Straw Bonnet / Hat Manufacturers Marlow

Not as well known as the lace trade but a Great Marlow industry nevertheless. It was a trade subject to the whims of fashion and rose and fell over time. Straw plait was traditionally stitched together by females, often little girls before child labour laws forbade it. The wholesale price of straw plait in 1849 locally was £1 for 100 yards of it. The biggest centres for straw plait manufacture in the area were Chesham and Luton. A market for it was held in Aylesbury.

Some of the straw hat or bonnet makers I found in Marlow were:

Mary Clifford, High Street. Pigot's Directory 1842. Born 1824. Daughter of Sarah and Theophilus Clifford. To read about Theophilus see the post here and the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu for all mentions of the family.) Mary and her family lived within a few doors of Matilda Newell, straw hat manufacturer below. Later in 1844 Mary returned with her parents to Theophilus's native Oxford. Mary married Henry Quarterman a carpenter and builder. She died aged 40. The Oxford Journal reported that she was "respected by all who knew her". [December 5th 1863].

Elizabeth Hawes "Oxford Terrace" [in Oxford Road] 1842 Pigot's Directory.

Charlotte Hobson, straw hat maker, High Street 1839 Robson's Directory and 1844 Pigot's Directory. Not in her own premises at least 1833 +. Age 30 and living in the High Street 1841 census though ages on that census are rounded and only approximate. Had also lived in Cookham Berkshire. Widow of John.

Matilda Newell- Pigot's Directory 1831, Robson's Directory 1839, Pigot's Directory 1844. All High Street. In 1833 property she occupied was on the Pound Lane / Brewery side of the High Street and consisted of a house and garden with an estimated value of £8 a year. She had not been in the same property in 1826. She was a straw bonnet maker aged "25" on the 1841 census apparently in the same property. Ages were rounded on the 1841 census. Matilda was actually 28 in 1841. She was the daughter of Hannah (née Hester) and William Newell and moved to Marlow with them as an infant. She was born in Bledlow in 1813. It is interesting to see Matilda occupying property on her own account and being in business ditto aged just 20 in 1833. Unusual for a young woman with living parents (they were in West Street). By 1851 she was back with them however, listed just as a farmer's daughter and living in West Wycombe. After their deaths Matilda was able to live as an annuitant rather than work. She died eventually at Naphill, Buckinghamshire on the 25th April 1883.

Elizabeth East Pusey- 1852 Slater's Royal Commercial and County Directory, Chapel Street. On 1841 census Spittal Street [these two streets run into each other and the boundaries of neither were ever consistent. I haven't yet analysed property occupations in this street but feel it possible at least Elizabeth was in the same premises in fact 1839 and 1841]. Born circa 1793. The wife and eventual widow of Samuel, a chair maker. Samuel was the brother of William Pusey straw hat maker come straw plait dealer come chair maker below. Elizabeth and Samuel moved from Marlow to High Wycombe where Elizabeth East Pusey died in 1888 aged 95 on the 15th April. Samuel had died in 1867. Elizabeth does not seem to have continued in her own trade in Wycombe.

Elizabeth Pusey, 1852 Slater's Royal Commercial and County Directory, High Street. Born 1796 on 1851 census. She was the wife of chair turner come straw hat maker William Pusey. See below. Elizabeth is censused as having been born in Rye Sussex.

William Pusey- straw hat maker, West Street 1839 Robson's Directory., Pigots Directory 1842. In 1833 a William Pusey was in Quoiting Square where his property consisted of a house, washhouse, shop, yard and large garden worth an estimated £11 a year. The parish tax assessors got into a right pickle in the vicinity of Quoiting Square so while the description of this William's occupied property in 1833 will be accurate it is very possible that like several other properties his was listed as Quoiting Square but was actually in West Street. That street is where they were 1841 and 1844. William was married to Elizabeth Pusey, straw bonnet maker above. He was listed as a chair turner by 1830 and continually thereafter but was also in joint enterprise with his wife in straw hat making at least 1839-44. They lived in the High Street 1851. He was then censused as being born 1787 in Penn Buckinghamshire. Brother in law of straw hat maker Elizabeth East Pusey above and brother of Samuel Pusey also above.

Charlotte Rose- West Street, Pilot's Directory 1831 and 1842. Lived on 1841 and 1851 census at the West Street Post Office with her sister Ann Tyler, William Tyler the post master and Ann's husband plus Charlotte and Ann's mother Elizabeth who is listed as a milliner. Elizabeth was at other times referred to as a dressmaker as well. Ann was earlier a milliner and dressmaker too. Charlotte, who was also a cambric cap maker, died in 1870. She is buried with her mother at All Saints, Marlow. I will post a photo of her grave in the future.

Ann Sinclair. West Street Pigot's Directory 1842.

Charlotte Suthrey - High Street, 1831 Pigot's Directory. Not in own premises 1833.

Hannah Wright, Chapel Street. 1831 Pigot's Directory.

Researched and written by Charlotte Day.

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

Sources:

Robson's Directory 1839

Pigot's Directory 1831 and 1844. These both University of Leicester Archives.

1852 Slater's Royal, Commercial and County Directory. 

Property records in my family.

Death certification Matilda Newell and Elizabeth East Pusey.

Censuses my transcription from microfilm except West Wycombe which was from Aidan O'Brien. Census information always remains Crown copyright.

James and Sarah Puddifant

James and Sarah (née Tregoe) were a married couple by 1786 when their daughter Ann was baptised at the Salem Chapel (now Christ Church URC), Quoiting Square, Great Marlow. They didn't have far to walk to get to that church living as they did just around the corner in West Street (modern 42). See below.

Sarah was born 1755, the daughter of barber surgeon and peruke maker Timothy Tregoe and Mary his wife. Her family was of Amersham origin.

James was a pawnbroker. On the 1798 posse commitatus (list of those men of fighting age in each town and village) he is stated as lame so his likelihood of being called up to do any fighting was slim.

He was obviously a religious man being a long term subscriber to the biblically inspired poetry of William Lane (on Google Books but really if you haven't read it you are not missing a lot!) as well as being a member of the Marlow branch of the British and Foreign Bible Society. In 1812 he donated £1 2 shilling to them for instance.

James died in 1816- Sarah would live on for another 24 years. Death notices give her age then as 85 so she was born circa 1755.

In his will James calls himself a gentleman. The majority of his personal possessions went to his "dear wife" Sarah and daughter Ann Millard but his sisters Mary, Susannah and Hannah also got a legacy of £10 each, his brothers John and Thomas £2 2 shillings each with bequests also to niece Mary Gray and nephews William Godfrey and James L...b..

There was another daughter Keziah (biblical name, once common) baptised at the Salem Chapel to James and Sarah. Perhaps she did not survive her childhood as neither she or any likely descendants are mentioned in her father's will.

Wife Sarah and a Timothy Tregoe were the will's executors. This was Sarah's brother Timothy Tregoe the watchmaker. By the time the will was proved it was a bit out of date as Timothy had died a few months previously. Sarah was the executor of Timothy's will too and inheritor of all her brother's Marlow property as although he had married Timothy apparently had no surviving issue. What that property consisted of isn't itemised in the will but contained at least one house rented out for profit. Sarah was asked by Timothy to pay out of her rental income 15 shillings a year to a faithful servant he had had.

Sarah continued to live in West Street. From the obituary given to her in the Reading Mercury when she died we know that she spent much time doing good during her life in Marlow. The paper said she had been for over half a century as a member of her church an "exemplar" "an excellent woman" and "attentive friend to the poor". The Aylesbury News agreed that she was well known for her benevolence  and generosity and that she had been every ready to spend time at the bedsides of the sick. "A lady more revered for her kindness" could not be found. 

In 1825 she was amongst those present when the minister of her church, George Edwards, criticised a young Sunday School teacher for allowing children to skip Sunday School, with him implying that this was down to her immoral character. The allegation was seen as extraordinary by many in his congregation including Sarah as was the use of the pulpit to make such a complaint. The falling out of minister and flock over this caught the attention of local and national newspapers. George sued the Times for slander over the nature of their coverage of his troubles. In that slander case Sarah Puddifant was one of those who gave evidence in a London Court about what she had heard the minister say and the aftermath. You can read more about this case in a post specifically about it here

Sarah's will was written in 1838 and proved in 1840 when she was approx 83. She appointed as executors and trustees of her personal property John Gibbons, a fellow West Street resident, and Jabez Millard of Grays Inn London.

The main legatee named was her granddaughter Sophia Harris, wife of John Harris who "by her husband's civil conduct lives with me". Not sure what was going on in that situation! Was Sarah being sarcastic??  As well as the interest from Sarah's investments Sophia got half the household furniture in their home and all residual property Sarah possessed. Grandson Alfred Millard got the rest of the furniture, a share of the principle of the money Sarah had invested and her leasehold property in the village of Penn near High Wycombe (her paternal grandmother Mary had come from Penn).

The rest of the principle of the money she had invested went to her granddaughter Ann Burton.

Witnesses to the will were High Street chemist Robert Footitt, Hezekiah Groom a linen draper of Woolwich and one Daniel Groom.

Extra notes= James and Sarah were both witnesses to the will of Mary Crompton written 1786. Sarah was also witness to the will of Catherine Allnutt written 1819.

Timothy Tregoe was one of the executors of the will of Thomas Ollis landlord of the Three Tuns next door to the Puddifants.

More pub content can be found by looking at the Pub Related option on the menu. All mentions of someone on this blog can be found on the Person Index. To read about others who ran businesses in West Street see the "Specific Shops, Streets...Etc" option on the menu.

Researched and written by Charlotte Day.

**DO YOU, LIKE THE PUDDIFANTS, HAVE A FAMILY CONNECTION TO CHRIST CHURCH? IF SO, YOU MAY LIKE TO COMMEMORATE YOUR ANCESTOR BY SUPPORTING CHRIST CHURCH WALK OF LIGHT FUNDRAISING EFFORTS - SEE  Here FOR MORE INFORMATION**

Sources:

Will transcriptions by me of the wills of James Puddifant, Sarah Puddifant, Catherine Allnutt and Mary Crompton. All wills obtained from the National Archives.

The Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society, 1812. Digitized by Google.

Property records held by my family.

The English Reports [law] volume 130. W Green. 1912.

Reading Mercury. January 25th 1840. Copy held in the British Library and accessed via the BNA.

Baptisms of Ann and Keziah Puddifant Microfilm of Independent Chapel Great Marlow baptismal registers, library of the LDS church.

Posse Comitatus from Jane Pullinger who went to the LDS Family History Library.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to reuse content for family or local history purposes if you credit this blog and link here. Thanks.