An Edifice of Opulence - History of Temple House

 This post is written at the request of some of the many people whose ancestors lived and worked as staff at Temple House near Marlow. They could find much information about the wealthy Williams family who built the riverside mansion but not much about the now demolished house itself. So as promised here is the tale of another of the vanished homes of the area...

An edifice of opulence..and taste?

I think Temple House (or Temple Hall as it was occasionally known in it's early days) was a building that very much divided the opinions of those that viewed it. It was placed in a undoubtedly beautiful position on the riverside at Temple but did the house add or detract to the charms of the area? It was a massive building, somewhat a mash of styles in the end and one with a very lavish interior. Some found it's main frontage with Doric portico impressive in scale, others found it OTT. It is presumed to have been built shortly after the Welsh copper baron Thomas Williams purchased the adjacent Temple Mills in 1788. William Combe in his 1796 history of the principal rivers of the kingdom described Temple Hall as newly built. A few years later a book of engravings of riverside property by William and George Cooke described Temple as ".. such an edifice as opulence assisted by taste may be expected to erect." It's front elevation was considered "very elegant and pleasing". They added that "the interior answers in taste and arrangement to the exterior portion". The most significant and undoubtedly personal feature of the house was the distinctive copper roof, a landmark sight for many. 

Image courtesy of Michael Eagleton..

So how big was Temple House? Once the west wing was built (see below) it could offer a choice of 10 reception rooms, 22 bed and dressing rooms,  23 staff bedrooms and 5 bathrooms (many of the bedrooms had fitted baths in addition) plus cellars, kitchens, servants hall etc. Oh and a large organ, musician gallery and 8 staircases. 

Uncertainty for staff

The Williams family retained a house in Wales as well as London (South Audley Street and others) and so were naturally not always to be found at home at Temple. It was said in the 1840s that the family typically spent about 3 months of the year at Temple, mainly  during the "parliamentary season" when they also stayed at South Audley Street. A few members of staff travelled with the family between homes, including at times the butler. When Temple was improved and expanded in the 1870s, the South Bucks Free Press expressed the hope this would mean it would become the principal and favourite seat for the head of the family. 

It does not seem the house was left long enough to be shut up, with the inevitable laying off of all but skeleton staff that entailed.  However when Thomas Peers Williams died in 1875*, followed by his wife two months later, the local papers declared the shock news that all of the families Marlow property was to be sold. The tenants were to be given the option of taking a long lease. As it turned out the Williams retained considerable local property but it was a start of a period of rumours that the Williams were going to leave Temple for good. 

In 1878 it was reported that the house was to be broken up and that the horses would be sold and the servants discharged. This seems to be because the family were expected to be abroad for a time. Regardless Temple House was not sold then, and in fact the Williams invested considerably in improving it. In the late 1870s a series of renovations and additions were made to the house.  The Bucks Advertiser considered that there were "few country seats more attractive or more rich in rural beauty" than Temple House after 5 years of this work. The park had also been added to, and another lodge put up.  Altogether the estate including the home farm was over 400 acres in extent. However various parts of it were let out to farmers at different times and another portion would become Temple golf course in 1909. That still left large gardens and parklands in hand. 

The Williams family were very keen on sailing and took some long voyages eg to the Canary Islands on The Enchantress for 3 months in 1880 and an even longer tour of the Mediterranean in 1883. But the staff remained, busy with keeping a large property running in their absence.

Vote for me..or else 

Successive members of the Williams family served as Marlow's M.P. Elections here were always heated and contentious affairs. All parties were accused of some shocking abuses of their power from evicting tenants that didn't vote for them to paying the rent of those that did. Bribes of all kinds were alleged to be on the table. The majority of these rumours are hard to substantiate. However most elections resulted in an investigation of some contested votes at least. In 1842 the Williams butler Michael Redmond had his vote (for Williams naturally) thrown out. He qualified to vote based on occupying a property at Bisham of sufficient value but it was decided that he didn't really live there. They pointed out that Michael was -  as virtually all butlers were - a live in servant with his own bedroom within Temple House. He also travelled with his employer and was only at Temple a few months a year so he hardly had a need to rent a residential property elsewhere. Michael said he mainly wanted the saw yard that went with the premises as he occasionally made fishing rods and snuff boxes in his leisure hours and so needed somewhere to store bundles of wood. The election inquiry did not believe our wood turning butler as the majority of tools etc in the saw yard belonged to the Williams and were used for estate work.  

Temple Ale

There's no doubt a house the size of Temple took a lot of time to run properly, even when the family were not in residence. It's good to know that the hardworking servants had some "high days" to look forward to. The most consistently celebrated was the Christmas ball and supper (usually held in fact just after the new year). At this the Williams themselves were reported to dance with their domestics although I suspect the lowest scullery maid was a little less likely to get a turn than the upper staff such as the housekeeper or butler. These were all night affairs - starting at 8pm and ending at 5-6am. They may have hired additional  temporary staff for this as was sometimes the case at other grand houses as of course the every day work of the house still had to go on the morning after. A regular feature of these grand events was the serving of "Temple Ale", the estates home brew. Local tradespeople who provided goods for the estate were usually invited too. 

A place for royalty 

One of rumoured reasons that Temple House was extended and improved in the 1870s was it was to be rendered fit for royalty. They Prince and Princess of Wales certainly made numerous visits there, and were well known to be friends of the Williams family. The visits were supposed to be personal ones but if anyone hoped to keep them low key and secret, they were not successful. It would seem a little hint or two always made it known to the community at Marlow that a regal visit was planned. For example when a band was engaged to play on Temple lawn in 1877, a crowd of locals in little boats was ready in position on the river to listen to the so called private performance. Sometimes the royals arrived by train at Marlow prior to proceeding to Temple. On those occasions the Marlow rifle volunteers greeted them with a guard of honour in the station yard, and the flags and streamers were put up in the High Street and Causeway. And the platform was of course carpeted so the royal feet could step across in comfort! Admission to the platform then was of course restricted to invited guests but the crowds lining their route from the station up to and across Marlow Bridge and in Bisham probably got a good view. 

Fire! 

Temple House maintained their own steam fire engine, to service both the mansion and the Temple mills. It was operated by the staff of both. The Temple brigade had a uniform  - a black or navy tunic with red facings, whereas Great Marlow Volunteer Fire Brigade had yellow facings to their clothing. The engine didn't just sit at Temple House if a fire was found to be in the neighborhood - it went out to those in the community beyond the estate for example at Hurley and Low Grounds Farm. It was remarked in 1880 that since it's formation it had had relatively little to do. That was soon going to change. 

In the mid 1880s Temple House gained a new west wing containing 30 rooms including new dining, drawing and ball rooms. Marlow builders Y J Lovell did much of this work. But shortly after the main work on it was finished in 1886, there was a terrible fire there. Reports as to what happened exactly differ in some details but it seems that a member of staff (either one of the maids or the housekeeper) noticed smoke coming from panelling on the grand staircase. Shortly after flames broke through. Naturally the Temple fire brigade were quicky on hand but it seems the engine did not work properly for reasons that are unclear. In any case it seems the fire had quickly taken hold and the small firefighting team were overwhelmed. The Marlow, High Wycombe, Reading, Henley, and Maidenhead fire brigades were summoned  - the Reading engine came on a specially chartered train. The fire engines kept by the Wethered's Marlow brewery and at Harleyford House also arrived. The estate workers and villagers living near Temple and Hurley flocked to the scene to help the fire fighting efforts. The fire became very dangerous, partly due to the danger of the copper roof falling in. It is incredible to record that three brave fireman of the Maidenhead brigade climbed onto this roof and drilled holes into it so water could be dumped through. This action was considered to almost certainly have saved the main house from total destruction. The firemen were lucky to escape with their lives as the copper roof subsequently partially collapsed. Another danger was averted when dynamite stored in the cellar was hastily removed! 

The house steward Mr Keneally*** supervised efforts to remove as many valuable items as possible. With a house like Temple stuffed with antiques and old master paintings they obviously could only do so much. Most of the artwork and the library contents were saved, but much furniture destroyed. The Williams themselves were on their way home from Surrey at the time of the fire - they saw a glow in the sky and in stopping someone on the road to find out which property was ablaze were obviously shocked to find it was their own. They arrived back in time to help with the removal of property from the house.  

There has long been a story that members of the public involved in fighting the fire got at the contents of the Williams wine cellar and/or cellar based home brewery and were heavily intoxicated before too long. Colonel Wethered arrived with the Marlow rifle volunteers to help guard the valuable items left on the lawn, and to assist in crowd control, and it's he that is said to have found the inebriated assistants - and put a stop to their alcoholic refreshment. I can only find reports that mention this some 50 years after the event though. Contemporary accounts highly praised the human chains of workers bringing buckets of water from the river. At the time of the fire the Temple brewery had a self contained building within the grounds so the stories of buckets of beer coming up from the cellar brewery can't be quite right although there was plenty of alcohol stored there - Temple had 6 beer and wine cellars. 

When all was over, the new west wing was nothing more than a blackened shell and the main house was substantially damaged. Many servants lost all their belongings. 

Rebuild 

It's sad to say that while no lives were lost during the destructive fire, the same can't be said of the rebuilding process. Although several Marlow builders put in a tender for the valuable reconstruction work, the contract was won by a London firm. One of the employees of that fell 38 feet to his death in late 1887. He was engaged in taking down some scaffolding when the plank he was standing on was hit by another being lowered. This caused the victim to overbalance and fall. He stood no possibility of recovery. 

The re-build took about 18 months and was reported at the time to have cost some £150,000. An opportunity was taken to extend the water mains of Marlow Water co to the house through Bisham. 

Financial Concerns 

While you may not think a family with a substantial property used to entertain royalty would be short of funds, there does seem to have been increasing difficulties in the Williams family as the 19th century wore on. The Williams youngsters were obviously not bought up to count their guineas too closely. Ifah Williams ran up debts even at Eton where he was said to have ordered 20 pairs of shoes in one year. In 1891 he was declared bankrupt and did not answer to a summons for the related examination. The court was told it was believed that he'd gone to Texas and had no intention of returning. 

20th century 

Reports that Temple House would be sold or let out continue to appear in the local newspapers in the 1890s and early 20th century and there was at least one unsuccessful attempt to offer it at auction but the Williams retained ownership. 

When Owen the son of Thomas Williams himself died, the contents of the house were put up for sale. The 1922 list of items included in the auction comprised 6,000 books from the library, suites of Sheraton furniture and valuable paintings including a Canaletto amongst many other items. An attempt was made to sell the house itself in 1929 by it's then owner Mrs Hwfa Williams but there were no takers despite an "astounding reduction in price for a quick sale."

The house was put up for  auction yet again in 1931 by order of the mortgagee. The advertising material accompanying that suggested the house could make a pleasant country club, school or hotel while the estate could be developed into a polo or horse breeding establishment. The Williams family had a long history of  involvement with horse racing** and so the estate included a "straight mile" gallop and extensive stabling. It's easy to see why the conversion of part of the grounds to equestrian usage would have seemed appealing. Most of the estate offered with the house in 1931 was also part of the estate in 1915 so attempts to sell off bits of the park before were obviously largely unsuccessful. The purchaser was Hudson Kearley now Lord Devonport of Whittington. The house may have been unoccupied for some time at this point. Perhaps it was in a poor state. Either way, Devonport had it demolished. There has been some confusion about the date this occured. The Historic England listing for Temple suggests the house was knocked down in 1922 which is incorrect as it has a well documented life after that date. As mentioned above it was purchased by Devonport in 1931. A report in the Wokingham Times in 1932 mentions that the house had already been demolished by him**** and this is repeated in other local newspapers. So we can say the house finally began its disappearance in either late 1931 or the first half of 1932. An advert offering the building materials from the demolition was placed in the Bucks Free Press in September 1932. Everything from the baths and washbasins to the chimney pieces and staircases were available plus of course old bricks, tiles and slates. Interested buyers were directed to apply to the foreman of the works at Temple House itself - or at least the site of it! (H Sabey & Co were the company responsible for the work.)

Although the exterior of the house does not particularly appeal to me, it was a landmark of the river and I am sure there were many that missed it. I would like to have seen the interior which included lavishly painted ceilings, a massive oak staircase, the organ, and rooms decorated by Adams. Let's hope some of the removable features found a new life elsewhere. 

*The Williams family vault is at Bisham Church 

**Hwfa Williams, son of Thomas Peers Williams managed Sandown racecourse 

*** Steward James Keneally sadly committed suicide in 1894 by drinking poison. He had worked for the Williams 18 years. Strangely the family butler Henry Phipps also commited suicide by drinking poison - this time prussic acid - in 1909.

****Thanks to Sue Cheetham for hunting this out for me. 

Written & researched by Kathryn Day 

Related posts:

Other posts related to Temple and nearby: here

Posts about other specific houses here

List of gardeners at Temple House here

More about Temple and Marlow fire brigade here

More about election goings on in Great Marlow:

The bribery of Jason Povey here

Election Rioters of 1880 here

SOURCES:

Burke, John, and Burke, Bernard. Encyclopaedia of Heraldry: Or General Armory of England, Scotland, and Ireland, Comprising a Registry of All Armorial Bearings from the Earliest to the Present Time, Including the Late Grants by the College of Arms. United Kingdom, H.G. Bohn, 1851.

Combe, William. History of the Principal Rivers of Great Britain. Great Britain, William Bulmer & Co, 1797. 

Cooke, William Bernard, and Cooke, George. Descriptions to the Plates of Thames Scenery. Engraved by W. B. Cooke & G. Cooke, from original drawings by eminent artists. United Kingdom, John Murray, Albemarle Street; and W.B. Cooke, 13, Judd Place East, New Road, 1818. 

Gibbs, Robert. Worthies of Buckinghamshire and Men Of Note Of That County. United Kingdom, printed by the author, 1888

Guide to the Turf. United Kingdom, n.p, 1881.

Perry, Sampson. The Argus ; Or, General Observer: A Political Miscellany Containing the Most Important Events of Europe, and the Principal Occurrences in England, from the Meeting of Parliament, October 29, 1795, to Its Dissolution, May 18, 1796 with a Variety of Original Letters and Reflections on the Interesting and Critical Situation of the British Empire. United Kingdom, Symonds, 1796.

Sheahan, James Joseph. History and Topography of Buckinghamshire: Comprising a General Survey of the County, Preceded by an Epitome of the Early History of Great Britain. United Kingdom, Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts, 1862.

The Thames - United Kingdom, Vernon, Hood & Sharpe 1811 Vol 1, (no author but engravings by William Bernard Cooke from originals by Samuel Owen esq.)

Sale catalogue for Temple House, 1915 with kind thanks to the Marlow Society. 

Sale catalogue Temple House 1922

The Monthly Magazine. (Collected) United Kingdom, R. Phillips, 1802 & 1803 

Supplement to Country Life, July 13th 1931

Country Life 8th June 1929, 9th May 1936 

Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News 18th September 1875, 27th November 1875, 26th October 1878, 2nd July 1881, 6th June 1891

Buckingham Advertiser and Free Press 20th March 1886, 27th May 1922

Bucks Herald 23rd June 1877, 25th June 1881, 18th February & 27th July 1882

Bucks Free Press 7th & 9th September 1932

Reading Mercury 22nd July 1882, 16th October 1886, 16th June 1888

South Bucks Free Press 24th February 1865, 23rd March 1877

Slough, Windsor and Eton Observer, 9th January and 27th November 1909

Maidenhead Advertiser 7th & 21st  January 1880, 7th August 1883, 13th June 1894 

Wokingham Times 7th October 1932 - thanks to Sue Cheetham for this. 

National Monuments Record - Sale Catalogue SC 00091

Will of Thomas Williams, 1802. PROB 11/1384/305 National Archives

Kelly's Directory 1920 & 1928 

Journals of the House of Commons  February 3-December 13, 1842: Vol 97, HMSO 

© MarlowAncestors 

Bell / Olde Bell Inn Hurley *updated November 2025*

Hurley. Became known mostly as the Olde Bell /Ye Olde Bell from around the early 1880s. Part of the Temple House estate, and formerly part of the Monastery. 

Historic landlords:

1789- George Holgate

1815= Elizabeth Holgate

1840= Bell has new landlord but name eludes me at the moment. 

1847-67= Daniel Powell and his wife Rebecca. In 1857 the Bell was used for the inquest into the sad death of Daniel Emmett, butler at the Manor House in Hurley who had committed suicide.

1867 Maria Powell daughter of the above took over the licence from her mother. Earlier in life she had been a straw bonnet maker. Maria married Joseph Webb a long time lodger in the Bell who was a whitesmith but went on to run the pub.

1871-1877 Joseph Webb (see above). He died in 1877.

1877-1881 Maria Webb, widow of Joseph Webb, daughter of Daniel and Rebecca Powell as above.

1881- 1904 Robert Rodwell. Wife Rachel. She died in 1891 and was buried in Hurley. Funeral report 23rd Sept 1891 Maidenhead Advertiser [paper in British Library, accessed via the BNA]"She was well known and very well respected" Shortly before this sad event the Rodwell's had invested in enlarging the quaint old inn so it could now accommodate 50 persons. In 1894 severe floods engulfed the downstairs of the Bell and Robert had to live upstairs only until the waters retreated. In 1897 Robert did the catering for the village's 1897 Jubilee celebrations (more on them here). Robert gave up the "Olde Bell" 1904 to Mr Knight. On his doing so the contents were sold off prior to a potential sale of the property itself. From this we get a glimpse at the historic interior. On sale were the high back settles, the Queen Anne tables, pewter drinking vessels,  and an assortment of "Cromwellian horseshoes", blunderbusses, flintlocks, old paintings and horse  brasses that had collectively decorated its walls.   "Old fashioned and well appointed hotel ..rooms or beds may be ordered by the letter or telegram" [Dickens Dictionary of The Thames,1889 edition] Every accommodation for gentlemen and families. 

Advert, 1891 from The Marlow Directory and Tourist Guide to the Thames. The guide notes travellers will always find "a capital cold luncheon ready in the curious old fashioned bar-parlour." 

1904= Mr Knight

1916. Mrs Oliver.

Compiled from censuses, licensing information Berkshire Records Office, court cases, adverts, newspapers as quoted above, etc. Kelly's Post Office Directory by Kellys Directories Limited 1863,1883. Historic England Archives, The Marlow Directory and Tourist Guide to the Thames 1891, Marlow Guide 1903. Daily Telegraph October 20th 1904, and In Thamesland - Henry Wellington Wack (G P Putman & sons, 1906)

More Hurley pub history and landlord listings in the future. We have a large number of similar posts for pubs in Marlow, Little Marlow, Medmenham and Lane End (all Buckinghamshire) plus a few for the Hurley pubs we have already featured. These are all listed here.

 Our main focus is Marlow on this blog but we do cover places like Hurley because of frequent connection between them and Marlow. For a list of Hurley, Harleyford and Temple related posts see here

Researched and written by Charlotte Day.

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

Wages in Marlow History *Updated April 2026**

This post has been expanded to include some material up to the 1960s.

Agricultural

Straw binder, per load on a Marlow farm 1844 = 1 shilling.

Male stone picker on a Marlow farm, per day 1844 = 1 shilling.

Carter at Town Farm Marlow 1844, per week = 12 shillings. Same wage as 1856!

Night watchman (usually guarding sheep but fear of incendiary attacks was also high locally at this time) on Marlow farm, per night 1844= 6d.

A female agricultural labourer's weekly wage on a Marlow farm in summer 1856 = 6 shillings.

Hay binder pay per load, 1856 = 2 shillings.

Shepherds wage on Town Farm Marlow 1856, per week = 13 shillings.

Plough boy on a Marlow farm 1856, per week = 4 shillings. 

Carter on Town Farm Marlow 1856, per week = 12 shillings.  This hadn't increased since before 1844!

Working farm foreman who can do thatching and hedging, per week, 1860 = 12s including cottage and £2 Michaelmas payment. 

Farm boy at Hill Farm Marlow 1865, per week= 4 shillings 6d.

Under Gamekeeper, at Hall Place nr Hurley, 1872 = 15s a week including cottage and garden, and harvest month bonus. 

Under Gamekeeper at Little Marlow 1876 = 16 shillings a week plus cottage and garden.

Wages paid to three agricultural labourers to mow a meadow Great Marlow, per acre, 1873 = 6 shillings 6d plus beer. The inclusion of beer in wages was common.

15 year old boy to milk cows and work in farm yard at Hawkins Farm, 1874, per week = 6 shillings  (plus £4 at Michaelmas). 

Carter on Abbey Farm, Little Marlow 1875, per week = 13 shillings, with a cottage and Michaelmas money.

Weekly wage of barley thrasher on a Marlow farm 1880 = 13 shillings.

Ploughboy per week on a Marlow Farm, 1880 = 5 shillings.

Agricultural labourer Marlow able to mend fences and plough 1892, per week = 12 shillings with cottage and garden.

Ploughboy, 1899, per week including board and lodging = 6 shillings.

Haymakers, 1900, per day = 5s plus 3 pints beer. (A higher than average wage put down to the relative absence of labourers locally due to their serving instead in the South African wars)

Cowman on a Marlow farm, if single [married men were paid more in those days and might also get use of a cottage] a week 1903 = 17 shillings. For comparison 17 shillings was also the wage for a carter at Danesfield and at a Little Marlow farm in 1899 but use of a cottage was also included with those. That position was for a married man only. He would receive extra fees at harvest time. At the hiring day that started the Wycombe Fair in 1898 the average negotiated wage for a cowman was 13 shillings a week plus a cottage, a ton of coal and "a present of £3 at Michaelmas". In 1914 a cowman at Blounts farm had a weekly wage of £1 (20s) 

Carter on Wood Barn Farm Little Marlow 1914 = 16 shillings a week plus a cottage. (In 1899 it was 13 shillings.) A carter at Barmoor in the same year could expect 20s (£1) a week without a cottage - total abstainers preferred. 

General farm worker at Wood Barn Farm Little Marlow with cottage and £2 10s extra Michaelmas money, per week 1914 = 16 shillings. Must be able to rick build and help in milking. 

Shepherd at Barmoor Farm 1915, per week = £1 2 shillings with cottage and garden.

Farm worker not part of a threshing team and not in a supervisory role mandatory pay in Buckinghamshire 1944, per hour = 1 shilling 7d for men, 1 shilling 3d for women. Overtime paid at same rate.

Tractor driver come cowman at Old House Farm 1951, per week = £6 plus cottage to live in.

Domestic Service (for commercial cooks /maids  in hotels etc see under "other" below)

Needlewoman for domestic service, to make plain dresses and frocks, and care for the wardrobes of several young gentleman when home from school, and mind the boys themselves ditto, 1859 = £16 per year plus beer and washing allowance. Members of Church of England only need apply. 

Housemaid in a gent's family, to be aged 20-30, per annum 1860 = 14 guineas with "everything found" That meant employers will provide things like her laundry, candles for personal use, food and drink. Applicants to send letter care of Mr Pierce (Pearce) stationer, High Street Marlow. He took in replies to many similar requests.

Married couple- the man to serve as the gardener, cow man and groom, and the woman to be the cook, in tradesman's family, 1860, per annum = £30 for the pair. 

Parlourmaid to Charles Foottit the chemist 1878, per annum = £16, "all found" (so she getting her food, candles, laundry and (if worn) uniform provided.

Stable lad at Hillside (off where Seymour Park Road is today) 1881, per week = 10 shillings.

Plain cook in Marlow 1884, per annum = £17 all in (so her own food food and any uniform supplied) but not including any beer.

General servant in a family home in the High Street, per annum = £8.

General servant to assist at Marlow Cottage Hospital, Cambridge Road. Duties will include cooking 1890, per annum = £12.

Assistant gardener at Seymour Court 1890, per week = 20s.

Good plain cook, age 30-35, with a kitchen maid to assist her in her work. At Westhorpe, 1890 = £25-29 per annum depending on experience. For comparison a cook - general (cook who would do housework too) working for much smaller household in Beaumont Rise in the same year could expect £20-23 per year. She had no kitchen maid to assist her but a "house boy" instead, who would also wait at table. And she would not be required to do any laundry. 

General cook Marlow 1896, per annum = £16.

General servant at house Marlow High Street 1898, per annum  = £10.

Nursemaid to look after one child, Marlow Place 1900, per annum = £20.

Garden labourer, experienced, at Temple House 1900, per week = 17 shillings plus a lodge to live in. (Previous year only 16s was offered).

Under Gardener, "strong lad" preferred, Cromwell House, 1900 = 9-10 shillings a week. 

Kitchen Maid, Beechwood House, Red Pitts 1904, per annum = £12. In 1917 a kitchen maid at Court Garden could expect £14 a year. 

General servant Little Marlow, 1907, per annum = £10 [possibly a small household. In London you could earn double that, and £10 seems low even for local standards].

Parlourmaids in Marlow wages per annum as advertised across various sources, 1907 = £18-26. In 1917 a parlourmaid at Court Garden could expect £30. 

Ladies maid to cover a Marlow household with two ladies. Dressmaking required. 1907, per annum = £30.

Head housemaid, per annum 1907 = £26.

Nursemaids in Marlow across various ads, per annum 1908 = £25-28.

Live in groom in large Marlow house, per week 1909 = 10 shillings a week [that was pretty stingy even for a live in!].

Footman in large Marlow house, per annum 1909 = £22.

General servant for small Marlow family, per annum 1910 = £11 (very low though ad says no laundry duties involved).

A Cook at The Glade, Glade Road Marlow who was moving on, expected in her next job to earn in 1912, per annum = £24 to £25.

Garden labourer at Temple House with wife to attend to entrance gates, per week plus lodge rent free, 1914 = 17s.

Kitchen maid, age 16-20, at Court Garden 1915 = £16-18 per annum. An under housemaid at same house received the same wage. 

Cook at Woodside Little Marlow Road 1916, per annum = £24 .The cook at court garden in 1917 could for comparison expect £35 per annum, but this was a much larger household. 

Housekeeper to do plain cooking as well, small household in Marlow,  1916 = £20 per annum.

Under Gardener at Court Garden 1918 = 25 shillings a week plus vegetables from the garden, a coal allowance and either 3 rooms over stable or small lodge. Raised to 30 shillings with the veg and accomodation etc when no takers for this job. The head gardener could expect 35s a week in the same year with the same benefits, raised to 40s for the same reason as above. 

Paid companion to a lady, 1918, not for those under 40 years = £20 per year. 

Cook-general (cook who will also do other housework) in household where parlour maid is kept, at Thames Field, per annum, 1920 = £42. 

Parlour maid in Marlow 1926, per annum = £36.

Parlour maid in Marlow 1934, per annum = £45.

Gardener, gardener at croft Cottage Pound Lane 1944, per week = 15 shillings (required to work one day a week only but garden is in a bad state!)

Clerical, Managerial And Similar

Librarian at the Literary and Scientific Institute, per annum 1860 = £6.

Great Marlow parish surveyor 1860, per annum = £20.

Great Marlow parish sanitary inspector 1859, per annum = £45

Sanitary Inspector for Marlow 1866, per annum = £12 (note the difference from 1859!)

Clerk to the parish council, per annum 1896 = £25 (a part time role).

Secretary of Marlow Water Company, per annum 1897 = £25.

Managing Director of Marlow Water Company, per annum 1897= £50 plus 5 per cent commission on dues collected -getting people to pay up, especially those in big houses was hard work!

Ledger Clerk at Lloyds Bank Marlow 1928, per annum = £150.

Rent collector for Marlow Urban District council 1966, per day = £3.

Education / school roles:

Master of the Boys' School, per annum 1878 = £104. 

Mistress of Bovingdon Green village school, per annum 1878 = £44 6 shillings.

Mistress of the Infant's School in St Peter's Street, per annum 1878 = £70.

Cook for Borlase school, (who had a scullery maid to assist her), 1899 , per annum= £25-30 - but it is specified she shall have no beer allowance.. In 1938 the same role paid, per annum = £52.

Drill instructor for Borlase school, who had to be a military man either discharged or unfit to serve, 1918, per week =  £1 7s 6d .

Clerical assistant, Borlase School per hour, 1955 = 3s 9d .

Caretaker at soon-to-open Danesfield School, 1962, per week £20 15sh 9d.

School cleaner at Danesfield School (male) per hour, 1965 = 2 sh 2 and a half pence. Extra if worked early or late.

Craft Occupations

Journeyman blacksmith in Marlow 1830, per week = 17 shillings.

Female bib maker (paid per piece), could earn per day, 1870 = 6d to 8d.

Girls, ideally aged about 15, to paint tiles at the Medmenham Pottery, Marlow Common 1898, per week = 5 shillings.

Building And Similar Trades

Casual labourer, per day in Marlow 1857 = 2 shillings.

Foreman road labourer for the parish road works, per week, 1868 = 13 shillings.

Painter (house). As earned by Thomas Clements of Hambledon 1872, per week = 18 shillings.

Carpenter working for Ambrose Corby the builder 1878, per hour = 6 and a half pence.

First year apprentice carpenter and joiner working for Ambrose Corby the builder 1881, per week = 9 shillings (this was seen as a good wage, and would rise in the second year).

Mason to work at the building of a new house at Danesfield 1899, per hour = 9d, travelling time allowed.

Brick makers at Marlow Common kiln, 1899 = 7 shillings per 1,000 bricks made. 

Plasterer to work on houses being built by Mr Harris the builder at Marlow 1899, per hour = 10d.

Bricklayer's labourer working in building Great Marlow School 1960, per hour = 5s 6d.

Other Manual Occupations

A quarter's pay for the organ blower in the parish church (worked bellows while organist played the instrument), 1857 = 10s 6d.

Paper mill worker, male, adult 1874, per week = 17 shillings 6 pence.

Chimney sweep employed by master sweep as assistant in Marlow, 1884, per week = 15 shillings.

Carter working for Mr Butler coal merchant of Marlow 1893, per week = 17 shillings

Girl about 15 to learn laundry work at the Standard Laundry, Station Road, 1916 = 5s a week starting wage. 

Stoker at Marlow Gas Works, per 12 hour shift, 1919 = 8s 9d plus war bonus of 3s a week still applies. 

Shop Work

Journeyman baker (qualified baker who had served his apprenticeship but worked for others not himself) Marlow 1862, per week = 12 shillings.

First year apprentice at International Stores grocers in the High Street 1941, per week = 15 shillings with linen provided.

Lady working in Burger's bakery on the Causeway, per hour 1950 = 1sh 6d.

Lady shop assistant age 18 at Aldridge's grocers Marlow, per week 1966 = £8 8 shillings. Overalls provided and staff discount offered.

Part time, afternoons only, lady cashier at Prestige Betting shop, West Street 1966, per week = £6 10 shillings.

Warehouseman, International Stores, High Street (grocers), 1966 = £11 a week.

Hospitality 

Hotel cook, per annum 1909 = £25 At The Chequers in 1900 the cook could expect £30 per annum for comparison. 

Housemaid/ Waitress (one person to perform both roles)  at hotel in area, live in, 1917 = £31 per annum. A good wage compared to those in domestic service as a housemaid in a private home. 

Other:

Yearly wage for the priest serving the nuns of Little Marlow Priory 1525 = £5 8s 6d.

Maximum salary the churchwardens and overseers of poor would be willing to pay for a sober couple of good character to manage Great Marlow poorhouse, 1775 = £20 per annum. 

Keeper of the Marlow Lock Up House 1856, per week = 16 shillings plus a uniform coat and hat renewed every year.

Gravedigger come caretaker of the churchyard 1898, per week = 16s (and would get tips).

Caretaker and librarian for the Marlow Institute 1903, per week = 15 shillings. (It was £35 per annum in 1897).

State unemployment benefit, per week, 1920 = 15s a week for men, 12s for women. 

Electricity meter reader Marlow 1956, per hour = 3sh 9d.

Pay per fire attended, for Marlow's retained part time firefighters, 1966 = 35 shillings. If the fire lasted over an hour they were given an extra 8 shillings per additional hour. These were additional fees on top of the yearly retainer they received as a matter of course (up to £55).

******

Compiled by Charlotte Day and Kathryn Day.

Compiled from adverts, letters, court cases, interviews.

And Maidenhead Advertiser July 24th 1872 (Bayliss Media Archive), South Bucks Standard 30 September 1899 and 5 February 1897, Bucks Free Press 7th January 1938 (Bucks Free Press Archives via Newspapers. Com).

To put these wages into context see our Marlow Cost of Living posts Part 1 and Part 2. These tell you what Marlow people paid for rents, food, entertainment, medical care, furnishings, education, travel etc.

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

Where Your Gardener Ancestor Worked

Those listed may be head or assistant gardeners. Domestic gardeners only in this post, more on the nursery gardeners of Marlow in future. There were a great many of those. Dates next to a name show when I have concrete evidence of a person being in the job. They may have been there earlier or later too. Many more names to add as time permits. Spelling as per original source which can lead to some interesting variations! *Updated by Charlotte May 2026*. To find out more about the houses themselves check the index here

Head Gardener Alan Day working on the New Kitchen Garden at Remnantz, 1991 (formerly part of the lawn tennis courts) . The old brewery chimney can be seen poking over the yew hedge - a hedge which was over a century old already at that point. Sorry the pic is not the best! © Marlow Ancestors

Beechwood, Henley Road 

1859 -  House then known as Beech Lodge - Thomas Gibson

1881- George Smith. Not the same as the George Smith at Suffolk Lodge.

1883 - Alfred Lambourne

1898 - E Keene

1901- E Keene (head), Thomas Brown and George Mealing 

1907 - E Keen qv and T Brown. 

1911-16 - George Henry Moores. Lived in a 4 room cottage on the estate. This was said to be part of the original older Beechwood house. With a stucco front, "rustic porch" and veranda it certainly sounds more impressive than the usual staff quarters. In 1916 his employer tried to get George totally exempted from military service but the local tribunal refused to grant this. From at least 1911-13 the assistant gardener was George Harris who lived in the Lodge at Beechwood. Though the rates for the lodge were paid for by his employer Thomas did not have the use of the cottage as part of his job and paid rent out of his wages to live there. 

1928 - G Austin. Arrives from the Manor House Stoke Poges. 

Bohemia

1899- 1917 Mr Thomas William Jordan. Was a domestic gardener living in Marlow High Street by 1891 probably working at Cromwell House.  Wife Louisa. Grave of their daughter and her husband here.

Borlase School (for head E W Clark)

1898/99- William Soley

Bisham Abbey

1846 - Mr Sutton

1866 - Mr Henderson. Wife Ann dies this year age 60 after falling down stairs while making a visit to a friend. 

1901,03 - G Martin. 

1927 - W McCaul (head) 

Unknown dates- Joseph Curtis who was later at Bridge House Marlow and who died in 1905.

Blounts, Bovingdon Green

1894 - Alan Axten 

1903-39 at least - J Platt (Head) - (to Walter Wethered then A R A Heath Esq) Blounts Cottage. Frequent winner of classes at the local Chrysanthemum show and a judge of classes at the Bovingdon Green Show.

Bridge House

To early 1905 from unknown date Joseph Curtis who had previously worked at Bisham Abbey. Ill health forced his retirement. Lived at time of his death 1905 at Platts Row Marlow. 

The Cottage, Oxford Road (a large size house not a little cottage and not the same as Oxford Cottage)

1861-1874 Dennis Wargent. Moved to Hurley by 1881 (probably 1878 ish) where he was also a gardener (mostly for Rev F T Wethered). He was a churchwarden there too. A detailed biography is available here.

1884 - Ernest Levy.

1898 &99 - E Harvey? 

Court Garden House

1827- John Stewart. Died that year. His will was subject to a fraud which caused a nationwide sensation. More on that here.

1861- 1864 William Neighbour and see Harleyford below. Lived in the lodge, Pound Lane. Wife Emma. For more see here and biography here.

1866-1872- Thomas Lockie. Probably moved on to Oakley Court, Windsor. Placed an ad in the Gardeners Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette May 1872 seeking a new position after 5 years at Court Garden. It said that he had been brought up to a garden from childhood. "First class testimonials" available. A champion cucumber grower! Friends with Mr Hancock gardener at Suffolk Lodge.

1873&4 - D S Gillett.

1871-1881 John Waitman. Not necessarily head gardener. Lived in the lodge with wife Eliza 1871. Later lived in rooms above the stables Court Garden (set of three rooms). Retired gardener living at Glade Road and widowed 1901.

1881 - Charles Swadling. 

1901 - 1911 at least Robert Gibson.

1915 - Charles Croxon. 

Cromwell House

1893 - Mr Jordan (later at Bohemia).

1895 -1900 Mr Weaving.

Danesfield.

1846 : Henry King.

1850-1859 Henry Wood. His family were Catholic converts. His sister Lucy Anne who lived with him briefly at Danesfield was a troubled young woman who struggled to hold down a job and was widely rumoured to, having become a nun, eloped from her nunnery with a baron. While the marriage to the Baron de Camin (or perhaps "baron") looks to have been true Henry insisted his sister had never been a nun. De Camin was generally regarded as an imposter himself. Henry was a grower of "extraordinarily fine fruit". In 1858 he won two silver medals at the Royal Botanic Society Show held in Regents Park, London. 

1860-1901 Head - Edward Croker who was also a Catholic. In 1867 Danesfield hosted the Marlow Horticultural show and rural fete, and Mr Croker carried off a number of prizes. Wife Arabella and he married in Marlow's Catholic church in 1861. Biography here

1861 - Garden apprentice is 14 year old Robert Columbine, whose family lived at Albion House, West Street. Dad Colour Sergeant James Columbine. More on this family here

1889 - Henry Bennett (assistant gardener). Joseph White (assistant gardener, see below)

1898 - William Murray Geddes (head), William Dalton (foreman), Joseph White (assistant gardener- early in the year but sacked on suspicion on stealing expensive flower seeds and sent to trial for the offence).

1899-1904 James Gibson. At first the Under Gardener, then Head Gardener from at least 1901. James was regarded as an authority on "vegetable culture" and lectured on this subject to regional horticultural institutions. He sent collections of vegetables for exhibition as far away as shows in Birmingham. Also won many prizes for carnations. When advertising his desire to seek a new position in 1904, James tells us that he has the "highest testimonials for "ability, sobriety and civility" as well as experience in estate re modelling - Danesfield was extensively altered during his time there. 

1905- Mr O Smith.

1906-07 Mr G.W Smith.

1910-1920 Webster Hillier. Wife Mabel. Moved eventually to Reigate, Surrey. Gardener to A H Lewis. Assistant gardener :Arthur Weller (1912) . Webster acts as a judge at local flower shows for categories he's not eligible for,  and wins many prizes himself. 

1910-William Buck assistant gardener (foreman of glasshouses). Died 1 week into post. Committed suicide on estate by jumping into the water tower. Had suffered a nervous breakdown a little before. 

1910 - Assistant gardeners: Arthur Cook, George Plumridge. 

1915 - Assistant gardener Anthony Martin Weller. Volunteered to fight in WW1 and died after contracting smallpox while serving in Mesopotamia in 1917. He was 21 years of age at the time of his death.

1926 -32 at least -Arthur E Friend. Received £500 from the will of Danesfield owner Mrs Helen Hornby Lewis, allegedly the richest woman in Britain. She left many generous bequests, to her staff and others. 

Field House, near Newtown Road.

1921 - William Grimsdale.

Gossmore House

1921 - Joseph Grove (lived Mill Road).

Gyldernscroft, Henley Road

1862 - Mr Adams. Assisted by Thomas Harris. 

1861 - Robert Thomas (probably assistant gardener) Lived Croft Lodge. 

1881-1883 Alfred Maxim. Lived Croft Cottage / Lodge nearby. Wife Amelia. Left Marlow by 1891.

1888 -1903 - Walter Lawrence - head. 

1901 - George Langley.

1910-1926 William Brigden, originally from Tooting. His employer in 1916 tried unsuccessfully to get him temporarily exempted from war service. William helps to judge the first Marlow Horticultural Society post war show in 1920 and many thereafter. 

Harleyford House

1822-43 Mr Kirby.  Not sure if head gardener (but likely).

1846,7 - John Cheetham. 

1861 - William Hunt, gardeners boy age 15. 

1861 -66 William Blackman.

1869 - Sir William Clayton has a telegraph system installed with 3 miles of underground cabling to allow him to communicate with the gardeners, lodge keepers and other staff. 

1866-1872- William Neighbour. See also Court Garden above. Biography here

1869 - 1879 - Stephen Goldswain, under gardener. Stephen's employment comes to an abrupt end when he is convicted of stealing potatoes from the gardens, along with 2 garden labourers. He received 1 month in prison for this with hard labour.

1875- Mr Harding.

1879- 1888 Charles Knowles. Lived in the Gardener's Lodge. Wife Elizabeth. In 1879 one of the assistant gardeners Stephen Goldswain who had worked on the estate for ten years was found guilty of stealing potatoes from the garden after Charles gave evidence against him.  Two casual labourers in the estate had also stolen some. Stephen was jailed for a month with hard labour. By the time he left Harleyford, Charles was the head gardener. 

1879 - Thomas Brewer and William Thatcher. Garden labourers. Unfortunately they are convicted along with Stephen Goldswain above for stealing potatoes from the gardens. William had a previous conviction so received a 6 week sentence with hard labour, while Thomas was sentenced to 4 weeks, also with hard labour. 

1881 - Walter Garner (under gardener) and Frederick Stratfield ditto. Frederick Cheetham / Cheethman is gardener's labourer. 

1886 - J Fletcher age 22, under gardener. Seeks position elsewhere this year as second gardener or "first journeyman in the houses". In other words he is looking to further his career by moving to another garden in a more senior role. The houses referred to are the glasshouses or greenhouses. Some large estates had gardeners whose main role was to tend to the vast amount of plants grown under glass. Experience in caring for these was valued and Fletcher says he has experience in this field. 

1888 - Alfred Myson, head. Possibly left 1890. 

1895- 1909 James Sharpe, head. Wife Millicent. Manages to grow bananas on the estate, harvesting 60lb of them in 1903. 

1915 - Walter Barklam. Assistant gardener then Edward Farmer. Edward died aged 29 in 1918. This was as a result of an accident during his WW1 military service. He was thrown from his horse and died of his injuries.

1926 - G Edworthy (head) 

Highfields

1881-1883 James Munday.

1903 - John Weaving. Lived in a four room cottage Highfield's Lodge.

1907 - T Weavin. Possibly a mistake for J Weaving.

1911 - John Weaving.

1924 -29 at least.  J E Jones. Came in 1924 from Major Argles in Westmorland. 

The Lawn, Mill Road.

NB not the same house as Thames Lawn.

1921 - Henry Smewing.

Little Marlow Manor.

1861 - Edwin Anstead? Might be at Westhorpe now. 

1863 - Edwin Anstead.

1897-98 - George Cooper.

1920 - George Latchford.

Little Dean / Littledean/ Littledene (New Town)

Probably the house formerly known as Rivermead(s)- if not they were very close together. 

1921 - Albert Brooks.

Marlow Place, Station Road

1739 - Robert Rudkin (to "Madam Wallop") [Alice/Alicia]

1907, 1915  - J B Trendall.

1921 - Benjamin Trendall (Head).

1930- Mr Trendall (Head).

*For 17 years prior to the first world war Henry William Reeves was under gardener. Unfortunately a leg wound sustained in 1917 at Ypres meant Henry could no longer work as a gardener as he could no longer bend his knee. Instead he eventually opened the longstanding Reeves tobacconists and confectioners in the High Street. 

Medmenham Abbey 

1911 - James Aird, head gardener for Col Douglas Frederick Dawson. 

1915 - Ernest Henry Wye Clark, under gardener. Ernest was killed in action at Passchendaele in 1917 aged 26. His parents, who lived in Queens Road Marlow, knew that he was missing but did not learn that he had definitely died for almost a year. A photo of Ernest's grave is on the blog here.

New Court, off High Street.

Uriah Piggott who died in 1906 was said to have worked there for over 30 years. Wife Ann. In 1881 he is listed as a coachman of Platts Row and in 1871 as a groom. 

1907/8- Mr Turnedge. Under gardeners- Mr Brinsden and Mr Silver.

1915 - A Brown .

1926 - C Absolom 

The Orchard(s), Bovingdon Green

Richard Evans by 1907 to Mr H Slattery. By 1913 to at least 1915 Richard was the gardener to Mrs Slattery, widow. Looks to have moved to Lady Findlay at Warfield by 1927. 

Remnantz, West Street

John Neighbour - 1850s. Read more here

1871-1889 Alfred Hitchcock. Lived 83 West Street next to Remnantz. He lodged with Charlotte Rose, a laundress employed by the family at Remnantz. Alfred died 1889. Wife Catherine (m 1878, née Orme). William was one of those who gave evidence as to the damage done during the election riots of 1880, of which more here 

1891 - assistant gardener, Walter Trim. Killed this year in an accident while climbing a tree (not at Remnantz) in pursuit of a magpies nest. 

1903 - Samuel Fisher. Lived at Remnantz Lodge/Cottage. 

1911- William Farthing. Lived at Remnantz Cottage (81-83 West Street, old numbering, 81 currently.)

1918- A Brown. Due to wartime labour shortages the 45 year old was managing all 12 or so acres alone AND acting as groom for Miss Wood, the tenant of the house.  He lived at Remnantz Cottage, which is now 81 West Street but was differently numbered in the past.

Rookery, off Chapel Street.

1863 - Richard Ward. He won first prize for his peaches at the Marlow Horticultural Show in this year.

1865- J Goldswain.

1872 - G Frith.

1888-1899 at least  - George Frith. Brings the fruit garden into a state of perfection, with renowned pear trees. 

1914 - T Allaway, arrives after  spending 7 years as second gardener at Englefield Lodge, Englefield Green.

1927 &8 - Mr Lewis. 

 

Seymour Court

1883-1890 William Andrews, lived Eton Place rather than on site. Left 1890. Is still censused as a gardener later in Marlow but I don't know where he worked.

1890- 1891 William R Williams (yes his name was William Williams). Head gardener. Lived Dean Street 1891 which would be about a mile walk to work for him each day, and home again. Born in Wales. You'd think William Williams would not be a common name but there was also another man of the same name in Dean Street 1891 in a different household! Moved to Seymour Court from position as garden foreman at The Cedars, Wells, Somerset, and prior to that was at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. 

1891 - Sidney Chalk. Also worked at Court Garden, date uncertain. See post here for more on Sidney's later career as ironmonger etc. 

1891 - Richard Heath.

1899- 1902 Walter Parsons.

1901 - George Giddings?

Spinfield Lodge / House (original largely demolished, but a 1930s house replaced it) 

History of the house and the occupants of it is available here

1841- Thomas Piggott? 

1847- H. King.

1853- Mr MacKeith.

1860- Mr Clews. Oversaw expansion and significant improvement of the gardens and grounds.

1863- William Neville. Or in second source G Neville. 

1873- H Heath. Seems to be under gardener or garden labourer rather than the head gardener.

1879 - Mr German.

1879 - Mr Excell (Second gardener. That is under gardener) 

1881 - William Thurman. Head  Leaves this year to take up position at Fairthorne Park, Botley. 

1881 - John Heath - garden labourer.

1882- W. J Clarke. Moved from Kilkerran, Ayrshire to take the job.

1883- Abraham Hubbard.

1887- John Kent. Lived in the lodge. Unsure of position within garden staff. 

1891-1899 William Shorter. Was in his 70s and shortly after this became the lodge keeper at Spinfield instead of gardener because of his ailing physical condition. He died at the lodge aged 81 in 1900. Wife was Rebecca who after his death became a ladies maid at Spinfield. She was some years younger than him. William had at his death worked for the wider Murray family 60 years plus and they thought the world of him. Assistant gardener Mr Finch (1898)

1892-93 Mr Cole. Moved 1893 to Swallowfield Park Berkshire. Effectively the head gardener on a day to day basis but the elderly William Shorter was officially still the head. 

1898- 1916 Thomas Blackmore. Rose specialist and florist who provided floral decorations for many public events in Marlow. Judge regularly at local horticultural shows. A native of Devon. He gave some talks to the local boy scouts on horticulture in 1914. He  provided the plants for some formal planting displays at Marlow Cemetery in the years after it opened. He lived in a 4 room cottage on the estate. The under gardener lived in the Lodge house in 1911. Thomas used a portion of Spinfield Gardens as an independent commercial enterprise (selling bedding plants etc)  from some point after 1916 until shortly before he set up as a nurseryman, seedsman and florist, at West Street 1921. 

Suffolk Lodge, off what is now Station Road. Later called Marlow Lodge (There was also a Marlow Lodge at Little Marlow) More on the house here

1840 - George Davidson.

1868- Edward Hancock. Died suddenly this year of a fit of apoplexy just outside the gates of Suffolk Lodge. Had suffered fits of apoplexy and occasional difficulty breathing for some months. Age 63.

1869 - Mr J Meakes. Won prizes at the "floral fete" held at Harleyford in this year. 

1871 - Bartholomew Dingle.

1874-1875 F Russell.

1881- George Smith. Wife Margaret a servant in the house. Both live in. Not same George Smith as at Beech Lodge above.

1882 - Mr Edwin, and a "boy". 

1907-1918 at least Herbert Elkington. Lived in the gardener's cottage with wife Florence.

1917 - A Frith also worked there, presumably under gardener.

The Sycamores, Mill Lane 

NB not the same as Sycamore House West Street. 

 1911 - 1921 - Sydney Charles Rye. 

Temple House, Temple.

A history of the house can be found here

1835-1852 - George Davison./Davidson. 

1853 - Charles Adams. Features in the press as the American Aloe plant at Temple is 30ft tall including its flower stem. 

1861,1862- Henry Payne.

1880, 1886- George Keates. Wife Charlotte. Plays a big role in assisting the other staff to remove valuables from the house during the devastating fire of 1886. An entire wing containing dozens of rooms is gutted. 

1888 - R Cooper (journeyman age 21)

1890-1920 at least George Grove(s) (head) moved there from the Rangemore Gardens in Burton on Trent where he was foreman. Meticulously monitored a weather station at Temple and so provided many meteorological reports to local newspapers as well as trade journals. In 1900 George's "magnificent melons" were used to illustrate the Sutton's autumn catalogue. He'd managed to produce 4 melons from one plant weighing in total just over 31lbs. Acts as a judge at local horticultural shows when not carrying off prizes himself. 

1891 - Arthur Williams (under) . Moves to be head gardener for Mr H. Willan at Albion Lodge, Maulleys Castle, Worcs. NB one source had him as Arthur Wilson.

C1892 - for one year, F J Toms. Came from 2 year stint in fruit department of Lord Sudeley, Toddington, Glos and left for Brakspear, Uxbridge where he would be one of the foreman gardeners. 

1890-1892 Albert Pearce (Foreman) Moved to Summer Hill House, Kidderminster.

1893-c1896 - Charles Horn (General Foreman). Previously at Spye Park, Wilts. Left Temple to seek position as head gardener. 

1892 - 6 gardeners kept. Has bothy and gardeners perks including pick of vegetables. 

1893-Thomas Watson. Under.

1908 - James Davis. We think he was an under gardener. From the garden saw the lock keeper's teenage daughter fall into the lock. By the time he reached the spot it was too late, she had drowned.

Thames Bank, Riverside.

1846-1870 Mr Robert Hobbs. Pear grower extaordinaire. (In 1862 one of his trees produced 320 pears, with some extraordinary specimens measuring 13" round. The tree was photographed by Marlow photographer Rebecca Blake.) When fellow gardener (not at Thames Bank) Ford of the nearby South Place committed suicide by hanging himself in 1867, Robert was the first one on the scene responding to the cries of the dead man's sister. He cut the deceased down and gave evidence at the inquest. More on the case in this post. Assistant Mr Hollis. 

1871 - John Rose

1872-c1892 -1894 Albert George Bridg(e)man of Wiltshire. His toddler son William drowned in a water cistern while "helping" dad water the garden with a toy watering can at Thames Bank in 1875. Albert won many prizes for his produce. Later became a seedsman. Wife Elizabeth died 1888, second marriage was to Susannah.  Biography here. In 1888 one of the garden labourers was George White. George had the unpleasant task of retrieving the dead body of a Marlow man from the river by the house.

1894 - Douglas Brown (head). Came from Boscombe Manor, Bournemouth.

1895- Mr Hobbs.

1901 - C Anderson. 

As LYMBROOK - 

1921 - . Albert G Earis (possibly the head), Thomas Blewitt & George Hester 

Thames Cottage

1916 -1921 - Robert Thomas Davis. Also caretaker. In 1916 Robert's employer Percy Hoar twice applies for Robert's enlistment to be delayed Robert himself may then have asked for a exemption on personal grounds as in April 1917 the exemption is still in place but it is made conditional on his also doing farm work. Previously it was given on the condition that he joined the local rifle volunteers. He is placed on a farm by the Substitution Officer (to free up someone else to serve).  NB at time of 1916 Local Tribunal hearings his address is 86 Dedmere Rd. 

1921 - George Thorne. 

Western House, West Street

1862- Mr Tait.

1874-1879 James Rimmell. Also spelt Rymel and Rimmel. Organised a horticultural show in the grounds of Western House in 1874.

1888 - H Everist. (Everest?)

Early 1900s- Mr Absalom who had a sideline in taking photographic portraits of children.

Westhorpe House, Little Marlow

1869 - G. Davis. 

1890- George Davis.

1911 - William? Davis

1915 - George Davis (to Major Herbert Spencer Gordon) 

Additional research by Charlotte Day.

To find other posts about general Marlow history, see the index here

People of Potlands post lists many gardeners: here.

©Marlow Ancestors.

Sources:

Journal of Horticulture,  Cottage Gardener, and Home Farmer, collected, 1882 and 1890.

Journal of Horticulture and Cottage Gardener Article by George W Johnson FRHS and Robert Hogg LLD. Digitized by Google.

1883 Kellys Post Office Directory of Buckinghamshire, published by Kellys Directories Limited.

1911,1913 & 1915 Kelly's Directory as above

Reading Mercury 25th April 1868.

The Gardener: A Magazine of Horticulture and Floriculture, collected  - 1871.

South Bucks Standard September 9 1902, February 21st 1908, 11th August 1905, 14th March 1912.

Journal of Horticulture And Practical Gardening, Volume 26 1893. Digitized by Google.

History and Topography of Buckinghamshire by James Joseph Sheahan. Published by Longman, Green, Longman and Roberts 1861.

Bucks Herald 1862 22nd November, via the BNA / British Library Archives.

Reading Mercury 7 June 1867.

Bucks Free Press 21st October 1932, and Oct 11th 1918,  Bucks Free Press Archives.

Census, Jane Pullinger's transcription from microfilm.

Royal County Directory of Beds, Bucks, Berks etc 1876 by J.G Harrod and co.

Gardener's Chronicle, 1882, 1886, 1888, 1890, 1894, 1927, 1928 

Private letters.

Marriage cert Alfred Hitchcock.

A Letter To The Editor Of The Hampshire Chronicle Regarding The Winchester Nunnery by Ignatius Collingbrooke, published in book form by the Catholic Publishers and Booksellers Company 1858. Digitized by Google.

Clipping "Morning Leader" March 1905, provided by Percy Colter with thanks. 

Marlow Almanack and Directory 1891.

 

here