Edwardian / WW1 Trinity Road and Trinity Place Part Two

Part One dealt with the odd numbers in this street and is available here. This part contains the even numbered homes and their residents as well as those people whose exact address, odd or even, is not known.

Trinity Road was previously Gun Lane and at times during the Edwardian era was also referred to as "Trinity Lane". Trinity Place was a small cul de sac which lead off Trinity Road and was previously known as Gun Place. It was at times numbered as if it was part of Trinity Road, and sometimes as a separate entity*

This was poor area with most homes consisting of just three rooms (kitchen come family room downstairs and two bedrooms above). Piped water arrived here at the close of the 1800s but not before the only well for the residents had already run dry. Life here was tough and there is some distressing content below which may involve your own particular family.

All the homes listed below were demolished long ago.

It is likely some residents have been missed due to the rapid tenant turnover in poorer streets. We will endeavour to add in anyone found to be missing as research opportunities permit.

Even numbered* properties were on the right as you came in from Dean Street. Numbers given as they were then=

2.) Charlotte (bn circa 1845) and Joseph Budd (bn circa 1848). He worked at the gasworks in nearby Cambridge Road as did sons John and Walter who lived at home. Charlotte's 62 year old maternal cousin, Alfred White who also lived in Trinity Road at an unknown address but likely with Charlotte sadly took his own life by hanging in 1907. His body was found by a telegraph boy in the yard of Mr Lovell the builder (off the High Street). Charlotte gave evidence in the resulting inquest. She said that she thought Alfred intellectually impaired. He was deaf and had trouble speaking. As a result of this he had been known as "Dummy White". Earlier in his life Alfred had spent time in jail for stabbing George Grace in the arm following a quarrel. By coincidence George had also died by his own hand in Marlow Fire Station. Alfred had become depressed due to unemployment. Instead of help in his worries he had been prosecuted at Maidenhead for threatening to do away with himself on a previous occasion.

Joseph and Charlotte Tubb's daughter Jane features in the Edwardian Trinity Road post Part One.

4.) This brick and tile house formed a pair with no.6. Thomas and Eliza Barnes and their children then Clara and Amos Moody with their children, followed by a Mr Beaver. 

Thomas Barnes was a bricklayer born circa 1860/61. Eliza was born circa 1863, and was nee Cook.  Thomas was earlier in his life attacked in Trinity Road by two men from other Marlow streets. Amongst the projects that he worked on as a bricklayer was the building of the Salvation Army chapel in Crown Road. This was later rebuilt and is now a daycare nursery. The family moved to Chapel Street by 1911. 

Clara and Amos Moody were both born around 1866. Both spent at least some of their childhoods in nearby Dean Street. Amos was the son of John and Elizabeth Moody, Clara the daughter of Caleb and Elizabeth Boot. Clara and her living-at-home daughter Ada were both laundresses when they lived in Edwardian Trinity Road. Amos worked at the paper mills in the Edwardian era but had been a farm worker as a young man. Amos's sister Jane had a very troubled and sad life. She may have lived in Trinity Road for a while early in the Edwardian era with her husband. A full biographical post about her is already on the blog (distressing) here.

6.)Frederick and Charlotte Bailey and their children, then H Tubb, then labourer William Henry Tubb with his wife Mary and their children.

Frederick Bailey was born circa 1866 and Charlotte in circa 1865. Frederick was a drayman at the brewery. Charlotte died in 1909 following a strange incident where a varicose vein in her leg ruptured when she was out at night near the Plough in Wycombe Road. Instead of getting help from the pub or nearby houses Charlotte made her way home, bleeding. Her daughter Annie fetched the doctor. Police from the police station in Trinity Road as they had first aid training but nothing could save Charlotte and she quickly passed away. How her leg came to be injured was investigated. She had just parted company from her husband at that time (he perhaps intending to visit the Plough?). To one person she said someone had kicked her in the leg. To others she said she had just knocked it herself. A trail of blood lead to a horse trough by the Plough but no further conclusions could be arrived at. 

Charlotte was born Charlotte Bowles, the daughter of George and Ann Bowles of Dean Street.

After Charlotte's death Frederick moved with his children away from Trinity Road and became a gardener. They lodged at the Black Horse, Chapel Street. As a teenager Frederick had had to pay a one shilling fine for gambling at cards with his friends in the "recreation ground" (Gossmore). A less controversial teenage hobby of his was playing football for the Marlow Star football team who played in Star Meadow, off Wycombe Road, very close to Trinity Road. He was their captain in 1886.

Mary Tubb was born circa 1888 and William Henry around 1884. 

This house was a brick and tile building which formed a pair with number 4.

8.) In 1907 Samuel Macklow /Mucklow a bricklayer and probable former soldier who was born around 1854 in Worcester and his wife Ann aka "Annie". This Annie was one of the neighbors who rushed to help the dying Charlotte Bailey of no 6 above in 1909. Samuel and Annie lived in Dean Street in 1902 when they were fined with other of the street's residents for abusing and violently assaulting a Bristol man who had come into the town to do a job at the brewery and was lodging in Dean Street. Other outsiders were also employed on the same job and staying in the lodging houses along there. This caused huge resentment amongst the Marlow men who felt work which was rightfully theirs was being stolen from them by strangers. One of the accused Marlow women stabbed the Bristol man with a knife during the fracas but it wasn't clear to the court exactly which woman was responsible. This incident wasn't the first time that Samuel had been convicted of disorderly conduct.

Niece Gladys Sewell was also in household of the Mucklows. She was the daughter of Walter and Elizabeth Sewell of Dean Street and granddaughter of Edwin Sewell who lived at no 12 Trinity Road. See below.

10.) In 1907 Mr G Armstrong, then agricultural labourer John Lovegrove born circa 1861, his widowed sister in law Jane Rockell and Jane's widowed daughter Henrietta Bidmead, a laundress. In 1909 Jane died from heart disease and an ulcerated leg after refusing medical treatment. John found her dead in bed when he came home from work. At some time between 1911 and 1915 both John and Henrietta left this house. Henrietta moved to number 13 on the other side of the street. She was born a Rockell in around 1871 and married William Henry Bidmead.

12.) This property was condemned and demolished in 1932 Edwin Sewell born circa 1846-49 who had come to Marlow from Rickmansworth Hertfordshire as a child with his parents. He moved from Dean Street Marlow to Trinity Road between 1901 and 1905. Wife Ada. Daughter Alice when married lived at no 22, see below. Granddaughter was Gladys Sewell who lived at no 8 Trinity Road.

14.) This property was condemned and demolished in 1932 Hannah Burt an unmarried laundress born around 1871. Her agricultural labourer brother Joseph lived with her as did, early in the era, her elderly mother Harriett. The latter was the widow of Thomas Burt and had raised her children in the Hamlet of Monday Dean near Marlow, at Ragman's Castle on the outskirts of the town, at Boulter End, Flackwell Heath and in Dean Street Marlow. She and her husband were evicted from their Dean Street home in 1897 and may have moved to Trinity Road as a result. She was deaf by the late 1880s. Thomas died early in 1901, before the census. He had been a labourer. Harriett died in 1903. She was at marriage Harriett Boddy. Emma, daughter of Thomas and Harriett appears amongst the inhabitants of Trinity Road without an assigned house number. See at the end of the house listings below.

16.) Also known as 1 Trinity Place Thomas and Ann "Annie" Rockell  and their children. Thomas was born circa 1849 and Ann in around 1850-2. Probable maiden name Frith. Long term Trinity Road residents as a couple and it looks like Ann spent part of her childhood there too.

18.) Also known as 2 Trinity Place Mrs Ann Goodchild, widow born circa 1846. Came from West Wycombe. Her labouring son William James lived with her. Earlier in her widowhood Ann had worked as a chair caner in Marlow.

20.) Also Known as 3 Trinity Place George and Louisa "Lewey" Budd and their children. Early on in the era James Bowles who was described as George Budd's brother in law (born circa 1848) also resided here. George Budd was an agricultural labourer and born circa 1874. Louisa was born circa 1878, the daughter of William and Ann Bowles. James Bowles was marked on the 1901 census as deaf from birth.

22.) Also Known as 4 Trinity Place Thomas Turner and his wife Elizabeth and their children, then in 1907 the newly married couple Robert and Alice Armstrong who had several children in this house, then R Stroud. 

Thomas Turner was a labourer born circa 1866 and Elizabeth in circa 1873. They moved to Chapel Street before 1911.

Robert and Alice Armstrong were both born around 1882. He was a house painter. Alice was nee Sewell, the daughter of Edwin Sewell who lived at no 12. The family later moved to Oxford Road. 

24.) Also known as 5 Trinity Place James and Louisa Cook and their children. James was a bricklayer's labourer born circa 1866. Louisa was born 1870. One of the children was Edith who was found along with other young laundry hands to have been working longer hours than legally permitted at Quarry Laundry in 1908. They started at 8am and should have finished at 4pm but instead ended their working day at 5.30pm. Her employer was fined. It is unknown whether this extra work was actually welcomed as an opportunity by Edith or whether she was being exploited.

26.) Also Known as 6 Trinity Place. Thomas and Mary Langley then Arthur and Beatrice Bowles, then Beatrice Bowles as a widow.

Thomas Langley was born around 1867 and Mary in around 1868. He was a labourer. She was nee Mary Louisa Edwards. She spent her childhood in Trinity Road. Her parents were Caroline and James Edwards.

Arthur Frederick Bowles was a gardener born circa 1884. He was a casualty of the first world war, dying in hospital at Bedford of pneumonia in 1918. He had served in the Labour Corps according to the newspaper reports as to his death and the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry according to his grave. As a teenager Arthur was found to have stolen some partridge eggs from private property. One of his co-accused was Thomas Rockell son of Thomas and Ann Rockell of no 16 above.

Beatrice Bowles was at her 1907 marriage to Arthur Beatrice Usher.

Residents whose house numbers are unknown or questionable=

Florence Collier and her children resident 1912. She was fined for swearing at them.

Charles and Mary Edwards. Residents 1901. He born circa 1870 and she in 1871. They had with them "adopted child" Dorothy Bright born circa 1897.

Sophia Edwards resident 1901 Trinity Road. Born circa 1834. Widow of William Edwards. Had lived in Trinity Place in 1895 and Trinity Road earlier. Kept pigeons in her back yard.

Mrs Harriett Elizabeth Groves who slit her throat with a razor in what was ruled as a fit of "temporary insanity" in 1911. She was taken to the Cottage Hospital but could not be saved. Wife of Alfred Groves, a labourer. Harriett was Harriett Ford at marriage. She was in her 27th year when she died.

Henry and Emma "Emily" Harris who lived Trinity Road on the 1901 Census with Mary Ann Burt age 20, Henry's stepdaughter and their other children. Henry Harris is not to be confused with the close-in-age Henry Harris, saddler and harness maker of Spittal Street. Henry of Trinity Road (bn circa 1857-59) was a worker at the brewery while his wife Emma (bn circa 1857) was a furrier. The family including Mary Ann Burt left Marlow for Langley Marish in Bucks where Henry worked as a farm carter by 1911. Emma was nee Burt and though born in Flackwell Heath had spent some of her childhood in Marlow. Her sister and widowed mother both lived at no 14 Trinity Road, see above. Emma was a servant as a teenager.

Sarah Ann and Joseph Hiscock. Trinity Road residents in 1909 but in Dean Street by 1911. Some of their children were born in Winchester Hampshire. Joseph was that classic Dean Street occupation - a vegetable hawker. Sarah worked at Quarry Laundry. When the owner went bankrupt in 1910 he owed money to many of his employees including Sarah. The court ordered him to pay them.

Alfred and Elizabeth Hopgood both originally of Reading lived in this street in 1911 but had left the town by 1915. Alfred was born around 1863 and was a building labourer. 

Mary Loftin born circa 1835 resident of Trinity Road 1901. Mary was a widow who worked as a charwoman. On the census she says that she was born at Bledlow Ridge. She died in 1907. Widow of William Loftin a gas / engine fitter. The couple were also living in Trinity Road at the time of his death in 1896 and previously. They had married late in life in 1890 when both were already widowed and so had no children together. Mary Ann was at the time of her second marriage the widow of farm worker Joseph Martin. William Loftin had been the lodger in their Trinity Road home.

William Moody who was a resident in 1916 when he was fined 10 shillings for having no light on his cart.

Sarah Slade resident 1901 age 62 with her 24 year old son. Widow of Charles Slade. She had lived in Trinity Road for many years. Charles was fined for being drunk and disorderly in Trinity Road in 1895.

Ada and Eli Smith with their children who moved to Marlow circa 1911 from Wooburn. She worked in a paper mill at Wooburn even after she moved to Marlow  and he was by trade a builder's labourer. This family suffered severe hardship due to Eli's continued unemployment. He was imprisoned for child cruelty at the behest of the NSPCC because of the deprivation the children experienced. The court seemed sceptical about his attempts to provide for them while recognizing that Ada worked very hard. It isn't clear if she actually lived at home during the working week. She told the court that her working hours meant she could not see to things at home anyway. She had sold her clothes and bedding so that the children could eat. Nevertheless the children suffered from vermin, sores, uncleanliness and a lack of education because they had no clothes in which to attend school. The Inspector from Marlow Police Station in Trinity Road collected donations of clothes for the children from other Marlovians. There was virtually no furniture in their "filthy" home, and no fire in winter. The court ordered Ada against her wishes to place the children in the Union Workhouse until their home situation improved and so they could be intensely treated. If she did not take them to the workhouse she too would be jailed, despite the NSPCC saying they did not think any charges against her should be pressed.

Wages were low in this period giving families little chance to save money for emergencies. Children being unable to attend school because they didn't have a full set of clothes still, shockingly, occurred in Marlow in the 1940s. The court's apparently sceptical attitude towards Eli should be taken with some reservations. The privileged men who sat in judgement generally subscribed to the view that you could always find work if you wanted to and that all poverty must be the victim's fault. That those working could be paid so little they could neither fulfill their family's wants nor save for when they weren't in work wasn't within their understanding. Eli, while not in paid employment, made rag rugs which the children hawked in the town, so he was hardly idle. See above under house number 2 for a case of the suicide of an unemployed man. The Smiths moved to Dean Street by February 1912. Ada was at marriage Ada Priest. 

Private Thomas Stroud son of Henry and Sarah Stroud of Trinity Place was killed in action in December 1914 while serving with the Royal Berkshires. He died instantly after being shot in the heart. The news of his death broke locally early the next year. He was also said to be a resident of Trinity Place then.

*Note= Marlow was beyond terrible at organizing street numbering, displaying house numbers, or making sure everyone knew what number they lived at. Some people refused to acknowledge the fact that their home had been officially renumbered and carried on using the old number. Others don't ever seem to have understood what their house's number was even after it was officially given one. Some people without moving house would give a different number for their home every different time they were asked, based presumably on guesswork. I often have to use multiple sources to repopulate an Edwardian street in this town reliably.

Researched and written by Charlotte Day.

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

Similar Posts 

Victorian residents of Trinity Cottages Jeremiah and Emma Harding here

General earlier history of Trinity Road here

Edwardian St Peter Street here.

Edwardian Cambridge Place here

Edwardian Spittal Street and Spittal Square Part One here and Part Two here

Edwardian wedding gifts in Marlow here

Some Sources=

Marlow Town Guide and Almanack 1907 and 1915 editions. Marlow Printing Company.

Bucks Herald February 16th 1916. Reading Mercury Nov 26th 1884 both British Library Archives, via the BNA.

South Bucks Standard and 22nd Feb 1907 , 13th August 1909 and July 8th 1910.

Reading Mercury 16th Nov 1918. Copy at the British Library.

Bucks Free Press Feb 16th 1912, Bucks Free Press Archives.

All 1901 census from the microfilm transcriptions of Jane Pullinger, with thanks.

"England and Wales, Census, 1911", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7VP-JRQ : Thu Feb 13 06:47:46 UTC 2025), Entry for Eli Smith and Ada Smith, 1911.

https://buckinghamshireremembers.org.uk/php_scripts/bksidget.php?id=5578

"England and Wales, Census, 1911", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7VL-H36 : Thu Feb 13 16:47:53 UTC 2025), Entry for Henry James Harris and Emma Harris, 1911.

"England and Wales, Census, 1911", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7VP-JRS : Thu Feb 13 06:35:45 UTC 2025), Entry for Alfred Hopgood and Elizabeth Hopgood, 1911.

"England and Wales, Census, 1871", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKZ2-ZW5S : Tue Oct 08 17:32:05 UTC 2024), Entry for Thomas Burt and Harriett Burt, 1871.

"England and Wales, Census, 1911," , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7VP-NLV : 22 July 2019), Frederick Henry Edward Bailey in household of Thomas Blewitt, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1911 England and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 14, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.

1905 Williams estate sale papers, copy kindly provided by Adam Baxter of the Marlow Society.

GRO Birth, marriage and death registration indexes, GRO online. Except Marriage of Henry Harris and Emma Burt which was Find My Past https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=BMD%2FM%2F1883%2F3%2FAZ%2F000128%2F092

Personal interview, rent receipt.

The Bell Ringing Beer Selling Bargeman

 Today's subject is the multi talented George Creswell (Cresswell), an imposing figure who could be found striding the streets of the town in the regency and Victorian period. If you wandered into the beautifully thatched Swan Inn in the Causeway, you may have heard licenced victualler George bending the ear of his drinkers on the subject of how the river and barging industry had changed. Going to the river itself, you may have seen George accompanying some eager anglers out on the water or perhaps you would spot him and brother William with their barge, also known as the Swan, starting out for London. Or perhaps you can see an particularly tall and well built parish constable guiding a miscreant to the parish lock up? That's George too.  Hear church bells ringing? George again. He's one of the ringers. You get the idea. 

There are many George Creswells to be found in the pages of Marlow history but our subject is the one born in 1808 to William and Ann of the riverside Complete Angler inn as we call it. His parents turned the somewhat ramshackle cottage conversion into an inn with a far ranging reputation for hospitality and fishing facilities. As such it attracted gentleman visitors from London, willing to rough it a little, and business boomed. The couple have their own dedicated entry here. 

Suffice to say George and his siblings grew up on the banks of the river. As a young man he worked as a fisherman, which in Thames terms of the time, meant someone who guided anglers out to find the best hunting grounds. The most sought after fisherman had their services in such high demand by visitors that their services were hard to acquire. George had the advantage of a steady stream of customers from the family inn. The two brothers would eventually lease extensive fishing rights between Bisham and Cookham Bridge. His father also maintained an interest in timber and coal dealing, and running the barges that carried goods up and down the river. George would also take up this role. 

At some point, he and brother William began to run the Swan barge on the river. Those described as "running a barge" sometimes owned it, often leased it, and sometimes were those captaining it up the river themselves. George and William seem to have combined the latter two roles at the beginning. As time went on, they did less work on the barges themselves, and more was left to employees. Although George was ultimately very successful in the barge industry, he certainly suffered some setbacks. Both his father and brother William were generally regarded as very shrewd businessman and definite misers. (You can read more about that infamous brother William, scourge of all in authority, here ) George it would seem was less one to frantically count his pennies, or perhaps he was unlucky. For in 1829, he found himself banged up in the notorious Whitecross Street debtors prison in London...

Debtors Prison 

Whitecross Street was used solely for the reception of debtors and it had arguably a worse reputation than the others so used. Sarcastically known as the "Cripplegate Coffee-House", it was often described as over crowded. The debtor's were housed in wards rather than individual rooms, men and woman apart. He is described as a fisherman formerly of Marlow at the time of his incarceration - "formerly" does not mean he had moved to London however. He is imprisoned at Whitecross because the action was taken relating to debts owed to someone operating in London or Middlesex who took a civil action against him there. I can't be sure how much he owed, but if a creditor insisted on it even someone owing a relatively small amount could find themselves behind bars at this time. And they were liable to stay there until the debt was paid, which may of course mean an indefinite stay. George's time however does not seem to have been long..perhaps his family stepped in and helped straighten his affairs. 

Happily, 1829 was not an entirely bad year for our subject. The Berkshire Chronicle of April announced the marriage of George Cresswell of Great Marlow to "Miss Bowles" of the same place. (Elizabeth). The Bowles were a very old and widespread Marlow family, one of the few to be present continuously from the Tudor period onwards and very likely before that too. The Bowles and Cresswell families were in charge of a large number of Victorian inns and beer houses at different times. 

By 1833 George and Elizabeth were living in the High Street. Their home was assessed at £10 for tax purposes so it was a reasonable size. Around now, George was one of the bell ringers at the old parish church*. In fact when that building was demolished, and replaced with a new one, George was one of the "first ringers". That is he was one of those who rang the bells for the first time in the new church in February 1835, a little time after it was completed. On the 60th anniversary of that occasion, the bells were rung again in honour of these early ringers all of whom had since passed away.  

The Swan Inn

Sometime between 1834 and 1839, George became the proprietor of the Swan Inn. Now demolished, this was a very old thatched building standing where the vicarage is now. It's proximity to the river means it's presumed to have had many bargeman amongst it's clientele although there were several beer houses on the river front itself around Church Passage and St Peters Street. And bargeman could be found drinking in any of Marlow's very very many houses of refreshment! However despite barge men having a somewhat fearsome reputation (often embellished later it must be said) events at the Swan rarely generated the sort of traffic to the Petty Sessions that many other licenced premises did. Was there a sort of self policing going on? Maybe, but George was regarded as running a respectable establishment in general. He in fact took a turn as parish constable on more than one occasion. Someone associated with crime would not get voted to this role. (You can find more about how parish constables worked in Marlow here) 

George's address in the 1840s is several times given as Sundial Cottage. It was the neighbouring property to the Swan, famed for the historic sun dial on an adjacent outer wall. Licenced victuallers were required to live in their premises but it seems George was also using the cottage and this was regarded as sufficiently the same. 

In 1845 wife Elizabeth died with such swiftness that expressions of sympathy were forthcoming from all quarters. She was "hale and hearty" one morning but was taken ill in the night. Surgeon Wilkinson attended but declared her life must be despaired of and she never recovered. Inflammation of the throat was considered the cause of death. George, with a young family,  would go on to marry a second time, to widow Charlotte of Bisham. 

George was the last landlord of The Swan. I'm not sure exactly when he chose to leave it but it was sometime between summer 1861 and December 1863 when the premises is described as uninhabited.  The site was ear marked for a new rectory by the Rev Milman who had many church improvement plans in mind. The Rev left the parish before most were realised but he did see the completion of his new home the year before his departure.  So The Swan and all its history was demolished in the 1860s. George and family moved just a short distance away to Brook(s) Street (now Station Rd). 

Farmer George, Timber Merchant

George primarily used his barge for transporting wood as time passed, as he was increasingly focusing on his timber dealing business. This developed into a substantial affair and by 1851 he employed 9 men. Timber lying at a wharf or in a yard was a frequent subject of thefts locally as it was relatively valuable. For example in 1856 20 year old John Stacey was sentenced to 3 months in jail for stealing some wood from George. He plead guilty and a previous conviction for theft increased his sentence. George also owned timber wagons which made the journey between Marlow and High Wycombe, centre of the chair making industry. 

In 1875 a man working for George was drowned in the Thames. James Rockell** had had charge of the horses towing the barge. When it stopped for the night in Staines, the crew went for food and drink in the town. A rowing boat was used to reach the spot where the barge was moored. James returned separately from the others but sadly his rowing boat was over turned in the dark. His fellow crew had already retired for the night and knew nothing of the tragedy. His body was found the following day. At least that is one version of events. Another later story says that the other crew had deliberately set a wonky gang plank up as a practical joke knowing James would use it last. He did and fell to his death. George had ceased to travel on the barge himself in those days. But he must have trusted James a good deal as the latter had worked for him since the age of 15, over 30 years it was said. 

 George knew all about his dangerous the river could be. He served on coroner's juries for the drowned and personally recovered at least one body from the water at Marlow. This was the badly decomposed remains of 73 year old George Joell, a Berkshire farm labourer of "unsound mind" who had been missing for 6 weeks. George collected a 20 shilling reward which had been posted for news of his whereabouts.

 He continued also to work as a coal merchant. He had however always had a farming interest. Even in the 1830s he was leasing farm land at Red Pits. Subsequently he would add to this holding with land at Lower Field farm (formerly part of the Great Marlow Common Fields, some of it purchased freehold by George in 1849 but still subject to common rights), "Merefield Common" (Marefield common field) and at Hill Farm amongst others. The Creswell Row cottages off Queens Road were built on his land. They were known as Cresswell's Cottages at first, although the family later owned many in the nearby area to which this term can also apply.

Goodbye George

George died aged 71 in 1879. He was still working as a farmer and timber merchant to the end. His beloved Swan Inn was fast becoming just a memory and many of the riverside properties around it were also demolished. The working river was increasingly making money out of tourists and houseboats rather than barges transporting goods. His death must have felt like the end of an era to many. 

The second Mrs Creswell, Charlotte lived to the age of 91, dying at the home of her daughter in law in 1898, Swilley Cottage, Little Marlow Road. She was said to have been as "sharp as a tack" in her old age. Her last illness was brief. She suddenly became blind 3 days before her death. She nevertheless apparently retained a healthy appetite to the end and died peacefully at the last. Of the couple's 4 children, only eldest son farmer and dairyman Augustus was still alive. 

Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

**Sadly the widow of James Rockell would loose her second husband to drowning too - George Picton whose boat overturned while he was working for the Thames Conservancy in the 1890s. Two of the crew members of James' barge both drowned in separate incidents in the months after his death. You can read more about the rest of Mrs Rockell/Picton's sad life in a post here

More information:

Read about George's run in with a character known as Buffer the Hatch  - here

List of publicans at The Swan: here

A tribute to our bargeman - challenging the stereotypes here

Pub index: here

To find every mention of a person or family here use the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu. You'll find over 6,000 people listed there.  

Posts about everyday life for your ancestor in old Great Marlow: here

Sources include:

1833 Parish Assessment, transcribed by me from the original held by my family 

Undated letters and workings related to the above c 1834. 

Robson's Directory 1839

Slater's Commercial Directory 1852

Kelly's Directory 1847 & 1869

Dutton's Directory 1863

Bicester Herald 7 March 1879.

Berkshire Chronicle 4 April 1829, May 3 1845. 

Reading Mercury 29 March 1829, 26 May 1855.

Bucks Herald 15 May 1875, 12 Jan 1879. 

Bucks Advertiser 03 March 1849 & 25 January 1879

South Bucks Standard - January 14 1898. 

Great Marlow census returns as transcribed from microfilm by Jane Pullinger. 

Creswell family research by Charlotte. 

© MarlowAncestors. 

Otters in the Thames at Marlow

 If you were fortunate to walk along the Thames of an evening in the 18th century you may have had the pleasure of seeing an otter at Marlow. Mostly active at night, they might still leave a trail on the banks that you could see during the day. They could still be found in Victorian times, but in much lower numbers, and unfortunately a few Marlow men had a role to play in their decline and eventual disappearance. The Thames otters are now back although I am not sure any have yet made their way to Marlow. 

The problem for the otters was that Marlow made a lot of money from the men that came to Marlow to fish. And otters were regarded as ruining the anglers sport as they competed for the fish stocks. So if a fisherman saw one, he was likely to catch and kill it. Fisherman in this context usually refers to the professionals who were employed to convey or escort anglers to the best fishing spots. Henry Rockell, a long time fisherman of this type, caught and killed a "very fine" otter 3ft 10" long and weighing 23lb in 1862. In 1891, the Temple Lock keeper boasted of catching his 5th otter in 2 years. Part of the motivation was regular payments by angling clubs offered for the capture of otters dead or alive. (In 1880 there was a 10 shilling reward for a dead otter offered by the local anglers association. In 1889 the reward was £1) You have to cheer the otter that escaped two gunmen who had come across it on the towpath near Hurley. They fetched a punt in order to pursue it on the river but it managed to go via a ditch into private property where it was safe from their attention. Perhaps this was the same one that eluded Hurley Lock Keeper Davis in 1872. He fetched his gun but then found the only cartridge he had didn't fit it. The Hurley lock keeper Townsend was gently satirised in an 1882 Thames guide for being a man obsessed with the subject of otters, turning every conversation round to the subject of needing to keep a watchful eye out for them. By the time the book had been published, Mr Townsend had caught and stuffed one of his quarries, putting it on display in a glass case. Mr Barksfield, a carpenter on the Danesfield estate, killed both a male and female otter in 1889.

One person who would pay for a live otter was Alfred Heneage Cocks of Thames Bank and later Poynetts near Hambledon. A man of many interests, Mr Cocks was the keeper of a menagerie of British wild animals, which included some otters bred in captivity. He contributed his observations about their behaviour to many journals and institutions. His prize male otter, captured on the River Isis in Oxfordshire, died while still young leaving him with two captive females and a thwarted plan to breed them. He gained another in 1895 thanks to the lock keeper at Temple. It was in fact an otter that had started Alfred's animal collection when he was still a boy. He had came across a Marlow man who had caught one and who offered to find another and sell it to the young man. He finally managed to breed a litter from a young female he had hand reared within his house. Alfred seems to have possessed at least 8 other adult otters between the 1870s and 1890s, caught by either himself or others chiefly around Marlow and Bisham. Some he kept for over a decade.  I'm pleased to say at least one female made a successful break from her cage into the freedom of the Thames however. Strange as it may seem in our eyes, considering his habit of removing them from the wild, Alfred considered himself an ally of the otters.  He campaigned to make it illegal for lock keepers to trap the animals (successfully, it was banned by the Thames Conservancy in 1903) and declared the shooting of them by anglers ignorant and disgraceful. 

The last mention of an otter I can find nearby until recent times was one sadly killed by a dog in the river in 1916. Otters were now rare enough in this stretch of Thames for the appearance of the otter to be reported nationally. 

Other once abundant wildlife that may not be easy to find in the Marlow waters now are eels and lamprey. Eel baskets or "bucks" used to sit on the older versions of Marlow Bridge. Eel "lines" are mentioned later - the anglers also objecting to these for interfering with other fishing.  Marlow's Domesday book entry says the manor was good for 1000 eels a year. An unfortunate diner at an unnamed Marlow public house in 1766 died in "great agony" after an attempt to consume 5lbs of eels, along with 5lbs bread, and 5 quarts of beer. He managed the bread and beer, but became sick after chomping his way through the first 3lbs of eels! (Mr Adnose Jack)

Marlow was regarded as the farthest part of Thames from London that was good for catching lampreys. In the late 18th century the Dutch were said to be the buyers of "incredible quantities" of these each spring. They were still regarded as abundant in the early Victorian era. A mostly forgotten seasonal harvest that would have occupied many Marlow people. 

Salmon had disappeared from our stretch of the Thames in the the first part of the 19th century. (1820 was a date often given for last one caught.) Wycombe Road farmer William Cresswell (Creswell) had extensive knowledge of the river. In 1866 he was one of several Marlow men who appeared before a Royal Commission on the subject of preventing pollution in the Thames and improving its navigation. He was asked how the river had changed within his life time. The loss of salmon stood out to him. He recalled last seeing one in the river 48 years before, but before that he remembered salmon of 20-30lbs were taken. William had ran the Swan barge with his brother George in his youth, and had also taken out fishing parties from the Compleat Angler, ran by his parents for decades. Various people had ideas as to why the salmon had vanished, with the inclusion of more locks one suggestion, and too many steam launches on the river another, along with pollution. 

For a sight that was just as unusual in the past as now we can mention a 7ft long sturgeon seen swimming in the Thames in 1824. It came from the direction of Maidenhead and seems to have escaped the attention of fisherman. 

Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

Related posts:

To read more posts about the Thames in Marlow from the bargemen working on it, to frozen river skating and procedures for reviving the drowned see the index 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 links to posts about 3,025 and counting former residents of Marlow. 

A post listing for info about places close to Marlow such as Harleyford, Temple and Hurley is available here

Sources

Zoologist Monthly Journal of Natural History, 1877 (West and Newman)

Proceedings of the Zoological Society, 1881. 

The Zoologist, 1882 collected edition. 

Alfred, H.J, 1859 - A complete guide to spinning and trolling for fishermen. (Alfred & Son London)

Dickens, Charles - Dickens Dictionary of the Thames (Dickens 1889 edition)

Fennell, John Greville, 1867 -The Rail and The Rod, or tourist Anglers Guide to waters and quarters. (H.Cox,London)

Royal Society for Encouragement of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce Journal Vol 17 (RSA 1869)

Fearnside, William Gray, 1834. Tombleson's Thames  (Tombleson and Company,  London)

Windsor and Eton Express 31 August 1824 - copy from the British Library and accessed via the BNA November 2020

Bucks Herald Apr 1 1882, as above

South Bucks Standard. 1 March 1891, as above.

Western Daily Press, 29 April 1916. As above.

Kelly's Directory of Berks, Bucks and Oxfordshire 1883, (Kelly's Directories Ltd)

Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic news, vol 2 1875. 

Pask, Arthur Thomas, The Thames From Lock To Lock, a Playful Guide 1882. 

Weekly Amusement, December 1766. Digitised by the InternetArchive. 

©Marlow Ancestors

Penny for the Guy - Bonfire Night in Victorian Marlow

 It's often said that the traditional and sometimes raucous celebration of All Hallows Eve or Halloween was discouraged in Britain in favour of the "patriotic" November 5th celebrations. If the authorities hoped to avoid trouble on Bonfire night in historic  Marlow however they were sadly mistaken. This post focuses on the Victorian period. 

The first few years of Victoria's reign saw a deluge of complaints about the throwing of fireworks in the streets and at buildings. The young men of the town were accused of damaging hedgerows by cutting wood for their bonfires as well. The parish constables would not have had many means of defending themselves from a firework sent in their direction so it is perhaps no surprise that they seem relatively absent on the streets on the night in question in these early years. And reports from the 1850's make it clear that policeman could expect to find a firework thrown just as they happened to pass, by men of "whom better things" ought normally to be expected! 

In 1842 guests at both the George and Dragon, and the Greyhound Inns found themselves suffering a prolonged barrage of fireworks lobbed at the premises. Understandably, this volley caused panic inside and at The Greyhound a premises fire was suspected.  As a result, all those within fled outside as it must have seemed marginally less alarming than becoming trapped in a burning building. It does not seem they managed to catch more than a glimpse of those responsible however. The fire was thankfully a false alarm. 

In the 1850's things seem to quieten down but only in comparison to some of the mayhem previously reported. However travellers could still run the risk of a firework being let off on the highway or in the street and landowners guarded their holdings against wood thieves wanting to burn an impressive bonfire.

The sale of fireworks was not controlled in the same way it is now, and they seem relatively affordable. It was not illegal for children to buy them. (A report from a select committee into the control of explosive substances in 1874 revealed that children were involved in the filling of the fireworks in licensed factories, and that a number of children were believed to be involved in unofficial "cottage" industries handling explosive substances). In Marlow they were mainly available at chemists and fancy good stores. In the 1880's Tooveys Fancy Repository was probably the premier place to buy them, and they were available there all year round. Toovey advertised Crystal Palace brand fireworks suitable for "illuminations" and public display in 1883 for example. Crystal Palace in Sydenham was renowned for its colourful displays especially under "Pyrotechnist" CT Brock.) Foottit's were another stockist in the 1870s. Cases of Crystal Palace fireworks cost from £1 1s from Foottit in 1873. Fireworks were a traditional end to the Marlow Regatta, and the wealthier river side householders were said to join in with a little display of their own. 

A 1776 guide to making fireworks -  the fireworks available then - and they include batteries, sky & water rockets, Chinese flyers, spiral wheels, Chinese fountains, flaming stars, and pinwheels. 

Marlow residents remembering in the 1890's the Bonfire night of their youth, recalled "large troupes" of Guys parading the streets of the town. The children carting the figure about were hoping that those they passed would offer "a penny for the Guy", to be split between the party at the end of the night. By the 1890's this scale of Guy making was no longer in evidence, and the "old institution" was mourned by many. The number of reports of firework wielding gangs running amok had been in sharp decline, as were the numbers of bonfires. In 1895, the local paper the South Bucks Standard said the night was now passing with just the "occasional whizz of a squib or pop pop of crackers." The reporter may not have had his finger quite on the pulse on this particular occasion however! For in the High Street, things took a nasty turn. Five Marlow boys were caught throwing fireworks and lighted matches directly at a group of Salvation Army members gathered in the street. The SA had frequently been the target of verbal abuse and even violence in Marlow and the attack was not random. The boys said that as they passed the Crown Hotel on November 5th, a gentleman they did not know had approached them. He had offered the boys money in exchange for their buying fireworks for the specific purpose of throwing them at the Salvation Army! This the boys obligingly did. The Army members escaped unhurt and the boys were caught. At their trial, some members of the public suggested the boys should not have been arrested as it was November the 5th after all and "scores" of boys were about town with fireworks. I am not sure if this defence was attempting to say it was too difficult to be sure of the identity of the particular boys in question, given the number of youths about. Or perhaps they were suggesting gathering on the street had caused the Salvation Army to get in the way of some "innocent" fun. (Throwing or letting off fireworks in a public place was prohibited in 1875.) Either way, the magistrates did not agree and the boys received a fine each. That was John Lovegrove, Arthur Rockell, William Grenville, James Davis, Frederick Harris and Edward Todd.

Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

Sources include:

Jones, R. Artificial Fireworks improved to the modern practice... (J Millan, Whitehall. 1776)

Parliament papers Vol 1, GB House Of Commons, 1859

Select Committee on explosive substances. Report from Committee, Vol 9. 1874. 

All The Year Round, November 7 1879, copy from University of Michigan and digitised by Google. 

  

South Place, Great Marlow

South Place seems to have been first developed in the 1850s. It was formerly the rick yard for Platt's Farm whose farm house you would have found off Mill Rd a little further towards the river and on the other side of the road. It was purchased by George Cannon in 1839. 

South Place is one of those Marlow Streets that if you lived there your address was likely to be described in a bewildering variety of ways in its early days. If you believe your ancestor lived in South Place watch for them being stated as being in Mill Road/Lane (which is the road that South Place leads off), Strong Beer Acre (a vanished area of Marlow previously adjoining the location of South Place), Mill Lane, Platts Road (alternative early name for parts of Mill Road) or Marlow Fields. Census records usually give South Place correctly but other records are very wayward. By the 1890s you should be alright with little variance of address to confuse things.

The earliest residents of South Place lived on the edge of the then built up area of town. Once the nearby railway station arrived in the early 1870s development of the surrounding area picked up pace. The people of South Place however remained easily able to walk out onto open fields and down to the River Thames. 

Being close to the river could have disadvantages of course - the little street was badly flooded in 1894, 1896,1903,1908 and again in the 1940s.

The Prince Of Wales pub on the corner of South Place and Mill Road was often used by barge men for lodgings. The pub started as a beer house. It was there by 1861, getting a full licence in 1864. For a list of the historic landlords of the Prince Of Wales see this post.

As well as the pub lodgers other residents worked on the Thames. One such example was George Picton who lived in South Place with his wife Ann by 1881. In 1893 George was labouring for the Thames Conservancy when the punt he was using overturned near Oxford, drowning him. It was some time before his body was recovered. Ann's first husband James Rockell also drowned in the river. To help manage financially after the death of her husband she took in lodgers at her South Place home but emotional recovery from her double widowhood proved impossible for Ann. Six years after George's death she slit her throat with a razor that had belonged to him. Her married daughter Jane Cox who also lived in South Place and the local surgeon Francis Culhane tried unsuccessfully to save her life after Jane discovered her dying mother. 

For another sad case of a South Place resident drowning in the Thames see Kathryn's post here. 

Ann was not the only suicide in South Place history- twenty two years earlier resident John Ford, a gardener, hung himself in his bedroom. His wife had left him taking his 4 young children and many of their possessions with her. He had gone to Coventry for a while in an unsuccessful attempt to find them. He was described as very depressed upon his return. He had also been physically ill and was living off money raised by selling what remained of his furniture. His body was discovered by his sister Sarah Sparks who had been keeping an eye on him and trying to lift his spirits.

The cottages in the street were generally very small- two rooms up and two down was the standard. In 1897 two such cottages with each their own wash house, outside toilet and garden were rented out to two different families at a collective rent of 17 shillings a year. Bargain!

Small houses didn't deter larger families from settling there. Francis and Prudence Corby present on the 1861 census had six children aged from one year old Harriet up to 18 year old journeyman plasterer Henry at home. Francis was a journeyman bricklayer. Journeymen were skilled labourers who had finished training in their trade but worked for others rather than on their own account. The family still lived in South Place a decade later.

Thomas and Annie Croxon meanwhile squeezed 8 children into their home at the time of the 1881 census. Thomas then was a servant. Later he is censused as a general labourer and an army pensioner.

The couple were still in South Place in the 1910s.

A new and better well and pump were provided for the residents to share in 1866. Other mod cons like street lighting and a proper paved street took longer to arrive in South Place. The road was labelled unsanitary in 1896 so more improvements were still needed then.

Additional notes:

Francis Corby was the born 1817 son of Ambrose and Sarah Corby. He and Prudence Martin married in West Wycombe in 1838. Before they lived at South Place the couple lived at Dean Street [under its original name Well End, not to be confused with Well End Little Marlow] with Prudence's parents.

Thomas Croxon and Anne "Annie" Edwards married in 1866. Their daughter Alice had an illegitimate baby girl who died soon after her birth in South Place.

More information: 

See the "Specific Shops, Streets Etc" menu here  to look for other Marlow addresses and check the Person Index in the top drop down menu to look for all mentions of any individual here. 

Thousands of people are listed!

Posts about everyday life for your ancestor in old Great Marlow: here

©Marlow Ancestors. .

Photo snapped September 2020 by Kathryn Day. Researched and written by Charlotte Day.

Sources:

Censuses, my transcription from microfilm. Census content always remains Crown Copyright.

Property records 

Pub and beer house research of Kathryn Day.

Maidenhead Advertiser 8th Feb 1893 and South Bucks Standard 6th January 1899, British Library Archives.

"Particulars and Conditions of Sale of a very valuable and highly productive freehold estate called Platts Farm" 1839. 

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

The Wheelwrights Arms list of landlords *updated May 2026*

UPDATED by  Kathryn June 2025

THE WHEELWRIGHTS ARMS AKA THE WHEELERS (Usual address Spittal Street)

Wheelwrights Arms, above as the building is today. Central chimney gone, upper windows shrunk and lower half obviously changed significantly. The pub name was at one time painted on the upper centre of the building, with Fullers brewery name below. 

1833 - Stephen East.

1839 - St. East.

1840 - Stephen East.

1844 - Robert Rockell (possibly the same Robert as at the nearby Prince Albert in 1841)

1852 "Crown Lane" suggesting at this point an entrance, perhaps even the main entrance, was on the side there.

1853 - Robert Rockell (also offers cartage and lodgings).

1861 - Robert Rockell (also a carter).

1864 - Robert Rockell.

1866 - Robert Rockall summoned for having his beerhouse open at an ilegal hour. He was serving customers at 4.30 am instead of the permitted 5am. This might seems ridiculously early but agricultural labourers were often required to be at work by 5am, or even earlier in the summer. He was fined 10 shillings.

1871- Robert Rockell (also carrier).

1872 - Robert Rockall.

1875 - Robert Rockell died, and son James took over. James defined himself as a carriage maker in 1871 when he was living at the Wheelers with his dad. 

1878 - James Rockell transferred business to James Tilbury (moved from George and Dragon).

1880 - Proposed transfer to William Lloyd refused. James Tilbury transferred licence instead to Charles Freegard.

1881 - James Freegard (born Wiltshire) .

1885 - James Freegard transferred business to James Arlett / Harlett.

1890 - Henry Ecklin passed the premises to John Henry Drewe / Dewe [probably should say John Henry Jeffs]. The pub got its swing sign board this year - useful for dating photos, although it disappears again in later Edwardian images. 

1891 - John Henry Jeffs passed it to Jesse Parsons. Jeffs was born in 1837 Warwickshire according to the census. His wife Lucy died in 1891 after a long battle with consumption which probably sparked him into wanting to leave the premises. Also in 1891 Jesse was burgled and cigars and cigarettes stolen from him. To read the sad circumstances of Lucy's death, read the post here. 

1892 - Jesse Parsons transferred licence to George Rogers / Rodgers. George was Sergeant in East Surrey Regiment. Jesse went to take over the Sportsman's Arms Inn in North Dean, Hughenden, Bucks.

1893 - George Rogers/Rodgers. 

1894 - "Mr Roger's Widow" [Ann]. George was buried at Holy Trinity Church but we have been unable to locate any surviving gravestone. Some members of his old Surrey regiment attend the funeral. He was only 47. 

 

1895 - Ann Rogers transferred premises to Edward Sims. Possibly a Frank Rogers might have been given a holdover in between times (conflicting evidence).

1896 - James William Rowe. 2. William Richard Rose.

1897 -  W R Rose 2. John Reading.

1898 - John Bradley.

1899 - John Bradley transferred premises to Charles Brown. John wad forced to leave as his licence had been endorsed for second time related to unruly conduct at the Wheelers. On the second occasion, it was for allowing "quarrelsome conduct" in the taproom, specifically a foul mouthed arguement between Mr & Mrs Anson that could be heard from some distance outside. When P C Marks entered the pub he also found two men drunk in there which was another black mark. The worst affected of these two drinkers, Charles Slade of Trinity Rd, was separately fined for his conduct. 

1899 - 1904 Charles Brown. Born circa 1860 in Nuffield Oxon according to the census. Wife Jane.

1907 - C Smith.

1908- structural alterations to the premises allowed.

1909 - Mr Smith. He organised a Christmas Day football match to raise money for the Cottage Hospital.

1910 - Arthur E Smith 2. Richard Lane.

1911 - Richard Lane transferred licence to George Branch.

1913- George Branch transferred licence to Wesley Hodge.

1914 Wesley Hodge transferred licence to Arthur Strange (holdover).

1915 - Arthur Strange 2. Wesley Hodge temporarily back again??

1916 - Arthur Strange transferred licence to William King of Greys, Essex.

1917 - William King to William Roberts.

1917-27 William Roberts. In 1921 he decided to sell the pub's coin-operated automatic piano. Penny a time, and it will pay you one of 10 tunes. Either he couldn't sell it or he replaced it with another model as when the pub closed in 1928 it still had an automatic piano.

1927 - Messrs Nicholson's and sons owned pub. Licenced transferred to Richard J T Marsh a retired timekeeper of Marlow Bottom.

1928 order for closure under scheme to limit the number of licenced premises in a given area. Richard J T Marsh landlord of the time (Richard James Thomas). The representative of the local J.Ps who nominate it for closure said it was a "small, rather dark and the conditions are rather poor." Sells 1&1/2 barrells of beer a week (compared to for example 5&1/2 barrells at the Bank of England in the same year). Richard said that that provides enough income for him as he receives a pension to supplement his earnings.  He had only taken in the premises that year.

To find all pub content, see the Pub Related index here. Non pub Spittal Street content is indexed here. To find all mentions of an individual see the A-Z person option on the menu. Happy hunting! 

SOURCES included

1833 Parochial Assessment working notebooks and correspondence owned by my family.

1853 Mussons and Cravens Commercial Directory

Pigots Directory 1844

Kelly's Post Office Directory -

1869,1877,1883, 1903.

Census - 1861,1871,1881,1891 

 Robson's Directory 1839

 Windsor and Eton Express, Apr 10 1875, held at British Library Archive and accessed via the BNA. 

Bucks Herald 10 Jan 1874, 26 December 1874, 18 June 1887, as above.  

Reading Mercury 19 Sept 1874, as above

South Bucks Standard, 06 January 1893, 08 Nov 1895, 2 July 1897,  19 May & 22 Sept 1899, 2nd October 1902, as above

Bucks Free Press 24th November 1911 and August 14th 1914  Bucks Free Press Archives.

1872 list of pubs and the breweries that owned them, held at Buckinghamshire County Council Archives. 

Numerous ads, licence session reports etc.

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

Election Rioters 1880 *Updated January 2024*

On 2nd April 1880 the electors of the Borough of Great Marlow went to the polls to elect an MP. When the Liberal candidate was revealed to have lost out to Conservative Owen Williams tempers frayed amidst the deep disappointment of many working class people. Men, women, boys and girls threw stones at William's election base at the Crown and at other town centre properties known to be occupied by his supporters. They then took to using umbrellas, walking sticks and clubs to do damage. As the evening drew on the women and children melted away and Marlow men were joined by those who had come from Bisham, Little Marlow and High Wycombe to protest. Some estimates give the number of rioters then at over 2000, some even 3,000. Violence escalated when ladders that had been left leaning up against the Crown by those putting up new lights were used to break windows and as an attempted battering ram to try to get into the building. (The men using the ladders may have been working on the framework intended to hold illuminations to mark Williams victory.)  Police were outnumbered and summoned soldiers to quell the riot. This they did but not until some £1000 worth of damage had occurred in the town. 

45 people were arrested as a result, of which 42 were charged. Of the 42 most were Marlow men, said to have been at a disadvantage as the local constables knew their faces and names and so could easily find them later if not seized at the time. Wycombe men could flee with less risk of being called to account. I could not find evidence of an outcome for all of those charged, or even all their names, at least not yet. It may be not all charges were pursued.

The following were those I have found charged with being part of the riot, with outcomes to their cases if any are known. I have confined myself to Marlow men. None of the ladies were arrested. To read about an earlier mainly female lead riot in Marlow see this post

Reuben Anderson

Bill against him thrown out by Jury at early stage in legal process. A labourer aged 36 in Oxford Road at time of 1881 census. But he lived St Peter's Street 1880, a few months after the riot, when he intervened to stop a woman neighbour of his being harassed and threatened by a man who had fallen out with her brother. A few weeks later fined for gathering wood that didn't belong to him. He died in 1890. Read a biography of Reuben here

Alfred Edward Allum

Age "25" or "26", court reports differed [probably actually a few years older] labourer when sentenced. 2 months hard labour. Probably aka Brassey - see here

Edward Anson

Aged 18. Sentenced to just one day in prison because of his youth and low involvement in events. Had been recommended for mercy by the jury. 

William Borden or Burden or Barden

Only rioter denied bail. 2 months hard labour.

Henry Bowles

Age 27. Labourer. 2 months hard labour. Grew up Dean Street. Also known as Harry.

John Bowles

2 months hard labour. Age 24, labourer. 

Robert Bowles

Age 22 and a labourer when tried. 2 months hard labour. 1881 census - skewer maker. For more on this trade in Marlow see this post. Son of Robert, a fruiterer, and Eliza. Grew up Hatches Row, Dean Street and still there 1881 census. This row is now demolished. He was an agricultural labourer age 13 on 1871 census. Robert was allegedly one of those who wrested a ladder from workers at the Crown, in order to use ladder to batter their way inside. He struck the man in charge of the ladder - bricklayer John White - causing John to loose vision in his eye for three days. Described by one policeman as "very violent" on the day. 

Joseph Cox

Sentenced to 2 months hard labour. Presumably the 49 year old labourer who appears in Marlow on the 1881 census in South Place although it sounds in some accounts he was younger. Was seen with a bludgeon by one witness. 

Joseph Dormer

Sentenced to 2 months hard labour. Bricklayer's labourer around 40 years old. Lived Marefield at time, later York Road (the same area). Grew up Gun Lane [now Trinity Road] and Dean Street.

Henry East

Six weeks hard labour. Without a stated age impossible to identify in other records.

James East

Six weeks hard labour. Without a stated age impossible to identify for certain in other records.

James Folly / Folley  alias Steptoe

Aged 32/34 and a bricklayer. Seen using a ladder to break windows. 2 months hard labour.

Joseph Hicks

 A tinker who lived Dean Street 1881. In his late 40s, exact age varies on censuses. Fined the year before the riots along with another man for stopping their cart in the road for too long. Case not proceeded with for riot. 

John Langley junior 

Ringleader of the initial protest but tried hard to calm things down when shops started getting damaged. Given 6 weeks hard labour only after jury recommended mercy. Could afford his own representation at the Quarter Sessions. Aged 25. On the 1881 census a salesman, earlier was a fruiterer, a long time Langley association. His conviction caused outrage in some quarters as it was believed he was targeted because of recent active promotion of the Liberal cause in Marlow. His father, also John had campaigned for the Liberal candidate Griffith too. A subscription fund was set up and the money raised was used to present to John a tea and coffee set from an expensive London maker as a token of esteem. The presentation was made at the Verney Arms, Dean Street, long connected with the Langley family. Read more about the pub here. John himself wrote a public letter of complaint against his conviction, after he had completed his sentence. He said he had been denied the opportunity to call witnesses that could have proved his innocence. A full biography of John is available here

Charles Mullett

Labourer aged 41. Lived in Dean Street 1881 census and a "pensioner". Originally from High Wycombe. Bill against him is "ignored" eg not proceeded with. 

William Moody. 

Threw stone at a policeman early on. Sentenced 2 months hard labour. Nearly 40 years old. Lived Oxford Road 1881 and a chair polisher. 

Albert Rockell

Age "18" [actually nearly 22]. Labourer when convicted. 6 weeks jail. (Or 8 weeks according to second source)  He was the son of James, a bargee / labourer and Sarah an embroiderer. Grew up in Gun Place and Gun Lane Marlow. The former no longer exists, the latter is called Trinity Road today. Albert had been fined £1 in 1876 for playing the illegal game of pitch and toss (coin throwing game which involved betting and was very popular with young men) at Bovingdon Green. He was listed as a hawker on the 1881 census when he lived with his older brother George and his family. Two years later was fined 10 shillings for assaulting a William Fletcher.

Henry Rockell

2 months hard labour. There are a couple of different potential Henry Rockells in other records which this one could be. Was said to be very active at Remnantz, throwing stones and attempting to break in, unsuccessfully. 

William Henry Silvey

A 33 year old shoemaker. Had a witness, grocer Joseph Dorsett of Market Square to show he went shopping with his wife [Fanny] early in the evening after leaving the Crown crowd. However witness admitted William's pockets looked bulging and prosecution said yes that was with stones he later returned and threw at the Crown. 6 weeks jail. On 1881 census he and Fanny lived Cambridge Road. Later lived Queen's Road. Later convictions for drunkenness.

James Benjamin Smith

Aged 22. Bricklayers labourer. 6 weeks in jail. Probably of Lane End. Limited evidence of his direct involvement in any serious damage but considered to be just as guilty as those taking a more active part simply by his presence there!

George Sparkes

Jury threw out bill against him. A 28 year old general labourer. Lived Oxford Road 1881 census.

Henry Stone

Six weeks hard labour. 

Thomas Stone

Six weeks hard labour. Was seen to be one of those wielding ladder that broke the Crown windows. 

William Tubb

Fined £5 plus costs by Magistrates for malicious damage, relating to breaking a pane of glass at The Horns, Chapel Street.  (One of 17 broken there that day.)  He went to the pub the following day, denied breaking the glass and asked the landlord John Coleshill not to press charges for the sake of his wife and 5 children. Coleshill's daughter Sarah had said there were about 40 persons in the mob outside their premises but she only recognised Tubb. He did not have to go to Quarter Sessions after evidence behind further charges for riotous assembly was not considered sufficient. Shoemaker aged 33 on 1881 census. Lived Dean Street.   

Cases not proceeded with against Wycombe men Owen and John Watkins, both chairmakers and labourer Charles Mullett also of Wycombe. 

*Additional info by Kathryn -  Riot Act was read by magistrate Somers Cocks at about 9pm, 3 hours after the election result was announced. (Some reports say at 8pm) All the lights had been put out. An 1882 account says that hot water and a hose from the brewery was used to dispell the group. Later accounts list other dispersal tactics, not necessarily mutually exclusive, of which the one that's survived longest in the popular imagination is the idea that guns were loaded with red jam and blanks to make the rioters think they had been both shot and hurt. I have not found a contemporary reference to this yet though! (The same story was related about the commotion after the 1868 election, complete with raspberry jam.)  Contemporary reports say that although a call for help was made for military assistance to the Grenadier Guards at Windsor, some confusion meant it was not actually delivered. Those describing the riot first hand immediately afterwards do not mention any Guards present while the riot was ongoing. The Bucks Herald says a repeat order for military assistance was countermanded as quiet had been restored by about midnight. The Buckinghamshire Advertiser credited the end of the riot to the gathering together of about 60 special constables, under command of a police superintendent from High Wycombe, who formed a barrier across West Street and used their truncheons "freely". (This superintendent thought there was 3,000 men gathered by 7pm!) The following morning 70 police and an untold number of special constables were on duty in Marlow while the operation of bringing the alleged ringleaders to court was ongoing, and that of rounding up other participants. The police were to patrol in groups, according to the order of  the Chief Constable of Bucks. He had arrived on the morning after the riot to assume control of the police force in Marlow temporarily. 

Violence had actually broken out before the voting even began, outside the Crown as Conservative headquarters. Blows were exchanged with liberal supporters but they dispersed before law and order arrived. The Greyhound was regarded as the centre of Liberal supporters before voting day. It hosted a "working man's meeting" the week before, which ended in a vote to support Liberal candidate Mr J Griffiths. Among the other damaged properties were the Prince Of Wales pub, the Three Tuns (every window broken and the bar damaged), the brewery offices, the shops of Charles Miller Foottit (chemist, High Street and Conservative supporter, lamp and flag pole trashed, upper windows broken, lower ones protected by iron shutters) and William Hankin (tobacconist, High Street. Shop totally sacked. Pipes from here were allegedly bring flogged cheaply in the beer houses that evening), the home of Charles Carter (parish surveyor),  the home of George Ward (High Street, all windows and any sashes broken), the home of Dr Shone, and in a minor way, the Railway Hotel (the Marlow Donkey as it's now known. The widowed Mrs Porter in charge had apparently been seen sporting Conservative colours on her carriage the week before). At the home of Robert Hammond Chambers, the avalanche of stones was severe enough to break plate glass windows a quarter inch thick and smash the substantial closed wooden shutters inside them. The stones damaged a wall across the other side of the room. A man was seen to be in the attempt of using a large stone to smash the entrance door but he was knocked down by a constable before he could break in.  Foottit said he'd found a quarter of a hundredweight of large stones on one of the beds in his home. Some paving slabs had been torn up for use too!

Interestingly Superintendent William Sargent of Wycombe said that the defeated Liberal candidate Griffiths had warned him long before the result was known that he suspected the potential for trouble if the Liberals lost. He added that Griffiths had suggested that policeman should be stationed outside the Conservative Wethered's home but he declined to do so in case it "tantalized" the crowd and he was blamed personally for this. Reports that the contents of Bisham's ballot box were going to be seized by a group of "roughs" as they were bought across the bridge to be counted in Marlow were taken more seriously. It was closely guarded. 

Griffith's himself appears to have left in his carriage quite soon after his loss was announced. Some reports say he passed the Crown just as the victor Colonel Williams appeared at an upper window to address the crowd, and that Williams called for three cheers for his opponent, but had trouble being heard. 

Even children (of both sexes) were apparently seen throwing stones at the various windows. The Bucks Herald (very pro conservative) said the first blow was struck by a liberal supporter on a conservative one, who was taken into the Crown with the aid of 4 men fighting their way through. They also claim that there was a cry to torch the Crown. The next day (Saturday)  there were here and there "significant stains of blood" to be seen in the streets. Even then a flare up of violence was feared and 70 police were on duty. Colonel Wethered decided that most of the arms of the Volunteers should be removed from their Armoury which was then at the Crown. He bought them back to his home and placed them under the care of 16 armed men. Two consignments of the Berkshire police were put on guard outside Bisham Abbey and Temple House but they had nothing to do. The biggest interest on Sunday was in viewing the damage, and people are said to have travelled from Wycombe to do just that. Some later reports suggest a guard made up of members of the Volunteers had been kept up outside the brewery for the next week. 

It's interesting that Colonel Williams held an open session at the Crown in the following April to hear complaints from his tenants about their treatment. He said during the election campaign he'd often been told his tenants were against him but he didn't believe it as no one had said so to his face. On reflection he thought "2 or 3" of these complaints justified further investigations and so so the aggrieved could present their case to him at The Crown on the day mentioned. If any did so, I don't know. 

Rioters info researched and written by Charlotte Day. Additional research Kathryn. 

Related Posts:

Marlow people loved a good riot. So far we have posts up on three previous riots, the 1800 Women's Riots here, 1847 Election riot here and the Swing Riots here.

Voters bribery case of Jason Povey here

For other crime related posts look see the list here

To find every mention of an individual here, see the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. 

©Marlow Ancestors. 

Sources:

Census, my transcription from microfilm. 

Great Marlow Parish Registers, my transcription

Newspapers from the British Library / BNA collaboration: Buckingham Advertiser 3rd July 1880, Bucks Herald 3rd& 10th April, 26th June and 7th August and 30th August 1880, Maidenhead Advertiser 14th April 1880, Reading Mercury 17th April 1880. Buckingham Advertiser and Aylesbury News April 10th 1880. 

Judicial records research of Jane Pullinger.

Padk, Arthur Thomas From Lock to Lock, a playful guide, "Judy Office" 1882. 

Information from Anthony Wethered. 

Bucks Free Press 8th June 1934, High Wycombe library