Bovingdon Green and Marlow Common Parochial Assessment 1833

 Updated August 2023, with additional research notes.

The next part of my gradual transcription of the original handwritten working notebooks used to compile this assessment along with related correspondence. These faded notebooks are in the possession of my family, and also contain some pencilled in corrections from the later 1830s, though not in this section. The assessment was compiled Autumn 1833 and was to be used to calculate tax rates for Marlow for the following year.

Transcribed by Charlotte Day.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use this transcription with credit to this blog.

Bovingdon Green

Each occupying a cottage and garden with annual value of £4 10 shillings:

Thomas Frith [still in Bovingdon Green 1838]

Richard Fletcher

Thomas Jones

*****

Ephraim House

House and yard 

£5

*****

William Davies

House, yard, garden and woodhouse 

£10

*****

Marlow Common

Each in cottage and garden with annual worth of £4 10 shillings:

John Swadling

Thomas Mead [Described as in Bovingdon Green 1838]

William Howard [see below for another man of this name]

James Winkworth

*****

Henry Higgins [a Mr Higgins, poor man, was threatened and burgled by two men who forced themselves into his cottage home at Marlow Common in 1840. This may well be the same Higgins as here. If so his cottage was on the edge of Wolmer Heath "some three or four hundred yards from the other cottages on the Common"].

Cottage and garden

£4

*****

Each in a cottage and garden with an annual value of £5:

John Rose

Jesse Collins [ Will coming up on the blog in the next few months]

*****

Joseph Keep

Cottage and garden

£3

*****

John Blackwell [he was a blacksmith]

House, shop [this would mean workshop], garden and orchard

£9

Piece of ground on the Common

10 shillings

*****

William Howard

House and garden

£6

*****

Edward Collins [more on him including will notes here]

The Royal Oak House [pub, actually in Bovingdon Green]

£9

*****

James Martin

Cottage and garden

£5

Note: a "Mrs Butler", probably Ann,  died at Marlow Common a few weeks before the assessment. She was perhaps the widow of the "Mr Butler" who died there in 1825. Mrs Butler may have lived in one of the households above, or it may have been that one of those households was one that has just moved in to Mrs Butler's property after her death.

For more posts on either place see here

To see more of the 1833 assessment for individual streets in Great Marlow see this index

All mentions of any individual on this blog can be found on the A-Z Person Index on the top menu. Thousands of people are mentioned.

Highwayman Peter Rivers

Marlow's history is scattered with a few home - grown highwaymen. One of the earliest I have come across is Peter Rivers.

Peter was born circa 1673 and raised in Marlow by parents able to afford to send him to school and to pay for his apprenticeship to a cordwainer. I have not found his baptism but there is a good chance he was a close relative of the Peter Rivers of Marlow who issued his own trade token in 1667. This elder Peter found himself twice facing suits in Chancery over property in Marlow, at least one of which he lost. 

After completing his apprenticeship Peter junior was free to marry. As a bride he chose Sarah Spicer and the couple tied the knot in High Wycombe in 1698. 

In 1702 Peter, either the elder or the younger, was thrown in jail because he could not pay his debts.

One of the Peters tried his hand at running an alehouse or beershop but had his licence revoked after it was found to have been incorrectly issued and he of too poor character to hold such. Both men had frequent connection to those involved in the brewing trade in Marlow- in terms of both who their friends were and who their enemies were (!)

Peter junior certainly had severe financial difficulties. That he admitted to while he was in jail. So bad were those difficulties that he could not see any way out of them. Peter took another man's advice to "raise contributions on the Highway" - that is become a highwayman. Armed with firearms he and his fellow Marlovian John Carter (a common name but could be the John Carter who lived about then in Chapel Street, Marlow) robbed Henry Howard of 3 shillings 4 pence, a pair of silver buckles presumably lifted from the victim's shoes, and a silver corkscrew (!)

A lack of criminal experience led to Peter's quick apprehension, trial at the Old Bailey and sentence to death for what he insisted was the only crime he had ever committed. The Old Bailey tried him as the robbery occurred on the roads of Middlesex near Uxbridge.

Peter was hung on Friday 17th April 1730. He claimed to be around 57 years of age at the time. Whilst in jail awaiting death he was described as "sullen and morose". He told the staff that he was very conscious of the shame he had brought upon his family by his conviction.

John Carter got a last minute stay of execution following a petition sent to the Secretary Of State from 25 Great Marlow residents. Amongst those supporting John were Marlow's 2 M.PS and wealthy local gentlemen George Bruere Esquire and Sir James Etheredge. Why a petition for John and not for Peter?

For more crime based posts see under Crime on the General Marlow History Index here.

All mentions of someone on this blog can be found on the A-Z person index which covers several thousand people.

To read our recreated 1600s trade directory for Great Marlow and Little Marlow, see here and here

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

Some sources used:

Http://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=186828 (image of Peter Rivers senior's trade token)

Old Bailey Online, Ordinary Of Newgate's Accounts, April 1730. Ref OA17300417.

State papers, Secretary of State. National Archives, Kew. Ref: SP 36/150/1/98

"England Marriages, 1538–1973 ", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NJ14-SZZ : 6 January 2021), Peter Rivers, 1698.

http://www.bucksrecsoc.org.uk/QS-VOLUMES/QS5.html

Will Amey White Of Great Marlow 1795

Widow. Will proved 1796. Written 1795.

Says she is sick and weak.

All just debts and funeral expenses to be paid.

Son William 2 messuages with all the yard, garden, stable, barn, buildings and outhouses in the occupations of Thomas Davis and Robert Howard, and a close adjoining these properties in the occupation of Robert Moore the younger.

Daughter Ann Moss the wife of John Moss gets a cottage and garden in Gun Lane Marlow [now Trinity Road] in the occupation of Edward King Colines. From that property Ann and John are to pay the £15 John Moss owes to surgeon George Trash. If they refuse to pay it then they don't get the property. Instead it goes to testator's other daughters: Elizabeth Edmunds, Jane White, Sarah Hammond and Martha Camden and they to pay the £15 to Trash.

Daughter Sarah Hammond gets 2 cottages in Gun Lane in the occupation of William Stevens and Jasper Howard.

To daughter Jane White a messuage with a yard, garden and outhouses in Chapel End, Marlow [Chapel Street] in which testator now lives. She to pay out from it's value £10 to daughter Elizabeth Edmunds.

Executors son in law John Moss and Mr Joseph Plumridge both of Great Marlow. [Probably Joseph the brewer]

Witnessed by .... ?Laws shoemaker of Great Marlow, William Ba...r maltster of Great Marlow and Robert Goldsmith attorney of Great Marlow.

This PCC will is held by the National Archives, Kew. From them you can obtain a copy.

Transcription and summary of it by Charlotte Day.

©Marlow Ancestors. If quoting from or reusing my transcription (which you are welcome to do) please credit this blog.

Howard Graves, Great Marlow and Little Marlow

 Above, grave of Edward Howard, At rest. D. Sept 18 186?

"In the midst of life we are in death". All Saints Parish Church, Great Marlow.

Above, the metal grave of Blanche Agnes Dec 7th 1862 age 3

AND

Frank James

Age 6 Apr 15th 1863

"The beloved children of Robert and Anne Howard of Spinfield Lodge".

At All Saints Parish Church, Great Marlow.

 

Above, the grave of Sarah, wife of John Howard - died January 3 1850 age 54. 

ALSO

The above John Howard who died July 11 1871 age 67. 

This grave is Little Marlow church yard. (St. John the Baptist)

Above, grave of Rebecca wife of Mr John Howard. Died Feb. 6th 1820 age 40. This is also located in Little Marlow Church yard. 

©Marlow Ancestors. You may use this image for family or local history purposes if you credit this blog and link here. 

Marlow's 21 OTHER Football Teams *Updated April 2023*

Updated JULY 2024

Marlow Football Club has a long history but this post is about Marlow's more minor teams that your ancestor stands a better chance of having played for. It includes youth and junior sides as after all even Sporting Life would sometimes mention a fixture or match report for these. It doesn't include schools teams, the old Borlasian or Marlow Choir teams or those organised by employers on a more or less occasional basis eg the Brewery. 

A few things to bear in mind: a lot of surnames are shared across teams. You may find a family member spent time on more than one. Brothers and cousins often played on the same side. Most match reports (especially early ones) fail to name players at all or just give the surname. Most of these teams did not have a set place to play home matches. Almost all can be found using the Crown Ground (Crown Meadow, now Riley Recreation Ground) on occasion, if Marlow F.C or the Reserves did not need it. The other main sites used were Star Meadow (one end of which would later be partially used to form Marlow F.C's new home, the Alfred Davis Memorial Ground), the "recreation ground" (Gossmore) and less often "the Station Ground" aka Porter's Meadow. The Porters owned or occupied more than one meadow in this period but the one usually referred to was roughly where Riverpark Drive is now.  The Victoria's also used Colonels Meadow, behind Borlase school. 

Regular football came to a halt during the First World War, so naturally there will be gaps for these years. The Crown Ground saw plenty of activity during that time thanks to locally stationed soldiers playing in the military leagues or just casually. I have not included them here as they are not often made up of local men. This blog deals with the pre First World War period primarily, with occasionally forays into the 1920's and beyond. Some of these team names were recycled later but unless mentioned otherwise, the more modern incarnations are not a continuation of what went before. Dates are for the first and last dates I have found of a team definitely being active. I have not researched all of the leagues or competitions entered, sorry!  This page will be updated as new info emerges - and as we work through through my notes.. There are many more names to be added!

Marlow Rangers

1885 - 1906 (also used for an unrelated team in 1960's/70's)

Sought matches with "good minor teams" and seem to have enjoyed some success. Did not play exclusively against very local teams as most of the other minor ones did. Maintained both an A and B team. Average age 18/19. In 1894 had won 12 of their 17 games, and drawn another. 

AGM held: Three Compasses, Dean Street. 

Colours: Light and dark blue halves

Practice days: Wednesdays, on recreation ground (Gossmore)

Usual home pitch - Recreation Ground (Gossmore), but also used Station Ground, and Crown Ground on occasion. In 1895 are described as having a new ground in the meadow next to the Saw Mill in Station Rd lent by Mr H Clark , but still use other sites. 

Some player/member names names:

1893 - Ayres, Langley. 

1894 - A J Carr (captain), J Shipton (deputy captain), J Frith (also treasurer) , A Ayres, J Spindlo (R J?), G Almond, H Clark, Maskell, W East, W J Fenner, J A Paine (goalkeeper), F Rockell. G Sawyer, C Harris, A Frith. W Toovey,  D Gibbons

  Secretary : 1894 - W E  Toovey, 10 Queens Rd. 

1895 - J Spindlo (captain) Shipton (vice captain), W Toovey (hon. Sec), East, J or G Sawyer (treasurer), C Harris, J Paine, J Carr, 

1896 - Secretary is W J Fenner, (moved from Chapel Str to "York Rd, Marefield" this year. Fenner is also secretary of The Swifts. ) Players: C Harris, J Simmons, A Carr, E Keep, G Sawyer, A & W Toovey, F Langley, J Shipton, W Halton, C Dye. 

1905: Harris, Toovey, Howard. 

Marlow Star 

1885-1921 Originally started as a football team for the Dean Street boys club ran by All Saints Church. The curate Rev C Potts was the man largely behind the start of the club. 

A youth team, average age 15 in 1898. Often came up against reserve sides of bigger teams including Marlow FC. Had A and B sides. All listings below are A team members. Secretary (1898) - W Scott, High Street. 

Usual home ground: Star Meadow

Players: 

1885- E Clark, G Ayres, A Bowles, Payne, Didcott , T or J White, Young, A Boot, C Ilsley (capt), F Grace. 

1886 - J Bowles (goal) F Bailey (Captain) A Paine, J White, F Bowles, A Brook(e)s, E Clark(e), G Stone, C Brooks, I Ayres, C Price 

1887 - E Clark(e) is goal keeper. 

1903 - Cox, Grace 

Players of unknown date: W Payne, G Langley. 

Marlow Blue Star

Not same as above. This is a boys team.  There was a Little Marlow Blue Star too by 1898 for under 11's or under 15s at different times. I don't think they were the same. 

1910. 

Players: T Moody, Stacey. 

Little Marlow Blue Star

Boys, 1890/91. Not researched yet. 

Marlow Red Star

Boys, 1893 - 1902. Usually play Gossmore. 

Played in Berks and Bucks minors cup 1901, 1902.

(Lane End also had a boys side called Red Star) 

A match report from 1893 says the game was characterized by rough play and "some fighting"! The Star team lost. 

Marlow Victoria

Marlow's main "other" club,  with a good following of their own. Aka "The Vics". Full name The Royal Victoria Working Mans FC. (Another Marlow Working Mans FC was active c1909 -1914) Also have reserve side. Mostly 17-23 years old (although from 15 year olds at start)

1873 - 1898 - but see below. 

The club was set up for the "junior tradesman and mechanics" of Marlow. "Mr Wethered" was one of those who drove the idea forward and he acted as their first president. [Thomas O Wethered] They were lucky enough to secure the support of a number of well off patrons such as Sir William Robert Clayton, Bart, F O Wethered, and Thomas Somers Cocks as well as the Rev Cree and Alfred Davis Junior. Seeking "strong minor teams" to play against, they did well. So well in fact that in 1897 it was decided to amalgamate them with the Marlow FC reserves, in order to strengthen the latter. In 1898, 9 players in the Reserve team had played for Victoria the previous season. The B team(s) of the Vics still played under the Victoria name until approx 1899 though. They host Athletic Sports competitions for their members 1870's (at Gossmore) as part of  their aim to encourage healthy exercise overall.  

HQ - First AGM held Duke of Cambridge, Queens Rd. The Duke was also where the initial meeting to set up the team was held.  Later used the White Lion, West Street. 

Practice: when first established held on Tues and Sats on Colonel's Meadow, Borlase. Later at Gossmore Recreation Ground. 

Home ground: For first year or so, Colonel's Meadow. Then usually the recreation ground Gossmore. Sometimes borrow Crown Ground too. 

Secretary:  1872- R Carter. 1873 / 1874 - A Gardener. 1894 - Joint secretaries S J Barlow of Eton Cottage and H Sawyer of Spittal Street.  1896 - W Fenner  (this man's name will pop up often in this role!). 1899 - C Howard of West End 1899. 

Chairman - 1895 L J Sellman

Players: 

1873/4 - Captain William J Stockbridge. Others: C & T Fletcher, Owen Sawyer, J Biggs, R Wye, G Frith, G&J Edwards, A Keep. 

1875 John Langley jun, A Keep, T Plumridge, F Plumridge, M Mason, C Fletcher, W Plumridge jun, Owen Sawyer, J Beckett, R Wellicome, J Biggs, J Harvey, T Wyatt, G Edwards. 

1895: S J Barlow, George & A E Edmunds (George is Captain), F Tucker, H Sawyer, ? Davis, L Sellman, G Barber, F Hawkes (vice Captain)

1897 - H Sawyer (goalkeeper),  ? Edmunds (Capt), A Edmunds, W Probert, Unknown Probert, L Sellman (also hon treasurer), S Shaw, G Davis, Smith, F Haw(k)es, K Bonny, W White (deputy captain), J Davis. 

Marlow Excelsior

Play Crown Ground, and Star Meadow. 

A youth team with a reserve side too. Played in the Berks &Bucks Minor League in 1901. 

1893 - 1911 (definite finish date) 

Usual place of play:  Recreation ground

Secretary 1896 - W Fenner again! 

Marlow Ramblers

1890 - 1895. Also had B team. Play in Berks & Bucks Junior Cup.  

HQ - Clubroom of Three Tuns, West Str. AGM and annual dinner held there, fundraising smoking concerts ditto. 

Play: On all the Marlow grounds (see top)

Secretary: 1890/91 - H Price, 7 Queens Rd.  1892 - W Carter. 

Players:  Emmett (undated)

1890: Judge, East, Rose, P (probably Phillip)  & F Looker, F Harvey (captain), E Cook, A Cooper, H Illsley (goal), Tucker. 

1891: H Illsley, J White, F Harvey, J Rose, F. & P Looker, J F Price, W East, G Judge, George Moody, G Ayres, E Clark, E Heatley, F Bayley, E Cook, A Cooper

1892 - W Rose (in goal), E Emmett (also goalkeeper) Backs J Howe?, J White, H Frith. Half backs - W Carter, J East?, W J East, T. P Rose. Right Wing - George Moody, F Looker. Left Wing: - A Boot, P Looker. Centre - R C Sawyer. Captain - William East. /W J East. 

President: Viscount Curzon, MP. Hon Treasurer: A Carter. 

Marlow Wednesday Ramblers - may be successor of Marlow Ramblers. 

1903. 

Players: Stacey, Sears, Dormer. 

Marlow Wednesday

May be referring to Wednesday Ramblers or Wednesday Athletic or may be another team again!! Still active at dawn of First World War. Another Marlow Wednesday was formed c1931 and played on the Marlow F C ground - on Wednesdays naturally. 

1909 - Secretary: A Smith, 7 Sunlight Cottages.

Marlow Antelopes

Youth team. (Under 16)

1874 - 1896. In 1894 mentioned as "badly in need of funds". 

Secretary: F Plumridge, Oxford Rd. 

Players - just a few known

1878 - Harding, Rockell, Lovegrove, Higgins. 

 Undated: - Nicholls, H White (Captain), R J Spindlo (this is Richard John, known as John, the baker b 1878, and later very successful player for Marlow F C )

1893 - H White (goal), J Spindle (Spindlo?), G Morton, C Drye, F Nicholls, G Hatton, C Harris, W Mangah ?, W Plumridge, F Nicholls, F Paine, 

1894 - Goalkeeper - W. East. Others: C F Waterman, R Wellicome, H Clark, F Walker, F Langley, F Harman, J Boot, C J Drye. 

Marefield Rovers

Boys team. Had reserve side too. Play in Maidenhead Boys League. C1910-1913. 

Players 1910: T Golding (Captain), G Stone, S Clark, H Hilsdon, A & A H Peddle, R Flint, C Lee, R Clark, F Burton, W Lloyd

Marlow Rovers

1891- 1912 then 1920-1930. 

Youth team, average age 17 in 1920.  

Plays: Recreation Ground, occasionally Crown Ground. 

Practice: Wednesdays, Recreation Ground. 

Secretary: 1920 - G  Sparks, West Str. 

Players: 1900  T Ward, Bennett, Coles, Robinson

Marlow Red Rovers

1893 - 1898. Under 15's side. 

Hon Sec 1893 : George Edmunds

White Rovers

Boys, 1893 - 1899

Marlow Albion

1887- 1907 Has an A  & B team. Youths. 

Hon. Secretary 1888 is A Carter. 

Wednesday Athletic

Boys. 1912. 

Marlow Athletic

 1911-1920

Marlow Abstainers

1886

Marlow Corinthians

Youths 1892. 

1893 - W Wellicome, J Beckett, H Collins, J Shipton, T Rance, G H Clark, S Green. 

Marlow Harriers

1886-1888

Marlow Nelson

"Rising minor team" in 1896 but records thin on ground! 

Marlow Wanderers

Youths under 14, 1897. 

Players: Rockwell (possibly meant to be Rockell/Rockall or Rosewell), Corby. 

Marlow United

Active at least 1909-14. Juniors. Not the same as the more modern team to bear this name. 

Players 1909 - Culhane, Cresswell, Dickson, Arber, Moody, Rolston, Morris. 

And a bonus: 

Players for Lane End FC (still going today!)

Aka "the blue and whites"

1893 (first year) : J Gray, Rixon, F Fletcher, J Britnell, A Bristow, Davis, Sears, Priest, J Carr. 

Researched by Kathryn Day with some additional research by Charlotte Day.

©Marlow Ancestors 

Men Who Built Marlow Part 3

Young Lovell

Young James Lovell (yes his first name was Young) was born at Sydling St Nicholas in Dorset in 1842 to Mary and James Lovell. His father was a carpenter. James followed him into this trade. Far more of the major builders that I find began their working life as carpenters than bricklayers or masons. Young married his wife Charlotte Winifred Cresswell of Marlow at Marylebone in London in 1873 and moved to Marlow by July 1874.

He was at first the manager of the building business ran by the Corbys. They lived in the building which is now WH Smith in the High Street, Marlow and had additional now demolished workshops and a yard a little further along the High Street. In late 1876 following the retirement from illness of Thomas Corby junior, Young Lovell took over the business for himself. His office was at number 35 High Street the former premises of another Marlow builder William Bond. William is the subject of my post Men Who Built Marlow Part One here, while the Corbys are in Part Two here. 

Young carried on the tradition started by Corby, of having an annual Bricklayers v Carpenters Cricket match each September, all players being those who worked for his own company. The bricklayers seem to hold the overall record but matches were tight! 

In 1878 Young's apprentice James Howard was cautioned in court for leaving his apprenticeship with Young and ordered to return to him. 

Young's foreman in 1883 was Henry Young and in 1891 Edmund Coster.

His company in Marlow were responsible for (a small selection!):

1877-78 Demolition of the house Beechwood and rebuilding of it. He had to take legal action to get paid for this job. During the rebuilding bricklayer's labourer William East jumped from some brickwork onto some scaffolding in order to fetch something, causing a section of scaffolding to give way. William fell nearly 30 feet to the ground, dying of his injuries a few days later. Builders probably jumped about the scaffolding in those days a fair bit. The scaffolding was not found to be obviously faulty. 

1881- building of two new almshouses in Oxford Road.

1882- alterations to All Saints, the Parish church including a new roof and vestry. He was a church warden to the church.

1886- House Bohemia on the Bisham side of the river. £2436 paid.

1889-90 Marlow Institute, Institute Road (this is now the Library).

1893- Wooden isolation hospital at Marlow Common. Put up in just 6 days.

1893/4  Building of what is now the NatWest Bank building in the High Street. 

1895- new churchyard wall, All Saints.

1895- significant alterations and extensions to the George and Dragon, Causeway. Paid £114 10 shillings for this.

1895- 2 villas Institute Road.

1896- smaller alterations to the interior of the above church including adding a new door.

1897- adapted part of Cromwell House in the High Street into a Post Office.

Repairs to the Obelisk in Market Square.

Outside of Marlow:

1877- enlargement and improvement of Bisham Church.

1905-06 Built Windsor Police and Fire Stations.

While the day to day labour on the building sites would have been done by others, Young himself like many carpenters made coffins for local people. For perhaps no more reason than this quite a few of local families had him organise entire funerals for their loved ones. Many modern funeral directors have their roots as builders/carpenters long ago. 

He was also a Director of the Marlow Water Company and one of the organisers of the 1887 Jubilee celebrations in Marlow.

Young relaxed by playing the violin including in local concerts including at the Marlow Institute where he was Treasurer, entering shows with his vegetables and flowers, fishing, taking part in and organising billiards tournaments and by playing cricket for Marlow.

1905 advert.

He died in 1911. By then he and Charlotte lived in Beaumont Rise though the High Street premises were still used by the company. Their son Harry attended the Royal Engineering College before going to India as a civil engineer. When home he played football for Marlow. He was also a tennis player. As well as Harry there was a daughter Winifred, and two further sons Clifford Percy and Arthur Young. Little Arthur died as a baby. Clifford went off to be a builder in Gerrard's Cross and was the carrier of the family firm after Young's death.

Charlotte Winifred Lovell seems to have been a quiet person appearing in only a few social or charitable event lists with her husband or by herself. One event she did attend was a lavish Christmas party given in the Music Room, St Peter's Street for the children of the Catholic Church in 1899. Her daughter Winifred helped to serve food at the party. The family were not themselves Catholic (unless Charlotte and Winifred had converted at some point as some members of the wider Cresswell family had done). Young was a C of E churchwarden remember and he married Charlotte in a C of E church. The connection seems to be that Young was appointed by the Urban Council as the manager of the Catholic School. Presumably being a Catholic was not necessary for that. It was not the same role as head teacher - it seems to be concerned with financial and maintenance matters.

Charlotte also went to some scientific lectures at the Institute with her husband.

In 1902 the couple had an accident in Oxford Road Marlow when their pony and trap overturned. Young's shoulder was dislocated and Charlotte had cuts and bruises.

The firm Y.J Lovell founded by Young continued into the 2000s when it was renamed.

©Marlow Ancestors. 

Other posts related to building families: 

 (Men who Built Marlow) 

Bond here   

 Corby here 

Frederick Plumridge here

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

Sources:

London Metropolitan Archives, parish records.

Great Marlow census from microfilm transcribed by me. Census information always remains Crown Copyright.

GRO Death Index.

Reading Mercury 10th August 1878 (James Howard case).

Bucks Herald 11th June 1887 (jubilee)

SBS 30th June 1893 (isolation hospital) and 26th December 1902 (carriage accident).

Newspapers British Library Archives via their collaboration with the BNA.

Sarah Evans Of Oxford Road Almshouses

Sarah Evans

An 81 year old lace worker Sarah, a widow, lived at the Almshouses in Oxford Road Marlow at the time of the 1871 census. Elizabeth Dempster who was a 62 year old retired lace worker was visiting her at the time. 

Sarah had been living in Oxford Road since at least 1840, before she became a widow and thus qualified for an Almshouse. Her husband was David Evans, a chimney sweep originally from Wales. He employed at least two men as well as sweeping himself so was doing well for himself.

Sarah was born Sarah Howard and married David in Marlow in 1811. In 1840 their Oxford Road cottage was a thatched one. There was at least a couple of thatched cottages in Oxford Road then as well as at least one in Chapel Street, unfortunately all lost now.

Sarah's daughter "Mrs Bowles" [Sarah, wife of James Bowles] sadly seems to have been a problem drinker, the police often having been called to the Evans home because Mrs Bowles was there drunk and causing disruption. On one occasion when she broke plates belonging to David and Sarah she was taken to court by them but Sarah had a change of heart and asked for her daughter not to be prosecuted [some details from Berkshire Chronicle 20th June 1846].

Sarah herself was in trouble in 1857 for allegedly spitting at and hitting in the face her tenant Jane Blake. Sarah had gone to remind her about some nearly due rent. Mrs Blake did not take kindly to this and a verbal confrontation followed. It was said that Sarah then launched her attack and challenged her to come out and gight.The judge said that if she paid all the costs of the case for both sides the charge could be withdrawn (presumably with Mrs Blake's agreement). This decision isn't explained in any surviving record I have found but Sarah went with it. It implies that she was the guilty party as she had to pay both side's costs but that she was not thought likely to repeat the offence and thus need any further deterrent to be applied to her.

The tenant in question was Rebecca Blake the photographer who lived in West Street with her husband. A biographical post on her is on the blog here. In that post you will see that Rebecca herself was also an Almshouse resident as a widow. 

So for a chimney sweep David Evans wasn't doing too badly if he owned or leased a property he could rent out. He had at least two adult employees so perhaps he was more the business owner than anything else.

He died in 1864, Sarah in 1878 [GRO Death Index].

Researched and written by Charlotte Day.

Census information is my own transcription from microfilm readers. The original censuses remain Crown Copyright.

Related posts

Other occupants of Oxford Road Almshouses see this post, this one and here

For all mentions of someone on this blog try the Person Index.

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

Watch That Tallow! Gibbons Family Shop Great Marlow

 These premises (as all one building not the two you see today) was the site of 

the Gibbons family shop. John (baptised 1783) was running things 1820 till at least 1851. He started off as a tallow chandler before turning the business into primarily a grocery shop with a sideline in soap boiling. He also sold spirits.  The premises were said to have been in the family (though it is not certain in what business capacity) by the early 1800s.

In 1833 the premises consisted of a shop, dwelling house, a candle house for making the candles that were the tallow chandler's stock in trade, 2 large storerooms, more storerooms with lofts, a granary, a barn, a piggery,  a chaise house, a stable and gardens. The estimated annual value of the property was £35. 

Candles were usually made in separate workshops apart from the chandler's main premises as candle making was a smelly and potentially hazardous process. John wouldn't have needed any reminder of this. A pot of tallow boiled over on his furnace and set the workshop on fire in 1825. Fortunately the fire was put out before it spread further. 

John married Catherine Howard at Marlow in 1821.

On the 1851 census the couple were joined in their household by their children and a young female servant. John said on the census that he employed 3 men. Two of them were probably his sons and Catherine is likely to have served customers at least sometimes herself.

The next year John needed further help in the shop and advertised for an "active, clever and respectable man who can write a fair hand" to make himself useful in the business. In 1859 he was again in need and advertised for a man aged about 30, steady of nature, preferably married. Perhaps his previous assistant had spent too long wooing the lady customers!

John passed away in 1861, Catherine in 1858. Their sons Francis and William took over the shop. Not with great success apparently as they were an insolvent partnership in 1864. Francis seems to have died not long afterwards. William was still in business as a grocer, wine and spirit merchant and pig dealer in Marlow the next year. He obviously intended to stay put as he placed an ad in the Reading Mercury for a man to serve behind the counter and make himself generally useful in the shop but by 1871 he had moved away to Cookham Dean with his wife Emma and family. He ran a grocery shop there too. By 1881 the couple had relocated to Marylebone Middlesex and William worked as a railway porter.

After the Gibbons family left the West Street premises were used by a succession of bakers. More on them in the future when time allows.

I have identified historic occupancy of buildings in West Street by cross referencing wills, photographs, censuses (which often do not visit properties in order so can be unreliable), property records advertising, court cases etc.

Researched, photographed and written by Charlotte Day.

Some Sources: 

1833 Parochial Assessment. Original handwritten notebooks held in my family and transcribed by me.

Pigots Directory 1831 and 1844. Copies from the University Of Leicester Archives.

1841, 1851, 1861,71 censuses of Great Marlow transcribed by me from microfilm.

1871 Cookham Dean, 1881 and 1891 Marylebone censuses transcribed from microfilm by Jane Pullinger.

Oxford University and City Journal 14th February 1825. Copy held at the British Library Archives and accessed by me via the BNA March 2021.

South Bucks Free Press and Wycombe and Maidenhead Journal 28th October 1865, as above.

Reading Mercury 14th August 1852, 17th September 1859, 8th April 1865. As above.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to reuse this research or image for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog and a link here so that my sources remain credited for the information they provided. Thanks.

Photo taken November 2020.

Pig's Feet For A Shilling Or A Whipping- Your Choice!

 

UPDATED AND CORRECTED NOVEMBER 2024

Text and research by Charlotte Day, Image by Kathryn Day.

From at least the 1820s until around 1901 the Sawyer family ran a bakery here.

Robert Sawyer came first. By 1833 he had given over the business to his son James (born 1803) and gone to run a pork butcher's shop nearly opposite it. Robert's wife died after getting a piece of food, probably a piece of bread, stuck in her throat (thanks to Stephen Martin for this information).

In the handwritten 1833 parochial assessment notebooks which my family has Jame's premises were described as a house, yard, flour lofts and sheds and had an annual value of £12. Only two doors away was another baker's shop operated by Henry Menday.

In 1851 a Henry Howard received six weeks hard labour for stealing a 2lb loaf from the shop.

After James' death his widow Charlotte took on the helm but she had been behind the counter long before that. In 1879 her scales were found to be slightly deficient during a routine inspection. Nearby baker Owen Wright who had taken over Menday's premises was similarly found wanting*.

As well as bread Charlotte had a line in pig feet, or at least she did in 1859 when an 11 year child James Harris stole one from a dish on her shop counter. The price was a shilling - or for little James, a whipping. The judge in the case decided to be "merciful" and thus ordered that the punishment could be carried out in private rather than in the usual public manner. As well as pig feet Charlotte had a sideline in other groceries and vegetables.

A definitely more merciful sentence was handed down to a "girl" Emma Anderson who stole a 4lb loaf of bread from Charlotte in 1872. She only had to suffer a day in jail.

After Charlotte retired her son James ran the bakery business but she continued to live with him on the premises. You can read more about James (unfortunately it's not a happy read!) and another son Owen in a post here. I will just add here that under the stewardship of James the family suffered a serious fire on the premises when heat from a bread oven caused part of the timber structure of the building to catch fire. James was just a stone's throw from the fire bell which could be rung to summon the Marlow Fire Brigade. Both the fire and water damage to the building were severe with the family losing much of their furniture and it was feared that only demolition of the premises would be an option. That however seems to have been avoided. A few years later James sold his business to baking rival Charles Carter who did not intend to operate from the premises.

The Morgan family owned the actual building of the bakery. It had once belonged to the church.

Charlotte Sawyer, the wife of James Senior was the daughter of Spittal Street grocer Joseph Eagle and Elizabeth his wife. (Read more about them here) Her birth family were worshippers at the Salem Chapel in Quoiting Square now known as Christ Church. There she was baptised at the age of 2 in 1811. She married her husband aged 19. 

* Many thanks to Stephen Martin for providing information and corrections for this post*

For the involvement in political bribery of Charlotte's brother in law Jason Povey see here

James Sawyer Senior's brother ran the Ship Inn in West Street close to the bakery.

Researched and written by Charlotte Day, photo by Kathryn Day. 

* Many thanks to Stephen Martin for providing information and corrections for this post*

To find other West Street content see the "Specific Shops, Streets Etc" option on the menu. For all mentions of any individual on the blog see the Person Index *As of August 2023 over 7,500 Marlow-linked people are mentioned here*

Sources:

*Bucks Herald 27th November 1875. Via the BNA and British Library archives.

Reading Mercury 12th Feb 1859. As above.

Bucks Herald 12th April 1851. As above.

South Bucks Standard 6th August 1897, as above.

Census 1841-1901. Transcribed by Jane Pullinger and Charlotte Day from microfilm. All census information is Crown Copyright.

Salem Chapel baptisms transcribed by me from microfilm #007765132 images supplied by the LDS church, Intellectual Reserve Inc.

1833 parochial assessment. Original handwritten record held by my family and transcribed by me.

Stephen Martin's family history research.

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

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.

Will of Richard Howard of Great Marlow

 Written 1711, proved 1714.

Glassman.

Says he weak of body but of sound mind.

Burial at discretion of his executor which is his loving wife Joan. She gets for life their dwelling house and all his goods and chattels, money, debts and personal estate.

Son Richard testator's best woollen wearing apparel. Rest of apparel to son John.

After his debts and funeral expenses paid, and after wife Joan's decease the following legacies to be paid:

Son Richard three score pounds.

Son John testator's dwelling house and the pastures belonging to it and all household goods.

Son Samuel three score pounds.

Son in law Thomas Carter £5.

Sister Mary Porter £5.

Grandson Richard, son of Richard £4.

Witnessed by Mary Hoar (made her mark), Elizabeth Carter junior (made her mark), Thomas Hobbs.

Transcribed and summarized by Charlotte Day. Will held at the National Archives. 

Use the Wills option on the menu to find similar posts and the Person Index to for and every mention of someone on this blog. Thousands of people are featured.

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