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.

Avert Your Eyes..Bathers About!

People have always bathed in the Thames, sometimes for necessity, sometimes for pleasure. The trouble for Victorian Marlow residents was quite a lot of them liked to do so in the nude. 

If you read reports of those swimming and bathing in the river early on, often in terms unfortunately of their escape or otherwise from the prospect of drowning, it's clear they are swimming naked. Or at least the men were. It was expected and not commented on in a shocked way - it's more that the fact was revealed by statements about where their clothes were found and how the fact that they were wearing none was taken as an indication they had deliberately entered the water to bathe. This wasn't something restricted to youths and it cut across class boundaries. But as the Victorian era progressed, this changed. Mutterings begin about "bathing nuisances" and "public indecency" and it became an issue that got some people very hot under the collar indeed. 

A hygienic and life preserving exercise

Back in the late 1850s, swimming was said to be "quite the rage" among the (male) youths of Marlow. A Mr Goggs had taken it upon himself to teach a number of the boys to swim. Some of the private boys schools taught their pupils to swim, for example William Faulkner's Prospect House Academy and later Marlow Place School where swimming lessons cost a "moderate fee" in 1863.

Given that many of the boys would have grown up to work on or near the river, this sounds like a good idea. The boys' minds then turned to competitive swimming. Some unnamed gentleman thought that this craze for swimming was a hygienic and life preserving exercise and to encourage the lads, set up a swimming competition in August. There were also races for men but none for females of any age. This was the start of an annual but long forgotten sporting event that attracted big crowds. About the same time an Amateur Swimming Society was formed and they took on the organisation of the swimming races, as well as matches between two close rivals. There was a cup for the most successful competitor under 16 and other races were swam for prizes like fishing rods. In 1863 the juvenile cup was won by the ever sporty Augustus Creswell. In 1865 the annual swimming race was swam between Bisham Abbey and the suspension bridge with "many hundreds" of people watching from the bridge and along the tow path. Everyone expected Augustus Creswell to win as always but he was pipped at the last by Master Povey. Povey had a very successful day overall, as he also won the diving prize. And where were the boys diving from? Marlow Bridge! The winner succeeded by diving the greatest distance and remaining the longest underwater. Thankfully all the young men resurfaced without any broken limbs. Other names mentioned as competitors include Shaw, White, Rose and Blacksmith. The younger boys had shorter races - winners include Shaw, Gibbs and Honey.  These races continued for a number of years, and were revived in the late Victorian period. 

In 1873, the Reverend Cree wanted to create a designated safe bathing place. He knew that many used the back waters behind the mill to bathe but this was not always considered very safe. Funds were raised and a committee formed but then they hit a problem. None of the landowners owning the river bank land would give up even a small part to allow the project to be realised. So the plans came to nothing. Later that summer Dr Shone's young assistant surgeon William Henry Anderson, drowned whilst swimming in those fore mentioned mill back waters. He was 23. It was said that his death meant the poorer classes in particular lost a kind, patient and skillful friend. The jury at his inquest publicly made a plea that a proper bathing place should be provided for without delay.

Wash the London dirt away

Visitors to the town were advised to get one of the fisherman (fishing guides) to take them by punt to a suitable spot for a swim. They advised only good swimmers to attempt it, but the rewards would be worth it. Joseph Ashby-Sterry, writing a travel guide for 1874, said bathing at Marlow was a pleasure for which he would "gladly give a good part of my limited earthly possessions." It was just the thing for washing off the dust of London. He recommended bathing at the weir itself, holding on to the paddles, for an exhilarating experience. He may have enjoyed this, but he was obviously unaware of the number of people who have drowned in that vicinity. 

A perpetual infestation of nudists

In the late 1870's, the problem of nude bathing was starting to be treated more seriously. In 1877 High Street chemist Charles Miller Footitt went along to the Petty Sessions to plead with the magistrates to do something about the issue. Robert Hayes Smith seconded this and said the river banks were "perpetually infested" with those who not only bathed nude but wouldn't confine themselves to the water but were to be frequently seen running along the bank, sans clothing. The magistrates were sympathetic but could only act on the transgressors if they were bought before them. 

Six years later, a meeting was held to consider the issue of a bathing place again. If everyone had somewhere particular to bathe it could be sheltered from sight and limit the spread of our streaking friends. One of the speakers William Shone, made the good point that very many of the poorest in town had no real facilities to wash themselves properly in the summer unless they used the River, with the result the river banks were constantly covered by boys and men bathing. Everyone agreed that providing a spot for comfortable and decent bathing was a good idea, but what they could not decide was where it should be. Around 1900 Colonel Clayton offered the use of Slough Pond "near Gossmore" for conversion into a bathing pool. It would be equipped with an inlet and outlet so a constant supply of Thames Water would keep it fresh. But the work and expense involved made the Council shy away from this proposal. 

Beware the young savages of Marlow

Thames Conservancy bye laws to ban bathing without wearing a suitable costume were in force here by 1891. These rules also restricted bathing to before 8am or after 8pm. But the rules were routinely flouted. The police received many complaints, and so decided in 1891 to send a plain clothes constable duo strolling by the river to catch the offenders in action. And this they did. The police said they found a pack of boys dashing about the river banks entirely unclothed like a parcel of "young savages". They managed to round up 5 boys and they duly appeared before the magistrates. They were described as "poorly dressed lads". It is not hard to understand how unrealistic it would probably have been for their families to provide them with bathing costumes, or even a spare set of dry clothes to change into if they bathed in their others. Henry and William Rockell, Joseph Boot, George Thorpe, and William Tubb were fined 2s6d each but they were warned that a second appearance would result in a  sharp fine. General Sir George Higginson, as magistrate said it was "monstrous that ladies were deterred from walking by the river in the summer evenings" because of the risk of coming across such a group. The police should have stuck with the plain clothes approach. In 1905 some groups of boys, missing their garments, were reported to be having a riotous time in the water and on the river bank, splashing and running about. A constable in uniform attempted to creep up upon them but his helmet showed him up and the boys scattered. The constable did not catch any young savages this time! 

Progress was lacking on any public facility, but a privately owned island near Marlow Lock, the property of A G Lovell and later the High Street builder Young Lovell, was by the 1890's in use as a permitted bathing spot. It was said Mr Lovell seldom refused permission to anyone asking to use it as a base for swimming. It was secluded and regarded as a safe spot. He had generously erected a shelter there for the bathers use but after this was trashed in 1892, he restricted the use of the island for a while and introduced a small charge to use the hut. It was not manned, instead you could get a ticket to use it from the lock keeper at Marlow. It was still possible to use it at the time just before the First World War. The Boys Life Brigade had also secured a piece of land adjoining the backwater of the lock for their swimming base in 1903. Non members could get a ticket to use the facilities by applying to Mr Lunnon. This was also used unofficially by other young bathers who did not want - or could not - pay. 

Not for improper purposes

By 1900 the reports of illicit nude swimmers are a little less frequent but there were those worried about the potential for indecency during the dressing and undressing process. The Thames Conservators considered the solution was for local councils to provide wood and canvas screens not less than 4ft 6 high for people to change behind. They advised the council to take steps to make sure these screens were not used for any "improper purposes". The council noted the suggestion but took no action to construct the screening. 

I go by violence!

It was this issue of changing on the river bank that seems to have caught out Munday Dean resident William Macdonald in the summer of 1908.  He was bought before the magistrates for bathing without proper dress 300 yards from Marlow Bridge. He said in court that he had a bathing suit with him and must have been observed when only briefly nude as he was changing in or out of it. The constable who witnessed William's bathing session said he had been observed standing with nothing on, in the water and splashing himself.  He then began lounging on the river bank, still undressed, while reading a newspaper and keeping an eye on his 3 unconcerned young daughters and their three friends. At the time of his arrest William said he had bathed all over the world but had never been told it was indecent and Marlow should put up some warning signs if they thought it was. The magistrates disagreed and fined him £1 plus costs. William protested strongly and shouted "I go by violence" when forcibly removed from the court - something that took several policeman. 

But what of the ladies?

The idea that women might also want to bathe was now being considered by some. Mr John Foster wrote to the local paper in 1904 wondering why such a town as Marlow, which prided itself in facilities for visitors wanting to enjoy the river, should have no bathing place for ladies. The swimming race meeting of 1911 had events for women and girls. This was open to those living in or visiting the area between Henley and Maidenhead, and made use of the Marlow Rowing Club lawn. It ended with an "aquatic drama" enacted by members of the rowing club, entitled "Attack on the Settlers Camp". Sounds an interesting entertainment! 

A bathing place at last

 The arguments about providing any kind of bathing place were still rumbling on and 20 years of council meetings on the subject produced almost identical conclusions. They loved the idea, but not the cost of putting it together. Finally in 1912, Mr Vansittart Neale offered to provide a spot to construct a bathing space in exchange for a yearly fee. This would be accessible from the Bisham side of the river and while access from Marlow was considered best, no one on this side of the river would allow it. Mrs Taylor of Stoneyware,  threatened to ban public access to the tow path if bathing was not more tightly controlled. This was in her power to do as technically she only had to allow access to those involved in towing boats. If somewhere for swimming could be properly provided, she would however donate £50 towards the initial cost. This and a promise from the Thames Conservancy that they would ban bathing from the towpath altogether if Marlow provided a free bathing place, prompted the council to action. Tenders were sought to build a 21ft long and 8ft wide dressing hut. The bathing pool itself would be 75ft long, 20ft wide, and 3-6ft deep. The bathing hut would be on the eyot with plank bridge to gain access to it from "the new road leading to Cookham" (Quarry Wood Road). In the end a 7ft diving pool was also provided, with a 16ft long springboard (6ft projection) set 3ft above the summer water line.  

Progress on getting things going was slow thanks to bad weather but the bathing place finally opened in 1913. It had a timber and iron changing hut complete with earth closet behind. It would be open all year from 7 or 8am to 7-10pm depending on the season. An attendant was present although only in the evenings and on Sunday mornings. Boys under 12 had to leave by 7 and there was signs up reminding bathers that swimming without proper costumes or drawers was forbidden and you could only get changed within the hut. Anyone hoping to laze around on the island before or after their swim was out of luck. Loitering after coming out of the water was not allowed, nor was entry if you didn't intend to bathe personally. The Thames authorities were good to their word and banned bathing from the tow path between Marlow Bridge and Bisham Grange.

Female only bathing times were introduced in 1914, although none were on Sundays. Later the changing facilities were extended and you could pay to use boxes to store your things securely while you swam. This helped to make the bathing place self supporting as it needed regular dredging and cleaning. 

Death at the bathing place

Learning to swim here probably saved many lives. A large number of people especially children have drowned in the Thames at Marlow. Sadly even the bathing place saw a drowning in 1917. The then attendant George Higgins of Dean Street, (see note 1 below) died on entering the water to save two young ladies within the bathing place who had got into difficulties. He jumped in but never resurfaced. He is believed to have suffered a heart attack. Rose Maddox Morse, a young lady of Bourne End, who was bathing there at the time managed to retrieve the unconscious George and performed artificial respiration on him although sadly he could not be saved. Rose also rescued one of the two girls who had initially got into difficulties, with the other saved by a man who nearly drowned himself in the effort. Rose rightly recieved a medal for her bravery. Thank goodness women were allowed in the bathing place! 

This spot continued to be used until the 1950's. A proposed bathing lido for Higginson Park in 1933 never took off. 

NOTES 

1. At George's inquest questions were raised about whether he had rightly been appointed. Although he had been a strong swimmer at one point, he had suffered a paralytic stroke 18/19 years before which had left him with a limp. He had told those responsible for appointing him that he was confident he could swim across the bathing place 4-5 times if necessary.  They did not ask him to prove this. It seems his death of a heart attack could not be foreseen though. He was only 59. Some of the witnesses criticised the fact that the life preserver was only half filled with cork and had no rope attached. They said Mr Higgins had complained about it. The council denied he had raised the issue. 

Related Posts

Little lives lost in The Thames here

Bellows, bricks and brandy - reviving the drowned here

The Sorry Youth of Today - 1896 style here

Biography Robert Shaw, king of the river here

All mentions of an individual here can be found under the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. For more posts related The Thames, see the River sub category under the General Marlow History section of the same menu. 

SOURCES

Ashby- Sterry, Joseph. Tiny Travels. (Tinesley Bothers, 1874)

Taunt, Henry - A New Map of the River Thames from Oxford to London (Taunt, 1872)

Grace, William G, Outdoor Games and Recreations: An Encyclopaedia for Boys. (Religious Tract Society, 1892)

South Bucks Free Press August 26 1859. Copy from the British Library, and accessed via the BNA. 

A Guide To Marlow 1905, anon. 

Royal Humane Society - For the Reviving of Persons apparently dead by drowning -( R.H.S - London 1783) 

South Bucks Standard August 15 1863, August 21 1891, September 16 1892 April 6 1900, May 29 1903, January 15 1904, August 4 1905, 26 July 1907, June 26 1908, June 17 1910 , July 18 1912 as above

Reading Mercury August 15 1863, June 23 1917, as above

Berks County Paper July 22 1865, as above

Bucks Herald - August 2nd 1873, June 23 1877, August 22 1891, February 10 1933, as above

Maidenhead Advertiser September 6 1911, as above

Researched and written by Kathryn Day

©Marlow Ancestors.

 

Great Marlow in the First World War - 1914

 

AUGUST

3rd - The streets of Marlow are busy as crowds gather to watch the arrival of the advance party of what will be no less than 3,700 men of Berks, Bucks, Oxford and Gloucestershire battalions of the South Western Infantry Brigade (territorials). They will be attending their annual training camp at Bovingdon Green. The arrival of the territorials had been delayed and uncertain, to the consternation of local traders who looked forward to a significant boost to trade whenever soldiers encamped in the area. The Marlow men march straight to camp, others will arrive by train. A band plays music to welcome the arrivals at the station. The site has previously been used for military purposes. For example, in Autumn 1913, the Grenadier Guards had held their annual training camp at Bovingdon Green and Marlow Common. 

 4TH - War on Germany declared. The men encamped at Bovingdon received immediate orders to up sticks and return to their barrack to await further instructions. They leave quickly early the next morning, before most residents are awake.

- Work to commandeer local horses for military service begins, to the annoyance of some. 

- 39 extra special constables are sworn in at a special sitting of the Marlow Petty Sessions. 

- the Marlow War Relief Commitee has first meeting, in the Institute (now the Library) John Langley is elected its head. It has a Recruiting sub committee too. Its purpose is to coordinate with the district and national war relief fund to raise money to deal with cases for relief and other emergencies caused by war. 

- A Belgian flag is flown from the flagpole in the Enclosure (the Causeway)

SEPTEMBER - 

- Armed forces recruitment ad appears in local newspapers and in posters pasted up around the town. 100,000 men are needed, age 19-35, or up to age 45 if an ex soldier or to age 50 if former NCO. Any man wishing to sign up could head to the post office to find details of nearest active recruiting officer or they could head to any military barracks and volunteer in person (The recruiting officer was Col. Sergt. H. Frith of Maisonette, Newtown, Marlow). Anyone under 5ft 6" in height or who didn't meet the minimum chest measurement would have their services declined for now. Frith sends a large contingent of men to Oxford to join the new army almost immediately. Most pass their medical exam. 

- Open air recruitment meeting is held in the Market Square. A very large attendance is reported. Patriotic music is played before and after rousing speeches by among others, Sir George Higginson. He urges women to exhort their menfolk to enlist. (Marlow had had a branch of the National Service League from at least 1910. They campaigned for compulsory military service during peacetime for males, in the Territorials. Woman could also join this league to promote it).

- The sight of a new Army Farman Biplane flying over the town causes "considerable excitement". Even more so when the plane descends and lands in a meadow near the station, in order to complete some minor repairs. During its stay of about an hour, an eager crowd gathers. Dr Dickson hosts the two pilots - Lieutenant Gould and Sergeant Barr from Hendon - to tea before they continue on their way to Brooklands. Before they leave, they make several passes over the town. A few days later, many residents rush outside to see another bi-plane pass over town. 

- Marlow football club suspends playing of matches, some of the team already having enlisted. The other minor Marlow football clubs such as Marlow Wednesday and Marlow United follow suit.

- The parish church announces that until further notice the first verse of the national anthem will be sung immediately before the blessing. 

- The Marlow Urban district council display a "roll of honour" in their offices at 59, High Street. This lists Marlow men on active service, including those who were already serving when war broke out. On September 26, the roll lists 250 names, of whom 100 had enlisted since the war began. The list includes 7 members of the Bowles family.

- The War Relief Committee have a depot in Victoria Road where needlework tasks can be assigned to the woman of Marlow who have already lost their employment as a result of the war - and who are not in reciept of any other aid. The materials produced are to provide hospitals and similar institutions with the items they need. Much of the work will be to make clothing which will be distributed by the Red Cross. They also aim to offer first aid and nursing training.

Applications to Mrs Dickson, The Gables. [Wife of Dr John Dunbar Dickson]

- A Marlow private in the Royal Berks writes home and describes his experience at the Battle of Mons as "too awful to describe". He is injured in the leg. 

- A German Army reservist is reported detained at Marlow. They are subsequently sent to a Military Aliens camp at Newquay. 

OCTOBER

- The bullet extracted from the shoulder of Private H Tubb at the Battle of Aisne is on display in the window of the shop of Walter Davis in the High Street. He is recovering in hospital at Wandsworth.

NOVEMBER

- A Marlow committee organised to support and house Belgian refugees has now recieved 25 Belgian nationals aged from 3 weeks old to a grandmother. They are placed in a house in Glade Road, given over solely to their use as well as in the homes of volunteers. 

- Three members of Marlow fire brigade have passed their Red Cross Ambulance training and fitness assessments and are now serving on the front (Toovey, Faulkner and Clisby).

DECEMBER

- It's confirmed that the first 25 wounded soldiers, all Belgians, have arrived at Bisham Abbey which has been turned into a Red Cross hospital.

- Special prayers said at Christmas services in parish churches. 

Written and researched by Kathryn Day.

For other posts on Marlow in the First World War, see here: 1915 1916 1917 1918

First world war memorial tablet at the Brewery Here

To find an ancestor look at the Person Index option on the drop down menu for all mentions of them on the blog.

To read other posts relating to Marlow's military history or everyday life here in the past, see the post listing here

SOURCES / FOR FURTHER RESEARCH :

Bucks Herald August 15, September 5, 22 & 26 1914, copies held at the British Library Archive accessed online via the BNA November 2020.

Reading Mercury February 14, September 5th and 12th 1914, as above.  

Bucks Herald Oct 10th & November 7 1914 as above.

War Weekly, November 1914

South Bucks Standard - April 15 1910, as above.

© Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to quote from this research providing you link back here to retain credit to this blog and the the original sources used for research.