In loving memory of Mum and Dad. Rose Naomi Hughes died 15th April 1941
AND
Edward Joseph Hughes Died January 27th 1951
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© Marlow Ancestors
Note that it has usually been stated that the Queen's Head began as the King's Head but changed name when Victoria ascended to the throne. However, there was a pub called the Queen's Head in Little Marlow some years before Victoria became queen and a pub called the King's Head continued to exist. I have heard that the two pubs agreed to swap names, but certain details don't quite match up, and it looks very much like the landlords around the time of the coronation were at odds with each other rather than co-operative. Below I simply give landlords and events listed at "The Queen's Head" on the understanding that these probably do not all refer to the same physical premises.
Gaps in dates are gaps in our knowledge.
1826 - pub "The Queen's Head" existed in Little Marlow.
1830 - 32 - Joshua Phillips landlord. He moved to the King's Head.
Until 1870 there is no further mention that we have found YET of the Queen's Head however James Twitchen who had the Queen's Head in 1872 had been a beer seller in the village from 1843 in premises that never seem to be given a name and it is probable for several reasons that he was in fact at the Queen's Head all the while. He opened his premises in 1842 after two cottages were knocked together to form a single property of sufficient rateable value to qualify as a licensed premises. He had been trying to get a licence for the property for a while but complained that his Liberal politics meant that he was deliberately rated under true value to thwart his business plans. Politics in Marlow were very corrupt and sometimes violent in this era so his claims of political persecution are very believable. Other cases are known. After he managed to start his beer shop, James said that a prosecution for him remaining open for longer hours than legally allowed was also politically motivated. The case was dismissed in court. The property he was using having been two domestic cottages up to that point, can't be the old Queen's Head pub unless having fallen out of use it had been converted into two cottages and James wanted to convert back. More likely it was simply a new site for a new pub. More research will hopefully bring some charity to this confusing situation. In particular we need certainty that James Twitchen's pub did indeed bear the name the Queen's Head before 1872. Joshua Phillips who was at the King's Head opposed Twitchen opening his pub as it would of course represent competition for him. The premises which James opened in 1843 stood next door to the shop of Henry Hussey. In 1863 James Twitchen of Little Marlow beer seller was also a job master. There was a younger James Twitchen, also a Liberal, and a publican in Great Marlow in this era.
1872 - 78 James Twitchen as the Queens Head, but probably there years earlier, see above. In 1878 his son Henry took over.
1878 - 91 Henry Twitchen, son of James above. In 1878 he was accused of opening during forbidden hours. In 1885 he opened a little grocery shop next door as an additional to his business.
1891 - Moses Tranter took over.
1895 - beerhouse to let with immediate possession. Includes the little grocery shop too.
1896 - Henry Hester to Thomas Hughes failed transfer. 2 . Henry Hester to Joseph Pope, briefly, then successful transfer this time to Thomas Hughes.
1897 - Thomas Hughes to George Taylor
1899 - up for sale.
1900- 07 George Taylor
1907 - George Taylor transferred licence to Henry Owen Alma Harris.
1908 - Henry Owen Alma Harris transferred licence Fred Patterson (but note Pattenden given as his name later)
1910 - Fred Pattenden - (Patterson?) to William Foster, a proposed transfer of the licence to Arthur Turner having been refused.
1920- possibly William Foster
1929 - T.R Whiting took over the licence.
1934- 1952 at least Frederick Hobbs and wife Bertha. They were previously at the Crown skirmett. In the early 1950s the pub had a Thrift Club and Slate Clubs for both men and women. There were nearly 100 members to the Thrift Club alone in 1951.
1955 - Victor Woolmore.
Written by Charlotte Day. Researched by both Charlotte and Kathryn Day.
© Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use my research for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog.
Sources Included:
1863 Dutton's Directory of Buckinghamshire etc
Bucks Free Press Nov 7th 1952, Bucks Free Press Archives.
England and Wales census 1851,61,71, 81, 91 transcribed from microfilm by Charlotte Day.
Bucks Gazette September 3rd 1842, British Library collection via the British Newspaper Archive.
Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News October 14th 1843, as above
South Bucks Standard 11th October 1895 and 25th August 1899. British Library collection, London.
Personal Interview.
Updated by Kathryn June 2025.
Historic landlord listing and history timeline:
Licensed from 1848 with unknown name then. Was known as the Star Of The Town in the 1860s, a name which *may* have been inspired by the launch of Marlow's Star of The Thames boat in 1864 - see here
1861 - ? Possibly Charles Belcher, carrier. Nephew of the Johnsons of the nearby Plough. Or is it one of the Judge family?
[1865 - Star Of The Town - Mrs Judge]
[1867 - Star Of The Town - Henry Judge, who is fined for opening his beerhouse on a Sunday despite Mrs Judge's efforts to throw the incriminating pints down into the cellar and out of sight. ]
As the Carriers Arms:
1870 - John & Mary Ann Palmer. John's parents also called John & Mary Palmer lived with them. John the son had previously been coachman to Major Henry Court at Wargrave. John junior was described as a carrier to Wycombe in 1873. In 1870 a poor "tramp" Ann Russell stole a pair of scissors belonging to Mary Ann from the premises and was sent to prison for six weeks as a result. Ann Russell had used the scissors to pay for lodgings at the Bear in Chapel Street. In 1872 a travelling man was charged with obtaining food and beer from Mary Ann under false pretences. The same occured in 1873 when a supper of bacon, potatoes and bread cost 6d plus 2d for a pint of beer at the Carriers.
1881 - John Palme
1883 - John Palmer
1887 - John Palmer's chickens stolen from the premises.
1888 - John Palmer, also a carrier assisted by his wife Mary Ann. This year Mary Ann refused to buy a box of cigars offered to her by a customer, rightly suspecting them to be stolen.
1889 - H Palmer then Benjamin Hughes
1891 - George B Hughes.
1892 - GB Hughes transferred premises to Thomas Munday. G B Hughes heads to The Plough. See here. He is later at the Black Lion,Well End, Little Marlow See here.
1893/4 - Thomas J Mundy
1895 - Alfred Sarney (see also the Black Horse)
1896 - Alfred Sarney to Mr Sawyer, then to W A Shepherd then to Thomas Richards and finally Edward John Briggs. Difficulties arose from finding proprietor that was acceptable long term licensee to authorities. Such a parade of temporary landlords is quite frequent in Marlow!
1898 - Samuel Ware 2. John Foster
1899 - Mr Foster transferred to John Debenham
1907 - John Debenham *Read about John's thwarted plans for his pub's closure and for a replacement in a new location in this post here
1911 -Mrs Lily Debenham, then holdover to Richard George Brant (who is used by brewery often to take over premises for a short time), followed by James Belcher, who had moved from Chairmaker's Arms Dean Street. See here
1912 - Firstly Richard George Brant then later that year Walter Goddard.
1912-21 Walter Goddard.
1915 Sgt Smith of the Carrier's Arms is serving in the Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry in Flanders.
1928- ex farmer James Holmes originally from Pewsey, Wiltshire took over.
1932 -James Holmes died of pneumonia following an operation. His widow Ann(e) Holmes takes over.
1934 - Ann Holmes to Alfred Ball
1935 - Alfred George Ball to Phillip Henry Hanks.
1937 - Sidney Juggins
1939 - April of that year. Margaret Juggins. Her husband was serving in the RAF at the time. As he was the one compensated for the forced closure of the pub later that year she looks to have been minding the pub for him while he was thus occupied. *Update - we have confirmed that the landlord from 1937 was Sidney Juggins*
Closed - 1939 / 1940 by authorities to reduce the number of drinking establishments in town. Last landlord Sidney Charles Juggins husband of the above Margaret. The Wethered's brewery did not oppose the forced closure as they said they had enough other premises near by. The old pub was leased for emergency housing in the 40s-50s by the Minister of Housing and Marlow Urban District Council. This ceased c1957 and the owner put it up for sale as a "lucrative" development opportunity. It was demolished late 1961 and Maple Court flats were erected on the site in 1962.
Researched by Kathryn Day and Charlotte Day.
NOTES - Many Marlow landlords switched premises over time and their family members can often be found running other pubs locally too.
Related Posts:
There are posts on this blog about individual families associated with certain pubs, as well as on individual pubs themselves so have a look at the Pub Related index here & don't forget the Person Index for all mentions of someone on this blog. Find it on the top drop down menu. Thousands are listed.
Posts about life in the neighbouring streets here
More beer sellers than bakers -Temperance in Marlow here
Lists of posts about everyday life in old Great Marlow here
SOURCES Include:
South Bucks Standard, 6 January 1893, 8 November 1895, 3 1896, Bucks Herald November 3rd 1888, each copy held at British Library archives, accessed via the BNA
1872 list of Beer Sellers, Old Bucks County Archives
Kelly's Post Office Directory 1883, 1907, 1911
Census 1881, transcription from microfilm by Charlotte Day.
©MarlowAncestors
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