Wymers Farm Marlow

Updated October 2024

Description: half way between Wycombe and Marlow. 1850= 59 acres. 1876= 59 acres arable pasture and woodland with two worker cottages included. 1881= 61 acres.

Historic occupiers (who in the past were not often the owners of their farms) and history timeline:

1831- 1851 Henry Webb. Also an agricultural land surveyor from 1849 and church warden. He went bankrupt in 1851 and the household furniture had to be sold off. Henry and his wife Caroline (nee Hyatt, married London 1837) eventually moved away to Croydon, Surrey where they both died in old age. Farm had been up for sale in 1850. (59 acres arable land and 11 acres woodland) At that point as well as the farm house a separate house or "gentlemanly residence" known as "Wymers" was part of the estate. This in other records is consistently described as having an impressive and lovely garden. Henry lived in this larger house at the time of the 1833 parochial assessment with only a cottage as the rest of the residential buildings on the estate. This cottage was either the later farm house in it's infancy or the first of the two worker's cottages later mentioned as being part of the estate with no farm house yet built. In 1844 a dozen turkeys are stolen from Henry in one of Marlow's traditional December poultry thieving raids. Henry also leased as a sub tenant High Rews Farm in Marlow. He may also have been the Henry Webb at Triphooks alias Old House Farm near Ragman's Castle outside Marlow in 1840 as a yearly tenant.

1854- 1882 Aaron Simmonds. Sometimes given as Simmons. Wife Mary. Before becoming a farmer in his own right he was a corn dealer but also helped his uncle William on his farm in Little Marlow. Aaron lived with him then. Aaron was summoned in 1866 for using a steam threshing machine at Wymers too close to the public highway. Aaron said he was unaware of restrictions on their use in that way and anyway the road concerned was rarely used. He received a minimal fine of 1 shilling plus costs [Reading Mercury 22nd Feb 1866, British Library]. In 1872 the farm house was used for the inquest into the death of 3 year Mary Ann Burt, daughter of Thomas and Harriet of nearby Ragman's Castle (a small farm / homestead) who had accidentally burned to death. Such deaths were sadly not uncommon in Marlow's past, nor anywhere else. Four years later Aaron hosted another coroner's inquest into a a sad case, seventy plus year old Mr Gardener, who lived in a nearby cottage finding himself unable to work due to age cut his throat rather than go into the workhouse. His wife found him lying injured in bed but he could not be saved. The jury decided that he had been suffering from temporary insanity (Reading Mercury 22nd January 1876, British Library Archives). Read more here

Aaron died at the farm in 1882 age 76. His widow Mary died at Little Marlow in 1892.

1882- The owner put the farm up for sale. Marketed largely as a shooting estate rather than a farm.

1890-1895 Mr Sauvee occupier. Employed a game keeper and kept chickens. In November 1893 snow was so severe that the farm was cut off behind drifts that were over 10 feet deep. Seemingly tenant of Mr Phillips.

[1893-1913 at least Wymers farm house as opposed to the farm lands was occupied by Thomas Arnold Herbert a prominent figure in local Liberal politics and who was elected South Bucks M.P. in 1906. He also maintained a home at Kensington Park Gardens London. Sadly though "radical" and "Liberal" for his times he was a dedicated blood sports participant who often hosted local hunts. Wife Elizabeth. Both she and her husband loudly opposed women being given the right to vote. This was thought to be a contributing factor to his failure to be re-elected in 1910. Mr Herbert seems accident prone breaking his arm in a riding accident in London and then while still recovering from that managing to overturn his carriage in Marlow hurting himself afresh. Elizabeth was a passenger in that carriage but was unharmed. A photo of Thomas can be seen on Wikipedia].

1897- farm stock for sale. New tenant if the farm lands / yard coming in.

1901-1902 Henry Seymour. Wife Mary. 

1939 Thomas Herbert retired Q.C. Does not seem to actively farm.

Farm occupancies compiled from the cross referencing of adverts, censuses, property records, farming journals, court cases, wills I have transcribed and more. Ongoing research, I hope to fill in the gaps as I sift through further notes.

For other farm occupier listings see the Specific Shops, Streets Etc option on the top drop menu here  if you want a Marlow Farm. If you want a Little Marlow or other nearby farm try the Other Places option here 

To look for all mentions of any individual choose the Person Index option on the top drop down menu. 

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

George Alexander Gratton "the Spotted Boy"

 

 George Alexander Gratton as he was later known was born to two enslaved parents on the island of St Vincent in the Caribbean in July 1808. He had a condition that meant much of his body was white skinned with only some black patches while his face and hair were mostly dark with lighter patches. 

Presumably through sale, George came into the possession of a ship's* captain who brought him to England. According to some reports he was at that point an orphan, and had already been exhibited in his nations capital. It was also claimed the little boys life was in danger due to the "superstitious prejudices" of the locals, although how far this was true or a later attempt to justify his removal is unclear. At Bristol the captain sold him to travelling showman John Richardson for a reported 1000 guineas. If true that was equivalent to the cost of buying multiple houses but John was a highly successful showmen already and could afford it. He was known to be a big spender. George was then between 14 months and 19 months old depending on which report you believe. It appears the Captain had sought out Richardson as a buyer rather than the other way round. 

John Richardson had been born in Marlow Workhouse. Again, according to which story you believe he either ran away from the workhouse or from a job he had been found at the age of 14 and went to London. There he became involved in running a pub and organising travelling theatricals. These seem to have been largely comic. He was not a "freak show" proprietor as such. 

For many years a Bible passed down through the Wildego family of Great Marlow which was said to have been gifted by Richardson to one of their female forebears. This was in recognition of her role in feeding and clothing the young runaway when he had no one else to turn to. Once he had made a success of himself, Richardson remembered her kindness and rewarded her with the Bible and a miniature chalk portrait of the Spotted Boy. The Bible was still in the family hands when the recipient's granddaughter Hannah Wildego died in 1883. 

George was exhibited as a toddler for several months in the Summer and Autumn of 1810. He was at St Bartholomew's Fair in London, at Sadler's Wells and at Croydon as well as at Marlow. I have not myself found any mention of his appearing anywhere after 1810 (though there were imitators who did).

The sideshow was called The Beautiful Spotted Boy and was billed as a chance to see the wonder of God's creation. The Star newspaper said George was the "without exception the greatest beauty and most interesting curiosity ever seen" while another dubbed him a "lovely infant". At Sadler's Wells in September 1810 the Spotted Boy was well down the list of attractions but by October his appearance was one of the most highlighted attractions.

Those he appeared on the bill with in September included Grimaldi the clown, the Sampford Ghost, Lambert the Fatman, Sadler's Baboon and The Yorkshire Giant. These did not work for Richardson, they just appeared as part of the same shows.

The comedy performer Charles Edwards must also have worked on the same bill as George at one point as his wife Anne in writing her biography of Charles said that he met the child and developed "a great attachment to him". He visited George regularly. Ann recalled that "the child loved him very much and they played together by the hour". The same affection was said to exist between George and John Richardson. Robert Chambers in his book The Book of Days for instance called George "a child of amiable manners much attached to Richardson". As well he might be, as John's affection aside, who else did he have in the world?

John had George formally baptised when they were together in Surrey. I believe the Gratton name had been given to him by the ship's captain -  it was supposedly the name of the overseer of the plantation on which George was born. ("Mr Alexander's", that is the Colonarie Vale sugar plantation of William Alexander which had around 300 slaves working there.) I do not think that it is possible to discover his birth name or those of his parents. 

In 1811 John commissioned an artist to paint the boy. In the painting George is posing with a bow and arrow which may reflect how he was taught to pose at the fairs. Typically those with unusual skin or body appearances either sat while people filed past them or stood on a stage and struck a series of poses to allow their appearance to be fully demonstrated. Later John began to educate George, who was said to have a "quick and penetrating mind." But the child is thought to have had tuberculosis and died in February 1813, just short of the age of 5 or 6. (A swelling of the jaw was mentioned as the first symptom, and a fever.)

Above, Alexander as depicted in the painting hung in the church. 

He was buried in John's native Marlow in a brick vault within the churchyard. Apparently the showman feared the boy's remains would be stolen and so had chosen not to bury him for 3 months. I have not been able to ascertain whether this rumour was true. When John himself died in 1837 he asked to be buried next to him, which is what happened. Their graves can still be seen in All Saints churchyard. In the parish church is the portrait of little George**

The popularity of George as an attraction led to many "spotted boys" popping up at fairs for decades after George's death. To see one (real or subject to some body painting) in a sideshow became as commonplace as seeing a bearded lady or a strong man. I also found one case of a painted statue purporting to be a likeness of George being used as an attraction in the 1830s, after John Richardson's death.

An additional memorial is now in the churchyard for George, alongside his grave. This notes that George is the first known person from St Vincent's to have come to Great Britain.

You may be interested in this post on the blog which is about an African boy who lived in Marlow for a while also in the 1800s. And see this post about Marlow's links to slavery and its abolition.

Life at Great Marlow Workhouse 1775-1843 - here and later at the Wycombe Union workhouse at Saunderton here

All mentions of an individual on this blog can be found under the Person Index on the top drop down menu. More posts dedicated to one person can be found under the Biographies Of Individuals menu option.

*Possibly aboard The Friends of Emma, arriving September 1809.

** Another portrait from life was made by Mr D Orme. It shows George sitting on a turtle or tortoise with a Dalmatian dog at his side. 

© MarlowAncestors.  Written by Charlotte Day and researched by Charlotte Day and Kathryn Day. 

Sources:

Memories of Charles Mathews Volume 4 by Mrs Anne Mathews. 1839. Copy in the British Library, digitized by Google.

The Book Of Days or A Miscellany Of Popular Antiquities by Robert Chambers 1864. Published by W and R Chambers.

The History and Antiquities of the County of Buckingham by George Lipscombe. 1847. Digitized by Google.

The Morning Advertiser, 29th September 1810 and 10th October 1810. Copy held in the British Library archives and accessed via the BNA.

The Star (London) 10th October 1810. As above.

The Morning Post 7th April 1810. As above.

Graves Great Marlow.

Literary Journal and Miscellany of  Science, Art, History and Politics Vol 2, 1819. 

 https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/2146636936

Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News, 12 May 1883. 

Butler Edmund Tucker's Will 1852

 Will of Edmund Tucker of Great Marlow, butler. Will written and proved 1852.

Executor to be dear and beloved sister Mary Jones, widow now living in Mitcham Surrey. After his debts and funeral expenses paid she is to receive all of his money, securities for money and any other property he died possessed of all to use for the support of his three youngest children Edmund, ?Joe? and Ellen.

Will witnessed by Thomas Pratt and John Wade both of Mitcham.

This PCC will is held at the National Archives, Kew.

Transcribed and summarized here by Charlotte Day.

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

Webb Graves, Great Marlow

 

Above: Grave of John Webb who died age 25 in 1845 and Esther Webb who died aged 71 1869 widow of the late John Webb of Marden Park, Sutton.

Above: Richard Webb of Marlow Bottom Farm, died 1832 aged ?63 The Bucks Gazette said he was a "opulent and highly respected" farmer whose family had been resident at Marlow Bottom for some 200 years. [31st March 1832, Bucks Gazette]

Above: Grave of John Webb. Nothing else readable.

Above: David Webb son of Richard and Mary Webb. Hard to read further. David Webb of Marlow Bottom Farm died in 1846 while away visiting his brother Alexander. 

Above, not all details readable: Elizabeth Webb wife of Joseph Webb died ?21st March 1807 aged 40.

Also Henry son of the above who died Feb 25th 1800?

Also of Mr Joseph Webb who died August 1827 [His burial record suggests a birth year of 1766 or 1767].

Also of Elizabeth his........ [plant and grass obscuring info. Also worn].

Joseph was steward to Sir William Clayton, Bart. of Harleyford. Sir William sent the entirety of his domestic staff to attend the funeral, as a token of esteem for Joseph's service. On his death Joseph is also described as of Hamstead Marsh Farm near Newbury. They had chosen to bury him with his ancestors at Marlow. (Windsor and Eton Express 18 August 1827)

Above, James Webb son of Richard and Mary Webb of Marlow Bottom. Died Oct 29 1888 age 82. [James farmed Marlow Bottom Farm in the 1830s and part of the 1840s with his brother David and was later a small scale farmer elsewhere].

Also of

Sarah Webb wife of the above Jan 15th 1904 age 81. 

All Saints Churchyard. Photos taken April 2021. Additional research by Charlotte Day.

A post about the history of Marlow Bottom Farm in detail, including the Webbs here. Richard also had Burford Farm see here

See Graves on the menu for more posts like this. The Person Index has all mentions of any individual on the blog.

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