business which Hobbs had left in 1844. Four years later John Brown was accused of stealing a large 29lb loaf of sugar from him. That man must have had a sweet tooth! The theft was witnessed by shop assistant Walter Andrews who gave the alarm before setting off in pursuit with his master. George caught Brown first and handed him over to a constable. George bravely plead non guilty but he was sentenced to 7 years transportation as it was not his first offence. Browns reply to the magistrates on sentencing? "I'm much obliged to you sir."

In 1862 George had two cheeses by his door on the first day of the sometimes quite rowdy Marlow Fair. Or he did for a short time before someone reached in and helped themselves. Earlier that year Eliza Howard, fresh out of jail for another offense was charged with obtaining goods from him by false pretences.

Despite the trouble of thefts from him George must have been doing well as he and his wife Euphan could afford to send their son George junior to Marlow Place Academy boarding school in Marlow which wasn't cheap. It might seem odd to board your child in a school in the same town that you live in but I see such things often in Marlow history. Prospect House Academy was only a boarding school with no day pupil option at the time so if they wanted George to attend that, the best local school, board he must.

George senior died of consumption aged just 57 in 1865. Mrs Kidd decided not to continue in the business alone and sold it to Alfred Ilsley who would run things to his death in 1907.

Euphan died in 1871. George junior became a hotel proprietor in Twickenham. Daughter Dorothea remained in Marlow as a music teacher.

***

Alfred Ilsley and his wife Emma (nee Boshier) were both originally of Hampshire and were Non-Conformist christians. Obituaries suggest two marriages for Alfred. I have not researched his second wife's name.

As well as a grocer and provision merchant Alfred was also a bacon curer and corn dealer. Marlow thieves were like moths to a flame when it came to bacon - it was their number one favourite pinch. In 1879 Joseph Black (possibly Blick) stole bacon and sugar from Alfred's premises. It's a wonder I found only one such theft from Alfred. I generally get the impression that if you left bacon on public display in Victorian Marlow it was likely gone before you had chance to blink!

Two years later Alfred advertised for a young man to act as a porter for him and to mind a horse and a cow, presumably out back. His premises included a substantial covered yard, large granary and stabling behind it, accessed from Institute Rd. 

In 1889 the thieves were at it again but perhaps there was no bacon about as George Grace was charged with stealing two cakes and 1lb tea from Alfred instead. There is more on the Grace family of Marlow here

Alfred successfully stood for election for the Marlow Urban Council in 1899, promising of course not to spend much taxpayer money. (He did not stay long as a councillor) His shop advertising often stressed his "moderate prices" too  Obviously he knew the Marlow market! Alfred was a prolific advertiser, especially of his special blend tea and coffee. 

1905 Advert. 

As well as running his shop, Alfred was one of the trustees of the Buckinghamshire Chair Company, which had a factory in Marlow. (More on them here )

Alfred died in 1907 following a series of worsening strokes. Emma had died aged just 43 in 1886. The premises were put up for sale described as having been used as a "high class" grocery shop. The couple's son John had assisted in the business and indeed the local papers say it was purchased on his behalf by neighbour Y J Lovell. It may be the business had to be sold to fulfill a condition of the will eg to provide a specific bequest from the proceeds or to settle a debt or there may have been a family disagreement on how to dispose of it. The granary and rear yard were disposed of separately. 

Both Alfred and Emma were buried at Cookham Dean Baptist Chapel.

A future post will deal with later Edwardian occupiers of this property.

Written and researched by Charlotte Day. Additional research by Kathryn Day. 

To find people of interest to you on this blog please use the Person Index option on the drop down menu.

For other posts about other High Street historic shopkeepers and residents see here.

Sources:

Marlow Almanack qv and Directory 1907. 

Reading Mercury 30th April 1842. [Hobbs wanting a servant].

Maidenhead Advertiser 30th July 1879 [bacon theft].

Bucks Herald 5th January 1889 [cake / tea theft] and 18th January 1848, Bucks Gazette 8th January 1848 [sugar loaf theft].

Berkshire Chronicle 3rd February 1855 [appeal for Sarah Hobbs].

Maidenhead Advertiser 21st August 1907 [sale].

South Bucks Standard September 5th 1907. 

Property records held by my family.

Great Marlow census 1841-91. Transcribed by me from microfilm.

England Marriages 1538-1973 Familysearch http://familysearch.org/ark/61903/1:1:Nx392s

GRO Death Registration Index.

Death certificate.

1861 census record Reading supplied by Jane Pullinger. Thanks Jane.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to reuse this content for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog and a link here so that any sources listed remain credited. Thanks.