Coster family of Marlow

 There were historically many Costers in Marlow. We will feature as many as we can on this blog in the future but for this post I will deal with the children and descendants of a particular couple- Edward Joseph Coster and his wife Elizabeth nee Fleming. 

Edward was almost always known by his middle name Joseph. He even married Elizabeth under that name in 1843! He was then 21 years old. Edward was the keeper of Marlow's lock for many years from 1848 onwards. This was not a particularly well paid job (though you did get a house with it) and he also worked as a cordwainer until at least 1863 to supplement the family income. In 1854 it was decided by the powers that be that many Thames lock keepers were to lose their wages entirely, including Edward whose £3 a month was cut off. In return for keeping their homes and the tolls given by pleasure craft he was to work for free! Bear in mind that the pleasure craft traffic could be very low outside of the holiday season. Fortunately several of his daughters remained at home as adults and brought in an income from their "fancy" needlework. 

Elizabeth's origins are unclear. On the census she usually says that she was born in Shoreditch London. She might be a relative of the Flemings who had Marlow Place as their country home though there would be a great gulf between that family and that of her future husband in terms of wealth. There was a Fleming connection to the Wyatt family of Marlow not obviously anything to do with the Flemings of Marlow Place and possibly another Fleming family group too so that needs to be born in mind.

Edward grew up in a long gone cottage by the also lost "Tithe Barn" near Marlow Bridge. 

Lock keeping was well established in the Coster family. Edward's dad Richard* spent much of his working days as a foreman carpenter and boat repairer at Marlow Wharf for the Thames Commissioners as well as boatbuilding on his own account, but later in life became the lock keeper at Boveney, Bucks. Richard's brother Thomas was the lock keeper at Temple, the next lock along the river from Marlow. Thomas retired in 1883 because of ill health.

Edward and Elizabeth had eleven or twelve children. They raised their family as Congregationalists, attending the church in Quoiting Square. Edward had not been raised that way himself but Elizabeth may have been. 

One of their children, 7 year old Willie drowned at the lock in 1868 after apparently falling into the water unseen by any adult. Children of lock keepers were quite frequently lost in this way in the 1800s. The Thames was a generally dangerous place in Victorian times. Few years went by without a drowning, or several, in the vicinity of Marlow. In his position of lock keeper Edward more than once had to assist in the recovery of the bodies. Still, apparently, his job didn't merit any pay!

Another child of Edward and Elizabeth, Edwin also died as a child, though not as a result of an accident. Another son Charles was probably also a child death.

Edward's son Edmund became a prominent Marlow grocer at no 20 High Street (old numbering. In later numbering was no 50, also eventually Edmund was at no 52 as well). It is possible that when he appeared in the 1881 census as a grocer's assistant it was for Noah Bartlett of West Street who married Edmund's sister Ellen, though he also had a relative Richard Coster who had a grocery shop in West Street (that Richard suffered bankruptcy in 1888 and disappeared, his family apparently never seeing him again). Noah Bartlett was also a congregational man. Sadly Ellen died less than a year into her marriage. More about Noah in this post here. The post contains a link to an image of Ellen's grave and a picture of Noah's premises in the modern day.

Above, high class provisions available from Coster & Son.. 1931. 

Edmund eventually expanded into a second premises in West Street. This sold grocery and later some hardware. Like most Marlow grocers of Victorian and Edwardian times Edmund suffered multiple thefts from his premises. The lists of items stolen from him give as a flavour of his stock- packets of tea, pots of jam, bottles of sauce, canned fruit and packs of candles. He died in 1930, his wife Mary (nee Carter) in 1933. By 1920 their son Sydney was a partner in the business. After Edmund's death the High Street shop was taken over by their son Sydney who used no 50 for groceries and no 52 as a tobacconist with some lines of "fancy goods" too. Adverts from his early years in charge show that he specialized in the grocery side in Empire butter and bacon. A 1933 advert says an A Coster was also running the shop. Poor Sydney died suddenly when just 54 while acting as goalkeeper for the mens' hockey team. He had played for Marlow for years and was the Captain of the Bucks Hockey Association. I think that he was one of the special constables of Marlow. By 1948 only the tobacconist and fancy goods side of the business at 52 was still running but it was still "Costers" for years to come.

Emily, sister to Edmund, Willie and Ellen married Marlow  High Street architect Richard Wellicome of Marlow in 1878 at the Congregational Church. Her sister Alice married West Street grocer Albert G Fleet there 7 years later. Albert both ran his own shop and assisted Edmund Coster in Edmund's secondary West Street premises. When their church needed to raise £300 for renovations in 1889 Alice was amongst the stall holders at the fundraising bazaar (running a Japanese theme stall). Alice also trained the children of the non-conformist teetotal Excelsior Band Of Hope (which was based in the Congregational church) singing and elocution.

Emily Coster as Emily Wellicome operated as a milliner and fancy draper from no 5 High Street (old numbering), eventually assisted by her daughter Florence. Astonishingly, just like Richard Coster, Richard Wellicome disappeared in the midst of a financial cloud. Wellicome had been the parish surveyor and rate collector and a warrant was issued for his arrest in 1907 for falsifying his accounts. The case drew national press attention and the unfortunate Emily was pressed for interview by journalists. She spoke of her distress. A cryptic postcard was sent by him from Gloucester to their 14 year old daughter Mabel saying "We are just off, feeling better, best love to all". A Marlow woman thought she had seen him on a London omnibus with a "wild" look on his face. Some of his account books were discovered abandoned in a bag at a Liverpool quayside but of the man himself neither police nor his family could find any trace then or ever. Later that year Emily's brother Edmund the grocer, who held the mortgage for Richard and Emily's home put a lien on the property so the absent Richard could not sell the property without satisfying the debt. All credit to Emily for picking herself up and carrying on. Mind you, with several young children at home what else could she do? By 1920 Emily had retired from her business. Initially she lived in Claremont Gardens but when she died in 1929 she was of 10 Glade Road.

Another sister Anne "Annie" Coster did not marry and worked as a fancy needlewoman. She also helped out in Congregational fundraising events and was, like her dad and brother in law Noah Bartlett, a long standing Sunday School teacher. After the death of her parents she kept her own household in her parents' old Station Road home, no longer needing to work presumably because of parental inheritance. Her also unmarried sister Julia (another former needlewoman) lived with her as did their uncle William Coster. Another fancy needlewoman their sister Lucy died at the age of 32.

Alfred Coster the eldest son of Edward the lock keeper moved to Devon where he worked as a draper. He married Mary Ann Wish in Newton Abbott.

A Mrs Coster, who could be Edmund's wife, was one of the women who stitched the banners used in the town as part of the one thousand strong children's parade which formed part of the 1887 Queen Victoria's  Jubilee celebrations.

Edward Joseph the lock keeper lost his wife Elizabeth aged 63 in 1886 and shortly afterwards decided to retire on the small pension granted to lock keepers. Well-wishers collected £70 to give him as a leaving present. In 1898 he died at the home in Station Road which he shared with several of his unmarried daughters and was buried with Elizabeth in the churchyard of the Congregational Church. The South Bucks Standard in reporting his death said that Edmund was a lifelong teetotaller (he was on the committee of the Marlow Total Abstinence Society when it formed) who never used "improper words" and had performed his duties "quietly, honestly and industriously". They also said that he was a man known for his kindness to children. Things were probably quite rosy for his 25 grandchildren then! He was also a cricket fan and keen walker.

*his mother was Elizabeth nee Windsor, who lived long enough to celebrate her hundredth birthday in 1889. By this time she lived in Bray. Her brother William Windsor the town postman was said to be a renowned Marlow eccentric. 

Post written and researched by Charlotte Day.

Related posts: 

Other posts related to those who made their living on or around the river (including other lock keepers, barge men etc) at Marlow can be found in the index here

To look for mentions of a particular person or family see the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. 

To find information about particular shops, businesses or homes see the index here

Some Sources=

GRO marriage index, GRO online.

England and Wales censuses 1841-81, transcribed from microfilm by me. Census information remains Crown Copyright.

"England and Wales, Census, 1901", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSWG-5KC : Thu Feb 13 06:58:01 UTC 2025), Entry for Alfred Coster and Mary A Coster, 31 Mar 1901.

England and Wales census 1891

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4GGN-LPZ?lang=en

Baptisms of Edward Coster, Richard Coster, Thomas Coster- Great Marlow Bishops Transcripts, Find My Past.

Pigots Directory 1842, Slaters Directory 1852. Kelly's Directory 1899 and 1920 by Kelly's Directories Limited.

Marlow Directory and Almanack 1907, Marlow Printing Company.

Guide to the Crown Hotel Marlow, circle 1934.

Maidenhead Advertiser November 13th 1889, Baylis Media Archives.

South Bucks Standard July 1st 1898

Bucks Free Press. June 1887. Bucks Free Press Archives.

Newspapers from the British Library Archives and accessed via the BNA: Reading Mercury 12th September 1868 and 9th October 1886, South Bucks Standard 12th April 1907, Daily News 11th April 1907.

Georgian Victualler And Lock Keeper George Phelps

 This post is dedicated to George Phelps, the first collector of tolls at Marlow pound lock when it opened in 1773. George kept the role up until his death more than 30 years later. 

Born around 1735, George was most likely the son of the Marlow miller also known as George and his wife Elizabeth. Millers had a big role in managing the earlier flash locks both in terms of manipulating the water to suit their milling needs, and when convenient, providing the flash of water that allowed barges to progress up the river. So George probably learnt many useful things about the River Thames from his father. When Marlow got a brand new pound lock for the first time, George junior was therefore a good candidate to be appointed toll collector there. Boats passing through had to pay a fee to use it. He would also need to manage the lock with a view to preventing excess flooding of the farmers fields about Marlow during bad weather.

 It's hard to be sure how often George was required to open the gates for passing barges. The flash lock at Marlow wasn't opened every day as it took too long for the water levels to recover afterwards enough to allow the millers to get on with their work. The pound lock did not suffer in the same way so could be opened much more often. No more extended waits to pass on for the bargeman arriving at Marlow to find they had missed the flash. Having studied the lives of other early lock keepers on the Thanes of the time, it's obvious that most had another job too. In fact some complained that the increased water traffic represented too much work for them as it prevented them getting on with their occupation. Clearly at least some didn't consider it a full time job but obviously some locks were busier than others. This is probably why later regulations for lock keepers specified that they had to be physically present at the lock must of the time.  For some the occupation was easy to slot around lock keeping anyway such as baking bread at Hambledon Lock to sell to bargeman and others passing by. Advertising the fact you offered refreshments at the lock house was prohibited in the 1860s but that didn't mean the provision of food actually stopped. 

So it's perhaps not surprising that lock keeper George is also identified as the keeper of the small riverside "Bowl and Pin" inn or beer house. I have found several lock keepers who brewed beer to sell on before it was frowned upon. The Bowl and Pin was in what was known as The Old Bridge House which was demolished in 1790. The year before a new bridge had been completed at the bottom of St Peters Street, and the Pin was removed to improve access to it. It was one of a number of properties than belonged then to the Bridgewardens of Marlow and so the income from its rent was supposed to be invested in the upkeep of the bridge. You can read more about this "new" bridge, the fore runner to our current suspension bridge in a post here. It was therefore only a short distance from the lock. It's likely that George's family looked after the Pin day to day, despite his name on the licence. This was common in Marlow and elsewhere with the innkeepers taking on other roles that took up so much of their time they could never physically be serving beer or ale at the same time. (Such as the many carriers come beer shop keepers who were away from home for several days a week.) George still identified himself as a victualler in his will. I had assumed the two George's were relatives initially until I ascertained they died on the same day. 

George received a weekly wage for collecting the lock tolls. This was 5s 6d a week in 1773. Later the wage was withdrawn and the keepers were compensated by the provision of free accommodation and the ability to keep the tolls from pleasure boats. In George's day there was no lock keepers cottage at Marlow. None of the neighbouring locks such as Temple and Hurley constructed the same year were provided initially with accomodation either. They did get some before Marlow however. Presumably George was happy to live nearby. 

When George died in 1811 he was in his 70s. He was succeeded as lock keeper by John Dell who had married his daughter Sarah. A summary of his will can be read here

You can see the grave of George and wife Elizabeth at All Saints: here

Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

 Further information 

To find all mentions of any individual  check the A-Z Person Index on the top drop down menu. Thousands of people are listed. 

A tribute to our bargeman here

Other posts related to the River Thames at Marlow here

List of 100+ old Marlow pubs/beer houses/inns etc here

Victorian female lock keeper Martha Lomax of Hambledon here

© Marlow Ancestors.

The Angry, Roaring, Hissing Mist of 1897

On June 24th 1897, Marlow was planning to continue their celebrations of Queen Victoria's Jubilee. They did not expect to be dodging falling trees or the scattered glass of blown in windows at All Saints. The storm unleashed on our town is chiefly remembered generally for the giant unseasonal hailstones, and locally for the damage done to the steeple of the church. But when reading contemporary eye witness accounts it's hard to disagree with those who consider the storm may in fact have been a minor cyclone.   

There have of course been many gales in Marlow history. In January 1840 for example, the roof of the stabling at Court Garden was damaged by a large ornamental elm tree torn up by it's roots and deposited on the building. It was one of several large trees in the park to suffer the same fate that day, and they were joined by a pair of old poplar trees at Remnantz. In the summer of 1846, Marlow featured in national newspapers after becoming one of several places to suffer a summer storm complete with hailstones "more akin to pebbles."

The 1897 storm hit Marlow at 6pm on a Thursday. The South Bucks Standard said it was one of the most violent on record. Torrential rain and deafening thunder thankfully saw those outside run for shelter before the worst hit. 

The Rev Whittingstall was in All Saints conducting a service. Those in attendance commented on the dark looking sky looming above as they entered. Heavy rain was followed by hail that rattled the windows so much that the poor Reverend could no longer make himself heard. He finally abandoned the service when one of the hailstones broke a window and sent glass showering down onto the book he was reading from. Although national reports say several windows were blown in, the local press say the stained glass ones at least escaped with minor damage only. The windows on the south side were peppered with small holes however. Quite a lot of rain did get in, and the congregation bunched together where they could stay driest. It is a miracle no one was hurt, as the stone pinnacles of the West and East corners of the steeple came crashing down, one falling through the tower, narrowly missing the spot just vacated by the Sexton. The other, falling inwards, came to rest precariously on the tower. Unsurprisingly the cross on top of the steeple was said to be "somewhat displaced". 

Those who saw the storm through a window described in as "an angry, roaring, hissing mist which whirled and swept along carrying all before it." All reports mention the deafening noise, and the fact the "devastation" wreaked was over a relatively narrow path. It is this which we probably have to thank for the fact no one was killed, although injuries to both persons and livestock occured. In Marlow, the storms path seems to have followed the River Thames for a while, more or less. This was obviously unfortunate for the riverside church, but also for those who had gathered on the cricket field off Pound Lane. It is said the field went from a pleasant grassy field to a "roaring field of water" within 2-3 minutes. It was worse on the river itself. The water was seen to rise several feet in height and the lock gates were blown open. A steamer was inside the lock at the time. Although those on board were severely shaken, it was considered incredible the vessel had not been destroyed rather than just badly damaged. Those at the cricket ground were delayed getting home as Pound Lane had been left a maze of branches that temporarily made the way impassable. 

An estimated 18 large elm trees were uprooted, at Court Garden and Remnantz again, amongst other places and there were numerous other smaller trees lost. Fruit crops were also affected. In the county of Essex, which was probably worst hit overall, entire fields of wheat, oats and barley were swept away and crops of vegetables reduced to a pulp. 

The local nature of the damage meant those celebrating the Jubilee with sports at Little Marlow were able to take shelter safely in a very large tent erected for the occasion of a linked communal dinner. They were able to continue their sports a little after, unaware of the damage experienced in Marlow just a few miles away, although the programme was reduced. One end of Glade Road saw the vegetation trashed, the other was unscathed. The allotment gardens around Marefield also escaped untouched. 

The steeple was already damaged prior to the whirlwind, as it was soon described. One of the other pinnacles were said to have already been lost, and the parapet was decayed. A London engineer and expert in  church spire restoration, Mr J S Morris, was called down to make a full assessment of the damage. He was accompanied to the top of the spire by churchwarden and enthusiastic mountaineer Francis O Wethered. Their verdict was not encouraging. An extensive fissure was seen at the top and the whole was considered to be in a very dangerous condition. It was immediately decided that the church bells could not be rung until significant repairs were made in case the vibrations created bought the whole lot down.  So a fund was started to make good the damage and also change the appearance of the steeple to make it more attractive. The progress of this fund was reported in adverts over the next few years, with the names of donors usually attached. There was also a collection box affixed to the church door for those who preferred anonymous donations. The restoration work was completed in the June of 1900. The steeple now had 8 pinnacles at the base. Many considered this a big improvement. So perhaps some good came of this storm.

Related Posts

Marlow floods of the past here

Skating and snowballs - winter in old Marlow here

Other posts about the parish church, the river, other jubilee celebrations and life in old Marlow in general can be found in an index here

 Researched and written by Kathryn Day. 

Sources include:

 South Bucks Standard 2 July 1897, 06 January 1899, 24 June 1900 - British Library Archive, accessed via the BNA. 

Information on the hail stones provided by Jane Pullinger with thanks, and on the damage to trees of Remnantz by Alan Day. 

Meteorological Record 1897 -  (The Meteological Office 1897)

©Marlow Ancestors

Bellows, Bricks and Brandy - Reviving the drowned

 People have always bathed in the Thames at Marlow. But many have also lost their lives doing so. The Black Hole, with a reputed depth of 25ft, in the river past Quarry Wood, was an extreme example of a sudden drop in the river bed. But there were other spots where the gently shelving floor fell away, as well as currents, weeds and underwater obstructions.

The task of fetching a body from the river, or looking for a lost swimmer usually fell in practice to someone from one of the boat houses (or the lock keeper) - Shaw's by Marlow Bridge is the one mentioned most frequently. They had a dredger which enabled them to search where human eyes and probes could not. The bodies were usually taken to a nearby inn which would also hold the resulting inquest. The Compleat Angler, and Two Brewers saw a large number of such events. As time passed, the bodies were usually held elsewhere but the inquests were still often in the nearest pub to the place of recovery. (From 1907 the coroner's were requested not to use a public house for an inquest unless absolutely nowhere else suitable could be found.)

Mr Shaw had to use his dredger in 1901 to find the body of one of his own employees, 21 year old William Button of Reading.  William was employed as a waterman. He was bathing after work with two colleagues, from a raft under Marlow Bridge. He suddenly disappeared, presumably after suffering from cramp. A "very good" swimmer, he could not be found by his companions and the dredger was called for. 

Some of the dead were among Marlow's very many visitors who came to enjoy riverside camping or some gentle punting or fishing. Perhaps the saddest case was that in 1906 of Chiswick/Kew Schoolmaster John S Gilbert, and his two adult sons (Frederick 20, an electrical engineer, and Frank 22, a clerk in the Stock Exchange). They had come to the  Marlow area for a short holiday and spent the night camping on the riverbank near Medmenham Abbey. (One source says they were on a small island there.) Frank, a strong swimmer, decided to have a bathe while the others prepared breakfast. But he became tired fighting the current and sank. His dad leapt into the water to save him, but did not resurface. The second son then followed his father into the water - and also failed to come back up. Two  friends of the family who had joined them on the trip witnessed the scene, and one (G A Ackerman) entered the water to assist and briefly managed to get the fathers head above water but ultimately needed rescuing himself. The other, Harry Kentfield, on the riverbank could not swim and  shouted for help. It came too late however. A quantity of weeds in the water tangling limbs was regarded as a possible explanation for such a tragedy. The farm bailiff from Medmenham who recovered the bodies (Robert Keene) however said he could see no significant weeds and thought the men had panicked "and lost their heads". 

Stories of those entering the water and not regaining the surface alive are common. In many cases the reason why could only be guessed at. Some sort of heart attack was a possible cause of death for East Dulwich accountant George Frewin Pinnock who came to Marlow to do some business for grocer A E Howard. George was staying at the Compleat Angler and decided to enjoy a quick swim in the back waters there. He took a dip and almost immediately came up face down in the water. Sadly his wife had died of heart disease just a few weeks before. (1902)

The area to the front of "The Anglers" next to the old Marlow bridge also caught many victims. Another Compleat Angler guest that died there was minor poet and Pigots Directory representative William Rowlinson in 1829. William was from Manchester and was in the area gathering information in order to compile the next Pigots Directory, a listing of businesses etc. He was staying at the Compleat Angler and went swimming with one of the proprietor William Creswell's young sons. It seems Rowlinson got cramp because despite being a strong swimmer, he sank and Creswell could not find him in time. The dead man may not have lived in Marlow but the expression of grief at his accident suggests he had made a strong impression and many friends during his visit (s) here. The Quakers of Wycombe began to raise a subscription for his young widow (he was 24) and his small son and daughter. They also intended to pay for a stone to be erected over his grave at Bisham church. Forty years later it was said the grave was not marked. Perhaps not enough was raised or the money may have been used for a memorial closer to his home. (See note 1 below for more on Rowlinson)

Given the toll of victims, it's not surprising the Royal Life Saving Society visited Marlow Lock in 1910 to give demonstrations about how to save a person from drowning.

Once ashore the methods used to revive someone recovered from the water usually involved rubbing the person over to stimulate circulation and if they came round, issuing them with some alcohol such as brandy. In 1783 the Royal Humane Society issued instructions on how to deal with a person feared drowned. In the accompanying directory of surgeons listed residing within riverside areas, George Trash of Marlow is included. The recommended actions for George to follow include removing the victims clothes should they be wearing any (male river swimmers usually were nude) and then taking the victim to the nearest inn or failing that somewhere else that could offer a warm bed and a large fireplace. A sort of CPR was suggested with artificial respiration and a slight press to the chest when it could be seen the lungs had inflated. The use of small bellows up the nostril in preference to mouth to mouth respiration does date the advice a little! Attempts to stimulate the patient included giving them a vigorous shake of the limbs, applying hot bricks or tiles to the palms and soles of the feet and rubbing the skin with salt or flannels sprinkled with rum or other spirits. You could also try tickling the nose with a feather, rubbing a heated warming pan up the spine, and in the case of a child laying the little soul between two healthy adults in the hope of gently warming them back to life. Another reason to chose a pub to take the victim to was the strong chance they had a brew house (as it was still the era alcohol was made on the premises). This was needed as the last step if all the other methods to revive the swimmer had failed. The body should be surrounded by warm grains or placed in a deep warm bath in the sort of container a brew house might have. They would then wait several hours in the hope of what must really have been a miracle recovery. It's interesting that the Society in local branches raised funds to reward those who made the effort to search for the drowned or drowning and those who took the unfortunates in. The surgeons who were members of the society would attend those retrieved from the water free of charge. This encouraged those in charge of the victim not to delay in summoning medical assistance. 

Moving forward a century to 1880 - the Rev Charles Voysey  did a demo in Marlow of the New Patent Life Preserver. "For complete convenience in wearing and perfect efficiency in buoyancy power" it was said.  This was perhaps not the most quick to use life saver. It relied upon having the opportunity to "carefully" mix an acid and alkali powder which was then put into pockets held within 3 waterproof sacks. These were stitched inside someone's clothes or strapped on to a webbing belt, 2 on the front, the other to the rear of the wearer. When the mixed powders touched water, the reaction released a gas. This inflated the sacks and kept them up for some 50-60 hours or so it was claimed. The set of 3 pouches and powder cost 10s 6d. 

A Selected few other victims

NB This post does not include information on suicides in the river, or probable suicides. 

1836 - Frank Faulkner, eldest son of school master William Faulkner, age 21. Faulkner senior often took the boys of his school to bathe in the Thames. On this occasion, Frank was visiting Marlow having recently started a physicians practice in London. He went swimming with his brother and a friend. It seems his strength failed, and his two companions very nearly died too trying to save him. 

1861 - Ellen Leary, age 59, hawker of cotton, stay laces, needles etc, lodging at Marlow. Her basket was found floating between near Bisham. She is believed to have slipped off the tow path when "not quite sober."

1868 -  John Frederick Nolan of Ireland, house painter working for a London builder employed at Thames Villa. He could not swim and intended to bathe only but he did not realise that the gently sloping river bed gave way to a sharp drop and he tumbled out of his depth. 

1888 - Helen Frances Warner, married daughter of Mrs Haig of Marlow Place. Drowned near Temple while bathing with her two sisters. She got out of her depth. 

Researched and written by Kathryn Day. 

Related posts:

Little lives lost in the Thames - Child drowning victims here 

Bargemen of Marlow here

Biography of Robert Shaw who recovered a huge number of the drowned here

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

History of Compleat Angler here

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

To find all mentions of an individual here use the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu where you will find over 2,700 people currently listed. Other posts about everyday life in old Marlow can be found here

SOURCES

Harland, John (ed) - Lancashire Lyrics, (Whitaker, 1866)

Smith, James - The Mechanic Or Compendium of Practical Inventions vol 2 (Caxton press 1809.)

Royal Humane Society - The reviving of Persons apparently dead by drowning (- RHS London, 1783)

Medical Times Gazette, Vol 2, 1873. Digitised by Google. 

GRO Death registration index. 

Maidenhead Advertiser August  1 1906, British Library Archive. 

Windsor & Eton Express, 26 September 1829 as above

Reading Mercury - 9 November 1861. As above

Berks Chronicle - 27 Jun 1829 As above

Bucks Gazette 20 July 1901. As above

Bucks Herald 14 August 1880, As above

Slough, Windsor and Eton Express August 4 1906

Notes 

1. Rowlinson (Rawlinson) had contributed poems to the Literary Gazette and regional publications, including some written in what was described as East Lancashire dialect. One was called "Remember me". He had started work as the clerk in Messrs Cardwell & Co cotton warehouse in Manchester ("Newmarket buildings")

©Marlow Ancestors

Picnics And Punts - Victorian Summer time in Marlow

  

This post is about summer in late Victorian and pre First World War Marlow. The season obviously meant different things to different people. For some it was a period of hot intense labour in the fields. For others it was time to leave Marlow altogether and holiday elsewhere. A surprising large number of Marlow houses were let out for the "river season", and then there were the houseboats that arrived, some staying for weeks. In good weather, the hotels and lodging houses were full, and visitors could find themselves staying in more unconventional places such as above shops (Or more pleasantly perhaps, they could cadge a room at Hambledon Lock). The arrival of tourists affected even those not in position to enjoy much leisure time themselves. It meant busier streets at the very least. And there may be an annual Sunday School treat or Slate Club or works outing to look forward to. 

Enthralling Beauty

The beauty of nearby Quarry Woods was known far and wide.

It was a popular spot for campers, if sometimes a crowded one. The fact that some set up camp wherever they decided to stop for the night caused tension with riverside home owners who complained of opening their shutters to find campers on their lawns! Most kept to more secluded spots - though some were still technically trespassing on the larger estates when they did so. The stretch of river between Marlow and Henley was also celebrated, and there was a standing joke that you could always find at least a couple of artists set up opposite Bisham church trying to capture the scene. This part of the river was described by John Greville Fennell in his 1867 Thames guide as one that brought a "constant succession of scenes of sylvan beauty" that struck the gazer and left him or her marvelling with "enthralled imagination" at the loveliness of the scene. And that was not the most fulsome of descriptions by any means! 

Official picnic parties apply here

Day trippers from London at least didn't need to find somewhere to stay. These '"Harrys" as they were often dismissively known, were usually the ones blamed for any sort of misbehaviour. Cheap day excursion tickets were available to Marlow from London stations  - valid for travel on certain trains only from 1st May - 31st October. In 1880, one of these excursion tickets, third class, from Paddington to Marlow would cost you 3s 6d.  If you could demonstrate you were a "genuine" picnic or other pleasure party, of at least 10 persons, (6 if all travelling first class) you could also get lower train fares. Perhaps you had to let the station master examine your picnic hamper! These lower fares were no good for a spontaneous large family outing as you needed to apply for them in advance and in writing. 

For most the river was the focus of their trip so luckily Great Western Railways would transport your boat for you should you be fortunate enough to own one. This was at an added cost of course. If your craft was small enough to fit in the guards van or if it could be strapped to the top of an ordinary passenger carriage, it would cost you 2d a mile with a minimum charge of 5s and reductions were possible if at least 4 crew were traveling on the same train. Larger boats had to travel in expensive coaches of their own. For most, hiring a boat was much more practical. The boat houses such as Haynes, Shaws, and Meakes and Redknapp offered all kinds of river craft from punts and canoes to steam launches. Alternatively many inns and hotels could provide you with the smaller vessels (sometimes by partnering with one of the same boathouses).

 Advertising the fact that you could provide facilities for boating parties and fisherman was a way for hotels and inns to cash in on these tourists who may have just wanted somewhere to eat or someone to provide them with a picnic. If you were on a big group outing or a "beanfeast" , perhaps organised by a workplace, then some establishments turned their nose up at serving you. They did not want the reputation of somewhere where guests looking for a little genteel rest would be disturbed by a large noisy group. So at times the Fishermen's Retreat and the Crown Hotel advertised they did not accept "beanfeasts" but on the other hand, the Railway Hotel (later the Marlow Donkey) welcomed them. For longer stays, Dickens's Dictionary of the Thames (1889 edition) said the numerous hotels and accomodation providers in town catered for "tourists of all classes". 

Some of our visitors came some way to enjoy the riverside. In 1899 Great Western formed an alliance with Great Central Train company to bring visitors in from the Midlands area. The first train was an excursion one from Leicester which arrived in early July, bringing a large party for a day on the river. Or whatever part of the day was left after the time taken to travel here.

The boating parties were described as frequently "noisy and half drunken" and their habit of landing at the parish churchyard and "tramping over the graves" lead to many complaints. 

Fishing with Mr Shaw

Marlow was known as a paradise for anglers, and the premier place to stay was the Compleat Angler, more commonly known as "The Anglers" or Anglers Inn. It started life as a couple of cottages knocked together and then rebuilt, and gradually extended and improved. But even in it's more humble looking state it was far from an obscure little inn. It recieved visitors from London, including well off ones, and it was consistently mentioned and recommended in national guidebooks. The 1832 fire there made the London papers because it was already a celebrated destination - "the great resort of fishing parties". When the Angler was improved, some visitors felt nostalgic for the old days but even they admitted it was now easier to actually get to stay there in the first place as there were more beds on offer. Guidebooks of 1877 and 1889 still warned would be visitors that they would need to give "considerable notice" if they entertained any hope of securing a bed at The Anglers. Members of recognised angling clubs could also get reduced price third class train fairs from Paddington, if they had a member's card to flash. (Full history of the Angler in the 1900's can be found here)

A number of Marlow men made their living as fishermen, that is fishing guides who would supply bait and take you in a punt to the best spots to catch whatever your quarry was. The Rockell and Shaw families were two that performed this role over a long period. (White, Rose, Creswell and Rosewell are other associated surnames.) Robert Shaw should get special mention as he features in very many books about the Thames written for contemporary visitors. He was clearly someone that many people felt a lot of affection and respect for. In his role as Water Bailiff for the local Anglers Preservation society, he had a role to play in seeing off illegal fisherman and poachers and so no doubt he had his enemies. But to others he was the good looking Bob Shaw, always polite, "intelligent and reliable" and a highly skilled boatsmen. 

Tumbling for tourists

Marlow Lock naturally saw many visitors, not all of them passing through in a boat or watching those that were. The boaters waiting to pass in or put of the Lock were something of a captive audience for the Victorian equivalent of the "chugger" and chancer. Some of the activity sounds mostly charming in our eyes. Children sometimes performed tricks and tumbles on the towpath, hoping to get a few coins for entertaining the passers by. The authorities regarded this as begging, and children caught in the act could find themselves up before the magistrates. In June 1906  four "small boys" were charged with begging on the tow path around Marlow Mills and Lock. The boys had stood on their heads to amuse the passers by. They were Amos Moody, Henry Turner, Leonard Carter and Henry Allen. Those travelling on steam launches and larger vessels were nevertheless in the habit of responding to the children's gambols by throwing coins onto the bank. This lead to tragedy in 1914 when a little girl aged about 4 is believed to have drowned trying to retrieve coins tossed from a passing launch ("The child of  Carter", of South Place).

Marlow Lock as it is now  - the Lock keepers house is not the Victorian one. 

Charity collections at the Lock were also a regular feature. But when the more persistent adult beggars and sellers of knick knacks began to congregate there in greater numbers, some causes such as the Marlow Cottage Hospital decided not to collect funds at the Lock in case they became associated with a common nuisance. Touts are also mentioned as a regular annoyance, offering to help with boats, or with finding accomodation or punts for hire.

The more widespread issue of begging from visitors to the town, whether they arrived by boat or train, was discussed several times at Marlow council meetings in the early Edwardian period in paticular. They requested the police keep a close eye on things, with varying degrees of success it seems!

As those passing through the Lock had to pay a fee, unless they had a sort of season ticket or annual pass, the numbers using it were recorded. The fee depended on the size of the boat, with steam launches up to 35ft long paying 9d for example, or  house boat's 2s6d. Over the August Bank Holiday of 1893, which was regarded as a little less busy than usual, 1,200 small boats passed through over Saturday to Monday and 120 steam launches. This won't be the absolute number of boats about Marlow as it was possible to bypass the Lock. Some of those using the small boats pulled their craft out of the water just before the Marlow Mills and either enjoyed Gossmore or carried their canoes etc past the Lock on land. They could also land at the Compleat Angler by approaching via the backwater behind the weir and using steps to get up on land, according to contemporary guidebooks. For comparison, over the same 3 day period in 1893, 1,500 visitors arrived by train, mostly from London, with 1,300 returning home on the evening of the Monday. 

The pound lock itself was regarded as both attractive and dangerous by some. George Dunlop Leslie -  mentioned above - definitely thought it was the latter as it was an "old" lock with "many jagged piles and broken woodwork about it's sides". 

Marlow Toast rack sir?

Visitors could return home laden with souvenirs, thanks to the likes of energetic advertiser Rowes the jewellers. They made all kinds of Marlow keepsakes such as brooches and swan shaped toast racks. There were no shortage of places offering postcards but perhaps stationer and book seller William Aviss in the High Street with his "photographic depot of neighbourhood views" offered the most. Those wanting to take their own photographs could get tailored local advice from photographic journals on where and how to take the most attractive and becoming pictures, as so many had made the Marlow journey before. Those at the Lock should wait for a steam launch to arrive in the foreground of their shot, for example. This "greatly improves the composition" providing it was not too near, advised a 1901 photographers guide. 

Regatta time

Those visiting during the annual regatta could also buy a memento from the "card men" or roving postcard sellers, although they actually offered views of previous events of course. Some of these sellers had the reputation for being "sharps" or not entirely honest in their dealings. Better check your change!

Marlow has had more than one Regatta and they've gone by various names  - the Marlow and Maidenhead Regatta, Town Regatta, Rag Regatta, Marlow Rowing Club Regatta, Amateur Regatta etc. The event most relevant to those who worked professionally on the water was the Waterman and Fishermens Regatta which attracted fewer crowds but plenty of entries. For the other events, even those not watching or competing in the rowing, found the town transformed. The bridge was crowded with spectators, sitting or leaning on every available surface including the chains and railings. Complaints were sometimes made that the parked carriages completely blocked the way across the bridge. Those who got through to Marlow then had to dodge the rides, stalls and visitors of the fair that set up on the Causeway. Many of these were the same proprietors who visited Marlow during Marlow Fair although there was fewer of them. They did manage to spread down Station Rd and Institute Rd at times though, and others set up in Crown Meadow. 

The evening of the regatta usually saw a procession of boats decorated with lanterns, or a "Venetian fete" or "Water carnival". The best decorated boat won a prize. They must have made a beautiful sight to behold, especially as many riverside properties were also decorated with lights for the occasion. 

Sunday School fun

Sunday school outings were part of the summer for many youngsters. Burnham Beeches seems to have been the number one destination, but sometimes the little ones just enjoyed a high day closer to home. In 1877 for example, "legions" of them enjoy a tea in Remnantz meadow as part of a summer festival. 

Watercress gathering

Watercress was a summer harvest that would have occupied a fair number of locals at times. The majority of the beds were at Little Marlow as tended by Timotheus Brown early on. George Dunlop Leslie, describing a trip to the "charming village" around 1881, said the watercress beds were "very picturesque with their islands, footbridges and summer houses". He added that the beds were fed from a spring with slightly warm water which meant they never froze in the winter. This made them especially productive. Watercress was also grown in the meadows around Red Pits hill running towards the river and near to Medmenham. 

End of the summer

Swimming in the river (clothes optional) and the harvest home and harvest festivals that marked the transition to autumn feature in posts of their own. 

Marlow must have seemed a little quieter when all the visitors had departed, although some better off Marlow residents also found their way home after enjoying the season elsewhere. Some people might be pleased the "Harry's" had left but as the South Bucks Standard said in 1901 "the trade and prosperity of our town of our town depend for the most part on visitors who came for pleasure and recreation". 

The train service was reduced outside of the summer period, but Marlow was not quite ready to hibernate. There was Marlow Fair to stir the town up in October, and winter was the season of lectures and entertainments at the Town Hall, Music Room and the Institute. 

1905. 

Meakes and Redknapp Boathouse, Berkshire side. 

Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

To read other posts about everyday life in old Marlow, see a list here

SOURCES

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

Hall, Samuel and Mrs - The Book Of The Thames From It's Rise To It's Fall (Virtue, 1877 2nd Edition)

Leslie, George Dunlop - Our River (Bradbury, Agnew & Co 1881)

Taunt, Henry - A New Map of the River Thames From Oxford to London, (Taunt, 1872).

Parliamentary Papers vol 16, Great Britain House of Commons, (1884 HMSO) 

Dickens Dictionary of The Thames from Oxford to the Nore 1880 Issue 2 (Dickens, 1880) and 1889 edition issue 1. 

 

A yearbook of Photography and Amateurs Guide - 1901. Author unknown. 

The Royal River - The Thames from Source to Sea (Cassell, 1885)

The Art Journal Vol 45 (Virtue and Company 1883)

The Marlow Guide, 1905. 

Diss Examiner, 28 August 1899. Copy from British Library, accessed via the BNA, August 2020. 

Bucks Herald, September 27 

1873, July 18 1914 as above

South Bucks Standard - 25th September 1891, 14 October 1892, 11th August 1893, 13 April 1894, 14th July 1899, 22 June 1900, 5 July 1901, 10 June 1904, 6 July 1906 as above

Bucks Gazette - 3 November 1832, as above

 London Courier and Evening Gazette 8 November 1832, as above

©Marlow Ancestors

Jubilee Celebrations Marlow 1887

Jubilee Cottages, New Town Road. 

Most towns and villages in England celebrated Queen Victoria's Jubilee in June 1887. Marlow was no different. Here as everywhere numerous committees were set up to decide on a suitable programme. Here as everywhere no one could at first decide what to do!

The most enthusiastically supported early idea was to build a proper Literary and Scientific Institute in the Queen's honour. Enthusiasm in principle failed to translate into enthusiasm for emptying one's purse for the purpose. Too little money had been raised for the town to think of starting proper building work before the Jubilee. Disappointment was expressed that Marlow hadn't been more forthcoming. The town did get a new institute but not until 1890 (see here for more)  Of the money that was raised before the Jubilee £100 was reserved to pay for the festivities. And £79 was spent on a gift of coal for the poor the proceeding winter when it was most needed. 

Less ambitious plans to mark the Jubilee were eventually put in place instead.

The Jubilee day itself, a Tuesday, was a national holiday a certain degree of celebration was to take place in some towns all that week however.

Marlow had a special trading connection to Victoria as it was from Marlow that all the beech logs she used for fires in Windsor Castle came.

Local residents could take advantage of special trains laid on from Marlow and Bourne End during Jubilee Week to take them to Windsor for a look at the decorations and to participate in the celebratory atmosphere there.

Marlow itself packed most of it's celebrations into one single day, the Tuesday. But on Monday a public dinner was held in Queens Road, opposite the Duke of Cambridge. We are told that a "loyal and jovial" bunch of tradesmen and others sat down to enjoy the meal. The pub was decorated with flags and Japanese lanterns and bunting stretched across the road. The Marlow band also attended. 

On the morning of Tuesday the bells of All Saints church rang out before a thanksgiving service was held.

At lunch time a hot meal was provided for residents aged over 60 in tents erected for the purpose in the High Street. The men came away with pipes and tobacco as a gift, generously donated by Mrs Lovell*. (The ladies received a parcel of tea) These tents were then used in the afternoon to give all 6 to 14 year olds a tea. As a souvenir these children received a Jubilee "medal" each. These were donated by Miss Somers Cocks and Miss Wethered. (The Wethereds were also among several local breweries that donated ale for the dinners)

Miss Caird of Sunny Bank house [see my first "Where in Marlow was...?" post if you are not sure where that was] gave all widows of the Almshouses 1 shilling each. Those in the Almshouses also received a bottle of wine, some cake, a Jubilee handkerchief and a necktie thanks to Mr Charles Walker of Hampstead. He extended the gift to a number of the poor outside the Almshouses too.  

Sports were organised in a meadow adjoining the site of the proposed institute, for the evening. (Donkey races, greasy pole, skipping, tug of war..) There had also been a few races and games within the High Street itself. The races were for both adults and children and were free to enter. They competed for "useful" prizes and those commemorating the Jubilee. 

The day ended with a fireworks display and a torchlight procession of more than 100 people. The "monster" bonfire was created at the junction of the "new roads on Mr Williams land". (Institute Road & Beaumont Rise - the latter sometimes going by the name of Junction Rd in its early years, although this name was given to other "new" roads in Marlow too including Claremont Gardens and Station Rise before their current names stuck.)

During the day bunting and flags flew from houses, while in the evening Chinese lanterns were used. Marlow Bridge, the bridge across to Marlow Lock, the parish church and Thames Bank house were amongst the structures lit up with special coloured lamps as an additional decoration.

Bunting could be homemade but it could also be bought, along with flags and royal standards, from London suppliers by mail order as well as local fancy good shops.

The Black Lion pub in Well End, Little Marlow promptly applied to stay open an hour later than normal on account of the celebrations. In the end all licenced premises were granted an hours extension. 

Every Jubilee year in England there was a rash of little girls given the first or middle name Jubilee, as well as newly built houses dubbed Jubilee Cottages or Jubilee Villas or the like.  Marlow parents Caroline and Joseph Harris were a little unusual in using Jubilee for their male child Sydney Harold Jubilee Harris who appears on the 1891 census. Jubilee Cottages in Newtown Road dated 1887 still stand although Jubilee Terrace Dean Street, finished in 1887 does not. 

The 1897 Jubilee of Queen Victoria was also much celebrated - see more here. A post on the coronation of her successor King Edward appeared on the blog a short while ago here

*Others donating in kind or loaning items to the celebrations include Mr William Fisher (meat, he was a butcher of Market Square), Charles Miller Foottit (various foods) Mr George Maskell (of the George and Dragon - cutlery and plates). The over 60s dinner menu was cold roast and boiled meat, hot vegetables, plum pudding (part of any celebration back then, not confined to Christmas!), bread, cheese, tea and ale. 

Other posts connected to Royalty in Marlow can be found listed under Royalty on the General Marlow History post index here

All mentions of an individual on this blog can be found on the A-Z  Person Index in the top drop down menu. There's 4,000 + names there! 

See:

Bucks Herald 18th and 25th June 1887. Reading Mercury 18th June 1887. Copies British Library. Also available from the BNA.

1891 census Familysearch International by the LDS. Accessed July 2020.

Nash's Pall Mall Magazine Volume 18 published 1899.

Slough, Eton and Windsor Observer June 25th 1887 - Slough Library

©Marlow Ancestors. 

A Tribute To Our Bargemen *Updated*

This post is a tribute to some of the many Marlow people who worked on the river, and also to those of other towns that lost their lives on the Thames while passing through. 

The boatman and "bargees" had a contemporary reputation that was somewhat fearsome at times. They were often considered to be hard drinking, dishonest, dismissive of other river users and quarrelsome. The story of the "who ate puppy pies under Marlow Bridge?" jest at the bargemen is well known and is explored further in Charlotte's post here. The work the bargees did was skilled, physically demanding, as well as frequently dangerous. Some of the people who ran barges did well out out of the trade, and were later described as "gentleman" - William Creswell who ran The Swan barge with his brother in the 1830's and 40's is one example. William was also a substantial farmer, but he continued to be described as a wharfinger and bargeman or barge master for many years. He may no longer work the barges himself, but having done so was not a bar to respectability. Many Marlow people had wealth that was supported or created by industries that was entirely reliant on the work of the bargeman bringing in their raw materials and taking away what they wanted to sell. I have also noticed that the pubs most frequently associated with being the drinking holes of those working on the river, such as the Swan (ran by George Creswell of the The Swan barge for many years, brother to William) and the Black Boy and Bargepole, generate far fewer traffic for the petty sessions than many of the other inns. So the story is not a simple one of bad, rough boatmen causing nothing but havoc. Industry would have ground to a halt if that was the case! It's also worth noting that picking a fight with the working boatman was also a Marlow tradition with some who should have known better. Apart from those who thought it funny to mockingly chant the "puppy pie" slogan at the men, (usually high tailing it in the opposite direction pretty quick afterwards), the young gentleman cadets of the Royal Military Academy had a running feud with the bargemen. A young recruit said the origin of the quarrelling was long forgotten but the boys liked to lay ambush and set upon the men when they could in order to give them "a thrashing" to remember. The odds were rather in the boys favour as they were 30 boys to one bargee, "and several of us 18 years old and up". In turn the  cadets could expect a beating if they unexpectedly came across a barge hand when alone. The boys wore a uniform at all times so could not escape attention easily.  Former cadet John Le Couteur, who joined the Academy at age 13 in early 1808, recalled the running battles with the bargeman vividly. The boys threw dirt and stones from the bridge wholesale into passing barges. At one point the bargeman had enough and prevented some boys on a rare half holiday from crossing the bridge, handling them roughly. When word of this got around, it was said 150 boys went to the bridge to exact revenge. We only hear the cadets version of events, which saw them victorious against an untold number of gathered bargeman three or four lines deep apparently. The latter were said to be armed with everything from oars to bludgeons. The boys came with cudgels, and a hidden armoury of stones and catapults which were allegedly responsible for the boys victory. A ten minute battle on the bridge saw many boys hurt rather badly, and the opposition likewise. Someone had alerted the adult officers at the college who promptly arrived to restore order but not before those on both sides were to be found lying senseless. The cadets were confined to college for the rest of the day and were ordered not to engage in any further acts of the kind. No charges appear to have been made against the bargeman. The event may have got embellished in the retelling by cocky youths but it's interesting how battles of this kind were remembered by more than one cadet. 

The language the bargemen used may not have been what the polite society was used to. George Monk Berkeley writing in 1797 and recalling a memory of his mothers, said that once the service at All Saints came to a halt because the voice of a bargeman using loud colourful language on the river outside could be heard within the church. The Rev Cleobury was the incumbent then. 

And Sarah Winford, of Thames Bank, complained that the crews of barges were commiting "great indecencies" while moored outside her garden wall. Her servant Samuel Clarke said sometimes Mrs Winford had been obliged to close the shutters of all windows facing the river. They said the situation had worsened since the new lock had been built, with boats now passing closer to her home and mooring near there for 2-3 days together. She petitioned parliament on the issue in  1774 and a committee looking into her complaint recommended that a clause be added to the Thames improvement and navigation bill which would forbid the creation of any towing path or wharf between her garden wall and the river and forbid the anchoring, mooring or resting of boats anywhere near her garden, other than at the proper wharves and only when loading or unloading cargo. To facilitate this, it was announced in July 1773 that a "pile would be drove against Marlow winch and another pile 30ft from the bottom of Mrs Winford's wall" and once they were in place if a barge master was to "suffer his barge or boat to lie, continue or stop under the said wall, in the passage between the said pound and winch" will be prosecuted by the Thames Navigation commissioners. [Sarah Winford erected a gravestone to the memory of Samuel on his death, you can see it here]

Flash locks were long regarded as dangerous, and Marlow one of the worst. There are surviving reports of Elizabethan fatalities of boatman who were attempting to navigate the lock. Some thought this was because the lock was poorly maintained. Others that the fall of water was too "sudden and immense" even for a flash lock. John Willis, a bargeman drowned navigating the lock in 1772 after falling overboard, a few years before the new pound type lock was finished. 

Henry Allnutt, writing in the Anglers Journal in 1886, described the dangers of the old flash locks. The boats were hauled through the lock with the aid of a capstan and rope on the bank. If the rope should break, "the poor fellows [operating the capstan] were cast off flying into the air by the tremendous increasing velocity of the capstan unwinding itself". It was tedious and "most perilous" work that required a lot of strength. Henry, and both his father and grandfather had fulfilled roles within the Thames Navigation Commission.

Some lives claimed by the river

When we think of boatmen we don't perhaps think of people like barge boy "Master White" age 14. An orphan, he had been found a position on the Hope Barge, owned by Thomas Jordan of Bath. In the autumn of 1826, the Hope was moored at Marlow. The crew went to get supplies and refreshment in the town, sending the boy back to the boat with some things. When they arrived back at the riverside, the boy could not be found. The water was searched but the lad's body was not recovered until the next morning, 4ft from the stern and in 14ft of water. It was believed he had slipped and fallen from the moored vessel in the dark. In the reports of his death and inquest, his first name is not given. It does not seem the crew actually knew it. 

Another hazard is illustrated by the death in 1829 of James Spokes. He was working horses towing a barge travelling from a wharf at Spade Oak to Marlow. The rapidity of the "stream" was believed to have pulled the horses towards the river and to have caused them to slip and fall into the water. James was dragged in and while he managed to grab a branch extending from the bank, it slipped from his hand and he was drowned, along with the horses. He left a wife and two young children.

The fact that habitual drunkenness was not compatible with the skill and co ordination required to operate a barge is shown by what happened to some who tried to work them while a little inebriated. In 1826, William Winter was working on the Helen Barge travelling between Bristol and London via Marlow. He went to haul a line in, despite the warning from his brother not to attempt it as he had been drinking. He over balanced, and although a strong swimmer, sank and died despite his brothers efforts to rescue him. His body was not recovered for 3 days**, found just 40 yards from where he sank. 

Those working on the the River in other ways could also loose their lives. William Sayer of Dean Street, working as an ostler at the time, drowned while swimming horses at the back of Marlow Lock near Marlow Point. He was exercising an injured horse by swimming it across the river to aid it's recovery. It appears the horse got into difficulties with William astride it's swimming back and he fell off. He could not swim and a strong current had been noted there. 

And then there was George Cox, an engineer managing a steam launch for the summer season who fell off the launch in 1884, and did not surface. There are many more names we could mention. 

One Robert Goldswain, bargeman of Great Marlow, experienced another boat mans hazard in 1778 when he was press ganged into the navy while taking a load of timber to the Kings ship yard in London. He had a protection order from the Naval Board that was supposed to have exempted him from this indignity, as he was on naval business after all. Unfortunately for Robert, the press gang had been ordered by the Admiralty to ignore Naval Board exemptions as they were especially keen to recruit men who knew what they were doing around boats. He was put on board the "Conquestadore" and after a bit of passing to and fro and a court case, was returned home after a little more than 3 months in naval service. The court was aghast that the authorities admitted issuing protection orders to boatmen with the express intention of lulling them into a false sense of security so they would venture out onto the river ready to be pressed into service! 

 *For more on the woman's riots of 1800 which was also said to have involved some bargeman see this post here.  That post also contains reference to rioting bargemen in Marlow in 1766.

** Or much later the same day according to one report.  

For a biography of the barge owning family the Sparks see here and the Cresswells here

Will of bargeman John Piggot 1695 here

List of Great Marlow and Little Marlow bargemen 1700s (ongoing upload) here and 1600s here and here

And more on the cadets of the Royal Military College junior branch see here

Child drowning victims of Victorian and Edwardian Marlow here

To search for any individual on this blog use the A-Z Person Index option on the top drop down menu.

More river related posts can be found in the General History index here

SOURCES

Anglers Journal, Vol 6 . Article by Henry Allnutt, 16 June 1886.

Bentleys Miscellany, Vol 20. (Richard Bentley, 1846)

Berkeley, George Monk - Poems (J N Nicholls, 1797)

Salter, John Henry - A Guide To The River Thames (John Salter, 1881)

Wright, William - Fishes and Fishing (Thomas Caultley Newby 1858)

St Paul's Magazine Vol 5, edited by Anthony Trollope. 1870. 

Parliamentary Papers, vol 33, Great Britain House of Parliament (Houses of Parliament 1866)

Journals of House of Commons Vol 34 (HMSO 1804)

Reading Mercury 13 April 1772, copy at the British Library and accessed via the BNA, August 2020. 

Windsor and Eton Express 15 April, 4 November 1826, as above. 

Berkshire Chronicle 26 September 1829, as above. 

South Bucks Standard 18 October 1907, as above.

Bucks Herald 30 August 1884, as above. 

Oxford Journal 17 June 1773. 

Kelly's Post Office Directory 1847 (Kelly's Directories Ltd, 1847)

©Marlow Ancestors. 

 .

Great Marlow in the First World War - 1915

JANUARY 

 - The Marlow War Relief Committee decide to form a Marlow unit for the Bucks Battalion of the Volunteer Defence force. This will give military training to men too old to join up, or who work in exempted occupations for example. They will be put to work in various tasks such as guarding depots and assisting the special police. 

 - The Institute (later the building used as Marlow Library) decide to allow any Marlow men on active service free use of their facilities while they are on leave. This means access to a library, billiards table and other games. 

FEBRUARY

- At Walter Davies shop in the High Street you can see a war trophy on display. A German officers helmet was bought to England by an invalided officer and can now be seen in the shop. 

MARCH

- The new commanding officer of the Volunteer Defence Force is Arthur L Lawrence and 80 members are enrolled already. 

Above, a patriotic image from the "Marlow Directory and Almanack" 1915. 

MAY 

- News circulates around town that the Grenadier guards will arrive at Bovingdon Green toward the end of the month. However their arrival is delayed because anti German riots in London necessitate their presence.

JUNE 

- 1,200 members of the 3rd Battalion of Grenadier Guards finally arrive at Marlow. They have come from the Wellington Barracks, on the 3rd/4th, with the usual fanfare and excited crowds stopping in the streets to cheer them in. A photographer captures the arrival of the main body of men on the 4th and it's made available as a postcard. The first train carrying troops arrives at 10.40, the second 11.45 Am. General Sir George Higginson is amongst those who turn out to witness the event, and he receives their salute. They march to Bovingdon Green where they will stay 7 weeks - or so it's thought at the time. Anyone who missed the troops arrival will have plenty of opportunities to see them march, as they proceed almost every morning to the long established firing range opposite Quarry woods for shooting practice. The 4th Battalion are initially expected to follow the 3rd to Marlow within a week or 2. They dig trenches but are they the training ones? See 1914. 

- A depot for the National Egg Collection is opened at 71 High Street to collect eggs to provide food for soldiers in hospital both at home and in France. Anyone keeping chickens can donate surplus eggs there. 

- The 3rd Battalion of Grenadier Guards march to Gyldernscroft in Henley Rd to honour of their former commander, General Sir George Higginson's, 89th birthday. The children of Bovingdon Green school have the honour of accompanying the Guards and the latters Drum and Fife band. 

JULY -

- Grenadier Guards in camp at Marlow host a boxing championship, the first of many sporting events to be held there. Later, the guards host "river sports" on the Thames. A large crowd, deprived of the chance to attend the usual Marlow Regattas, attend. Marlow Rowing Club puts their premises at the soldiers disposal and Mr Meakes loans some skiffs for their use. Popular with crowds are the swimming races, officers jousting on canoes and a hotly contested aquatic tug of war. A band from the Guards keeps everyone entertained throughout the afternoon from their position on the rowing club lawn. 

- 700 men from Marlow are now reported to be on active service. 

 - 3rd Battalion of Grenadier Guards leave Bovingdon Green, on the 20th after declaring the camp the best in England. Several wives and sweethearts walk by the side of the departing men as they make their way to the station. Other women are seen to give out cigarettes to the soldiers. Crowds throng the station, and the platform is closed. But enterprising ladies infiltrate the goods yard and manage to keep the men in sight a little longer. The men are replaced the following day by the 4th Battalion of the Grenadier Guards, who arrive by train and march through the town to Bovingdon Green. A special train also brings from London 200 members of the RAMC complete with ambulances. Officers take houses within the town. 

- On the 24th, another 400 members of the Grenadier Guards arrive at Marlow, while 100 leave for duty on the front. 

- Farmers at the Marlow Cattle Market hold sale in aid of Red Cross funds - with many animals selling well above usual rates and several put immediately back up for sale to be bid upon again. 

- A number of famous though unnamed London "artistes" travel down to Bovingdon Green to take part in a concert for the troops camped there. Hosted in the substantial YMCA tent. 

- the South Bucks Free Press prints a letter from two members of Marlow Town Band, now serving with the Bucks Battalion (T.F) in Flanders. Pte E J Smith and Pte F Latham want to thank other band members for a surprise parcel of goodies sent out to them. They say "it's fairly safe in the trenches as long as you keep your head down" but add where the trenches are close together you have to dodge grenades and "stand a good chance of getting mined". Overall though they say they have "nothing to complain of". 

AUGUST

-Many Grenadier Guards move out of Marlow.  A company of the 5th Grenadier Guards and the (3rd) 5th London Field Ambulance (RAMC) remain at Bovingdon Green in camp.

- HRH the Prince of Wales makes brief surprise visit to the camp in his capacity as officer in the Grenadier Guards. 

- Anyone passing Marlow Lock is buttonholed by the energetic Miss Gladys Meakes who is selling miniature flags to boating people in aid of the Red Cross. 

- Hooks Farm hosts a military sports day and gymkhana for the 5th Battalion of Grenadier Guards at Marlow, and the RAMC ditto. In common with most of these events at Marlow, civilians attend in droves, paying a small entry fee of 1 shilling which is collected to raise funds for the Red Cross. Men in armed forces uniform can attend free. Some races are more serious than others, with a three legged race causing much amusement. More than 200 injured soldiers in regional hospitals are invited to attend, including wounded servicemen recovering at Cliveden. Some arrive by river, others by road. Although pubs in Bovingdon Green are technically not supposed to serve them, many are seen to be worse for wear during the day. The landlord of the Jolly Cricketers - Francis Styles - will be fined £5 for serving these soldiers. 

- Ladies and men volunteer to carry out national registration, which means delivering 3,500 forms to households in Marlow area. 

- An open air meeting is held in the Market Square to encourage every man able to fight to register his interest in doing so. Speakers use a flag draped lorry - loaned from the Brewery - as a platform. Among them is General Sir George Higginson who says war will only end when England and her allies come out victorious. The event ends with cheers for serving men and the Allies as well as the singing of the National Anthem. 

- Members of Wycombe VAD  march to Bovingdon Green to see the training trenches which have been made on the "most modern scientific principles." The trenches therefore pre date the arrival of the Royal Engineers during war time but the Grenadiers were said to be digging trenches in June - see above. 

SEPTEMBER 

- Bovingdon Green sees yet more military sports, this time courtesy of the RAMC. Amongst competitive running races, and long and high jump events, can be found mounted wrestling competitions, egg and spoon dashes and a costume race won by a man dressed as a undertaker. 

- They also hold a river sports day, with swimming, punting, and a greasy pole climbing competition. The officers and their friends are invited to watch from the lawn of Marlow Rowing Club while others line the traditional regatta viewing spot - Marlow Bridge. After the last race, all competitors and officers are given a celebratory tea by the Rowing club following a prize giving. 

 - The RAMC  hold a fund raising concert in aid of their YMCA tent at the Bovingdon camp, one of many they will organise.

- The 2nd Welsh Guards are reported to also be at Bovingdon along with Grenadier Guards and RAMC. 

- The Bucks Examiner prints extracts from a moving letter from ex Marlow football player Sergeant H Hawkes to his wife, from his hospital bed at a military hospital at Netley. Hawkes had a miraculous escape, having been shot through the neck while fighting in the Dardanelles. "I must say I thought of you all when I lay there in the moonlight with hundreds of dead and wounded around me". The man from the Red Cross who had come to his aid, was sadly shot through the head and killed as he tended Sergeant Hawke. 

OCTOBER 

- Mr and Mrs Owens of 62 West Street receive special letter of sympathy from King and Queen after the death of the third of their sons in action. 

- The Welsh Guards leave Bovingdon  on the 2nd. 

- On the 23rd, the sounds of the Grenadier Guards Drum and Fife band marching through the town centre gives warning to any Marlow resident who hasn't heard the news - the Grenadier Guards are moving out. They leave from Marlow station as the band plays patriotic songs. The RAMC and 26th Fusiliers Bankers Battalion remain.

NOVEMBER

- 50 Marlow men are reported as killed or missing presumed killed so far. 

- The 26th Royal Fusiliers Bankers Battalion and (3rd) 5th RAMC are reported to still be in camp at Marlow. The former has formed a brass band and gives first performance at one of the many military football matches held at Marlow, on this occasion on Borlase playing fields. 

 - A fearsome gale at the end of the month sees numerous tents belonging to the camped soldiers upturned. They seek shelter in the YMCA tent before many get temporarily billeted within the town the following day. The RAMC billet themselves in The Old House and one adjoining while other troops occupy locations including the Institute (now Marlow Library), the Armoury (Institute Rd) and in the High Street  - "the old Lloyd bank" and the unused shop of Mr Martin plus the former boys school in The Causeway (now the church hall)

- The 26th Royal Fusiliers Bankers Battalion leave Marlow for Essex. They take with them a number of Marlow men who joined them during their Marlow stay. 

DECEMBER

- Three field companies of the Home Counties Royal Engineers Territorial force arrive in Marlow. They are quartered in empty houses and halls. About 450 men in total are housed.

- The RAMC leave Marlow after a long stay, giving a farewell concert that ends in an emotional singing of Auld Lang Syne. They had remained quartered at The Old House and an adjacent property after the gale last month partially destroyed their camp. 

- Busy scenes were reported at the Marlow recruiting office where 150 Marlow men are "attested for grouping under Lord Derby's scheme" 

- At the AGM of the Brewery, it is revealed that 44 of their employees are currently serving, and that 4 others had been found medically unfit for service. They are at this time executing a "considerable order" for shells having moved some of their production over to munitions. Company Engineer V B Butt supervised this work. 

The drinking fountain memorial to Charles Frohman who drowned in the sinking of the Lusitania. Sometimes called the Marlow Mermaid, but she has feet! 

For a post on Marlow in 1914 see here, 1916 here 1917 here 

1918 here

Brewery First World War Memorial tablet Here

To read other posts relating to Marlow's military history or everyday life here in the past, see the post listing here

Researched and written by Kathryn Day

©MarlowAncestors. You are very welcome to use this research for family or local history purposes if you credit this blog and provide a link back here. 

So far this blog contains mention of

3000

People from or associated with Marlow.