Will of Thomas Bowles 1819

 Thomas Bowles of Great Marlow. Will written 1814, proved 1819. An awkwardly expressed will in the beginning.

Says that he is sick and weak but of sound mind and memory.

To loving wife Elizabeth and her assigns all the houses he is possessed of with their appurtenances and all other of his personal property until the children reach 21. Certain of the properties go to various of the children as they each reach the 21 milestone, as described below. She can still have the house he lives in and any residual property for the term of her natural life unless she remarries. When she dies or remarries son William to have it.

Daughter Sarah at age 21 to receive the house next door with appurtenances and the long back house adjoining it.

Son Thomas at age 21 the house with appurtenances in testator's own occupation [so he is using a second house too as the one he lives in was previously mentioned in the will. The second house may have been a place of business or storage] next door to Manus Gray [probably meant to be Parmenus Gray who witnessed the will. The testator was likely using a friendly short form of the name when he gave it as Menas. The name Parmenas /Parmenus in various forms was traditional in the Gray / Grey  family of Marlow].

Son James at age 21 house with appurtenances in the occupation of John Harding.

The child that the testator's wife is pregnant with will receive £50 over and above it's share of his residual estate as described below.

All household goods and furniture to his wife for life. All residual estate to be invested and wife Elizabeth to receive the income from that in her lifetime. Afterwards the principle sum to be divided equally between his children.

Executors his wife and his brother James Bowles.

Testator signed only with a mark.

Witnessed by John Allnutt, Jno. Mossenton and Parmenus Gray.

Will was proved by the brother James Gray with power to administer also reserved to the other executor Elizabeth.

NOTES=

"Jno" (a common way of rendering both John and Jonathan on paper) Mossenton was probably the cordwainer of Chapel Street John Mossenton.

Will transcribed and summarised by me Charlotte Day from an original at the National Archives, Kew. Notes also by Charlotte.

Well over 100 wills of Marlow people are on this blog. See the wills index here

For every mention of any individual on this blog please see the A-Z Person Index. There are lots of Bowles!

©Marlow Ancestors. Reuse for family or local history purposes freely permitted with credit to this blog.

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.

Marlow's Extraordinary Victorian Gardeners

 This is a tribute to our Victorian Marlovians who took their gardening so seriously that a particularly choice apple could attract crowds when displayed in a grocers window. Horticultural shows could raise strong passions and petty squabbles, mostly amongst those organising them. The shows nevertheless were visited by the local gentry who might bring a party of "fashionable persons" to peruse the magnificent carrots and sweet little nosegays gathered by local children. We have featured biographies of some of the local head gardeners and nurserymen before but this post deals mostly with our talented amateur growers. (See below for a link to a history of Marlow allotments.)

First up we have Henry Allnutt, best remembered as a solicitor. In 1868 he published a book called "A System For Cropping A Kitchen Garden" resulting from his careful horticulture experiments. More particularly he based the book on some "ancient" notes kept by his grandfather who took the same scientific approach to his gardening. Henry aimed his book not at those who could afford a team of gardeners but those with more modest gardens who were most in need of maximizing their returns from the space at their disposal. The magic system uses crop rotation, successional sowing and inter-cropping and as such still contains very relevant tips and advice. Perhaps not quite so exciting is one of Henry's other main publications, aimed at farmers  - The Wheat Diagram. This was a large pull out diagram mounted on rollers that could show you the average price of wheat from 1641 to the present. It was an "interesting and valuable read" so they say. 

As mentioned above, growing a large vegetable could cause someone to become quite the local celebrity. Prize specimens can be found on display at pubs and grocers. John Price's 36lb marrow was on show somewhere in the High Street in 1890. It was noted that his success was remarkable as his Cambridge Rd garden was only small.  The fact that Wildsmith Badger had pulled a carrot in his garden 4 and a half feet long was considered entertainment enough to grace the pages of newspapers nationwide in 1806. And Mr Janes, of Valley View, Little Marlow Rd had an apple weighing around 1lb on display at the Greyhound Inn in 1900. If size did not impress you how about a 29 year old marrow, as preserved by Jeremiah Harding of Trinity Cottages? This, along with a 23 year old example was displayed somewhere in the town in 1893. 

In 1905 journalists were visiting Harleyford this time to see a bunch of bananas 60lbs in weight when cut, as grown by James Sharpe. A picture of this crop appeared in the Morning Leader. For many years banana plants were offered for sale from the estate but how many purchasers had success with growing them is hard to say. 

The Horticultural Journal visited W J Morgans in the High Street in 1892, not to admire their magnificent drapery and millinery, but to see the junior deputy of the business "Mr Morgan" who had a secret Eden at the rear of the premises. He was an orchid grower who produced blooms to astonish the professionals. This was especially so considering the limited space and lack of professional help at his finger tips. The London journalists were followed by those from local papers. Those specimens that Mr Morgan could allow out of his tender care sometimes graced the stage of the Music room during concerts and other events. 

The first Marlow Horticultural Society started in 1846 with a show in "Mr Hewett's meadow" - it's usual venue up to the 1850s. We are told that it was "very numerously and respectably attended." There were classes for gentleman's gardeners, as well as amateurs. Unfortunately it was held on a Tuesday, so the majority of working men and women could not attend. Over the next few days the event grew bigger and there is some indication that some businesses declared a half day holiday. The church bells were allowed to give a merry peel to indicate the start of the show while various bands entertained the guests. The main tent in 1850 was said to be some 300ft long with a second 60ft in length. With prizes totalling £40-50 it is no wonder that many locals entered a class or two. It was as the Bucks Advertiser out it "a useful exhibition of nature's sweetest gift." While almost everyone agreed the shows were a great success, unnamed individuals involved in their organisation fell out and the wealthy patrons lost interest. So the shows came to stop in the 1850s before the Horticultural Society was resurrected in 1861 with the first show in 1862.  Court Garden was the usual venue at this period, the host F W Berger extolling the virtues of a society to "encourage friendship and good feeling amongst the labouring classes" by promoting healthy competition. It's a shame the same mutual good will did not exist amongst it's promoters as apparently more ill feeling (and lack of funds) ended the society again in 1867. A Cottagers Horticultural Society was active for a while in the 1870s with shows in Spinfield park, before it too disappeared. A few shows popped up again in the late 1880s and early 1890s but in 1894 we are told there is no Horticultural Society at present due to "petty jealousies" and "bad management". The following year there was a horticulture show at Gyldernscroft which attracted 500 entries for yet another incarnation of the Horticultural Society. The aim was similar to before - to "encourage healthful and honest industry." After a few years this was more often held in Alder Meadow as part of the Marlow Week celebrations leading up to the Marlow Regatta. If looking at tasteful dinner table flower arrangements or champion cabbages began to pall, there was the companion event on the same day to entertain you - the bicycle gymkhana aka the bicycle fete and dancing until late. This society finally flourished, also organising chrysanthemum shows and rose ones (latter / from 1908 usually at either the cricket ground or Gyldernscroft)

Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

Related Posts:

History of Marlow allotments here

List of head gardeners at the "big houses" in and around Marlow with links to biographies if available - here

General posts about Marlow History - here

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

Sources:

A System For Cropping A Kitchen Garden - Henry Allnutt (Estates Gazette 1868)

Journal of Horticulture and Practical Gardening - Vol 9

Journal of Horticulture and Cottage Garden - 1892 collected edition. 

The Gardeners Chronicle And Agricultural Gazette, January 1849

Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News  - 27 June 1846 & 6 July 1850

Bucks Herald 6 July 1850

South Bucks Standard 12 September 1890, 21st July 1893, 31st August 1894 & 23rd August 1895. 

Allotment history research by Kathryn. 

1905 Marlow Guide

Morning Leader March 1905 digitised by Archive.org

Slough and Eton Observer Match 25th 1905  (Slough Borough Libraries)

The Amateur Garden Guide - Messrs Elliott & Co, Great Marlow 1882. 

 Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - 07 August 1806 (British Library Archives)

The Garden: an illustrated journal of gardening in all its branches. 1903. 

Royal Horticultural Journal - July 1909. 

© MarlowAncestors

The Incredible Mr Harding of Great Marlow

 In 1864, an event happened in Great  Marlow that drew a crowd of an estimated 4-5000 thousand souls. The entire town came to a halt, with shops and schools closed. Triumphant arches were erected for this great occasion. Visitors came in from far afield and the bridge was so full traffic could not pass. The man responsible for this excitement, was a certain Mr Harding. 

Richard Harding was born in the High Street Marlow in approximately 1821*. He became a well liked and respectable tradesman, married to Amelia. He was also a man with a big dream and buckets of determination. For Richard decided he was going to build a luxurious 60ft long pleasure barge capable of carrying a couple of hundred people in a style rarely seen on the Thames.  There might be nothing extraordinary in that if Richard had had a boat yard or special equipment or perhaps some experience in building a vessel like this. He in fact had neither, nor did he have any staff to assist him. But he did have a large  garden, at the rear of his High Street home and it's there he set to work in 1862..

Richard's premises occupied the site of the White Company shop in the entre of the above image. The current building dates from after his time however. 

Richard was a cabinet maker and upholsterer by trade, as well as a bird preserver (taxidermist) according to some sources. He clearly therefore knew how to handle wood. He had tinkered with making skiffs before more of less as a hobby. He completed several which were regarded as well made. In a riverside town like Marlow, a shoddy boat builder would soon be found out! He went straight from constructing them to making the pleasure barge which was to his own design. Did he consult a professional like Marlow's James Haynes for advice perhaps? We will never know. Mr Harding's marvel would be known as The Star of The Thames. 

Richard's experience as an upholsterer would also be useful for the fitting out of the interior. We know the barge had a 22 window saloon capable of holding 100 diners with ease. Overall it could apparently carry at least 200 passengers (300 according to one source). The colour scheme was crimson and gold, and it was said to be finished to a very high standard. There was a upper deck surrounded by iron railings and room on both the front and back for seating. 

The back garden build took two years. In the spring of 1864, Richard must have begun to think of the launch. How he planned originally to get the boat from his garden to the river is not absolutely clear. He could not obviously take it through the front door. The garden was entirely walled in with no significant back entrance so there was no hope of release there either. I only know that Richard's garden wall was demolished and the vessel dragged towards Portland Alley, which ran behind his garden. They could not knock down the alley wall as Richard did not own it, so they decided to lift it over the brickwork. How I have no idea. I am puzzled as to what they planned to do then, as the 13ft wide vessel could not surely fit easily in the alley. That was a mute point as the Star proved harder to move than previously thought and became stuck on top of the wall. This naturally attracted a number of bystanders with suggestions, helpful and otherwise, about how to advance things. Some declared it would likely stay where it was forever, or until the walls gave way. A number of schemes were tried, but in the end everyone went home to sleep on it. I can only imagine what a drinker coming out of the nearby Red Lion must have thought about their level of sobriety when they saw a 60ft barge floating above their heads! Six days after the start of the operation, and several improvised winches later, the barge had moved only 100 yards. But Marlow wasn't going to let Harding fail. Dozens of volunteers came to offer their brute strength if nothing else. Mr Borgnis allowed three of his workers to assist gratis for the week. 

Over the other side of the Alley lay the kitchen garden of Remnantz. And it was here that rescue was found. The Wethered's of Remnantz allowed the Star to be bought down into the garden, and dragged through the property. Whether the gardeners were very pleased about this is unrecorded, but it was noted that the grass was significantly torn up so we can imagine not! The route the team took is puzzling as you would imagine they would leave Remnantz by the Pound Lane entrance, that coming out closest to the Thames. Instead they bought it out of the large West Street gates nearest Borlase, which had to be taken down, along with part of the wall. Reports are unanimous in that. The various eventful points in the boats journey were captured by Richard Blake, whose wife Rebecca is the more well known photographer. The Blake's lived in West Street not far from where the barge emerged from Remnantz so were ideally placed to record that moment. I do not believe any copies of their photographs survive unfortunately. 

All in all the much advertised launch was delayed by a few days, but that allowed word to spread far and wide. The new launch date saw a huge volume of traffic coming into town. It was said some neighbouring towns and villages also declared a holiday for the occasion.  Triumphant arches were made out of wood for the boat to pass through. As there is no record of it getting wedged beneath any, it seems the builders of the arches had taken some careful measurements. Credit here to Thames Bank gardener Robert Hobbs who erected the largest arch assisted by a team of workman. 

It was launched at last from the slipway at the end of St Peter's Street at 3pm. A special peal of bells for the occasion from the adjacent All Saints church was timed perfectly. We are told a platform had been erected a little further away to accommodate more guests, and the boat was taken there. I believe this was at the wharf.  Invited guests naturally got a free tour, and afterwards the curious could pay a shilling to step a board themselves. I do not know if the barge actually took anyone on a trip that day, but it may have had some difficulty moving along the river even if it wanted to, given the water was said to be absolutely crowded with the boats of spectators. The lawn of the Compleat Angler hotel on the Bisham side of the water was full too, including a band bought along for the occasion. Whether anyone could hear them play over the cheers is another thing, not to mention the fact the band of the Bucks Volunteers and at least one more brass band were present! (The Marlow band paraded from outside the Rookery to the riverside.)

The traditional naming ceremony was performed by Mrs  Vansittart of Bisham Abbey, assisted by M.P Mr Brownlow Knox. Knox promised to give Harding a handsome silk flag for the Star in honour of the launch. 

The first proper trip was made by Mrs Wethered, who was perhaps offered first refusal given the assistance she had made to get the barge actually on the water. She took 70 friends and family members on an excursion as far as Culham Court near Henley. This journey also attracted riverside crowds and the waving of flags from the top of Bisham Abbey.  The party dined aboard near Medmenham Abbey.  Mr Harding was congratulated on the excellence of his arrangements, including the fact the boat could be managed easily by a crew of two waterman and the fact the conditions for the accompanying servants were also pleasant and convenient. There were 8 servants on that trip, who we are assured were "liberally" treated to refreshments. 

The boat may have had a luxurious appearance but it was far from only the gentry of the neighborhood who would get to use it. It's highly likely that if your ancestor was a child who lived in Marlow in the 1860s and 70's that they enjoyed a ride in the same.  The cost of hiring the Star of The Thames was obviously lowered sufficiently for the schools and churches of the neighborhood to consider it as a means of transport to their many Sunday treats and outings. The children of the Roman Catholic schools in Marlow took a river trip to Medmenham Abbey in 1865, for example and the National school children and those of the Salem chapel Sunday school  went separately to the same place on the Star in 1867 and 1868. A trip by the Marlow choir with their Hurley and Hambledon equivalents to Windsor in 1866 sounds an especially happy occasion.  Someone bought along the harmonium and choirmaster Mr Ringrose played it most of the way, to the pleasure of other Thames users.  

And the adults of Marlow were not left out. They could pay to use the Star to access a rural fete at Danesfield for example (1864) or the Temperance fete at Harleyford the following year. (Fare 1s 6d return to Bourne End)  Other groups from the Henley Abstinence society to the local lodge of the Oddfellows hired the barge throughout the 1860's and 70s. I have also seen the Star offering short trips from Henley on occasional summer weekends. 

At some point the barge was purchased by Charles Miller Footitt of The Compleat Angler hotel from whom it could be hired in a similar way. It was in already a familiar sight there - in 1872 it was stationed outside the Angler during the regatta, when it was used to house a band. It was still in use at the Angler in the early 1880s when it was being painted and provided with a new canopy. A reporter noting it's presence, commented that the Star had carried thousands of passengers up and down the Thames and he could think of no class of person that did not love her, with the possible exception of lock keepers. It was eventually sold by Footitt. I have last traced the Star to Shiplake in the late 1890s when it was still giving trips. She was a horse drawn barge, no steam for her at least at the time of the launch. Had she been converted at this point? 

Hardings "magnificent pleasure barge"  was in the words of the Reading Mercury, a marvel of perseverance and industry and one that had taken two years of incessant toil. Later, some recalling the launch said the boat was regarded as the eighth wonder of the world in Marlow and wondered a little sneeringly at all the excitement. But what is lovely to read is the pride everyone in Marlow, rich and poor, had in the success of one of their own. Well everyone except the gardeners at Remnantz left to put their garden back together perhaps!

* The building that Richard grew up in (and whose garden was used for the build) no longer exists. It was the former Turks Head/Saracens Head inn, once run by the Harding family but out of licensed use by the 1860s.  It was replaced by a premises that housed Rowe's the jewellers for many years and F Hinds more recently. He moved out of the house as a young married man, to return later. Richard's father William combined beer selling with shoemaking, a very common pairing in Marlow. He arranged for his son to be apprenticed to royal cabinet maker the Mealings, also of the High Street Marlow. After his apprenticeship ended he went into business himself and spent some time in London before returning to Marlow. He died in 1895 at Beaumont Villa, Beaumont Rise, Marlow after a two year long period of ill health. 

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

RELATED POSTS:

Royal furniture makers the Mealings, under whom Richard served his apprenticeship  - here

Charles Miller Foottit, later owner of The Star here

Everyday life in the Marlow during Richard's lifetime including posts related to the Thames and specific trades here

To read more about Potlands or other streets/places mentioned here, see the places index - here

Two professional Marlow boat builders - Haynes here and Shaw here

Photographer Rebecca Blake here

All mentions of an individual can be found in the A-Z index in the top drop down menu.

Sources:

Census 1861, 1871, 1881, - Jane Pullinger and Charlotte Day's transcript from the microfilm. 

Reading Mercury April 9 & 30, March 19 & June 25 1864

South Bucks Free Press, July 1 1865, May 3 1895

South Bucks Standard April 6 1864, May 3 1895

Oxford Journal 10 August 1872

Maidenhead Advertiser 6 August 1883 & 1 August 1899

Beaumont Rise and High Street property holding research by Charlotte. 

Our Thames by "Sylvania" 1873. 

Slater's Royal and Commercial Directory 1852

Dutton's Directory 1863.  (Dutton &Co 1863) 

Pigots Directory of Bucks 1839. 

© MarlowAncestors

Emma and Jeremiah Harding

Updated January 2024

Emma Macklin married Jeremiah Harding in 1845. Both had been living prior to that in Dean Street Marlow and the area adjacent to that street, Marefield, was the couple's home in 1851.

As a young man Jeremiah was a farm worker but he spent most of his life involved in the gardening trade. On the 1861 census he was a gardener's labourer but by 1870 he was the head gardener to Charlotte Cocks at The Glade in Glade Road Marlow. We know this because in that capacity he charged a lad with stealing apples from the garden. Perpetrator John Vernon was fined 1 shilling plus costs for the offence.

On the 1861 census Emma was given as an embroiderer. This was a tough year for the couple as in it they suffered the death of their eleven year old son James. They were living by then at Trinity Cottages. These were next to Holy Trinity church in what was then Gun Lane, now Trinity Road. They still exist but I am uncertain as to whether they are still collectively named Trinity Cottages. Jeremiah later became the sexton of Holy Trinity church. He and Emma lived in their cottage for the rest of their respective lives. 

In 1871 Emma was censused as a charwoman but later returned to needlework. Jeremiah must have retired from his role at the Glade because in the South Bucks Free Press 25th July 1879 he advertised for one or two days a week gardening or lawn mowing work.

In 1893 went on holiday to London for a week having not been away from home in 25 years. It isn't clear if Emma accompanied him. He sent in an account of his trip to the South Bucks Standard (26th August issue, British Library Archives). They printed it but seem to tease him a little by imitating his local dialectical speech in their title "A Marlowman's Visit to Lunnon". Jeremiah's account is an absolute delight in the way it gives us a window into what was a tourist attraction in those days. He arrived by train and on his first day walked around, sampled travel by Underground and went to see the pub where the week before a barmaid had been shot before visiting a too hot and stuffy music hall. Later in the week he managed a glimpse of the Tichbourne Claimant at Westminster Hall. At Madame Tussauds he was impressed by the Room Of Horrors. He also managed to pack in visits to Westminister Abbey, the National Gallery, Regents Park Zoo, the Albert Memorial, the South Kensington Museum, Horseguards, Lambeth Palace, Hyde Park, St Paul's Cathedral and the Thames Tunnel and ride various trams, river boats and overland trains. Not only that but Jeremiah took a train to Dover where he saw the sea for the first time, confirming it did indeed taste salty and getting his feet wet from an unexpected wave. Within a day of arriving in London he had been noticed as being obviously "up from the country" which reminds us that the Buckinghamshire accent would have been then strong and noticeable and that customs of dress and behaviour could be very different between even people of the same class who lived in Marlow and those from the cities.

Jeremiah died at Trinity Cottages in 1899. His South Bucks Standard obituary said that he had never recovered from the death of his wife the year before. The same obituary said that one of the couple's sons had emigrated to New Zealand. It is possible the article meant Australia as their son Robert (possibly Richard) certainly migrated there. But perhaps they also had a son who went to NZ. Their son in Australia was the curator of the Botanic Gardens at "Toowoomba" as it was described in 1887.

Written and researched by Charlotte Day. 

Biography of Charlotte Cocks plus a photo of The Glade today here

See the Person Index in the top drop down menu for all mentions of a person on this blog. More than 4000 people get a mention. 

More Gun Lane related posts can be found on this index

©Marlow Ancestors.

Sources:

GRO marriage and death indexes on the GRO website accessed October 2020.

Obitury = South Bucks Standard, copy held at the British Library. Accessed via the BNA October 2020.

England and Wales Census from Familysearch website run by the LDS (Intellectual Reserve Inc) accessed September 2020.

1700s West Street Residents

Updated March 2023.

 I glean every possible will and property record to gather the names of those who lived in West Street in the 1700s. The date next to each name is the date I find reference to them there but they may have been present earlier and later. This post is for the OCCUPIERS not owners of property. In most cases in the 1700s the two are not the same thing. The precise buildings cannot usually be identified but I am working on it!

Multiple people in the same family can bear the same name so don't automatically presume that a "John Smith" here is your particular "Joe Smith"!

Alice and Robert Beckford. He was a hoop shaver and owned their West Street home, though they only occupied part of it. This was described in his will written 1730 and proved 1731.

David Beckford 1751. Occupied part of the house formerly occupied by Alice and Robert Beckford above, which had been inherited by the Beckford's daughter.

John Biggs. Tenant of a cottage 1733. This was probably on the North side, close to Potlands.

Abel Bird. "The youngest Abel Bird" Shoemaker resident 1754. There were multiple Abel Birds about, the Bird family owned several West Street properties as well as some elsewhere in Marlow such as in Chapel Street.

William Bradshaw, market gardener, tenant of lands. 1709-26. Now part of Borlase playing fields.

Samuel Bradshaw, market gardener, tenant of lands off West Street South side 1735. 

Thomas Cook. Tenant of house and land 1784-91. This appears to be on the way out of town. Owned by William Bishop who farmed at Winter Hill.

John Cox in 1751 occupied part of the same house (divided into two) that David Beckford also occupied.

J Dalmes Esquire. Tenant of Remnantz 1787.

Elizabeth Davis. Albion House. Running a school 1785. Same property as used by Sophia Tylecote, below.

Ann Gray - occupier 1792. North side. Likely widow of Benjamin Gray, bricklayer, who died 1791.

Thomas Gray - Bricklayer (and possibly carpenter) 1754.

Parmenus Grey. Labourer. Tenant of a North side cottage 1722.

William Glanville. Tenant 1729.

John Goldsmith. Tenant of a cottage West End (so on way out of town) 1767.

Anne and Thomas Handley. 1758. He owned the house that they lived in. He died in 1760 and left this and some land in Oxford Road to Anne for her lifetime.

James Harding. Tenant of a cottage West End (West Street from about Borlase onwards going out of town) 1767.

Mathew Hawes. Surgeon resident 1798.

Ann Hobbs, Mrs. 1774 to death 1787. More on her with a photo of the premises here 

Thomas Hussey, of the Ship Inn. Tenant 1792. All landlords for this pub here

William Johnson. Tenant 1733.

John Lane. 1787+ (probably 1785+) Running an ironmonger's shop. Took over from Ann Hobbs above. More, including a photo of the premises as they are today here

Ann Lockwood, widow. Occupier and owner of a cottage North Side 1726. She had bought the cottage in 1707 from her relatives Richard and Ann Lockwood who lived nearby in West Street but did not immediately occupy it herself.

Richard and Ann Lockwood. Owner occupiers of a North side cottage 1709. Relatives of the Ann Lockwood above, whose home they had also once owned.

Robert Moore. A baker. Owned and lived in a house 1795. Left it to his sister Susan.

Edward Neighbour. Landlord of the Coach and Horses 1783 till death 1787. Wife Lydia who inherited all his liquors and other possessions. Landlord listing for this pub here

Thomas Ollis. Ran the Three Tuns. 1798 to after 1800. Will 1808 summarized here.

William Phillips. Owner and occupier. Will 1749.

Thomas Pither. Occupier cottage North side 1709.

James and Sarah Puddifant. Late 1700s. He was a pawnbroker, biographical post about them here.

George Rackshaw. Tenant of a cottage, South side 1726. Neighbour of John Smith.

Thomas Redding. Tenant of cottage and land 1791. Seems Henley Road end.

Stephen Remnant. Owner and sometimes occupier Remnantz. 1753 -1787. After that owner only. Also later 1700s had some land on the other side of the street. Biography post here

Cornelius Richardson, hatter. Occupier 1754. Unknown if owner.

John Smith. Occupier 1726. South Side. Neighbour of George Rackshaw.

William Smith, cordwainer in West Street 1779-98. North side. The Smiths were still boot making in West Street, albeit on the other side of the road well into the 1800s.

Richard Truss. Tenant 1762. North Side.

Sophia Tylecote. Running school from and living Albion House 1795 to post 1700s. Apparently tenant at first but the house was owned by 1809 by her husband Jeffrey, a banker. Read more here

William White. Occupied part of a house in West Street 1730, owned by Robert Beckford above.

Elizabeth Wright. Landlady Duke's Head pub. 1761.

Related Posts:

To find every mention of an individual here, use the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. As of April 2022 there are more than 4,000 individuals listed there. 

For an index of posts related to West Street in general see the listing here

Everyday life in old Great Marlow:

here

Post listing for West Street pubs, ale houses etc here

Recreated 1700s trade directory here

Residents of 1700s Spittal Street here

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

Horror In Quarry Woods

 In a summer Sunday evening in 1840, 23 year old dressmaker Patience Martin and her younger  sister Maria decided to walk from their homes in Marlow to Cookham Dean, via Quarry Woods. It was a favourite place for a Sunday stroll and the young women had often made the journey. They were accompanied by their friend Harriet Clark. It should have been an enjoyable way to spend a beautiful evening, but the women could not have anticipated the horror that awaited them. 

 Patience was described as an especially beautiful young lady. She  worked at the baby linen warehouse, a not particularly well paid job. Unmarried, she lived with her parents John and Harriett and her sister Maria in Dean Street. They were not a well off family. John was working as a agricultural labourer at this time. 

  On arrival at Cookham Dean, the women walked across the common, before going into the beer house of Mr Copas. There they shared a pint between all three of them. This was a common thing to do, especially for woman.  They then walked to another pub on the common. On going inside they were greeted by three young Marlow men whom they knew. (Robert Moore, Thomas Eustace, and John Frane) All three worked for the Rolls family. Some rumours suggest that Moore was the "paramour" of Patience. Perhaps their meeting was not quite a coincidence, but it is only a rumour. Moore was married but living seperately from his wife who he said needed constant watching due to ill health - she was "subject to fits". The men invited Patience and her companions to take a little beer with them, they would then join the women for the journey back to Marlow. So far, so peaceful. 

As they left the beer house a short while later, at 9.30pm, they were accosted by 4 men. (Richard alias "Daisy" Smith, Henry Harding age 19, John Taylor 26 and William Bishop, 22, all described as labourers of Bisham). Bishop grabbed at Patience and suggested he would walk home with her. Patience naturally objected as she said he was some one she only knew by sight and had never had as much as a brief conversation with before. On this, Bishops companion Smith, who was clearly out to make a nuisance of himself, challenged Moore to a fight. Moore dismissed this request as he said Sunday was not "a proper day for fighting" and carried on walking, the others now a little way ahead. They were followed by the 4 troublemaker's, who again challenged Moore to a fight. Moore refused again, and was then knocked to the ground by Smith.  

Our party hurried on their way to Marlow but discovered a group of 20-25 men and some women blocking their path which lead from a lane off the common, over a stile and into Quarry Wood. This group were obviously just as much in a belligerent mood as the previous lot, and would not let Patience and the others pass. Patience said that at this point she was very frightened and wanted to retreat to the relative safety of one of the pubs they had left. But they could not get through the crowd in that direction either. After 15 minutes of insults and arguements, one of the gang said if Patience's party would shake his hand, they would be allowed to pass. This they wisely decided to do. But they had not got far into the woods when Smith, Harding, Bishop and Taylor ran after them. Harriet, Patience and Robert were all knocked to the ground by the thugs. Harriet got up quickly, aided by Eustace and it seems these two now ran off, leaving Patience and Robert in the rear. This is when things turned really ugly. Patience was the focus of the group's malevolence, perhaps in punishment for refusing the attention of Bishop. She was raped at knifepoint, first by Smith then by Harding with the others holding her down by the shoulders. Robert was punched to the ground at least three times while trying to rescue her. Harriet was screaming murder, and her cries were heard at Cookham Dean...but no one went to investigate them. Harriet heard the cries too, but Eustace told her to go on to Marlow and summon help. Robert knew he was outnumbered, and retreated a little distance to deal with a bloodied face. He then decided to try a trick of shouting loudly and pretending to be in a conversation with another as he went back towards Patience. He hoped the gang would assume he was part of a larger group and be frightened off. As it happened they had left by the time he came to her. He did his best to help the distraught Patience home, her bonnet ripped and shoes missing. As they left the woods, they must have hoped to have left their attackers behind them. But as they went to cross the meadows at Bisham, they were approached by a man who turned out to be Smith, although he had apparently made some attempt to disguise himself by swapping his jacket and speaking differently. Patience however recognised him and screamed. Smith was apparently insulted that Robert had knocked off his hat when the latter was attempting to rescue Patience, and wished to demand Robert's as a replacement!  Robert was yet again knocked to the floor, and Patience assaulted. Her screams this time were heard by a farm worker...who went home and put his horses away before investigating the source of the sound. Frane who was a carter, also put his horses away before returning.  As it was, Patience had got free and made it with Robert back towards Marlow, where they were finally met by Eustace and Frane who had returned to find Patience. These two men admitted to have feared being overwhelmed by the larger party they had left at the Quarry stile and were perhaps waiting for help from Marlow that never arrived. The following morning warrants were issued for the arrest of the 4 men, but Richard Smith Aka Daisy had fled, and was never bought to trial. The others were apprehended within a couple of days, and bought before the authorities at the Berkshire Summer Assizes. 

Harriet had, on arriving at her home, done the most extraordinary thing of going to bed without calling anyone to her friends and sisters aid.  This was seized on by the men's defence at the trial as evidence that Harriet did not think her sister really in danger, despite admitting hearing Patience specifically scream that she was being murdered. The lawyers suggested that the 3 Marlow couples had all intended to meet and then pair off for immoral purposes. The Cookham gang had gone after them in the spirit of causing mischief and had at most committed a minor assault. The evidence of rape was "only" based on Patience's say so they said, ignoring the collaboration of Moore, and others who saw Patience's torn clothes and distressed state. 

The reason we have covered this case in detail the because it demonstrates the difficulty women such as Patience faced when becoming a victim of sexual violence. Patience Martin must have felt on trial herself when a righteous juror at the trial stood up and asked if she was in the habit of going to a public house on a Sabbath? She replied she did so sometimes. The public houses were legally open at the time she was there. The newspapers gave Patience credit for the calm, clear and intelligent way that she gave her evidence. It was they said done in a fashion becoming such a serious crime, and they said she looked "most respectable." The men's defence were however keen to make another fact known..had not Patience given birth to an illegitimate child some time before? She "admitted" that she had. The men were not asked about their previous relations of course. 

The jury were told they could find the men guilty of assault if they did not believe all the evidence. After two hours of deliberation, the jury declared all the men guilty of their respective offences. Extraordinarily in our eyes, they were recommended to mercy by the male jury based on the perceived "loose" character of Patience. The judge does not seem particularly impressed by this request, but said he would honour it. Interestingly he did so partly because of the general lack of appetite for capital punishment. He said that despite the peculiar behaviour of sister Harriet, he had rarely seen evidence given so "conclusively". He could not think of some prisoners that more deserved to feel the full weight of the law for their act of "shameless brutality". He therefore recorded a sentence of death for all three present, but immediately commuted it to transportation for life on the condition the men were put to hard labour in a chain gang until the end of their lives. They would be "compelled to endure a life of the hardest labour upon very strict regulation."

Patience's character may have been smeared at the trial, but it was nothing compared to what came afterwards. The case stood out for its brutality and was reported in newspapers from the length and breadth of the country. The guilty men were taken to Reading gaol. From there, they wrote letters asking for further mercy. Their excuse? They were drunk. It is telling that the fact Patience had been in a public house on a Sunday was considered evidence against her, but correspondingly, the prisoners who had done the same could consider using the fact to get a lighter punishment. Somewhat strangely, the convicted men also said that a group of local unnamed farmers were behind the "malicious prosecution",  the latter party prejudiced against them. I presume this is a reference to the fact that Harding had been suspected of, but not convicted, of poaching previously. A total of 59 people from Marlow also signed a petition on the mens behalf, using the excuse of Harding's youth, and lack of previous conviction to ask for leniency. And of course they said Patience had a "depraved" character and was in fact a prostitute. This was something even the men's defence had not suggested, probably because it would also have suggested the prisoners had been or wished to be her clients. Both Patience, and Moore also signed a letter asking the judge to be merciful - while this may seem strange to us, it is not at all uncommon in similar cases in the period. They were certainly not asking for the men to go unpunished. The stated reasons for Patience and Roberts appeal is not given, but something like an awareness of the hardship dependents faced with a son or brother sentenced to life overseas, or suggestion of a general wish to rise above a situation and show Christian mercy is often given in similar situations. The judge reviewing the case upheld the convictions in entirety and refused the appeals except to grant that Harding could be merely incarcerated for life, without the added chain gang participation, in light of his youth. As was standard, the gaolers were asked to report on the prisoners conduct since arriving under their care. Harding was rated good, Bishop bad and Taylor "very bad". 

All three men were transported in the same ship, the Lady Raffles. This left for Van Diemens land in Australia on the 30th November 1840, and arrived there on the 17 March 1841. A total of 331 convicts were abroad on its departure. (They had the company of Marlow resident Charles East who was transported for 14 years - read about him here)

As for Patience, she died sadly young. She continued as a dress maker or related occupations. In 1846 she married cordwainer Anthony Savin(s) of Cookham Dean. She died just 5 years later aged only 38. I do not know what happened to her illegitimate child, the youngster does not seem to have been living with her at the time of her attack or subsequent marriage. 

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

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

For other posts related to crime, women's rights and general Marlow history see the index - here

Crime and disorder in old Great Marlow here

For content about Cookham Dean see the menu here

Sources include

https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/lady-raffles/1840. Accessed May 2020

Home Office Convict Petitions, series 11, Harding et al, Reference: HO 18/31/10, National Archives Kew. 

Census 1841,1851. 

The Examiner, 2 August 1840 volume, digitised by Google. 

The Spectator, Vol 13, 1840, digitised  by Google. 

Morning Herald 21 July 1840

Bells Weekly Messenger July 1840

Bucks Gazette 4 July 1840

Berkshire Chronicle 27 June 1840

Will Summary Mary Dorell Of Great Marlow 1849

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

MARY DORELL / DORREL WIDOW. WILL PROVED 1849.

Asks for burial at Great Marlow Church.

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

Son Joseph £130.

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

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

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

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

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

NOTES:

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

Asks to be buried Marlow Churchyard.

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

£130 to son Joseph Dorell.

Her wardrobe to be divided equally between her daughters.

Household goods divided equally between her son and daughters.

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

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

Testator made mark rather than sign.

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

Notes:

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

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

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

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

Executor Robert Footitt was a High Street chemist.

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

©Marlow Ancestors

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

©Marlow Ancestors. Reproduction permitted with credit.

Will Summary John Burridge of Great Marlow 1726

Tailor.

Will written 1724, proved 1726.

Says he sick and weak of body but of sound and disposing mind.

To dear and loving wife Frances for life:

Two messages or cottages situate in the High Street Marlow in the occupation of Elizabeth Small and John Brindscombe. Also the two cottages next to Potlands in Marlow with the close of land and premises belonging in to them in the occupations of James Harding and John Jordan.

After Frances's death the cottage occupied by John Brindscombe to my nephew John Burridge son of my brother Richard deceased. Other properties mentioned to niece Mary daughter of my brother George deceased.

Sole executor wife Frances.

Witnessed by Mary Lattimer, Thomas Clidsdell, Thomas Beesley.

I transcribed this from a will at the National Archives, Kew and then produced a summary here.

©Marlow Ancestors.

You are welcome to reuse my summary for family and local history purposes with credit to this blog.

Trinity Road (Gun Lane, Trinity Lane)

The earliest reference I have found to homes in Gun Lane as was, Trinity Road as is, is 1619. Then and frequently in other early records it is rendered Goune Lane. I have also seen Gunne. The form "Gun" was hardly ever used until the late 1700s.

In 1771 5 tenements with garden plots were up for auction in Gun Lane. 

In 1786 there was a gentleman's house called The Garrison there. Previously this had been used as a military Garrison but went out of that use circa 1777. Whether it was actually built for military use is uncertain.

 There was a family by the name of Gunne in Marlow at that time, interestingly so the name Gun Lane may not derived from any military linkage.

The Garrison building went through various uses of which this post gives details. 

Beyond the cottages shown above with the white painted chimney on the side (which had been built by 1824) there are no historic homes still standing though there are the buildings once used as the Police Court and Police Station as well as Holy Trinity Church which opened in 1852.

One of the cottages above was the Three Horseshoes pub from at least 1824 to at least 1851, not to be confused with the pub of the same name outside of town. In 1833 the pub had sheds and two gardens, one of them a large one. The combined estimated value of the property was £14 a year. 

The landlord between 1824 and his death in 1838 was William Hoare. After him Charles Hoare and his wife Charlotte took over. These two left at some point in the 1850s, going on to run other pubs in Dean Street and Chapel Street. I found no further trace of the pub after the Hoare's departure, indeed their daughter said it closed when the church opened. (See here for more on this pub and the Hoares). One of the cottages was later the home of the sexton of Trinity Church Jeremiah Harding who was also the gardener for the house The Glade in Glade Road, later known as the Cedars.

The Police station dates from the 1850s with the Police Court extension added 1869.  It has a dedicated post of it's own here

Gun Lane, Gun Place and Dean Street were amongst the poorest parts of town throughout the 1800s and early 1900s. Dean Street was also the most densely populated area and thus a regular address to which Marlow criminals belonged. Erecting the police buildings in Gun Lane just off from there was the authorities sending a message of intent!

I am sure that was welcomed by many Gun Lane residents. In 1829 "a poor woman" was robbed of her watch in the lane for instance. 

The wall on the left in the photo marks the boundary of the garden grounds of the former house The Rookery. They are now a park. For a full history of this house and the people associated with it see the post

here.

Researched and written by Charlotte Day. Photo by Kathryn Day. 

Sources:

Reading Mercury 30th December 1771 and 27th March 1786. Bucks Gazette 25th April 1829. Copies held at the British Library Archives and accessed by me via the BNA March 2021.

1841-61 census my transcription from microfilm.

Original property records held by my family and transcribed by me.

Historic pubs research by Kathryn Day.

1833 Parish Assessment original copy owned by our family. Content uploaded here gradually. 

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

The Eventful Life of James Croxon - Prisoner & Friend To The Poor

There have been Croxons/ Crocksons/ Croxens in Marlow and Bisham for a long time. The James who is the subject of this (long!) post was born in Reading circa 1807 before moving to Marlow where he had family connections. He was not the wealthiest man in Marlow. He was a baker for most of his life. To some he would become an advocate for the poor, and a stubborn defender of the rights of the many. To others he was a fraudster and troublemaker. What he undoubtedly did was draw attention to a number of issues affecting the lives of the less well off. It was his motive and credibility that was sometimes questioned. 

In the beginning...

Back to the beginning. In the 1833 Parish Assessment, James Croxon is listed as a West Street resident occupying a cottage and bakehouse with a relatively high value. This was near Borlase School. A few years later he had the valuable contract to provide the bread and flour for the Union Houses of the Wycombe district - that is the workhouses under another name. But then he lost this contract. His critics say this inspired a campaign to malign the Wycombe board of Poor Law Guardians in every way he could. He began an extremely prolific letter writing career, keeping the pages of the local newspapers busy with his complaints. 

James lands in gaol

However just after his loss of the bread contract in 1840, he was implicated in a forgery case and sent to Aylesbury Gaol. It was a little complicated to unravel, but in a nutshell James was accused of forging his father in law James Lee's signature on bills of exchange, and thus defrauding the Stephens & Co bank of money paid to Croxon on the strength of Lee's signature. It was said Croxon had been doing so for about 5 years. Eventually the bills were dishonoured, Lee denied ever having issued them and therefore refused to pay back the money given to Croxon by the bank. He said he was illiterate and so could never have made a signature, nor had he ever authorised anyone else to do so on his behalf. So Croxon found himself committed to gaol on a serious charge.

 The 1841 census finds him in the prison, with his wife Hannah nee Lee back in Marlow, alongside several of their children. At this point the family were living in Dean Street, home to several other bakers. At the trial, the case against Croxon fell apart. Several witnesses, including 2 lawyers clerks said that they had previously presented dishonoured bills under his own name to James Lee, and he had eventually paid them, including those presented by Croxon and had never questioned the right for Croxon to hold them. They also said another of Lee's married daughters Mary Ann Wigginton, had managed his affairs and been authorised to sign bills of exchange for him. Both Lee and Mary then changed their sworn statements made on two earlier occasions, that no bills of exchange had been issued. Lee said he did get Mary to organise these, but had meant to say it was only ever in relation to settling his own financial affairs, and never Croxon's. Mary said something similar, that she had meant to say only she had not organised any for Croxon in particular. She also said she thought the signature on the bills was in Croxon's handwriting but could not be certain. The case was dismissed but James Croxon's trouble was not over.  (See note 2 below for an contested election vote involving James Lee and Mary Ann Wigginton.) 

A second charge of forgery related to another signature on one of the above mentioned bill of exchange, that of farmer George Brangwin (Branguin in London news reports, an incorrect spelling) who had endorsed one for 50 shillings. George denied having done so. At trial, George did say he had put his name to another bill for the same amount some time before and Croxon's defence was the contested bill was just a renewal of that. The court decided against him, and James Croxon found himself sentenced to 2 years imprisonment with hard labour. 

Guilty?

At his trial, James Croxon was described as a most respectable looking person (although appearances can deceive of course!) and he was able to provide a number of character witnesses. He was not questioned directly, but his defence  did not change their story. It must be said that Croxon seems to have upset a number of local people, and at least one of them was the writer for the Bucks Gazette. He called James a "whining fanatic" and "canting hypocrite".  He poured scorn on Croxon for being a man who had tried just before his own trial to secure the release of three "desperate ruffians" who had been sentenced to transportation for life for a brutal assault on a young woman. These three men (Bishop, Taylor and Harding) had apparently paid Croxon to write an appeal on their behalf which was then refused. (For the full sad story of this horrifying attack on Patience Martin and the aftermath, see the post here)

The Gazette also accused Croxon of being a "meddling busybody" who put off people from the cause of teetotalism that he was said to promote. In fact they said with Croxon off in gaol, the idea of becoming a teetotaler had suddenly become more appealing. Croxon was most likely a non conformist. We believe he worshipped as one of the Salem Chapel congregation, this we will hopefully confirm later. He clearly upset those unwelcoming to his message. So reports of his conduct have to be filtered through this prejudicial reporting locally. There is also a political element as James sympathised with the liberal & radical cause in town, rather than the Tories who held Marlow as a pocket borough. In 1835 he was listed as amongst the 34 "independent and spirited voters" who had voted against the continuance of Williams as MP. Votes were not secret then and it was said there were many who had wished to vote the same way but had expressed fear of doing so as Williams was their landlord. 

Aftermath

What can poor Hannah Croxon have made of the case with her husband pitted against her father and sister? Whatever the truth of the story, it is a definite fact that the Croxon's had long standing financial problems and they had just lost their main breadwinner for two years. Things must have been very difficult indeed for Hannah and her children. Hannah was present on the day of Mary Ann's sad death in 1865 so any estrangement between the sisters was not permanent. 

I suspect the financial implications of his imprisonment cast a long shadow. He appeared as an insolvent debtor in court in both 1850 and 1853 spending 40 days in prison for debt on the last occasion. At these hearings he gives his occupation as baker. On the 1851 census he is listed as living in the poor and populous Dean Street. Ten years later he is in Chapel Street. In both 1851 and 1861 he had two of his adult unmarried daughters living with him (both working as satin stitch workers or dressmakers) as well as his young son Laban and later a lodger too. The young women's income must have helped the family budget although satin stitch was usually low paid work. Mrs Croxon was a victim of theft in 1859 when a quantity of washing was stolen from her garden along with articles from at least a couple of other houses. Such as lost must have hit hard. 

James Croxon wields his pen

James was not a man to let those in authority off if he suspected laziness or incompetence, rightly or wrongly so. Throughout the 1860's in particular he filled the columns of the local papers with letters (those that would print them anyway) in particular disputing how the poor law guardians did their work. This group set and administered the poor rate and managed the workhouses, including that at Marlow. James thought he could do it better, but he was unable to stand for election to the board as it seems he did not occupy property of sufficient value to meet the requirements. He thought the rules should be changed to allow him a chance for election. The guardians did read out his letters at meetings but say he made a number of vague accusations and seemed confused about the law and what was in their power. James was not easily deterred and continued to hold the guardians to account. He noted they had failed to have their books open for inspection by ratepayers on the required number of days for example, and got that rectified. He also rightly questioned why those receiving poor relief were expected to queue outside in all weathers, rather than receive it indoors as formerly. The previous distribution place was the Clayton Arms but it came to be felt that using a public house was inappropriate so the spot outside the distributor's house was used instead. A letter supporting James in this matter spoke of his "humane efforts" to support the poor. Poverty was a sufficiently heavy burden for the aged and sick to carry it said without further indignities being heaped upon them. Some suspected James himself wrote these letters of support. If he did, he was an eloquent writer who spoke with awareness and compassion. He had other battles, refusing to pay the church rate after protesting on its unfairness to non conformists and the inflated costs, as he felt them, of collecting it. He also tried to get the tender for doing work for the new sanitary inspectors in 1865, but failed. We will leave James with his most successful project. In 1865 he was one of prime movers to set up the Marlow Rate Payers Association. No chance now for parish books to linger uninspected! 

I have not found the death of James, but his wife Hannah died in 1880. 

Notes: 

1. 

Bill of exchange. Lee signs the bill promising to pay Croxon (or whoever has the note) 50s at a set time in future. Instead of waiting for his money, Croxon takes this to the bank and they give him a portion of the value owed (minus a handling fee as they are inconvenienced by not being able to claim the funds back from Lee until the note is due to be paid) When the note expires, Lee has to pay the bank who bears the note the full amount stated plus any interest applied. Bills could be renewed, sold on etc. It seems Croxon had paid most of the bills off himself, Lee only being chased when he did not. The banks would not accept bills signed by just anyone. You had to be someone thought a respectable citizen likely to be able to fulfil the amount. 

Note 2. 

Previous brush with authorities for grocer come timber dealer James Lee and daughter Mary Ann Wigginton. The vote of Lee in the 1831 election was considered by some to be invalid. You could only vote if you occupied property of sufficient value in the right area. Lee's vote in the election was based on his occupation of a Dean Street house with shop, stabling and small timber yard. (Dean Street was known as Well End then, it's not the same as the hamlet by Little Marlow) This shop had been managed for some time by Mary Ann, even before her father retired from this part of his business. 

James was however discovered to have left the premises 2 or 3 years before the election, to go and live in Little Marlow. His daughter Mary Ann and her new husband William Wigginton, a barge man, had taken over the shop, and Wigginton's name was above the door. Mary was however still the one managing the business. James claimed that he still paid the rent and used the outbuildings for storage but this was not considered enough to make him resident by those contesting the vote. Their complaint was thrown out however and the vote stood. 

Mary Ann Wigginton was the subject of an coroner's  inquest, held at the Greyhound in 1865. Her husband had accused the doctor (Dr Oliver) attending her of being drunk on duty and hastening his wife's end by giving her the wrong medicine. The full story of that is available here

Written and researched by Kathryn Day 

Related posts: 

To find every mention of your ancestor here, look at the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu. There is over 3025 people there. For general Marlow history posts see the General History option here where there are also links to other posts related to crime. 

Chartist Edmund Stallwood here

1847 election riots here

©Marlow Ancestors

SOURCES

Archibald, Thomas Dickson, Streeton, Arthur Towers - Analytical Digest of cases published in the New Series of Law Reports. (1847)

Barron, Arthur Report of Cases of Controverted Elections in the Fourteenth Parliament. (S Sweet, 1849)

1847 Kelly's Directory. (Kelly's Directory Ltd)

Slater's Commercial Directory 1852

The Law Journal papers 1847.

The Sun(London) 22 Jan 1841, 7 Aug 1851, 6 April 1853 - copies from British Library Archive through BNA partnership. 

Bucks Gazette 23 Jan 1841, as above

Windsor & Eton Express 26 Dec 1840

Bucks Herald 31 Jul 1880, as above

South Bucks Free Press 02 May 1862, as above

List of Insolvent Debtors, 1850-1855, (R Jenkins 1974)

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

1700s Dean Street Residents - updated

UPDATED March 2024

I glean every possible will and property record to gather the names of those who lived in Dean Street, in the 1700s. The date next to each name is the date on which I find reference to them at Dean Street but they may have been there earlier and later. This post is for occupiers not owners of property. In most cases in the 1700s the two are not the same thing.

Most properties were on the Trinity Road side of the street in those days. None of these old buildings survive.

Those listed will be heads of households. Finding where anyone lived in the 1700s is very hard unless they were gentry. I hope this listing proves useful to you. For more Dean Street content or to see other 1700s street listings for Marlow use the "Specific Shops, Streets, Etc" option on the blog.

William Alce. Tenant 1717. See Ambrose Thompson below. William may be the William Alce Senior who died in 1727.

Edward Bailey junior. Tenant 1718. An Edward Bayley tenant 1727 too. May be same man.

William Bowles. Tenant of cottage 1795.

John Davids. Tenant 1718.

George Deane. Tenant 1717. People of this family name owned Dean Street property in the 1600s.

Robert Deane. Tenant 1735.

John and William Dormer. Renters of a cottage which they seem to have jointly occupied. 1742.

William Former. Tenant. 1755. Could this be incorrect rendering of William Dormer as above?

Edward Fryth / Frith. Tenant 1718. Previous tenant was Thomas Fryth / Frith. Historically common Dean Street family name.

Francis Frith. Tenant. 1780.

John Goldsmith. Tenant 1792.

Christopher Harding 1737. Tenant. Same cottage Thomas Stoppe was in in 1727. No longer there 1750. Christopher married Elizabeth Bye in Marlow in 1708.

James Harding. Tenant 1792.

Thomas Harding. Tenant of a cottage 1793.

William Harding. Tenant 1780. 

Robert Harmon. Tenant 1755.

Thomas Harris. Occupier 1750. Same house Christopher Harding lived in in 1737 and Thomas Stoppe in 1727.

Joseph Hick. Tenant of a cottage 1793.

Widow Hickman. Tenant 1717.

James Price. Tenant of a cottage 1742.

Widow Smith. Resident 1727.

David Standing. Tenant 1718.

Thomas Stoppe. Tenant of a cottage 1727. Same property Christopher Harding and Thomas Harris later occupied.

Mary Stroud, widow 1718. Previously this property was occupied by Edward Stroud. There were still Strouds in Dean Street in the 1800s.

Ambrose Thompson. Tenant 1717. Next door to William Alce. Ambrose and a William Alce (who may be an older William Alce than the 1717 tenant) both hired bays of a barn off Quoiting Square back in 1690. Ambrose still hired a tiny plot of land near that barn in 1735. Though involved in husbandry he was principally a blacksmith with a forge in the High Street. He died in 1744.

Ann Webb, widow. Tenant of home 1793.

Robert Wiggington. Tenant of a cottage 1795. This is another long term Dean Street name.

John Wilks. Tenant 1718.

My long length Recreated 1700s Trade Directory for Marlow and Little Marlow is here.

1700s residents lists for Oxford Road, Quoiting Square, High Street and Chapel Street are also available on this blog. Find them under the menu option "Specific Shops, Streets...Etc" here. You will also find on that menu other Dean Street related posts from all eras.

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

Researched and written by Charlotte Day.

©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.

The Notorious William Hatch

William Hatch was baptised in Great Marlow in 1795 to William Hatch and Sarah who ran a bakery in the High Street. 

When the father William senior died he left all his surviving children who reached the age of 21 £150 each invested in stocks. William junior would have been one of them. The will is available on the blog here. Extraordinarily, one later report which accused William junior of acting out of pure malice as a police informer, also said that his real father had been a failed highwayman.

Whatever the truth of that William junior grew up to follow the respectable trade of baker. Initially he assisted his mother Sarah as a baker and corn dealer, then he traded briefly in Slough and Reading, both in Berkshire, before returning to once more help his mother. In 1831 he, but not his mother, who had not made him a partner in the business, was declared bankrupt. The bankruptcy notice also calls him a farmer.

This bankruptcy William survived and he continued baking. But he was not much liked and some kind of rumour or suspicion tended to be always around him. In 1828 John Boswell took out an ad in the Windsor and Eton Express apologising for circulating a false report as to William's character saying he was "extremely sorry" for his actions. The ad says he is taking it out as if he does it is agreed that William will not take legal action against him. Perhaps not the best wording if you want to suggest sincerity of apology but it worked. There is no hint as to what had been said about William.

Just a few weeks later however William won £5 damages from George Creswell of Marlow for calling him "Buffer the Hatch" when they were both in the Horns, Chapel Street. William claimed that "buffer" meant homosexual and that chalk scribblings using the same terms had been found on walls all around town. There was no suggestion George had been responsible for any of those. It is clear from the lawyers' arguments and witness statements that if buffer did signify homosexual to some it was not generally known to do so. The tone of George's voice and the fact the words featured on street graffiti meant they were presumed to be disrespectful words but without specific meaning. One of the lawyers said "buffer" had once long ago been used for lowly employees in law firms who had to do the unpleasant tasks like delivering eviction notices. I myself found evidence of the word being used as a term for someone who is willing to do other people's dirty work. Given that William when insulted was in a meeting with one of the Overseers of the poor, Thomas Broadway, then it may well be that outdated meaning was meant. It may also refer to Hatches electioneering work for the Williams family who held Marlow as a pocket borough.  George didn't explain his choice of words. The judge said it didn't really matter, an insult of some kind had been intended so damages were due to William. He however warned the offence did not warrant anything substantial. William had by the way formerly been an Overseer of the poor in Marlow himself.

In 1830 school master Mr Francis of the Bluecoats school (now known as Borlase), was convicted of assaulting William, when in drink. There was some amusement expressed at the senior, slight and short teacher taking on the 6ft tall and sturdy Hatch, and it seems Francis came off the worst.  Two witnesses on each side contradicted themselves altogether, but Francis was found guilty and had to spend a week in the house of correction. He also had to pay a £5 fine and find sureties for his future good behaviour. William said that Francis had called him a "sodom-ite" and he had retaliated with his fists. At this point the local magistrate presiding intervened to say he was aware of chalked graffiti in Marlow making a similar point but to the best of his knowledge there was no truth to the remark! However, the incident was widely regarded as politically motivated, as the two supported opposite candidates and feeling was still running high after a recent election. Hatch had been accused of brandishing a knife at an opposition voter at the previous election (which he denied doing), along with allegations that he had been banned from several public houses for violent conduct. It is true that certain establishments were strongly associated with one political candidate or another, and William may not have been too welcome in some simply for taking the other side publicly. He did say he did not regard his involvement in electioneering as very extensive. However the magistrates on summing up were no doubt politics stood behind it all. They expressed the wish that the school teacher would not let the electioneering spirit move him to breach the peace in future. 

William had plenty more court appearances. In 1829 he was fined 12 shillings for pulling up a crop of potatoes in a poor man's garden, a Mr Harding. This man may have been a tenant of his as the next year William had to pay the court costs when he failed in his attempt to prosecute his tenant Hannah Frith and her husband for picking fruit in the garden of the cottage they rented from him. The judge told William he didn't own the fruit, they did. In the same session the judge threw out William's suit against one John Simpson for allegedly throwing a stone at his window.

In 1829 William was also summoned for failing to support his illegitimate child with Ann Beaver and ordered to start paying up.

Three years later he was fined a shilling for trying to purposefully run down a servant of Mr J Clayton with his bakery cart. The judge condemned his reckless violence.

The next year William prosecuted Christopher Wildego for an alleged theft of a loaf from out of that cart.

In 1834 he stabbed a young boy who had formerly worked for him and stole the boy's knife. He was allowed to escape further penalty if he paid the boy 6 shillings compensation and give him back his knife!

The same year George Creswell was once again pitted against William. The Windsor and Eton Express said William was an "Ill looking man generally known as the appellation of the Buffer upwards of six foot high" who appeared in court with a cut face, two black eyes and 4 teeth knocked out. William said George had committed this assault on him. The paper said his usual "appalling" face was rendered more disgusting than usual as a result! Once more the setting for George and William's confrontation was a public house. William had used provoking language to the other man until he lost his temper. George was able to produce witnesses to prove that he was a respectable and "truly peaceable and steady man when unmolested" while William was the reverse so William's request that the defendant be bound over to keep the peace towards him was refused. George was however fined for the assault. The Creswells were renowned for being tall, strong and well built men. 

In 1835 William reached his lowest point being arrested for a "brutal attack upon his wife with intent to murder her". He had then run off for a few days but was arrested upon his return. He was unable to pay his bail, nor find anyone who wished to help him in this way ("no person having the remotest claim to respectability would become his security" said the paper) so was sent to Aylesbury Gaol to await trial. After three months in such custody he managed to prevail upon his wife to withdraw the charges on the grounds he would behave better in future.

He is referred to in reports at the time as the "notorious Will Hatch" and "Buffer the Hatch".

He had married a "Miss Spicer" in Henley, Oxfordshire in 1832. I have seen a marriage notice not a parish register so I am afraid I do not at the time of writing know the bride's first name. 

I find no further mention of William Hatch in Marlow records or any wife of his. They may have moved away to escape their recent scandals. William was still alive when his mother Sarah wrote her will in 1838. She had by then moved to Eton and left him besides money a bible. Making a point Sarah?

Sarah died in 1844. She was the owner of the row of houses in Dean Street called Hatches Row, which were sold off after her death.

For all mentions of a person on this blog see the Person Index. Over 2,300 people are listed as of December 2021. You will find more on Sarah Hatch for instance there.

Some Sources:

Wills of William Hatch and Sarah Hatch. Transcribed by me from wills held at the National Archives Kew.

Great Marlow Parish Registers, transcribed by me from the originals.

Windsor and Eton Express 8th May 1828, 12th Jan 1833, 25th Jan 1834, 29th August 1835, 19th Dec 1835.

Paper copies held at the British Library and accessed by me via their partnership with the BNA.

The London Gazette (compiled) Volume 2 by Thomas Neumann 1831. University of Iowa Archives, digitized by Google.

GRO Death Registration Index, online from the GRO.

High Street Pubs You Have Never Heard Of

Historic landlord listings for some little known, and long gone Marlow pubs. Not yet complete online. 

See Pub Related on the top drop menu for similar posts.

THE FOUNTAIN HEAD

The building this occupied has been demolished.

Had its own pump and capacious well for a good supply of water. Had carpentry workshop at the rear, quite a common feature behind inns in Marlow. Also large garden and stabling. Rent paid by James in 1838- £12 12s per annum. 

1833 - James Cresswell. Also a carpenter.

1838 - James Creswell

1839 - John Collins. Also a carpenter. John had lived next door earlier and it looks like his home was combined with the pub to make a bigger pub come carpenter's business. Knocking small pubs into next door cottages was very common. John died 1840.

1841 - Mary Collins. 

1844 - Mary Collins

Became briefly a lodging house. It was located where the Hogs Head/The Old Brewery pub is now to be found.

THE TURKS HEAD AKA THE SARACENS HEAD/THE TURK. Premises known, will be shown in future.

1820 - William Harding (also a shoemaker)

1833 - William Harding

1841 - William Harding

1853 - William Harding (and                shoemaker)

The Hardings stayed put for a long time but seem to have given up beer selling. In the 1860's Richard Harding was a "naturalist", meaning taxidermist. 

THE BEAR / BEAR INN

Present in High Street, close to Market Square, from at least 1614 -1735. Looks to have been near to or on the West Street corner. It came with 13 acres of land behind it. There was later a small beer seller and lodging house called the Bear in Chapel Street but this will feature in a different post as it is unrelated.

1614- Thomas Godfrey owner.

1666 - Premises owned by Thomas Godfrey. 

1667 - Richard Clark occupier (probably since 1650 at least) He was also a glover. Premises now owned by Thomas Moore who purchased it from Thomas Godfrey (and wife Elizabeth) "citizen of London and silk weaver", heir to Thomas Godfrey yeoman

1673 - Likely to be one of inns bought by Thomas Winckle from Robert Moore, after his brother Thomas died.

1717 - John Pratt (Owned by Sir James Etheredge, bought from the Guise family) A close behind it was let to a Willis. 

1734- Thomas Wright

1735 - purchased by Sir William Clayton. 

Researched and written by Charlotte Day.

To find other pub listings see the Pub Related option on the menu. We cover as well as Great Marlow the villages of Little Marlow, Medmenham, Lane End and to a lesser degree Hurley and Bisham.

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

To read a full list of old Marlow pubs, inns etc see the list here

Sources include: 

1853 Mussons and Cravens Commercial directory.

1833 Parish Assessment notebooks owned by my family and transcribed by Charlotte.

Various wills and property deeds in the Bucks Archives, as researched by Charlotte including - John Moore 1655, Thomas Moore 1673, Robert Moore 1681

Contemporary newspaper reports, held at the British Library and accessed via the BNA :

Bucks Gazette 18 August 1838.

Large number of property transaction records, wills and legal documents etc especially Guise-Etheredge related, held at National Archives, Kew or Buckinghamshire Archives.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to quote from or use this research for family or local history purposes but please credit this blog and link back here to ensure our original sources remain credited for the information provided.

1833 Great Marlow Parochial Assessment Part Two

 Updated by Charlotte October 2023

The original handwritten working notebooks used to compile the parochial assessment have been in my family for a time but are now very fragile so I thought I'd better transcribe them for posterity. The books were used for corrections to this information up to circa 1839 and include slotted in correspondence on the issue.

This is part 2 of many parts dealing with the houses and buildings. 

Post by Charlotte Day.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to quote from / use this transcription for family and local history purposes with credit to this blog.

Town houses and buildings

High Street, West side continued

Format is =

Name

Description of property

Annual value

Any notes or comments from me in square brackets

John Meadows [a draper. Retired 1839]

Dwelling house and garden

£8

Stable and loft 

10 shillings

Barn

£1

Shops and dwelling house

£14

*****

Ralfs [only bit of name given] [property owned by the family from before 1826]

Dwelling house, yard and large garden

£22

*****

Mayor [Again this is the whole name given. Almost certainly a butcher].

House and garden

£6

*****

Susannah Clark [Grocer and tea dealer who also ran a coach. Her stagecoach was the first vehicle to cross Marlow suspension bridge when it opened. Present here 1830. Widow.]

House and garden

£8

*****

John Broome [he seems out of his proper place in the assessment. Died aged 89 in 1845. John was of Irish birth and had spent 26 years in the East Indies before returning to England in 1807. This return date precludes him from being the John Broome of Westthorpe Little Marlow in 1793]

House and garden

£11

*****

Robert Colbourne [Surgeon. I have a copy of the will of a Robert Colbourne that is this man's father. A transcription of it is here].

House, yard, stable, pleasure ground and garden

£26

*****

James Field [he ran a school, was a tailor and became Post Master. The wills of himself and his wife are available on the blog here].

Dwelling House, school room, offices and garden

£22

*****

William Harding [shoemaker and beerseller]

The Turks Head beershop [also known as the Saracen's Head], house, yard and garden

£10

*****

James Maclean [tin plate worker and ironmonger].

House, shop, and garden

£13

*****

Samuel Carter [shoemaker]

House, yard and garden

£15

*****

Richard Hawkins

House and other buildings

£12

****

Joseph Grey [a tailor]

House

£6

*****

John Moss 

House, Kitchen with room over Smith's shop, stable, large workshop, sheds, yards, foundry, gardens and part of house adjoining [John and his wife are the subject of a biographical post on the blog here. His main business premises described above as workshops, foundry etc were down by the Mills later and I thought at this time too but he is listed High Street which was his home address so not sure. He also a little later rented some arable land, stables etc in Spittal Street]

£21

Barn and part of a yard by the Meeting House [Oxford Road]

£2 10 shillings

Gardens by Oxford Lane [modern Oxford Road]

£3

*****

James Coster

House and garden

£12

******

To be continued

To search for people on this blog look at the Person Index option on the drop down menu.