1833 Parochial Assessment Great Marlow Spitalcrofts, Marlow Bottom etc

The next part of my gradual transcription of the original handwritten working notebooks used to compile this assessment. These faded notebooks are in the possession of my family, and also contain some pencilled in corrections from the later 1830s, though not in these parts, and related correspondence with some landowners etc.

This properties are all on the outer limits of the historic Great Marlow parish.

Transcription by Charlotte Day.

©Marlow Ancestors. Feel free to use this transcription with credit to this blog.

White Hill

Late Richard East, George Carr [not clear whether the late Richard and George had been joint occupiers or if George had recently replaced Richard]

Property Occupied:

Cottage

Annual worth of property:

£3

*****

Hill Green

William Ryder

Cottage and garden

£4

*****

Dirty Bottom [!] [Nr Marlow Bottom]

John Wing

Thomas Holmes

[Illegible property]

*****

Red Barn [Farm]

William Collins

New cottage and garden

£4

*****

William Hobbs

New cottage and garden

£4

*****

Booker Common

William Li... (Illegible)

Cottage and garden

£3 10 shillings

*****

Alfred Hawley

Cottage and garden

£3 10 shillings

*****

Charles Johnson

Cottage and garden

£3

*****

Widow Barlow

Cottage and garden

£3

*****

Spittle Croft [Aka Spittalcroft, Spitalcrofts etc]

John Stanmore

Cottage and garden

£3

*****

James Hawkes

Cottage and garden

£4

*****

George Brooker of Juniper Hill

Cottage and garden

£4

*****

1833 Parochial Assessment Marefield Passage

 My family has the original working notebooks used to compile this assessment by the surveyors and I am gradually transcribing them. The point of the assessment was to set tax rates for the year 1834. The occupiers rather than the owners for each property were recorded. The notebooks contain pencilled in additions and correction up to circa 1839. Where these occur on this assessment I have added the relevant notes in square brackets. Any research notes about the people mentioned are also in square brackets.

Marefield Passage [This address no longer exists. It was behind Dean Street, running between what is now Queen's Road and Cambridge Road. This was a poor neighborhood on the edge of town in those days]

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

Richard Moores

Edward Smith

Thomas Garner

William Mead

William Frith

Thomas Frith

William Clark

Robert Roberts [in pencil added later name George next to Robert but Robert not crossed out]

James Lomax

*****

Each in house and garden with annual value of £6:

Edward Aveling

John Harris

Thomas Brookes

Charles Ford [he died 1837 aged 55. His widow Elizabeth Ford may be the woman of that name who ran a baby linen business in West Street in 1839]

Richard East [he also down as having a gravel pit with an annual value of £2 10 shillings]

*****

In a cottage and large garden with annual value of:

George Clark

*****

Each occupying a cottage and garden with annual value of £3:

Joseph Clark [19 year old labourer Joseph and his new wife Maria nee Harding]

Joseph Smith

Ann Carr

Richard Price

Charles Brown

William Blake [a labourer, wife Mary]

Thomas Johnson

John Goldswain

*******

Occupying cottage and large garden worth £8:

George Clark (second one of same name Marefield)

Annual value of property: £8

*****

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

William Heffard

Elizabeth Harding

Thomas Mitchell

*****

Each occupying a house worth £5 and an additional garden each with an annual value of 10 shillings:

William Heather

John Holloway

*****

Each in a cottage with an annual value of £3:

Ann Archer

Joseph Keep [who married his wife Mary nee Godfrey in 1827]

Thomas Easley

Robert Almond

*****

Occupying a house worth £8:

School of Industry [trained poor children].

*****

To find more posts about historic residents of Marefield Passage or other Marlow streets please see our streets index here.

Thousands of people are mentioned on this blog. Look on the A-Z index for every mention of any individual.

©Marlow Ancestors.

The Shergolds- Little Marlow Schoolteachers *Updated July 2025*

 William James Shergold born circa 1856 in Basingstoke Hampshire arrived in Little Marlow to take over as the Head Teacher of the school on the 18th February 1888. With him came his wife Mary Ann born circa 1850 in Sidmouth Devon who was to act as the assistant and their three children Maud, Ethel and infant Frank.

The family had arrived from Ardsley in Yorkshire where Mary Ann and William also ran the village school with great success. They left however in something of a state of embarrassment as William had resigned his job at the National School because he was led to believe a job as head of the more prestigious Board School newly built in Ardsley was basically his for the asking. Actually it wasn't and the board appointed a different man leaving William and through him his wife without a job. Still the locals sympathised with him. Thanks to donations from over 200 people William was presented with an illuminated letter of thanks and best wishes plus a purse of gold coins. You will note Mary Ann who has also taught at the school for 11 years and is also leaving doesn't get a mention. The sexism of the time! The couple beat 4 other candidates to the Little Marlow role. 

Little Marlow's school dated from the early 1860s and catered for boys, girls and infants. The average daily attendance in 1894 was some 110 children out of a maximum capacity of 114.

The Shergolds fitted into the village straight away and their teaching was soon getting rave reviews from inspectors, the local press and their public. Mary Ann helped set up Mothers Meetings in the village. These were conducted in concert with the Mothers' Union, a Christian group devoted to promoting excellence in motherhood and the pooling of ideas, spiritual support and general encouragement between mothers of all social backgrounds. It was founded in 1874 by Mary Sumner and still exists. In the 1890s there were Mothers Meetings in Well End and Flackwell Heath as well as Little Marlow all united in the belief that no one could influence the future of the world for the good more than the mothers of the next generation. 

William meanwhile was conducting the church choir. He and his wife taught their school children to sing. Concerts by the pupils packed out.

The Shergolds may have taken a pay cut to come to Little Marlow thanks to William accidentally rendering them both unemployed. In Ardsley they had kept a live in servant but it took a few years to be able to employ household staff in Little Marlow. Things were obviously going well for them by 1905 when William advertised in the Maidenhead Advertiser for a live in cook. His family he said had a coach. Why was this information relevant? Firstly, because telling an applicant that you had a coachman reassured them that you were a gentleman and that you had plenty of money thus hinting at respectability and the means to pay a competitive wage. Secondly, because those living in country villages without train stations suffered a high turnover of staff who found their situation too dull and isolated- not to mention exhausting if they were expected to run errands on foot into the nearest town. The Shergolds suggest their cook could at least sometimes be dropped into town by the coach. A gentry family would not behave in this friendly way very often but William and Mary Ann sprang from humble origins. It is extremely unlikely that they could afford to employ a coachman so William Shergold would be the driver himself.

On the 10th anniversary of the Shergolds arrival at Little Marlow, the managers of the school passed a resolution to put on record their absolute approval of the teachers work. Both had worked with "perfect fidelity, sound judgement and remarkable success". The Rev Thompson added that the pair had  shown great loyalty to the school (probably acknowledging they could be better paid elsewhere) and had always met him with earnest spirit of co operation. 

Daughter Ethel trained as a pupil teacher under her parents. Once qualified in 1887 she was offered an assistant teacher's post in Trinity Schools Reading. The South Bucks Standard said that she would go there with Little Marlow's "warm esteem and cordial wishes".

By 1915 daughter Maud was acting as an assistant schoolteacher at Little  Marlow too. On the 1881 census in Ardsley she had been entered as a three year old scholar so William and Mary Ann started them young! 

In 1915 William was still the head but his assistant teacher is a Miss Ellen Frost so Mary Ann had perhaps retired and Maud moved on. She married first a Mr Johnson and then in 1924 a William Berrey. 

Son Frank became an electrical engineer who lived in Enfield with his wife Gertrude.

In 1920 William retired after 32 years service. He received a handsome cheque for £100, money raised entirely by voluntary subscription. It was noted that Mrs Shergold  had been known as "Mother" because of the kind attention she had paid to the children in her care. William had transformed the school it's mangers said, because he believed education should also include care of the children's physical and moral health. He had started organised games, and established a flourishing school garden for the boy pupils among other things and limited the use of learning by rote and cramming. 

On retirement the couple left Little Marlow to join their son in Enfield. I'm sure they were much missed. 

Researched and written by Charlotte Day.

For more Little Marlow related posts see this index or for Little Marlow grave pics see here.

©Marlow Ancestors. 

Some sources:

Kelly's post office Directory of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire 1911 and 1915. Kellys Directories Limited.

"England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9Y1-MXY : 20 May 2019), William Shergold, Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing Marlow subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.

"England and Wales Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27Y-73JJ : 11 December 2017), Wm Jas Shergold, Ardsley, Yorkshire,Yorkshire West Riding, England; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales Census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing p. 15, Piece/Folio 4600/45, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,775,291.

South Bucks Standard 10th December 1897. Burnley Chronicle 3rd March 1888. Maidenhead Advertiser 14tg June 1905. British Library. Via the BNA.

 Bucks Free Press 9th July 1920, Wycombe Library. 

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWHM-BZB

Webb's Gang Of Marauders

 In the 1820's Great Marlow and the country about was in a state of terror to quote one newspaper of the day. The neighborhood was the victim of a prolonged crime wave encompassing house breaking, robbery, and sheep stealing to name a few. Householders were aghast at the seeming impunity with which the criminals were able to conduct their business. It seemed no one was safe from their attentions, whether a shop keeper or a wealthy landowner. 

Rumours and counter rumours circulated but the conclusion generally reached was that a good number of the crimes were very professionally done and quite possibly the work of one determined and prolific gang. Some thought they were from London, others from Reading, but the truth was unfortunately a little closer to hand. 

Webb's Gang

Webb's gang of marauders, or Webb's banditos as they were generally known, consisted of a large number of men. It is doubtful we can ever be sure of the identity of all the members. Some also worked independently at least some of the time but it was as a "frightful confederacy" that they aroused the most fear. The Webb of the title refers to the supposed ringleader Richard Webb of Cookham Dean, whose brother Thomas was also heavily involved as well as other relatives who participated in a more minor way. The other principle member was blacksmith James Ayres (Earis, Ayris,Eyres) of Handy Cross but there were many others.

Stolen To Order

Richard Webb said he was born in Mapledurham. He certainly worked Oxfordshire as well as Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. James Ayres in his respectable day job as blacksmith was the one responsible for scouting a number of properties for nefarious purposes. He was called upon to do jobs at many of the large estates in the area, including that belonging to significant Marlow landowner Sir William Clayton at Harleyford. James had an excellent reputation as a craftsmen and was often called back to do more work by his satisfied wealthy clients. Unfortunately while on the estates, James took the opportunity to assess the best way in and out, and what livestock would be available to liberate. The gang had a particular interest in meat for reasons that will soon become clear! It is likely that James used his smith skills to provide the tools of the housebreaking trade that were later found in the gangs possession. 

Richard had a barn at Cookham Dean, which was used to store much of the gangs tools and ill gotten gains, in pits under the floor to protect them from casual notice. These hiding places were partially uncovered during a thorough search after his eventual capture but it's telling that some of them were only discovered when a gang member revealed their location. Money was also found under the floorboards of his home. Richard worked, amongst other things, as a carrier of goods between Maidenhead / Cookham, and London. This provided him with the perfect cover for frequent trips to the capital to dispose of the stolen goods. It also enables him to take orders for the gangs next jobs. Orders? Yes, such was the gangs success at stealing livestock that they supplied a number of cookshops and butchers with their regular meat orders! Chief amongst these, was that belonging to brother Thomas Webb. Richard appears also to have had a cookshop, at Ipstone (Ibstone) for a time - a premises there was certainly supplied by them but there is some confusion as to ownership. For example, Lord Carrington's estate at Wycombe Abbey was a favourite stop  - 13 turkeys, 5 geese and a number of fowls were taken on one average occasion. It was often wondered afterwards how the gang managed to steal such quantities of animals at once, without making too much noise. It was suspected by understandably embarrassed estate staff that the gang were drugging the beasts, but at first this was dismissed as pure speculation  The gang were regarded as ambitious and reckless but yet remained at large. Poor farmer James Crook at Clay Lane was another repeated victim. Horses, pigs, sheep...all found their way into the gangs hands. (Another man was  10 years later transported in connection with a theft from James, which also involved some Handy Cross residents!) Mr King of Chisbridge Farm near Bovingdon Green also suffered more than one raid on his larder. 

Where it all began

Thomas Webb would later say that he had first came to know Ayres and his friend Reeves while he was living at the tiny hamlet of Spital Cross not far from Handy Cross. Thomas had worked as a farm labourer, shepherd and ploughman and was approximately 35 years old. At some point he had suffered an injury to one eye, leaving him partially sighted. 

The men had gone poaching together mostly on Clayton and Carrington land around Marlow, Harleyford and Wycombe. Their success lead them to consider operations on a somewhat wider scale. In 1825 Thomas had moved from Spittal Cross to Willsden, Middlesex where he rented a house and set up a cookshop there, before moving to Sleaford Place Battersea to run the same. Those tucking into the hot mutton dinners and pies may have been surprised to find the shop was entirely supplied by criminal endeavour.  The brothers Webb had became the centre of the gang that would bear their name. Ayres was already allegedly an experienced house breaker and the men were connected to many other thieves, poachers, and fences. 

Christmas Keeps Them Busy

In December 1826 the gang were particularly prolific, going on a thieving spree on a considerable scale to fulfil Christmas orders. Perhaps they were too busy to be as careful at covering their tracks but suddenly Thomas Webb came under suspicion. On Boxing Day, he was apprehended at his Battersea Fields cook shop where a suspicious amount of valuable meat remained which could not be properly accounted for. He was subsequently sentenced to death and held at Reading gaol in the mean time. Previously only relatively minor if prolific members of the gang had been arrested.   

James Ayres was unaware that the net about him was beginning to tighten. Also in December 1826, he partnered with his frequent collaborator,  labourer Edward Reeves lately of Wycombe, to commit yet another burglary. The victim this time was the "most respectable" widow Rachel Wise of Cockpole near Wargrave. Rachel had a chandler's shop. She locked up as normal on the 23rd December and retired to bed on the premises, sleeping soundly through the entire experience. This is perhaps fortunate as uncorroborated claims in contemporary newspapers suggested that Reeves had expressed a wish to "do for" the lady should she disturb them at which Ayres had suggested she would scream too much so they had better hold off any plans to finish her off. These "two desperate characters" were waiting and watching outside. Under the cover of darkness they removed the outer door and helped themselves to poor Rachel's seasonal takings plus items from the larder of course. Bacon, butter, pies and tobacco amongst other goods. They around this time also robbed the home of Mrs Skinner in Wargrave. 

A Noose Awaits Richard

The end came for Richard early in 1827. He stole a horse from Thomas Pearman of Mapledurham, and also set light to a barn at the property. The exact reason for the latter action is uncertain, with statements at the time suggesting he either had a particular grudge against Pearman or it was an accidental action. Either way, Richard's luck had run out and the horse was traced before he could pass it on. Arrested at last, with something less than the struggle predicted, Richard found himself in Oxford gaol. He was convicted, and sentenced to death. Horse stealing was regarded as a particular serious theft and the sentence was virtually inevitable, even if he had been suspected of involvement in no other crime. He was hung outside the county gaol on the 27th March 1827. 

Net Closing On All

 Interest was now focused on Ayres and Reeves. It was not the first time the pair had targeted the Cockpole area and it seems their appearance had begun to arouse suspicion when it coincided with a crime. Local landowner Edmund Gardiner of Remenham Lodge was determined to stop the crime wave locally. He set about tracing James and Edward and pursued them relentlessly. Mostly thanks to his efforts in posting rewards for information, the "ruffians" were caught although not for several months.  They were recognised as the last remaining significant members of Webb's gang and with their arrest in 1827, the country breathed a cautious sigh of relief.  One man in particular must have been grateful.. Wycombe mill clerk John Fowler. When the gang had raided the premises of his employer Mr Prestage in 1824, they had made away with a quantity of money. So skillfully had the gang broke in that at first it was considered an inside job and as counting house clerk poor John Fowler had come under suspicion. He had protested his innocence and no action was taken against him but he felt that suspicion had only really  been lifted from his shoulders when items from the mill were found in the gangs possession. Some members subsequently confessed to the group's involvement there. (Ayres and Reeves were the principle two involved)

By the time of Ayres trial, Thomas Webb was already sentenced to death. This was however commuted to transportation for life. His crime was recieving stolen goods, which was often treated as seriously as doing the crime itself, in order to act as a deterrent to those enabling the wrongdoers to lead a profitable life.  As such I have noticed that this sequence of events, a capital sentence followed by immediate or virtually immediate commutation to something such as transportation was common. After his conviction at the Berkshire Assizes, Thomas made quite a lengthy confession to his gaoler. In this he detailed the gangs involvement in a number of crimes they had not been suspected of. He was transported for life on the ship Marmion on the 2 Nov 1827, arriving at Van Diemens Land in March 1828. There he was placed in a chain gang with hard labour a condition of his commuted sentence. The time he was to spend in this way was extended by 3 months after he was caught stealing vegetables growing in the garden of a Mr Kennedy. 

The Trial Of Ayres

Ayres trial was therefore held after other gang members had at length derailed his involvement in their confederacy. The principle witness against him was described as the wife of an already convicted gang member whose husband had been sentenced to transportation. I believe this was the wife of Thomas Webb. This lady aroused the pity of many of those watching, as she held a baby in her arms during her evidence. This little child was cheerfully gurgling and playing with its mother's bonnet ribbons, unaware of the fact it had lost its father and he or she was hearing words that would seal the fate of another. The judge however said the wives evidence came from a "contaminated" source as she had profited from her own husband's involvement with the crimes committed. The jury should therefore disregard her testimony if it could not be corroborated by other evidence. Unfortunately for 25 year old Ayres, it could. It was proven amongst other things that he had access to a barn in which the tools of the criminal trade were found. (Muzzled pistols, picklocks, crowbars, adapted lanterns). James had used his smithy to process some of the group's bounty. For example he erased the private marks on the silverware stolen from a wealthy lady in Sonning, which would have easily identified the pieces as hers. 

He was found guilty and sentenced to transportation for life. He was according to the Berkshire Chronicle, one of the most accomplished burglars ever let loose on his majesties subjects.  He was transferred to the York Hulk in September 1827 to await transportation. He left on the same ship as Thomas Webb, the Marmion, which departed Portsmouth on 2 November 1827, and arrived at Van Diemens Land 6 March 1828. In 1843 it was reported that James was going to be given a general pass or ticket of leave, while the governor awaited a decision on his recommendation that James be given a pardon, or end to his sentence.  It looks like James was indeed granted a conditional pardon. A pardon is not a quashing of the conviction. Those transported for life were usually entitled to be considered for a ticket of leave after 8 years or so served, subject to good behaviour. This ticket allowed them more freedom, and the ability to do paid work. Then a pardon may be issued, which might be conditional or absolute, the latter allowing legal return to the UK. James appears to have been giving leave to settle anywhere that wasn't in Europe so he could go to another colony. I believe he stayed in Australia as he made an application for his family to join him there. 

Bold and Unblushing

It seems that even the most suspicious were stunned by how many crimes the men had got away with for years. "Short of murder they were stained with every species of crime"..their "atrocities" "without parallel".  What everyone wanted to know was how they had managed to take sometimes dozens of animals, night after night. The answer according to Thomas Webb, was that they had drugged the beasts by sprinkling peas and barley meal mixed with laudenham on the ground. In 10 minutes they could collect the senseless animals with ease they said and carry them off. 

I am uncertain yet as to what happened to Edward Reeve (s) immediately after  his arrest. He was caught at the same time as Ayres but does not seem to go on trial at that time. He may be the Edward Reeves who was transported for 7 years on the Sarah in August 1829, although this conviction was for perjury. A delay between conviction and transportation is not uncommon, with the time spent in a mixture of gaol and prison hulks but further research is needed. Edward had lived in Marlow but immediately before his rest he had been living at the Bull inn in High Wycombe. 

Other Members:

I have mentioned the leading gang members so now is a mention of some others. 

Firstly I will mention two boys who were not gang members but who were taken on at least one burglary expedition. Perhaps to learn the trade. This is according to the confession of Thomas Webb. These were the two nephews of Thomas, William who was age 14 at the time, and James age 11. The two youngsters took no active part in proceedings and no action was taken against them. At the time it was stated as shocking that such young men were due to be indoctrinated in the trade, which was perhaps out of touch with the reality of child crime. 

James Rockall/ Rockell of Remenham. Transported for life, Bucks Assizes. Left on ship Mangles July 1824 age 21. Mostly involved in burglary. Worked with Ayres, Biggs, and Dean on a number of jobs.  See Dean below. In 1825 was convict servant in Newcastle to Dr Carlyle. In 1828 was working as assigned shephard to F & A Little. Granted ticket of leave 1830 as he apprehended a bush ranger targeting his employer Archibald Little. (A horse had been stolen) Place given then as Gammon Plains.  Sometimes given as Rockhol. 

Richard Biggs/Briggs of Wycombe. Alias Johnson. Mostly involved in the burglaries. 

Transported for life 1824, on the transport ship Mangles. See Dean below. 

Josiah "Dutchman" Deane. Age 19 on conviction in March 1824 at Aylesbury. One of those involved in the Chisbridge thefts. Sentenced to transportation for life. A carter from High Wycombe. Left with Rockall and Biggs on board the ship Mangles which departed under master John Cogshill in July 1824 and arrived New South Wales 27 October 1824. Conduct on the journey "pretty good". Assigned as convict servant to "Mr Crawford". In 1828 is still a servant, at Ellalong. 

"Donkey Dean" identity not properly established. Not apprehended. 

Thomas East of Marlow. Said to have been caught by March 1827 and likely to be transported but I have not researched him further yet. From a long family of butchers. Suspected of handling stolen goods. 

William Clark. Possibly of Marlow. 

 Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

© MarlowAncestors. 

 Related Posts:

To find all posts about an individual here use the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. 

Other crime related posts including tales of more convicts, poachers etc here

Clay Lane farm mentioned above ; history timeline here

Sources include:

Handy Cross research by Charlotte and Kathryn. 

Pearce Egans Life In London, 12 aug 1827, digitised by Google.  

Sun London August 1827. (Collected edition, circa 1899)

Oxford University and City Herald 

31 March 1827

Hampshire Chronicle 2 April 1827

Oxford Journal 10 March and 28 July 1827, Via the BNA. 

The Globe 25 August 1827, via the BNA. 

Berkshire Chronicle 29 September 1827 British Library. 

Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 89, Class and Piece Number HO11/6, Page Number 291 (147)

Convict Indents. State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12188; Item: [4/4009A]; Microfiche: 654

Https://www.freesettlerorfelon.com

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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.

Becking Farm / Beacon Farm Marlow Occupiers

Becking Farm later known as Beacon Farm, Great Marlow was near to Booker. The farm was 120 acres in extent in 1709 and 109 acred in 1861. Note this farm is often owned and sold in tandem with Seymour Court, Seymour Court Farm and Tippocks/Triphooks. 

Historic occupiers (who are not usually also the owners):

1709- farm existed. Unknown occupier but Etheridge family look to have owned it. (Etheredge)

1789 - freehold owner or possibly leaseholder (conflicting primary sources) John Johnson Esq of Seymour Court. John died 1821.  

1791-1811 Benjamin Stallwood. Left the farm and moved to Old House Farm, Handy Cross as all the protected game in Sir William Clayton's private game preserve next to Becking Farm kept escaping onto Benjamin's farm and destroying his crops. The damage done was to the tune of £80. Benjamin faced ruin but was mocked by Clayton when he appealed for compensation. His sympathetic landlord John Johnson of Seymour Court Marlow tried to help by advertising for people who knew what they were doing to shoot the straying game and then, when that was insufficient, offering him the rental of Old House Farm instead. Benjamin remained at Old House until 1831. In the years after the game fiasco Benjamin wrote several times to the press to describe the pain he felt at what had happened. His case was also widely used to illustrate the injustice of the Game Laws that allowed rich peoples "sporting" interests to override the basic needs and wellbeing of other country people.  

1814- James (?) Johnson owner as above seems to have been farming it himself.

1822-1830 George Lunn. Wife Mary who died 1822. He died 1830. He also by then farmed at nearby Seymour Court Farm where he actually lived. In his will he left all his farm stock to his nephews Edward and William Poulton. Grew oats, barley and wheat and kept cattle at Becking.

1833- 1838. Richard Lovegrove was the farmer though he lived in Bray, Berkshire. In his 1838 will he left his farm stock on Becking and his leases of both there and Widmere Farm Marlow to his nephew John Lovegrove who was already farming Widmere. Richard was only able to make a mark, not sign his will.

1840 - farm freehold up for sale, by executors of George Rogers Esq. 103 acres and a farmhouse. Note there were two men called George Rogers in Marlow at the same time.

1838-1843 John Lovegrove as above. (Yearly tenant) Also farmed Widmere Farm, where he lived. By 1847 had given up farming and was running the King's Head, High Wycombe. He faced bankruptcy then. 

1848- 1858 James Taylor. Wife Harriet. Raising turkeys was a big part of their trade. Seventeen birds were stolen from the farm in 1857. Also farmed at Prestwood Common. Previously of Little Missenden - he initially remained living there when he took over Beckings. He had been ejected from his last farm after a dispute with his landlord. At that time he'd suffered insolvency but managed to dissolve his debts of £664 in 1851. 

1861- 1865 Stephen Stevenson. Moved from Iver Bucks after January 1859. In 1865 worker on the farm was jailed for 6 weeks with hard labour for stealing a fowl from his employer.

1881-1901. Whoever is farming there does not live in. Carter James North however does live on site on the farm throughout this period. His wife Sarah died there in 1892. In 1889 Beacon and Moor Farms are offered  at auction as a sporting estate in one lot of altogether just over 660 acres. They are described as currently let to a tenant bar 220 odd acres of woodland in hand.  

1928- H Daniel.

Our blog focuses on people in Marlow up to the 1920s so I will leave it there.

Dates next to a person are when I have firm historic evidence of that person farming there. They may have been there earlier or later too. This is ongoing research and I hope that I will be able to fill in any gaps eventually.

Farm occupancies are determined by me from the study of wills I have transcribed, property records, adverts, agricultural journals, censuses, court cases etc.

For other farm related posts see the Specific Shops, Streets Etc option here for Marlow farms or for farms at Little Marlow or other places see the Nearby Places option. Use the Person Index option on the menu to see all mentions of any individual on the blog.  Thousands of people are mentioned.

©Marlow Ancestors. If using this research credit this blog. You are very welcome to do so.

Will of Joseph Stevens 1843

 Joseph Stevens of Great Marlow, tailor. Proved 1843.

All wearing apparel, household goods, furniture, plate, linen, china, ready money, money in funds and all other personal effects to his sister Jane Stevens.

She is made sole executor.

Witnessed by:

William Thomson, Doctor of Medicine 51 Upper Charlotte Street, Fitzroy Square [London].

Francis Oliver Finch, artist of 51 (yes same number) Upper Charlotte Street, Fitzroy Square, [London].

Summarized by me from a will held at National Archives, Kew.

Notes: Joseph was of West Street Marlow. His property is featured on the 1833 parochial assessment here

Will transcription index for the blog here.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to reproduce this summary if you credit this blog.

Copy Farm Marlow Historic Occupiers

Copy Farm at Copy Green. Not to be confused with Charity Copy Farm which was much smaller (though I suppose they were originally one) which was left to charity by Benjamin and William Loftin in 1759. (Or rather money was left for the purchase of land to provide an income for the charity). The latter also called Loftin's Charity Farm at times.

Description: 1844= 106 arable. 1854= 112 acres with 2 workers cottages, stable and 3 barns 1861= 112 acres. 1910= 110 acres. 1919= arable and pasture 112 acres. 1927= Under 100 acres.

1798- Mr Johnson.

1833- John Gibbons occupier, owned by Mr Hammond. 107 acres. At that time Copy Charity Farm amounting to 60 acres was occupied by William Goldswain.

Owned by Robert Hammond certainly between 1845-55. Likely remains in that family ownership long after.  Unknown occupier - believe to be John Gibbons still in 1847 but uncertain.  Robert in his will proved 1855 asked for it to be sold after his death. 

1861- William Greenwood. Wife Alice. 1861 census says employs 3 men and 2 boys. Sold up his stock and left town 1865.

1871-91 Thomas King. He also occupied Widmere Farm. He was a churchwarden of Marlow. Wife Mary. See previous post here on Widmere Farm for much more on his farming life.

1891-95 Emmanuel William Plumridge. Leased from Mrs Hammond whose agent Mr Lawrence allegedy  would not let him leave lease early after Emmanuel suffered the expensive death of all 9 of his farm horses during an agricultural depression when things were already tough. Emmanuel was ruined as a result of being unable to get out of his loss making farm. He seems to have been illiterate and thus unable to understand what rental agreement he was signing (with just an X). (He does seem to have been very confused about the circumstances in general, and at first said he'd signed no rental agreement, then he stated that he hadn't recognised the document for what it was.) According to Emmanuel he'd transferred his stock from Field Farm in Marlow to Copy Farm to make way for the expansion of Captain Marshalls Menagerie. He thought he'd taken Copy Farm on for three years but at the end of this period he was told he must give two years notice to quit! You can read more about Emmanuel and especially his wife here

1900- J Wheeler. May be mistake for Leonard J Wheeler.

1901- Leonard John Wheeler. Had been publican at Royal Oak Bovingdon Green, 1893-95. Prior to coming to Marlow had been a farmer at Wargrave Berkshire like his dad. Left Marlow by 1911.

1910. For sale.

1910-16. Arthur Hawes. In 1901 he lived with his parents Thomas and Mary at nearby Charity Copy Farm [not same as Copy Farm] though he seems to have been the farmer there rather than them. He and his dad worked at Charity Copy as labourers and the whole family lived there long before that.

1927-28. Fred Lee.

Occupation compiled from property records, adverts, wills, court cases, agricultural journals etc.

Ongoing research, more will be added if possible.

To find all mention of your ancestors here, use the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu. For other farm related posts, see the Specific Streets, farms, schools etc option on the same menu. Happy hunting! 

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

Will Samuel Smith of Great Marlow 1721.

 Will written and proved 1721. Bricklayer. 

Says sick and weak in body but of sound mind and perfect memory, thanks be to God.

Dear and living wife Susannah is the executor. Burial at her discretion.

She also gets all pieces of land he owns in Cookham and Bray. These are in the occupations of William ....ers and William Hatch. Also the house William Hatch dwells in with all outbuildings, yards, orchards and appurtenances. Also any other freehold or leasehold property he has in Cookham and a messuage or cottage with all closes, hereditaments etc that go with it in Wooburn, Bucks. Also the mortgage on the Wooburn property made to the testator by Mr [might possibly read Mrs not Mr] Butterfield.

My sister Parsons £10.

Jointly between my sister Margaret Johnson and her children Dorothy and Jeffrey £10.

Niece Elizabeth ?Boyd £50.

All remaining money after debts paid to wife who also gets all household goods, implements and furniture.

Witnessed by Thomas Bidle, William Parsons, Robert Bidle and ....Tripp.

For more will transcriptions see the Wills option on the menu. All mentions of someone on this blog can be found on the Person Index. Over 2,300 people are mentioned.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to reproduce this transcription for family or local history purposes, with credit to this blog.

The Thin Line Between Life And Death

 Before our ancestors had easy access to the likes of antibiotics, and tetanus shots, any kind of accident could spell disaster. This post tells the story of the death of three Marlow men and boys, related by birth or marriage, to illustrate how fine the line between life and death could be. 

First we have Abraham Creswell (or Cresswell, the family used both spellings as you can see from their graves at All Saints). Abraham was the son of William and Mary Creswell of Wycombe Road Farm. William was a strong minded man who had many battles with those in authority, over land and highway encroachment issues. Read about this entertaining character here . This independent spirit was also stubborn in his dealings with his sons. It is said that while he expected them to help on the farm, he would not allow them any say in it's management, or their own affairs or indeed any share in it's profit while he lived. When Abraham was bought home in 1860 in a tipsy state by a policeman, William refused to let him in and told the constable to lock his son up instead. So they did. William may have been a tough master, but he was also a shrewd investor in land and combined with a talent for thriftiness, this allowed him to leave a substantial legacy of approx £16,000. His land holdings were divided out, with High Rews (Ruse) Farm going to son William, and the Wycombe Road Farm to Abraham. Abraham also inherited £4000 and the house in Wycombe Road. He had fulfilled many other roles before he finally gained his inheritance. He was for example a carrier working for his wife's relations the Johnsons of the neighbouring Plough Inn. He later won the contract to provide cartage services for the Great Marlow Railway Company although he was relieved of this duty 2 years later for failing to perform services, and a failure to render accounts. He probably had heard so many lectures from his parsimonious father about accounting for every farthing to render making up his own accounts an unpleasant task! 

Abraham would enjoy being in charge of his farm for just a year. In the February of 1894, he took a trip to Beaconsfield Fair for business purposes. On his return, he pulled up his horse and cart in the farmyard. Then a freak accident occured. He dropped his whip, and as he stooped down to retrieve it from the floor, his horse stepped back and trod on his hand, cutting it badly. It was obviously a painful injury, but worse was to follow. Abraham's arm swelled a huge amount, and he became unconscious. Blood poisoning had set in, and a few days later, Abraham was dead. He left a wife Jane (nee Belcher) and 7 children. There are many unfortunate similar cases relating to accidents on farms, and in fields. 

Both Abraham and Jane had lost siblings in tragic circumstances. Abraham's brother Edward died aged 16, also at the Wycombe Road Farm. He went out to the fields armed with a gun in order to scare birds from an area of freshly sown seed. The trigger caught on his sleeve, and the gun fired accidentally. He was hit in the foot but managed to hobble home assisted by his 11 year old brother. At first he did not seem in too much pain, but when his foot was examined, it was realised the shot had gone through his big toe. A surgeon was called - and he came armed with the tools for amputation of the toe. This may sound extreme but it was thought the toe was shattered. After examining the boy, the doctor initially wanted to proceed with the operation. But then he changed his mind. He was well aware of the risk of infection after amputation, and so decided on balance not to remove the toe or at least not yet. But sadly young Edward developed lock jaw or tetanus as we would call it, weakened rapidly and died just 3 days after the accident. The inquest was held at the Plough. 

The second case was that of Charles Belcher, the brother of Abraham's wife Jane. She was the "girl next door" living at the Plough with her parents and her maternal grandparents who ran it, the Johnsons. When her brother Charles was 16, he was working for a coal merchant. They praised the fact that he was always busy and could be trusted to get on with his work. They were therefore happy to leave him at the coal yard while they were out making deliveries. One day they returned in cold and wet conditions to see Charles working outside carrying coals. He seemed to be unsteady. They made a good natured comment to him along the lines of "You haven't been working out here in these conditions have you? You'll do yourself an injury!" They told Charles to learn from their experience and do a different task as it was far too slippery to make progress moving loads. They had already expressly forbade the young man to carry heavy weights alone as they knew he did not have the experience to do so. These comments, well meant, unfortunately seem to have had the affect of preventing Charles from admitting that he had in fact tried to lift loads beyond those he was allowed to, and what's more had injured his hip in doing so. He told one worker who noticed him wince that he had had a slight slip and was a little tired but did not mention the heavy weights he had been carrying. His mother thought him in low spirits but did not realize that he was in pain. But the pain got worse, and Charles could no longer disguise it. His mother would not take his denial that he was not injured, and so he confessed that he had suffered an accident at work. But he did not want to tell her he had done it while not following orders or that several days had passed since it occured. Instead he told her he had suffered a fall from a small height the previous day. She immediately called a surgeon. This mans assessment of Charles was based on the fact he had only just hurt himself, rather than the fact the pain had been growing steadily worse over several days. He said that had he known the injury was not a fresh one, and was the result of a strain lifting a weight rather than a fall, he would have treated the boy differently. As the boys condition suddenly and unexpectedly worsened, he confided to his mother how the accident had truly happened, and how he had been frightened he would not be allowed back to work if he told the truth. He said his employer was not to blame, as he had not been asked to tax his strength, and in fact had been expressly forbidden to do so. It was only after speaking to the employers who remembered the wet slippery conditions in the yard the week before, and what Charles had said about a minor slip of foot, that the length of time the poor boy had hidden his injury was revealed. Sadly the delay in seeking help was a fatal one and Charles died. It is believed he succumbed to an internal rupture or hernia.

Astonishingly this was not the end of the families ill luck when it came to accidents. The South Bucks Standard of April 17th 1903 [British Library Archives, via the BNA] reported that Alfred Cresswell aged 11 was severely injured when a gun his 14 year old brother was playing with went off and shot Alfred in the arm. These boys were the sons of Abraham and Jane and the accident occurred at the widowed Jane's then home up at High Rews Farm.

Related Posts

Danger of fire here

More medical history related posts can be found under the General Marlow History option on the menu. 

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

Some sources

1871, 1881, 1891 Census transcribed from microfilm by Charlotte Day. 

GRO Death Index. 

Creswell, Belcher and Johnson family research by Charlotte Day

South Bucks Standard 16 March 1894, 1 November 1895, copy from British Library archive.  

Maidenhead Advertiser 1 April 1893 as above. 

© Marlow Ancestors

Little Lives Lost in the Thames

 The grave of young drowning victim Thomas Brown of Little Marlow.  Died July 17 1855 age 12. Also on the grave is his sister Ann who died age 4 in 1850. (Grave at Little Marlow)

When we published a post on the lives of the bargemen who lived and worked in Marlow, we included some information about a few of those that were drowned in the river. This was sadly only the tip of the iceberg and this post is dedicated to a sample few of the children who died in the water pre 1920..  

Most of the children died after deliberately entering the water to bathe, or because of a boating accident. The current, weeds, sudden drops in water depth, obstructions, and for the girls in particular unwieldy clothes and lack of swimming instruction all played their part. The case of a little girl who tumbled into the river when trying to retrieve coins thrown from a passing steamer was a little different. She is dealt with in a different post, along with the death of a 14 year old barge hand. 

The grave pictured above of Thomas Brown age 12 belongs to the second boy of Little Marlow to drown within the space of 4 years in the 1830's. Thomas went to bathe at Marlow Bridge and was swept out of his depth by the current. Another boy who went to his aid was nearly killed also. It is interesting if sad to read that the water was so clear that the body of young Thomas could be seen lying at the bottom of the river and so it could be recovered almost immediately. 

The following year 2 more children were claimed by the water. With the water high and stream running fast, 8 year old James Johnson stood little chance when he overbalanced while crossing Hurley Lock. He was carrying a rake and bucket as he had been helping his dad cut some grass. Despite his fathers frantic efforts, the boy could not be reached in time to save his life. The second victim was Miss Croxon who fell from a punt while playing. On this occasion, the water certainly was not clear enough to find her quickly. It took some time to recover her body. 

This last death had an unfortunate echo when 14 year old Grace Simpkins drowned at Temple Lock in 1904. She was the daughter of the lock keeper*. The circumstances are not absolutely clear because the only witness was across the other side of the river. He saw Grace fall from her bicycle down the steep bank adjacent to the lock and within sight of her home. But he did not see what occasioned her fall. This witness James Davis was a gardener at Temple Lodge and he had been mowing a lawn there. He shouted to gain the attention of the lock keeper but could not be heard. He ran to get a boat but the delay meant that it was 20 minutes before the alarm was successfully raised. When William Simpkins, Grace's father, came running to help he had no idea that the young lady victim was his daughter. On seeing her bicycle in the water, he is said to have exclaimed "My God, it's my poor girl". The most likely explanation is that Grace over balanced as she was carrying a milk can, having stopped to buy some on the way home from school as she had done many times before. They believed she had perhaps hit her head as she fell or was washed out of her depth by the current or by the wash of a steamer which passed through the Lock while Davis was getting the boat. The people on the boat had not seen the girl in the water but had tragically seen a floating milk can. 

The lack of a proper safe public bathing place was constantly raised after the death of a child or adult in the Thames. As time passed there was some provision made by private individuals or clubs such as the Boys Life Brigade - the story of swimming in the Thames can be found elsewhere on the blog. The last drowning we will feature in this post shows how urgent the need for such a facility was. In 1904 George Finch, age 15, who could not swim, nevertheless decided to have a bathe. He went to the (unmanned) Boys Life Brigade bathing place in the back waters behind the lock, although he was not a member and had not obtained a ticket. It seems the bathing shed was unlocked and he undressed there. Later his clothes were found inside but there was no sign of the boy. A search was made and his body was recovered near the back of the Compleat Angler, just 4 yards from the bank. George worked at Wethered's brewery. 

This is just a small sample of the young victims we could name. There are also children who had a narrow escape and were saved thanks to the bravery of other young swimmers or adults. 

*Grace was the second lock keepers daughter to drown at Temple. 11 year old Ellen Lawrence Wood died there in the summer of 1888. (Daughter of William John Wood) And at Hurley in 1909 lock keeper Henry Wise lost his 4 year old son Teddy to drowning. The child was supposed to have climbed into a punt to play and then fallen in. Even after the doctor had declared the boy dead, his father was seen to still attempt to resuscitate his son, hoping against hope for a miracle that never came. 

For information on the bargemen and others who drowned while working on the river - see this post 

Bargemen of Marlow here

Floods in Marlow History, and plans to "embank and canalize" the river between Marlow & Henley here

Bellows, bricks and brandy - reviving the drowned here

Avert your eyes, bathers about! Victorian nude bathing at Marlow and swimming races here here

Biography Robert Shaw, king of the river here

Sources

Fennell, John Grenville - The Rail and the Rod - or Tourist Anglers Guide to Waters and Quarters (H Cox 1867)

Royal Commission on River Pollution -Third Report of the Commission appointed to inquire upon the best means of the pollution of the River Thames - 1866 (G E Eyre and W Spottiswoode 1866) 

Berkshire Chronicle - 25 July 1835, from British Library.

Bucks Gazette - 1 August 1835, as above

Reading Mercury - 23 May 1836, as above

South Bucks Standard - 26 June 1896, 12 June 1908, as above

Henley Advertiser 20 August 1904, as above. 

Humane Society for the reviving of persons apparently dead by drowning - (Royal Humane Society London 1783.)

Researched and written by Kathryn Day. 

©Marlow Ancestors 

1833 Parochial Assessment Great Marlow Part Six West Street / Potlands

 I have in my family the original working notebooks used to compile the official assessment along with some related correspondence but they are old and very fragile so I thought I would transcribe some of them on my blog.

©Marlow Ancestors. Please give credit to this blog and link here if using my transcription but you are very welcome to do so. 

Other parts of the transcription can be found listed on the "Specific Shops, Streets etc" option on the menu, under the street name concerned.

Formula of transcription is:

Name

Property

Annual value of property.

Any notes of mine coming from other research are in square brackets. Also, the notebooks were annotated with additional information by their custodians up to about 1839. If any such annotations appear for these properties they will be included and flagged as such.

West Street Continued

Robert Hammond [This is The Heathers]

Dwelling house, yard, stables, barn and large garden

£30

*****

Late William Walding [property no longer exists]

Cottage and garden

£4

*****

Charles Darvill [property no longer exists]

Cottage and garden

£4

*****

Mary Hammond [this is Western House]

Large house, farm yard, barns, stables, sheds, paddock, garden, etc

£35

Garden adjoining Mrs Flemming's

£2

*****

Widow Flemming

House and garden

£6

*****

Benjamin Marcham

Cottage and garden 

£4

*****

Robert Piggott

Cottage and garden 

£4

*****

Potts Lands [Portlands today, most commonly Potlands in the past]

John Croxen [Croxon]

Cottage

£3 10 shillings

*****

William Cross [labourer]

Cottage

£4

*****

Thomas Stockbridge

Cottage

£5

A large garden

£7

*****

Joseph May [gardener]

House, wood house, piggery, large garden

£7

*****

James Atkins  [Labourer. Still Potlands 1841 and 1849. This cottage was owned by the Wethered family]

Cottage and garden

£5

*****

John Neighbour [still in Potlands 1841 and 1849. This property was owned by the Wethered family of Remnantz. John was their head gardener. His son William was eventually head gardener of nearby Court Garden and has a biographical post on the blog here]

Cottage, yard and garden

£6

*****

William Thomas

Cottage and garden

£4

*****

Charles Carter [his house usually given as out on West Street]

Cottage and garden

£4

*****

More West Street [other side of road from Potlands, Ship Inn etc]

Late James Allum

House

£5

Garden

10 shillings

*****

William Johnson [also appears as Johnston. Basket Maker. There by 1830. Still there 1841]

House, workshop, offices and garden

£7

******

Richard White [There by 1830. Cordwainer / shoemaker].

House shop and garden

£4 10 shillings

*****

Henry John Franklin [also Franklyn. Worked as iron founder too]

Fox beer house, stable and garden

£7

*****

John Brown

House

£5

*****

William Walker [broker 1841. Died 1845 aged 75] See his grave here

House and yard

£5

*****

John Jones

House

£10

To be continued

Medmenham Pub / Hotel Landlord Listings and History

 Updated April 2026

Every time we see a landlord listed in a court case, advert, will, property deed or the like we note name and premises. Lots of listings for other pubs that would have been in the Great Marlow wider parish have already been published here, and lots more are in production.

We focus on pre 1940 landlords. Dates next to names are when we have evidence of the person there. They may have been in occupation longer without us finding evidence for any named landlord thus far.

Ferry Boat / Ferry Hotel originally also sometimes called The Ferry House Inn / The Ferry and later the Abbey Hotel.

1829- Pub exists - "The Ferry Public House"

1839-48 John Johnson. Always gave a big dinner for his friends at the pub on Christmas Day. Also hosted an annual Eel Feast. In 1835 its thatched stable burnt down. John left 1848. He died 1849 aged 77. John ran the actual Ferry across the Thames too by 1831.

1859-63 Henry Bitmead and his German wife Marie. She drowned in the river in 1881, in what was suspected as suicide. She was then aged around 70 it was said. The inquest was held in her former pub. Henry was fined in 1861 for selling short measures (a very common offence, and not necessarily deliberate as publicans struggled to buy measures that could be proved to be correct).

1871 Thomas Street, who had married the Bitmeads's daughter Marie. Left that year to go to the Black Boy, Hurley. See here.

1871-72 Thomas Hudson Holbrook. He died very soon after he got the license.

1872-84 Henry John Todd.  "Ferry Hotel".

1885 "Ferry Hotel". Barmaid then was Annie Marie Bryant.

1891 Ferry Hotel - "A very popular popular riverside inn, presided over by Mr Fred Johnson who is well known to most up river men."(Marlow Directory and Guide to the Thames, 1891) It's noted the ruins of the Medmenham Abbey which now form part of the hotel are a distinctive feature.  (See below) 

Abbey Hotel (see above) 

1911 Fred. Johnson. 

Dog and Badger

Building believed to be 14th century. We are told that the main Marlow to Henley road next to the pub dates only to the days of the turnpikes in the 1700s. Various dates are suggested for the start of the premises being used as a pub, from the 1400s to the 1700s. Originally it was the Church House for Medmenham - banns for marriage still being formerly read out there apparently in the late 1800s! Nell Gwynne was rumoured to have enjoyed sitting by the fire there on her visits to Medmenham. A cannonball was found lodged in one of the walls during 20th century restoration work. Probably this was from the civil war. There was certainly fighting in the area at Hambledon and Fawley during that war.

1831-32 Johnathan Osborn.

1833 James Sawyer, wife Mary. 

1845 New brick facing put onto the pub.

1847 T Sawyer [Thomas]  

1858-63 James Sawyer as above. Fined 1861 for having a short pint measure.

1866 Mrs Sawyer.

1872 Mary Sawyer.

1873- an illegal lock-in was discovered at the pub. The sound of customers singing and a concertina being played were just something of a giveaway to a passing constable!

1877-82 Alfred Edmund Neighbour (See also the post here). In 1877 Alfred married Emma Sawyer, daughter of James above. (Alfred's first wife was Hannah nee Hoare)  Alfred was previously at the Red Lion, Marlow. In 1881 he described 15 year old son Charles as his ostler and 13 year old daughter Hannah as his barmaid! (Emma Sawyer had been described as a bar maid at around the same age by father James above in 1851.) Other son Edward, a scholar, age 10 would in the future run Neighbours licenced grocery and general stores in Quoting Square with wife Catherine nee White. Alfred Edmund Neighbour was the son of Victorian head gardener John Neighbour of Potland's and Remnantz. To read more about John see here

1882-85 William Grant.

1885-1901 Frederick Wright. In 1895 the pub was bought by Wethered's Brewery of Marlow. Wright was of course the tenant not owner.

1907 Henry ? Wright. 2. Frederick Wright 3. Frank Richard Searle. This rapid turnover of landlords suggests some difficulties at the pub.

1911- William Alfred Jarvis.

1917 - Licence transferred from Reuben Peacock to F.W Denison.

1933 -1940 (at least) John Nye.

C1959-1983 Sonny Kirby assisted by his two daughters. He retired to Dorset in 1983.

For similar posts about pubs in Great Marlow, Little Marlow and Hurley see Pub Related on the menu here.

List of 100+ Great Marlow beershops, alehouses, pubs, inns etc see here

For more Medmenham related posts see this index

 All mentions of someone on this blog can be found in the A-Z Person Index which can be found on the top drop down menu. Thousands of people get a mention.

Researched by Charlotte and Kathryn Day.

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

Will Summary John Webb of Great Marlow 1722

 I transcribed this PCC will which is held at the National Archives, Kew and then summarized it here.

©Marlow Ancestors. Use this summary if you like with credit to this blog.

JOHN WEBB, MALTSTER WILL PROVED 1722.

Says he in good health praise to God. Asks to be decently buried.

Commends soul to God.

Dear and loving wife gets messuage, farm lands, premises with all appurtenances at Wheeler End in the occupation of Joshua Johnson for her life and after her death to his three nephews= Richard and John Webb sons of testator's brother Richard, and John Webb son of testator's brother Giles.

Wife also all household goods, plate, linen and furniture in their dwelling house for life then to testator's brothers Richard and Giles equally.

Wife £10 annuity.

£50 each to nephews and nieces: Richard, John, Sarah and Mary children of testator's brother Richard's. Also £50 each to Mary, Hester and Elizabeth children of testator's brother Giles.

£20 each to nephews and niece: Andrew, Elizabeth and Richard Quarterman children of testator's sister Elizabeth Quarterman.

Rest of goods and chattels after all debts and legacies paid to brothers Richard and Giles who are the executors.

Witnessed by Elizabeth Dark, B. Young, Robert Dark.

To find all memtions of your ancestor, use the A-z person index in the top drop down menu where you will also find options to find other categories of posts. 

©Marlow Ancestors.

The Bonnet O' Blue and Royal Standard

 

 The Bonnet O' Blue also known as the Bonnet So Blue or more rarely the Blue Bonnets was in West Street very close to Borlase School.

The first mention that I found of it was in the handwritten 1833 parochial assessment notebooks that my family has. In that the William Stratford occupies a house used as a beerhouse and a garden together assessed as having an annual value of £4 10 shillings.

William was born in the 1770s and had married at Medmenham Bucks in 1801 Fanny West. The couple seem to have moved to Marlow in the 1810s. Fanny died in 1840. The couple's children have links to a number of other Marlow pubs - daughter Almeria born 1809 married Henry Beckett in Medmenham 1829 who would go on to run the Queen Pub in Quoiting Square - see here; daughter Sarah married George Johnson and went on to run the Hand and Flowers in West Street / Henley Road both with her husband and later as a widow on her own - see here; son Robert took over the Bonnet O' Blue after his father's death in 1843.

William Stratford left a will. He wrote it a year before his death. In the will he left all his household goods, plate, linen, wearing apparel, stock in trade, implements, utensils and all other property to his son Robert and nephew Henry Stratford. His son in law Henry Beckett was the will's executor. Witnesses were "Henry Jones, clerk to Mr Spicer" [Ralph Spicer was a lawyer in West Street] and Nathaniel Gordon veterinary surgeon [an Irishman, also of West Street].

As I said above Robert Stratford took over the licence of the Bonnet O'Blue. He had married Keziah Tuckwell at Medmenham in 1835. Sadly Robert died in 1849. Keziah had also left the premises by the time of the 1851 census when she was living in Oxford Road Marlow, or Oxford Lane as it was then known, with her nephew George Cox. She was earning a living as a seamstress. Later she went to live with her deceased husband's sister Sarah Johnson who was running the Hand and Flowers. She was on the 1871 census as a charwoman but may have helped out in the pub too if needed. Certainly when Sarah died in 1877 Keziah took over the license of the Hand and Flowers until 1882 when Henry Carter took over.

In 1855 then landlord James Pattison was summoned before the magistrates for running a disorderly house and "encouraging music and dancing" but the case was not proved. Sounds like the place to be in Marlow at the time!

Very close to the Bonnet O'Blue in the sub-divided Albion House was the Royal Standard. This was a pub by 1856. It was occupied between 1869 and 1883 by John Jeffrie / Jeffreys. It was also known as the Standard of England. It's location is shown, far left in the picture at the top of the page. It is possible that this was a new name for the Bonnet O'Blue, whose exact location is uncertain but was clearly very close to the same spot, if not the same premises. Albion House was of course the former home of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and his writer wife Mary. The pub premises contained a room believed to be either their dining room or drawing room. Percy's study was in a portion of the building not part of the pub. The Royal Standard had a "taproom" but this just contained seating for the customers, the beer being fetched from the landlord's stores as required. There was not a bar. Such an arrangement was common in the small, humble beerhouse.

The Royal Standard shut down in 1890 as the site was due to be taken over by the nearby Borlase school to use as extra capacity, with a classroom below and rooms above for teachers as well as a few boys to stay in.

More former uses for Albion House in whole or in part:

Flint family home (embroiders) here

Royal Military College junior branch here

Breakaway worshippers from Congregational Church after Rev Thomas Styles marriage - here

Mrs Tylecote's school here

Other related posts:

For more pub posts see Pub Related on the menu.

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

Fuller list of Bonnet O'Blue landlords here

More West Street content can be found by choosing "Specific Shops, Streets...etc" on the top drop down menu. 

Index of posts related to everyday life in old Marlow: here

Written by Charlotte Day, additional research and photograph by Kathryn Day.

Sources: 

Medmenham Parish Registers.

GRO Death and Marriage Registration Indexes online from the GRO.

1833 parochial assessment notebooks, original items held by my family and transcribed by me.

Bucks Herald 23rd June 1877, copy held in the British Library Archives. Accessed by me March 2021 via the BNA.

South Bucks Free Press 22nd December 1882. As above.

Reading Mercury 13 Oct 1855

Pub licence transfer research of Kathryn Day. 

1851 and 1871 England and Wales census, transcribed from microfilm by Jane Pullinger. Thanks Jane.

The Journal Of Education in Upper Canada, Volume 9, Egerton, Rev, - Ryerson, Lovell and Gibson, 1856

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

Some West Street and West End Pub Landlord Listings *updated May 2026*

UPDATED BY CHARLOTTE May 2026

For a full list old beer houses, pubs and inns in West Street over time, have a look at at our full pub listing post already published. There is likely to be a few you have never heard of! The Pubs Related option on the top drop down menu will lead to related posts. Use the A-Z person index to find every mention of your ancestor however small. In these listings we stop listing landlords at around the 1920s as this time period is the blog's focus.  However we record any information given to us about later landlords so please feel free to contribute your knowledge. 

THREE TUNS

Note: an earlier Three Tuns is recorded in the High Street. The listings below include both the High Street and West Street premises to give a proper picture.

[1685/6 - 1702 when in High Street- Joan Pomfret initially with husband William then alone as a widow. Her husband died quite soon after the two of them got permission 1685 to create an unnamed new inn. This newly fitted up inn presumed to be the Three Tuns as it was on the West side and the Three Tuns seems to have been subsequently ran by her two sons. Joan and William came from running the King's Head also in Marlow High Street. Son Richard seems to have taken over the King's Head initially when his parent's moved to their new premises. When he took over new inn it seems no one was interested in taking on the King's Head and it became divided and used for residential and other business premises initially. Richard himself may only have used the King's Head as a residence or brewing site rather than an inn. Joan's will is on the blog here]

1708- Richard Pomfrett? Initially at King's Head. Son of William and Joan who converted a house into an unnamed inn on the West side of the High Street in 1685. Richard's premises are also unnamed. He certainly had a brother John in the brewing trade. This is probably the John below who was at the Three Tuns. This leads me to believe that it is probable that the new inn created in 1685 was the Three Tuns held by William and Joan, Richard and then John successively.

1709 - John Pomfret (street location not given) probably brother of Richard Pomfret above.

1717 - John Pomfret (street location not given) He died this year.  "Large inn or tavern with close behind" 

1724 - Richard Aycott (street location not given)

1729- Richard Aycott. 

1733 - Henry Carter. At this point it belongs to the owner of the Marlow Mills John Lofting / Loftin 

1737 - Henry Carter? "Three Tuns New Inn". Why the " New"?  Well in 1740 a building (described as being situated in the High Street directly opposite properties which backed onto Marlow Place gardens) is named as the "old Three Tuns" so the pub seemingly moved to new High Street premises at some point probably in the 1730s. This is before the move to West Street. A Henry Carter was an ale house keeper and maltster a decade before. 

1752 - Widow Aycott - location not given

1753 - Widow Aycott (as above) Also offering cock fighting this year.

1788 - When Thomas Wethered leases the Brewery site in this year, the title deeds are said to say it is former site of the Three Tuns Tavern. 

1798 - Thomas Ollis (Premises owned by brewer Ralph Rose who also earlier leased The Dukes Head in West Street, among others).

1807- Thomas Ollis

1808 - Elizabeth Ollis, his widow (See here for a summary of Elizabeth's will) Elizabeth's sister married a Muspratt.

1830 -1. Mrs Ollis 2. Muspratt "High Street"

1831 - John Muspratt (address not stated)    

1832 - John Muspratt "High Street" 

1833 - John Musprat - "Quoiting Square" (Definitely an error in location by parish assessor who made a hash of West Street records!)

1839 - John Muspratt 

1843 - Levi White (A Levy White is listed as boot and shoe maker in "Oxford Street" in 1839 Robson's Directory and is present in 1833 parish Assessment in Quoiting Place/Oxford Terrace). A Levi White was a beer seller in Hurley in 1840. Levi received a heavy £2 fine 1843 for allowing card playing on his premises during Christmas week.  A blind eye had previously been turned to the practice. In the same year Levi was fined for selling short measures.

1844 - Levi White, who hosted a Conservatives dinner.

1853 - Levi White. West Street.

1854 - Mrs Mary White. West Street.

1858 - William Goldswain, died 1859. 

1859 - Stephen Goldswain. West Street. (And gardener) The death notice from this year of Mrs Goldswain age 65 describes her as the landlady of the Three Tuns. 

1861 - Edward August (and gardener). A twice weekly chess club was established at the club in this year. Strictly no gambling allowed on the games.

1863 - Edward August (also seedsman) [see also George and Dragon].West Street.

1865 - William Bowles.

1869 - William Bowles (and fruiterer). West Street. Formerly of the Jolly Maltsters / Malsters, Dean Street  - see here.

1871 - William Bowles. West Street.

1872 - William Bowles to William Smith. 

1873 - Joseph Smith to Charles Munday.

1875 - 1. Charles Robert Munday. 2. William Maisey "Three Tons"

1880 - William Maisey. West Street. In this year the premises has every window broken by the election rioters - for more see here Later the same year William's wife Martha Eliza dies at the inn age just 44. 

1883 - James Arlett. West Street. Dominoes and Bagatelle offered.  George Barnes of Oxford Road was employed as an extra pair of hands at the bar every Saturday night at this point.

1887 - 1. James Arlett (2nd source Thomas Arlett) 2.William Slater "of Walton on Thames" 

1890 - Frederick Walker. West Street. Frederick is warned after several complaints about the conduct of his premises in this year. The magistrates said that if he is bought before them again, they will endorse his licence (a second endorsement would mean Frederick would be stopped from acting as a publican)

1895 - "The Three Tuns Hotel" 

1903 - Frederick Walker - also a job master. 

1908 - Frederick Walker forced to offer a public apology to fellow publican Charles Henry Porter of the Railway Hotel after spreading rumours that Porter was going bankrupt. Porter instigated a suit for slander against him.

1909- Frederick Walker also wine and spirit merchants, job master, post master. Promises good stabling. (Post master as in horses for hire, he does not run a post office!)

1915 - F .Walker. West Street.

1923 - 1934 F Walker.

1934 +  Reg Speller. He had worked at Fred Walkers garage / motor hire business since 1919. Reg was active in protecting Marlow during the second world war through various roles. Perhaps least known is the fact an aircraft component factory was located at the spacious rear of the Tuns and Reg was to oversee it. 

Closed 1964 on Reg's retirement. 

SADLERS ARMS /SADDLERS ARMS (with one d is most common spelling) Had yard and outbuildings at rear.

1853 James Allum (Also marine store dealer) Wife Ann 

1854 - James Allum (also saddler) 2. Francis Allum, also saddler. 

1871 - James Allum (also saddler).

1876 -James Allum dies. Frank Joshua Hudson takes over (also butcher). 

1881 - Frank Hudson (also a butcher) Wife Elizabeth.

1883 - Joseph Wilcox (and dining rooms) 2. Frederick  Coleshill.

1884 - Frederick Coleshill (Summoned for allowing gambling on his premises)

1888 - Frederick Coleshill to Charles Coleshill. Fred looks to have moved to the Jolly Cricketers/Cricketers Arms Bovingdon Green. See here

1891 - Charles Coleshill.

1892 - Charles Coleshill transfers premises to John Adams.

1903 - John Adams transfers to William(?) Turner.

1904 - Henry (?)(possibly William) Turner transfers premises to William Root. 

1909 - Closed by authorities under powers to limit number of licensed property in an area. Last landlord - William Root. It's relatively small size counts against it at the hearings which decide it's fate. William was evicted from the pub after it closed.  He enters into a dispute with the brewery Wellers about how long he should be given to vacate them premises but gains no added time. 

More info here

THE VOLUNTEER (more Henley Road really). Next door but one to the Hand and Flowers, adjoining Town Farm.

1861 - Edward Hatton. He moved into the premises that year.

1864 - Edward Hatton. Biographical post on him has been published on the blog previously and is available here

Pub gone by 1872. Wethereds brewery retained ownership and attempted to revive the beerhouse in 1888 and 1889 but a new license was refused.

THE BONNET O' BLUE / BLUE BONNET(S)/  BONNET SO BLUE. Named after the blue bonnet uniform of the little girls of the close by charity school.

1833 - William Stratford "Bonnet So Blue"

1839 - William Stratford

1843 - William Stratford dies and son Robert Stratford takes over. ("Blue Bonnets"). William's will is included within the post here which includes more info about the Bonnets. 

1851 - Robert Piggott. Fined for allowing card playing on the premises. However it was noted that Robert and the two others convicted of the same offence were all supporters of the opposite political party to the arresting constables and the police stings may have been unfairly focused on them. 

1855 - James Pattison. Suspected of running  a disorderly house that "encouraged music and dancing" but the magistrates dismissed the case as unproven. 

Royal Standard - (in the sub divided Albion House) Existed 1856. Good chance this was a new name for the Bonnet O'Blue which appears to have been in virtually the same spot, if not the exact one.

1869 - John Jefferys/Jeffries

1871 - John Jefferies (also gardener)

1872 - "Standard of England" John Jeffrey. 

1881 - John Jefferys  (also gardener) /Jefferies

1883- John Jeffries.

Licence ended 1890 with the premises taken into use by "Mr Grove in connection with his school". This was Borlase. And for Grove read Graves. 

HAND AND FLOWERS

(Occasionally known as Hand With Flowers / Hand Of Flowers in early records), probable literal interpretations of the pub sign.

Building dates from 1700s.

1853 - George Johnson "Henley End"

1864 - Sarah Johnson "West Street" Widow of George Johnson. She was the daughter of William Stratford of the Bonnet O'Blue.

1871 - Sarah Johnson

1877 - Sarah Johnson dies age 60, and licence was transferred to Mrs Stratford. 

1881  Keziah Stratford (Sister in law of Sarah Johnson above).

1882 - Mrs Stratford 2. Henry Carter (we now go into period of proposed, rejected, temporary etc licencees that gets confusing but all here are as listed in contemporary records)

1883 - Keziah Stratford, 2. Ann Carter.

1884 - Ann Carter 2. James Young (proposed transfer, dealt with early following year)

1885 - Ann Carter, but managed until October by her daughter in law Mrs Mary Ann Carter wife of Henry. Mary wanted to give up months earlier but was continually pressed by the brewery to stay there. The date they wanted her to stay until kept being pushed back, even when Mary said she had agreed to rent a cottage and really needed to leave as she would otherwise be paying rent on a cottage she couldn't live in (it was a legal requirement to have a residential publican- so Mary would have to live at the Hand and Flowers if the brewery wanted the licence for the premises renewed that year). In June 1885 it was agreed that a James Young would take over the licence but he wasn't immediately free to move in and take over so Fullers got Mary to continue until the end of September. This came and went without Young being ready. She eventually locked the pub up and left regardless, her patience worn thin.  In November Fullers brewery suddenly took possession of the premises and changed all the locks so Mary could not get to the fixtures and fittings belonging to her family which were supposed to remain in situ and be bought by the new landlord but had not yet been paid for. Frederick William Simpole was sent to manage the pub temporarily for the brewery, James Young apparently still not being ready. Mary Ann Carter tried to get past Simpole so nothing could happen to her unpaid for fixtures and fittings. A scuffle ensued and Mary Ann summoned Simpole for assaulting her. The court said any assault was minimal and gave him a nominal fine. A counter summons from Simpole against Henry Carter, Mary's husband, also for assault was not proceeded with. In December the licence finally transferred to 2.) James Young. 

1891 - 1907 James Young. In 1897 the pub was sold at auction to a Mr Canning for £1,070.

1907 - James Young had died. Eliza Swadling took over, his married daughter.

1920 - Mrs Eliza Swadling "No. 128 West Street"

1939 - Albert Swadling, son of the above. He was born in the Hand & Flowers itself and was 30 years the landlord.

1950 Albert Swadling, applied for the right to sell alcohol for off the premises consumption as well.

WHITE LION (FORMERLY THE FOX)

Premises believed to have started in 1830. Named The Fox by 1833 when Henry John Franklyn was landlord. He was followed in the premises by William Sayer but whether it was known as the Fox or the White Lion under then is uncertain.

1852 - unknown Stephenson. Probably John below.

1861 - John Stephenson. Born in Lancashire. John was a brewer living in Hayes Place behind the White Lion on the 1851 census and ran the Coach and Horses on the other side of West Street in 1852.

1871 - John Stephenson. 

1872 - John Stephenson

1880 -1. John Stephenson who died that year 2. Catherine Stephenson (born Westmoreland, wife of above).

1883 - 1. Mrs Catherine Stephenson 2. Mary Probert, widow. She was the daughter of the landlords of the Carpenter's Arms Joseph and Charlotte Rose.

1887 -Mary Probert.

1888 - Phillip K Harman (Married Mary Probert above, who transferred the premise's licence to him)

1891 - Phillip Harman (also a painter) Household included stepson Thomas Probert, age 10 who would grow up to be a Carpenters Arms landlord.

1897- pub became the new club headquarters for the Marlow Victoria football team. This was a "junior" team, typically this meant players 15-20 years old.

1901-1903  Robert Harman. Also a painter.

1903 - Phillip Harman- the previous one back?

1905 - P Harman license transfer to Thomas Henry Verlin.

1905-7- Thomas Henry Verlin transferred license to David Bedwell.

1911 - license transferred from David Bedwell to John Copley.

1912 - licence transferred from John Copley to Richard Evans.

1913 - licence transferred from Richard Evans to Henry Green and then to Edward William Walker.

1914 - Edward William Walker to Joseph Gilby.

1914-16 Joseph Gilby "White Lion Inn". Early in 1916 licence was transferred to William Henry Morris who had come from the Red Lion Great Milton, Oxon.

1916-19 William Henry Morris as above.

1919 - Closed. 

DUKES HEAD 

1761 - Elizabeth Wright. North side of West Street.  The White Horse  (first reference 1755 under Mr Crocket) appears to be very close. Further research to follow. .

WHITE HORSE

Appears to have been very close to the Duke's Head. North side of West Street. 

1755,56= Mr Crockett. A place to register horses for the Marlow Races.

1786 - Mr Goldswain. 

1792- the records of the Robert Boothby charity tell us that in 1792 it was funded out of the rent generated by a building near the Market Place "formerly the sign of the White Horse". In 1832 this Boothby charity house was described as on the North side of West Street and was in residential use. 

The last mention of a pub of this name in Marlow as a going concern  is in the 1810s well after the West Street White Horse closed. This is because a Spittal Street premises began using the name (probably by 1803). This became the Greyhound in 1819. In other words there were two pubs called the White Horse which were not necessarily related businesses. 

The Harrow

Mr Bennell. 1849. This looks to be Samuel Bennell who was also a wheelwright. The beer shop was broken into by burglars who knocked a hole in the back of the pub in 1849. This pub seems to have been far up the road, in what we would call Henley Road today. That it is an earlier name for the Hand Of Flowers can't be ruled out. Later mentions of The Harrow have been ascertained to refer to The Plough in Little Marlow Road, due to misinterpretation of the pub's pictorial sign, and not this pub.

Researched by Charlotte Day and Kathryn Day, post written by both.

Related Posts:

To find a mentions of an individual here, use the A-Z person index in the top drop down. 

List of 100+ Matlow beer sellers, pubs, ale houses etc here

Index of pub related posts here

Other West Street related content: here

Index of posts related to everyday life in old Marlow: here

 

Sources include:

1853 Mussons and Cravens Commercial Directory. 

 Kelly's Post Office Directory 1847,1863,1864,1869,1877, 1881,1883,1903,1907,1911, 1915,1923,1939. Published by Kelly's Directories Limited.

1833 Parish Assessment. Original notebooks held by my family and transcribed by Charlotte Day.

 Historic newspapers from the British Library Archives accessed by me via the BNA: South Bucks Standard 23 December 1876, 14 Oct 1892, 21 June 1907, Oxford Journal September 1753, Bucks Herald 23rd June 1877, 7 November 1885, 4 June 1887, 30 July 1892. 

Piggots Directory 1830,1844

Robson's Directory 1839

Will of Elizabeth Ollis, held at National Archives, Kew and transcribed by Charlotte Day. 

Will of John Pomfret, proved 1717, held at National Archives Kew, as above

Will of Richard Pomfret, proved 1702, as above. 

Property records research by Charlotte Day.

Census 1861,1871,1881,1891

Clayton Family Archive papers at Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies

The Book of Marlow, Cairns, A J, 1976, Barracuda Books.

Will of John Lofting, written 1733, proved 1742. 

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use this research for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog and a link here so that my sources do not lose credit for information provided. Thanks.