The Most Jovial Ephraim Sheppard

Today we are turning our focus on one of the biggest characters amongst the very numerous Victorian publicans, innkeepers and hoteliers of Victorian Marlow - the jovial Ephraim Sheppard. (Ephraim was usually pronounced as "effrum" then). Ephraim was the proprietor of the ancient and sadly now demolished Greyhound Inn in Spittal Street. 

Neither Ephraim or wife Elizabeth were born in Marlow itself. He was born in Sussex in 1844, although the family soon moved to Surrey.  Elizabeth nee Thompson was the daughter of a hairdresser and perfumer of Broad Street Reading. The couple met when Ephraim was a butler and Elizabeth a lady's maid in the same very grand household of the Viscount Enfield of Rutland Gate, Knightsbridge, London. It was a large establishment and no doubt provided excellent training for running a busy hotel. The route from butler to hotel manager or similar is a well trodden one in this era. They married in 1882 at Reading just weeks before arriving at Marlow to take over the Greyhound from Thomas Haydon Willis. 

Immediately Ephraim slipped into his soon to be familiar role as ebullient and welcoming host. Although the nearby Crown Hotel often held the biggest events and town meetings and the like, the Greyhound was a popular choice for club meetings and fundraising dinners. It had a "commodious club room" for this purpose. The front part was quite small but it had been extended at the back thanks to a meadow belonging to it there. Since their start in Marlow, the Greyhound had hosted the local branch of the Oddfellows Friendly Society (from 1844, the Loyal Orphans Hope Lodge) and the Royal Briton Benefit Society (from 1851). 

What the Greyhound was probably most famous for was it's fundraising "smokers" or smoking concerts. These were male only musical events, so called because of the custom of men in polite society to linger for a smoke and conversation after dinner while the ladies retired elsewhere to talk. (A lady did sometimes preside at the piano.) Ephraim must have enjoyed hosting them as there seems hardly a cause or event in Marlow he didn't organise one for. The Marlow Cricket Club was a particular passion of his and so the smoker was a welcome annual boost of funds for them. He played for the club himself too on occasion and was their official luncheon caterer after 1889. 

Amongst more serious causes the Sheppard's hosted smokers for was that for the relief of the unemployed in the town in 1887. This was used to pay for packages of tea and sugar and loaves of bread for 74 families.  Perhaps the most personal cause Ephraim fundraised for was that for the benefit of the family of his ostler of 10 years, Richard William Reeves.* Richard had died suddenly in 1898 at a young age leaving a wife and three little children completely unprovided for.

The Marlow voluntary fire brigade was another frequent beneficiary of his concerts. 

The Greyhound had a billiard room from at least 1891. It had some competition in this regard as the Literary Institute, and Complete Angler, Chequers and Crown hotels all had rival tables. Billiards were a big draw and the attendance at matches was surprisingly large with reports entering the local papers of relatively minor matches. Ephraim ran competitions and handicaps throughout his time at the Greyhound. The same names frequently crop up as winners- especially John Langley, Robert Lunnon and Herbert White. Sometimes the prize was money, at other times decorative items such a marble clock. 

In 1901 the Greyhound hosted a contest in the "new and popular" game of ping pong. A team of crack London players, apparently already famous, came down to challenge a Marlow team, and to the surprise of most, Marlow beat them!

Despite catering for the then relatively modern crazes of billiards, ping pong and smokers, Ephraim still catered for the traditional inn visitor. A visitor in 1890 wrote a comedic poem dedicated to the female cook at the Greyhound praising the hearty food on offer such as the inevitable chops as well as scallops and soups. The food on offer at their annual dinners hosted for groups such as the volunteer fire brigade tend to feature a bewildering number of roast and boiled meats and a generous selection of fruit tarts, creams and pies. As the South Bucks Standard put it in 1893, the courses were "abundant, substantial and various." Those enjoying that particular feast were 90 men employed in the building of the substantial house known as Stoneyware on the Bisham side of the river. You probably left the inn decidedly heavier than you went in!

Ephraim actively advertised that he would cater for pic-nic and boating parties. He promised good stabling and a lock up carriage house too, not to mention fine cigars and a good selection of cigarettes and wine. Those guests who needed to hire a steam launch or carriage could also do so at the Greyhound. 

The Sheppard family come across as ones that liked to celebrate the Christmas season in full. They started the annual festive ball shortly after arriving in Marlow and they kept hosting it up without interruption for some 20 years. (It was actually usually held on New Years Eve. Previous tenants had sometimes held similar events but Ephraim made it a bigger and regular event.) Guests were admitted via ticket of course, with the average attendance of 50-70 dancers from both Marlow and further afield. The premises were bedecked with resplendent greenery on these occasions. They were usually called "Cinderellas" that is they finished in time for the guests to get home by midnight. Perfect for those who wished to see in the new year at home. Later they took place in early January although they still called them a festive ball.  Furthermore, Ephraim, who was fond of singing, started fundraising carol singing rounds in the 1890s. These were organised with his dear friend Edward Flint of Shelley House. The purpose then was to fundraise for the Church Lads Brigade. At other times the Inn provided space for dancing classes in the club room - the students also had an invitation ball there to show off their newly perfected turn of foot. These events certainly didn't end at midnight - 5am was more like it!

In 1894, Ephraim spent time and money on improving and enlarging the hotel. I believe this is the time the "coffee room" was added or fitted out. The "Commercial Room" also starts to be mentioned around this time. Both were on the ground floor. 

In 1903 the Sheppards decide to leave Marlow. They placed adverts in the local papers to say they would be taking over the Cleveland House Boarding Establishment in Regency Square, Brighton. They suggested that their Marlow area customers might like to visit them there on their holidays as they were in one of the very best positions in Brighton they said.  However a couple of years later they had taken over the White Horse in Holt, Norfolk and so they pass out of our Marlow story. Before they left the couple hosted one last dinner. It was organised this time by their good friend Samuel Flint. A subscription had been raised to pay for a parting gift  - an engraved silver rose bowl. As one guest put it there were some people who always "shed a certain amount of sunshine" wherever you meet them and the cheerful Ephraim was one of those. 

The Greyhound really struggled after Ephraim left. The next occupier experienced financial difficulties and lasted only a couple of years. His own successor went bankrupt and angrily claimed that despite being told by the brewery that an £100 weekly income was achievable, he had not managed to earn more than £14 a week. 

Written and researched by Kathryn Day with additional research by Charlotte Day. 

*In 1825 another ostler at the inn, Joseph Fox, died suddenly in the midst of a conversation with a customer about their journey. He was about 40 and his death was out down to that old favourite  - "Visitation of God"

More information: 

There are posts on this blog about individual families associated with certain pubs, as well as on individual pubs themselves so have a look at the Pub Related index here  & don't forget the A-Z Person Index for all mentions of someone on this blog. Find it on the top drop down menu. Thousands of people get a mention on this blog.

List of proprietors of the Greyhound here

Greyhound as a coaching Inn, and other stagecoach services here

Posts about historic residents and businesses in Spittal Street and neighbouring streets here

More beer sellers than bakers -Temperance in Marlow here

Lists of posts about everyday life in old Great Marlow here

Sources: 

Chief Register of Friendly Societies - Great Britain House of Commons, HMSO 1878

Census 1881, 91 and 1901 - transcripts from the microfilms by Jane Pullinger.

Kelly's Post Office Directory -  1877,1889, 1899,1907. 

The Angler, November 1883, digitised by Google. 

Oxford Journal 19th August 1882  (BNA)

Buckinghamshire Examiner 30 July 1890, as above

South Bucks Standard 9th June 1893 , 4th May 1894, 28th January 1898, Feb 7th 1902  & 17th April 1903, as above 

Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News 19 February 1887, as above. 

Windsor and Eton Expression, 18 November 1825. All as above. 

Maidenhead Advertiser 27th January 1892 - Slough Borough Libraries. 

Marlow Guide 1903. 

© MarlowAncestors. 

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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The Ship, West Street Marlow Landlords and historic timeline

 

Updated by Charlotte Jan 2024.

 We mainly focus on pre 1920 listings but sometimes list later landlords if we come across them during research. 

1792 - Thomas Hussey/ Hussrey 2.Thomas Humphrey

1823 - William Clark

1824 - William Clark

1831 -  George Dorell

1832 - George Dorell

1836 - "The Old Ship"  Mrs Dorrell qv. 

1839 - As The Old Ship - William Sawyer. For him see also The Coach and Horses. He was he son of bakers James and Charlotte Sawyer of West Street see here for more on them and his brother.

1841 - William Sawyer

1842- George Stevens

1843 - George Stevens. Fined £2 for allowing cards to be played on his premises. This was a high amount and considered unfair by many. 

1844 - George Stevens 2. John Clark(e)

1846- as The Old Ship Inn. John Clark transfers to Richard Green who is also a blacksmith.

1847 - As The Old Ship - Richard Green.

1851 - Richard Reeves. Richard and his wife Jane were previously managers of the Workhouse. See this post for a biography of them.

1853 - Richard Reeves

1854 - Richard Reeves.

1859 - Jane Reeves. Widow of Richard.

1863 -  Mrs Jane Reeves

1864  - Mrs Jane Reeves

1870 "the Ship Tavern" 

1871 -  Sarah Reeves. She came from the Prince Albert, Spittal Street and was the widow of William Reeves. Jane had just died.

1872 - John Cuthbert

1873 - John Cuthbert. 2. Henry Poole

1876 - Henry Poole transfers to Miss Jessie Macintosh. 

1878 -  Miss Jessie Macintosh died there age 28. 

1878 - Henry Poole again. A business partnership with John Tildesley relating to the manufacture of soda water at the Ship, came to tears. The two fell out and came quite literally to blows when Charles and several others tried to remove the equipment. They took out summons accusing each other of assault - in the case of John the attack was upon Felix Tildesley who had accompanied his father to the Ship. The case against Poole was dismissed. Charles was fined 13s including costs. Then Joshua Benjamin Gladding takes over. 

1881  - Joshua Gladding dies, James Rim(m)ell takes over. 

1883 -  James Rimmel(l)

1884 -  James Rimmell.

Thomas Barnes (temporary after James Rimmell's death) then "Mrs Rymmell" qv widow. 

1885 - Hannah Rimmell (Wife of James) 

1886 -  Hannah Rimmell. (Wife of James Rimmell) Lost her licence for harbouring prostitutes -  see Here   Thomas Barnes takes over again 1887. 

1888 - Thomas Barnes. 2 Joseph Warden

1889  - 1. Joseph Warder/Warden, 2. Thomas George Austin

1890 - Thomas John Richards (born Kent)

1891 -  Thomas Richards

1892  - Transfer from Thomas Richards to William Saunders, and then from Saunders to W Dominick Westcott. Thomas Richards left after marrying a woman of  private means living in Little Marlow. But this marriage of Thomas and Agnes was not happy and within 2 months of their wedding day they had separated, both accusing the other of drunkenness and violence. The case went to court, and Agnes was convicted of assaulting Thomas by whipping his face. (Agnes admitted to using the whip but said Thomas had started the trouble by swearing at her.) A counter charge against Thomas was made, but he was found not guilty as it was considered he was acting in self defence.  The costs of both cases were to be paid by Agnes. She claimed Thomas had married her for her money, and had became a beast when he could not get his hands on it. Thomas said Agnes had taken against the daughters from his first marriage (especially Ada) and had acted out of jealousy. He claimed she had developed a habit of drinking when acting as the former land lady of the Windsor Castle Inn at High Wycombe. Both were bound over to keep the peace. 

1893 - 1. William D Westcott 2. Charles Lisson Mathews

1895 - Charles L Mathews 2. Thomas Walter (or Walker) Lowe

1896 - Mr Lowe 2. ? Gunn. Suffers a chimney fire this year due to beam running through chimney beginning to smoulder. Marlow Fire Brigade had dealt with this kind of fire before and said it is not uncommon to find such badly placed wooden beams in old buildings. Damage limited. 

1897 -   1 G A Gunn 2. James Swain.  (Joseph Warder, Thomas George Austin two names possibly proposed and refused instead of Swain)

1898 - James Swain transferred licence to Thomas Watson. He had no choice after police complaints of months of disgraceful behaviour at the pub, including him being found flat- out drunk on the premises and drunkenly attacking his wife Sarah so blood was running down her face when a police constable found her. The local magistrates said that unless Swain left immediately the brewery would lose their licence for the pub. They swiftly dumped Swain.

1899 - Thomas Watson (Alt. William Watson).

1901 - Mr Watson transfers premises to Arthur Osborn. 

1902 - Survives attempt by authorities to close it down as excess to West Streets licensed premises requirements. The high turnover of landlords in recent years counts against it but the fact the licence is "very clean" and the premises in very good condition keep it open. Arthur Osborne 2. W A Bennett (previously proprietor of Royal Oak, Huntingdon)

1903 - Albert E Bull

1904 - A E Bull 2. Arthur Barlow

1906 - Arthur Barlow 2. Thomas Flaxman/ Flexman

1907 - Thomas Barnes (hold-over) 2. Joseph Warden ditto. 3. Edward Tygat (e) 4. Alfred Schreen. 

1908 - Alfred Screen / Schreen. Spelling varies. Pub has bowling alley and a stable but the latter is not used. Headquarters of the 200 strong Ivy Ramblers Club of London.

1909 - Alfred Screen. In this year the pub is described as having 5 bedrooms which were constantly accommodating visitors during the "river season." In 1908 only three bedrooms mentioned as available to visitors.  In addition the skittle alley was sometimes pulled into use as a little extra space when hosting summer teas. The pub sells twice as many barrels of beer as they did a couple of years ago when they catered for fewer parties. That's two barrels worth of beer a week being sold plus 18 bottles of beer on average and 6 gallons of draught spirits. And yes they sold non alcoholic cordials and mineral water too. The pub is "clean and well conducted" but needs some repairs to the actual premises according to a report submitted to the licencing committee. 

1910 - Alfred Screen leaves Marlow. Next landlord - Charles Percy Joy

1911 - Charles Joy

1920 - Charles Percy Joy. Fined 20s for profiteering in this year for selling gin at higher than the fixed maximum price. Charles pleads guilty but says he doesn't sell many spirit drinks and so can't buy it at a favourable price. If he sells it at the maximum fixed price he says he'd be making a loss. And his total profit per bottle were only 1s which he did not think could be fairly called profiteering. A charge against Mrs Joy for actually serving the drinks is dropped. 

1924 - James G Palmer

1939 - Charles Thornton Arnold. 

1962 - Mrs Doris Mary West is leaving for the Canary Islands. Licence transfers to Mr John Somerville Blundell 

* For more on the Rimmell family see separate post here*

Look on the menu here for more landlord listings for Marlow, Little Marlow, Medmenham and Lane End as well as biographies of some pub keeping individuals or families, a listing of the 100+ pubs Marlow has had, and pub histories.

See under "Specific Shops, Streets Etc" on the menu for links to posts about other historic West Street businesses and residents.

©Marlow Ancestors. 

SOURCES

1853 Musson & Cravens Commercial directory (Compiled 1852), published by Musson & Craven. 

1859,1864,1877,1883, 1899,1903,1907,1911 & 1915 -Kelly's Post Office Directory. 

1839 Robson's Directory

Pigots Directory 1823,1831,1844

Contemporary press coverage of licencing hearings, court cases, and other news accessed via the BNA including: South Bucks Standard, 12 August 1892, 16 July 1901, 22 May 1902, June 21 1907, March 5th 1909 & 28th Oct 1910.

Reading Mercury May 8 1879. As above. 

Various property deeds, wills transcribed by Charlotte and legal proceedings. 

Census 1841,1851,1861,1871,1881, 1891

Men Who Built Marlow Part Two

Thomas Corby Senior and Junior of Great Marlow.

The elder Thomas was born circa 1785 in Medmenham according to the census.

Thomas Senior in partnership with Theophilus Clifford the stonemason in 1829 won the contract for brickwork and masonry for the new suspension bridge at Marlow. More on the extremely fraught building process here.

That bridge is the bridge you see today in Marlow.

In 1833 Thomas and his son lived parts of the same building in the High Street, shown below as it is today. Their builders yard, workshops and offices were a little further along the High Street in buildings demolished in 1969. 

Thomas Senior's part in that year had an annual value of £14 and consisted of his part of the house, a storeroom, lofts, yard and garden. His son's property consisted of his part of the house, and a garden with a total value of £11. There was only one entrance doorway for the premises. This fact when revealed to investigators in the 1840s would lose Thomas Junior his vote in elections as a separate householder even though his part of the property was valuable enough to qualify him otherwise. Thomas did not marry and always lived in the family home.

Thomas the elder in 1833 also owned and occupied 67 acres of farm land at Munday Dean just outside Marlow worth just over £55 a year. The Corby family had occupied land there for some years. He also had a kiln, shed and other buildings up at Marlow Common where he made bricks. (The fraught history of the brick kiln there will follow separately). 

In 1846 he and his son built the Catholic Church in St Peter's Street. They also built a Catholic chapel at Danesfield.

In 1851 he appeared on the census as a builder employing 30 men.

Thomas Senior died in 1853. (See his grave here ) In his will he left two houses in Staines Middlesex in trust for the benefit of his grandchildren. These were the children of his daughters Mary Ann (by marriage Rogers) and Emily (by marriage Croxford). His then unmarried daughter Charlotte received the furniture he had already given her to use when she kept a school, his bed and bedroom furniture, 3 cottages at ...(Swelley?) Place Great Marlow, 3 cottages at Bovingdon Green and £1000 which was invested. There was also money invested for his grandchildren, the children of his dead daughter Catherine Reeves and his son Henry Corby. 

Thomas Junior was left 5 cottages in Hambledon and a cottage in West Street Marlow. After his father's death he took over the business full time. On the 1861 census he was a builder and brick maker employing 47 men and 3 boys. His brickmakers went on strike in 1860 to demand a pay increase of a shilling per one thousand bricks made. Other local workers struck or asked for wage increases at that time due to price inflation of everyday goods.

Thomas Junior built Holy Trinity Church, the vicarage, the Roman Catholic School, the brick arch and stabling at New Court (1874) shown below (which involved first demolishing the two houses right next to his own home), the Little Marlow village school (1862), the novel wooden church at Handy Cross (1864) and the Primitive Methodist Chapel (now Liston Hall).

Thomas Junior was forced to retire in 1877 due to his health. The man he employed as overseer of his building operations, Young Lovell bought the business. More on him in future.

Shortly after his retirement Thomas died and was buried with his sister Charlotte Gibbs in All Saints churchyard in Marlow. I have a post showing his grave here

The Bucks Herald paid tribute to Thomas after his death saying he had shown "indomitable industry" and "unswerving honour and integrity".

Above: the arch leading into New Court built by Thomas Junior.

By Charlotte Day. Photos by Kathryn Day.

Further Information:

The Men Who Built Marlow Part One: The Bonds has already been posted here

Part three - The Lovells - here

Part 4: Frederick Plumridge here

To find all mentions of a family of individual here use the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu.

©Marlow Ancestors. 

Sources:

Bucks Herald 7th April 1877 [Obituary]. Copy held in the British Library archive. Via the BNA.

Bridge wardens accounts and papers at the Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies.

Will Thomas Corby, held at the National Archives, Kew. Transcribed by me.

Original property records held by my family.

Census 1841-71 transcribed by me from microfilm.

Richard and Jane Reeves, Workhouse Managers *updated September 2025*

 Great Marlow workhouse was in what we now call Munday Dean Lane but was then often called Workhouse Lane, on the edge of the town.

In 1835 the Bucks Gazette* carried an advert for an "intelligent master" for the place. The successful applicant needed to be a married man with a wife willing to act as the workhouse matron. Wages were to be £100 a year for the two of them together. This was about the standard wage in the region for such a master / matron work team, though some complained it was extravagant.

Richard and Jane Reeves were probably the successful applicants as they were running the workhouse by the time of the 1841 census. I can find no adverts for replacement staff in between times, and such posts were widely advertised.

With them in 1841 were two teenage children, William and Jane junior.

Richard on a later census said he was born Greys Oxfordshire which is likely Rotherfield Greys. Jane said she had come all the way from Yorkshire. Their children I found were baptised at Wooburn Bucks.

The Great Marlow workhouse had benefited from some renovation and improvement 1836, not to make the paupers within more comfortable of course but to further plans to close as many local workhouses as possible and cram their inmates into just 2 premises. One of these was to be at Bledlow and one at Great Marlow. It was originally intended that the able bodied poor would be housed at Marlow, and the aged and infirm at Bledlow. In 1835 there had apparently been few requests for admission into Marlow, and of those requests only 5-6 had actually been accepted. Such quiet would not last long. 

As part of the same changes the poor were no longer to be given money to help them survive, only bread. Landlords and shopkeepers of course didn't except bread as payment so if the poor couldn't support themselves entering the workhouse became their only option. In order to compensate the authorities for the food and shelter provided at the institution adults inmates were made to work (for no other pay). At Marlow this work then consisted largely of digging gravel out of fields bought for the purpose near the workhouse. 

This work may have had little real economic benefit but there was an oft repeated belief that given the chance poor people would never work, only laze about waiting to be fed bread and handed money so they needed to work at something every day in order not to lose the habit. Of course such beliefs were not universal. Even in the 1840s there were those who angrily questioned how people who employed servants to personally avoid doing any hard work felt qualified to make pronouncements on the subject of other people's "idleness".

While the adults worked outside the children were supposed to be receiving an education. Later Victorian reports suggest the workhouse children had attended the Oxford Road infant school but on the 1841 census there was a schoolteacher on the workhouse premises who was responsible for educating the children directly.  However those viewing the accounts, complained at the amount spent on paying for the boys to attend the Marlow National school (which also educated a few boys from Wycombe escorted there daily.) So perhaps the teacher was educating just the girls. 

The census shows far more children than adults in the workhouse. The youngest was just 4 days old. 

Though quite well paid it must have  been a stressful job to run the institution. The new system of refusing to give out of workhouse financial relief caused great resentment. Robert and Jane may have felt some of that in person. Fiction tends to paint workhouse managers as awful people. The Reeves however took up their role early on in this new workhouse system regime when it was largely untested. They may have been part of the (minority) of people who hoped that the poor would benefit from it by higher wages. If a farmer gave a worker a miserably low wage under the old system they knew that the local parish would top up the wages to a slightly less miserable level by way of poor relief. Under the new system without that extra money workers would become destitute and have to give up their jobs for the workhouse leaving farmers and other employers without enough available workers. If they wanted to continue as businesses the thinking went employers would have to pay their workers sufficient wages to actually live on. It had logic as a theory, but it didn't prove true.

In 1885, one of the poor law guardians Walter Lovegrove had gathered memories from Marlow people who had actually spent time in the workhouse at Marlow. One sadly unnamed lady who had first spent time there as a child, recalled the Reeves in particular. She said that Mr Reeves was a good and kind man. She remembered with affection how Richard escorted the children to the parish church on a Sunday. Instead of taking them directly back to the workhouse, he went with them to the old chalk pit almost opposite. There the children spread out around the banks under the shade of the trees and sang hymns together. 

An anonymous letter writer to the local papers in 1840 accused the Marlow workhouse of being one of the worst run and said that the managers (who he did not name) were too lax in their supervision of the inmates. The inmates could be found consorting about the town with criminal elements it was said, while the children were not escorted to Sunday school. He or she also thought that the female residents were mainly there because they needed to support illegitimate children, with the implication that it was not sufficiently strict enough to provide a determent from immorality. In the same year the diet of the poor there was criticized for lacking more than a bare minimum of meat when it was allowed (2 days a week) and for being being generally insufficient. 

Richard and Jane had left their workhouse jobs by the 1851 census (no earlier than 1843) to become publicans at the Ship Inn West Street. In 1843 the Wycombe Union had opened a central Workhouse at Saunderton to replace the local workhouses. 

By 1863 Jane was a widow running the pub alone. Following her death her daughter in law Sarah (son William's wife) would become the landlady.

The workhouse buildings survive in a private residential capacity.

More Information: 

Poverty in Victorian Marlow here

The most famous person to be born in Great Marlow Workhouse was John Richardson. See here

Life for the residents at the Workhouse - 1775-1843 here and for those at the Union workhouse at Saunderton here

For complete landlord listings for The Ship see this post. More pub related posts can be found on the menu  here

For every mention of someone on this blog see the Person Index in the top drop down menu. There are now 6,000 people listed there with more added weekly. 

Written and researched by Charlotte Day. Additional research by Kathryn Day. 

Sources:

Censuses from microfilm images and the transcripts from originals by Jane Pullinger. 

* Paper copy from the British Library accessed via the BNA August 1st 2020.

Wooburn parish registers.

Annual Report Of the Poor Law Commissioners Volume 1. 1835. Copy from Bavarian State Library digitized by Google.

A Paper on Pauperism - Walter Lovegrove, 1885. (As presented to the Marlow Mutual Improvement Society) 

Bucks Gazette 10th September 1836, 30th December 1837. 

Bucks Herald 20th June 1840. 

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

1833 Parochial Assessment For Great Marlow Part Four West Street

 My family has the original 1833 handwritten working notebooks used to compile this along with associated correspondence. They are old and faded so I am putting it up here in stages starting with the assessment for houses and buildings. The purpose of the data collection was to readjust local tax rates for 1834. The books contain some pencilled in additional information for a few years after their initial completion. If any appear for this section of the assessment I will indicate so below. I am uploading assessment parts in the order they chime in with research I am doing.

Transcribed by Charlotte Day.

© Marlow Ancestors. Feel free to quote from my transcription or otherwise use it for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog.

West Street Continued

I give the information thus:

Name

Property

Annual value of it

Any notes of mine are in square brackets.

Ralph Spicer [a lawyer and insurance agent. Later lived High Street].

Dwelling house, stable, chaise house, offices, yard and garden

£30

*****

William George Ellson [rented this property from Richard Lovegrove of Maidenhead. William was a watch and clock maker. He went bankrupt].

House yard and garden

£9

*****

James Thomas Lovegrove [he was a plumber. He moved premises in the next few years to the other side of the street - see here. Earlier in 1833 David Lovegrove lived in this property. It was owned by James's uncle Richard Lovegrove of Maidenhead who was also a plumber. James was later one of the executors and trustees of the will of Richard's wife Catherine and of the will of James's near neighbour in West Street butcher Rachel Hall who is mentioned below. See also this post for his sister Mary and his involvement in settling her estate].

House, workshop, yard and shop with lofts

£14

*****

Thomas Reeves [a cooper]

House, workshop, yard and garden

£15

*****

Henry ?Huysey ?Hussey [a grocer]

House and shop

£8

*****

Mrs Elizabeth Silver [she was the widow of Richard Silver a childbed linen manufacturer. His will is transcribed on the blog here]

House and garden

£14

*****

John Winch Burnham  [a stationer and Baptist  minister. Died 1847]

House yard and stable

£10

*****

Rachel Hall [ran a butcher's shop. She is the subject of a biography on this blog here].

House, shop, stable, slaughterhouse, yard, sheds, garden and offices

£20

*****

Late Richard Way [see previous part of this assessment for another entry for  Richard Way. He had moved elsewhere in West Street]

Dwelling house and garden

£14

*****

Widow Clark [probably Mary, widow of William. Her lodger a Mr Jarvis, who worked for Samuel Clark next door committed suicide by slitting his throat in her kitchen 1831. Unfortunately the very bloody scene was first discovered by a little girl].

A cottage

£5

*****

Samuel Clark [a tailor but this property was later a butchers ran by Clark family members]

Dwelling house, offices and garden

£14

*****

Late James Daley

Dwelling house garden and bakehouse

£24

*****

John Sadler [he was a butcher and possibly also the " Mr Sadler, butcher" who was one of the parish constables in 1836. Still in these premises 1840s].

House, offices, yard and garden

£10

*****

Richard Smith [he was a boot and shoemaker, resident in this property for many years. More on him here].

House and garden

£7

*****

Joseph Mead [he was a painter and glazier]

Cottage

£5

To be Continued....

Please use the Person Index drop down menu to see other instances of these people being mentioned on the blog.

More West Street related posts can be found listed here