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.

Former House Names of Station Rise Marlow

 Many of the houses in Station Rise Marlow had names in the earlier 1900s. Marlow street numbering was very poor in the past confusing both the people who lived in each house and all of us who have come later. To the best of my ability, and from varied sources, these are the former names of particular Station Rise houses.

No 1 "Trescoe". Apartments.

No 2 "Springfield" not to be confused with another Springfield and a Spinfield elsewhere in town.

No 4  "Bromleigh". In 1907 the home of Mary Betts. Mary was nee Hawks and the former landlady of the Queen pub in Quoiting Square not to mention a boarding house keeper in St Peter Street before she retired to Station Rise. Read more about her in this post. This property was by 1911 the home of widow Annie White who lived there for some years and let apartments. It is possible that she was letting to Mary Betts earlier and that Mary occupied therefore only part of Bromleigh in 1907 though no other resident except her was recorded in the town directory.

No 3 "Cerene" The home of Henry "Harry" Coles the bricklayer and his family in the 1910s and 20s. 

No 6 "Lochia???" hard to make out.

No 8 "Merolla"

No 9 "Hillgay" Gertrude and Sydney Rye lived from the WW1 period to at least 1934. Sydney was the live-in caretaker come gardener of The Sycamores in Marlow before serving in the war. He was in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. After his war service he returned to his job at The Sycamores but lived here in Station Rise instead. He was one of Marlow's many allotment holders.

No 11 or 13 "Edgecote" / "Edgcote". No 11 was in 1932 the home of Ralph Adams who ran the nearby Co-op shop.

No 15 "Glen Lyn" Elizabeth Gould Slater died there in 1929.

No 17 "St David's" named after the parish of St David's in Jamaica. An early (quite possibly the very first) resident of this house was elderly widow Harriette Vardon Hexter, there by 1907. Her father William Patterson was the long time vicar of that Jamaican parish and though she married her husband (another vicar) in England she grew up in Jamaica. Harriette's husband was a vicar in the Somerset village of Cothelstone His death aged 82 precipitated Harriette's move from there to Marlow. She herself died in 1928 while on a visit to one of her daughters at Cothelstone. Another daughter Muriel Hexter was still in Marlow in the 1920s when she worked as the secretary for Doctor Downs. His surgery was in the High Street. Muriel lodged with another family in Station Rise at that time. 

No 19 "Crossways". This house is by the junction of Station Rise, Institute Road and Beaumont Rise hence the name. In the later 1910s and 1920s the home of retired Marlow police Inspector George Summers. More on George in the future.

Compiled by Charlotte Day from research by both Charlotte and Kathryn Day.

Some Sources:

1907, 1915 and 1920 Marlow Town Guides and Almanack.

"United Kingdom, World War I Service Records, 1914-1920", , FamilySearch.  (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVBR-5JLN : Sat Mar 09 17:21:56 UTC 2024), Entry for Sydney Charles Rye, 1915

Correspondence notecard of Doctor Downs.

1901 census of England and Wales transcribed from microfilm by Jane Pullinger. National Archives,Kew.

1911 census Of England and Wales for Sydney Charles Rye and Annie Elizabeth Flint UkCensusOnline.

1853 wyc district "England and Wales, Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2DSY-FX8 : 13 December 2014), William Betts, 1853; from "England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing 1853, quarter 4, vol. 3A, p. 589, Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, General Register Office, Southport, England

Maidenhead Advertiser Feb 8th 1890.

Bucks Free Press 29th June 1928, Wycombe Libraries 

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

Edwardian Spittal Street and Spittal Square Part Two

EVEN NUMBERED PROPERTIES SPITTAL STREET.

Note: Our Marlow ancestors were terrible at giving precise or consistent street addresses for themselves or others, knowing exactly what number they lived at (!), and the authorities made some confusing even bizarre property numbering decisions (don't get us started on Berwick Road... ). Some properties in Market Square at the bottom of Spittal Street were officially numbered as if in Spittal Street and would be described as being in Market Square or Spittal Street depending on the whim of the describer. They are included here. Properties in Spittal Square were also numbered as if in Spittal Street. Most of those were given even numbers. Throughout history Spittal Street and Chapel Street which run into one another were repeatedly confused. Never believe any property is definitely in one street rather than the other without multiple pieces of evidence!

***Edwardian building numbers are not necessarily those of the modern day*** Several of the properties mentioned below no longer exist.

In this post I follow the popular perception of the "Edwardian age" as extending 1901-1914. Some incidents in the earlier lives of the named residents are also included. Spittal Square addresses are very sloppy and reconstructing this street was tough.  If anyone has been missed we hope to remedy that as soon as possible.

2 - 4 George Dorsett's grocery shop. Really in Market Square but numbered as Spittal Street at this time. Bacon curer too. 

6 - 8 William Fisher's butcher's shop. Managed in a day to day basis by Frank Fisher from 1905 but William still in charge of the business overall. William was involved in an accident in 1910 when his horse drawn trap was in collision in the High Street with another vehicle and he was thrown out of it. William was much injured but fortunately had no broken bones. In the Edwardian era William supplied meat and groceries to the Union workhouse school in Bledlow Bucks which took children from Marlow and elsewhere. The quality of the meat he provided was questioned more than once. It has be said that the premises of William were considered a continuous serious health hazard by his Spittal Street neighbours and he was multiple times in court over sanitary breaches. The details are somewhat stomach churning and as you may have recently eaten we'll just draw a veil over the details. Like many butchers he kept some animals for slaughter - mostly pigs- out the back of his premises. In the Victorian era he had kept a stall at Marlow market too but it isn't clear whether he was still doing that in this era. By the end of the Edwardian age William no longer lived on the premises of his shop, but in Glade Road. His wife Elizabeth was nee Webb of the Webb of Field House Marlow family. William himself came from Aylesbury originally.

Premises on the edge of Market Square.

10  Sometimes given as Market Square but numbered as Spittal Street. Shop of Thomas "Tom" Rippington (bn 1879) fishmonger in 1907 and 1908. He also dealt in game and poultry. Smoked haddock a speciality! He was an assistant fishmonger on the 1901 census so must have come into his own business after that. Thomas is not to be confused with his dad Thomas Rippington of nearby Chapel Street who was not a fishmonger but a shorthand writer and marine store dealer. Tom and his wife Ruth moved to Great Missenden in late 1910 or 11 and his former Marlow premises were taken over by Nelson and Sons butchers. 

12 Sydney Smith's greengrocers. Members of this family continued the shop there for some years.

14 - 16 Bernal Harman chemist until his death in 1906 when his son Henry "Harry" Harman took over. A full biography of both Bernal and his son is already on the blog here. Long term chemist premises. 

18 William Smith, draper's shop. Wife Martha Jane ("Jane") born circa 1853 Maidenhead but William was a Londoner of origin. He was one of Marlow's volunteer firemen. Martha died after what was said to be a long and painful illness in 1908 at their home The Garth, Beaumont Rise. William continued to live at The Garth as a widower with his children Herbert and Dora. (Currently a greengrocer & sweet shop) 

Advert, 1905. 

20 Ironmongery ran by George Meakes until his death in 1903. Assisted by John Eddowes who then took over. A biographical post on these two is already on the blog here. Currently M&S food. 

22 - 24 Arthur Barnard's stores which were built at the very end of the Edwardian era. He already has a biography on the blog here where you will also find information about his two other shops. Prior to that three very small cottages stood on the site. Those properties were previously occupied by Thomas Andrews the hairdresser (wife Elizabeth), H Carter and the Steele family headed by William and Rosanna "Rose" Steele. William was a french polisher on his own account. His and Rosanna's son Sydney died of wounds he received while fighting in the First World War at Salonika. The Steele family previously lived at Bovingdon Green but had to leave when their thatched cottage burned to the ground. It was thought a spark from their fire of furze ignited the thatch. No one in the family was hurt and the family's possessions were saved. A lack of available water for the fire brigade and the fact the road from Marlow was so bad that the fire engine got stuck had contributed to the fire's destruction of their home. Using furze for fire would have been common at Bovingdon Green and Marlow Common as it could be gathered easily in the vicinity. Currently Marlow Bookshop. 

26 - 30 The Greyhound. For the Edwardian and other landlords of this historic  inn / hotel see here. (Demolished) 

32 Jacob's family home & store. Ralph Jacobs was a "marine store" dealer - that is a seller of secondhand items that would largely be of interest to those in trade or craft occupations (e.g carpentry tools or lead piping). They also traded in secondhand items a householder might use for gardening or home maintenance tasks. Examples of such items would be cloths  that could be used for cleaning, slop pails and garden tools. He later also operated as a rag and bone man and offered shoe repairs. His shop was at 32 but he also kept a storeroom for larger items in Duke's Place. His sons John and Ernest both helped in the business. Sadly Ernest was killed in action while fighting in the First World War. The mum in the family was Emily Margaret. This property no longer exists. In the first world war the Jacobs collected many items for the war effort. Demolished. 

34 Over the Edwardian period George Dean boot and shoe maker and Ellen White needlewoman both occupied this cottage at different times. This property no longer exists. The cottage was a very old one that had in Georgian and Victorian times been a grocer's shop. To read about the grocers who operated from no 34 in the 1800s see here (Eagle Family) or here (East and Harriman). The latter post contains some upsetting content. Demolished. 

36 - 38 a largish property divided up in several ways. Wiggington family premises for many years. Robert Wiggington the coal dealer with a sideline in timber dealing operated from here as apparently did George Aughton a timber dealer who had a sideline in coal. George was also later recorded as a greengrocer and haulage contractor. Robert Wiggington died unexpectedly while out on his coal van in 1915. The property incorporated a shop (officially 38) which was ran as a general shop in the Edwardian era by Miss Emma Glynn Jones the Wiggington's granddaughter and later by George Aughton's wife Charlotte. This property no longer exists in any way.

40 - by the 1920s incorporated into number 38. This property no longer exists. In 1915 just after our era R Hawkes.

42 -cottage considered unfit for human habitation in 1907, owned by a Mr Collins. Probably lived in then by Mr J Edwards. This property no longer exists. 

44 cottage considered unfit for human habitation in 1907, owned by a Mr Collins. Probably lived in then by Mrs Young. Must have been refurbished as in 1915 just after our era no 44 was lived in by Walter Tew. This property no longer exists.

46 The Cross Keys SPITTAL SQUARE properly. Historic landlords listing here

48 at the end of this era the home of John Baxter. In earlier Edwardian times it was George Baxter, "wardrobe dealer" (that was a second hand furniture dealer not just selling wardrobes) who lived here.  SPITTAL SQUARE. Note the Rippington's wardrobe dealers was at no 2 Chapel Street next to the Cross Keys. Due to the bizarreness of the street numbering no 48 Spittal Square was actually on the opposite side of the street from the Cross Keys at no 46 which from bare numbering you would think would be next to it.

50 the home of widow Mary Ann Walker embroiderer at the start of the Edwardian era. She lived there with her niece Miss Mary Ann Stockbridge born 1857, who was a maker of embroidered baby bibs for her aunt's business, and then following her own death on her own account. Both women were beneficiaries of the will of Mary Ann Walker's husband Henry (who ran the baby linen and bib manufacturing business with his wife) following his death of bronchitis in 1894. The family had occupied this property since at least the 1870s. The Walkers employed many women in the town as embroiderers. Henry had spent his youth in the army, where he rose to the rank of Sergeant, not an easy thing for an ordinary man to do in those days. During his time serving in India he was part of the force which seized the famed Koh I Noor diamond and fought against the Indian Mutiny. After he left the armed services in 1864 he returned to Marlow, married and set up the embroidery business with his wife. SPITTAL SQUARE.

52-54 bakery of Walter Harris (also confectioner) and then Mr W Clark. SPITTAL SQUARE.

56 Mrs Mary Holland seamstress, self-employed. SPITTAL SQUARE.

58  John Birdseye. Baker there since at least the early 1890s. Spittal Square. He was in the same block of 4 properties as Frank Harvey the chimney sweep see above, so was an even number. John was born circa 1831 in Chesham. His wife Eliza was of Marlow origin. She died in 1904 and so late in the era as a retired widower John went to live with his daughter Sarah and son in law James Gray (a grocer and rent collector) at the impressive house Thamesfield near the river. Back in 1897 when Queen Victoria's jubilee was being celebrated in Marlow John put on an unusual public display when he exhibited some bread and cakes which he had made for the 1887 Jubilee, 10 years previously still in very good condition! John as a younger man served as a parish constable. The graves of Eliza and John are on the blog here. Both were members of the Baptist Church in Marlow and helped to raise money for its Glade Road building. Their daughter Sarah was a Congregational Chapel member.

When John Birdseye retired Edward Harvey baker and confectioner (wife Alice nee Barnes) took over. Early in the Edwardian era John sold bread and beer in nearby Chapel Street. They lived York Road.  Harvey's bakers was in operation for many years and was fondly remembered by many people. This property no longer exists. SPITTAL SQUARE.

60 the home of the West family headed by couple Emma and Owen West. Late in the Edwardian era Emma lived here as a widow supporting herself by working as a charwoman. SPITTAL SQUARE .This property no longer exists.

62  Francis "Frank" and Annie Harvey. Frank was a chimney sweep. In a block of 4 properties in SPITTAL SQUARE not far from the corner with Chapel Street. This property no longer exists.

Unplaced people of Edwardian Spittal Street, may be on either the odds or evens side of street unless otherwise stated. By unplaced I mean not certainly placed, there is often conflicting information:

Samuel and Rose Higgs. Samuel was a boot maker.

Mr Price who had a shop here in 1905 in which a fire broke out.

Mr Ransom butcher?

Mrs Elizabeth Sexton dressmaker and furrier. Born circa 1848 in Dorking Surrey. A widow who lived with her daughters Eleanor and Winifred, sister Eliza Plumridge and a lodger. Elizabeth had moved to Marlow from Maidenhead. Initially she lived with her daughters in Oxford Road. Eleanor married into the Gurney family of Glory Farm, Penn. Before marriage she worked as a stationary shop assistant.

Annie Trash milliner late in the era. Even numbered side of the street.

And in Spittal Square unplaced people =

Mrs Atkins or Adkins. Near the corner of Chapel Street. Sometimes because of the property's corner position described as being in Chapel Street itself. 

John and Jane Bryant early in the Edwardian era. John was a shopkeeper.

M Fisher the greengrocer.

Charles and Emma Hawkes. Charles was employed as a shoe maker. 

Joseph Hawkins carpenter.

Tillion family. In the same block of four properties as Frank Harvey the chimney sweep so an even numbered property. Charles Tillion was a packer for a fisherman. See also The Horns, Chapel Street landlord listing. 

Researched and compiled by Charlotte Day. ©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to use my research for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog. 

For selected sources see Spittal Street part one which deals with everyone who lived in odd numbered properties

1833 Parochial Assessment Great Marlow High Street East Side Part Two

 I am slowly transcribing the original handwritten assessment working notebooks which are held by my family. Additions and corrections were made to some of the records up to circa 1840 in the same notebooks.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to use this transcription for family and local history purposes with credit to this blog.

Format for transcription:

Name

Property occupied

Annual value of property

Square brackets hold any comments or further research by me

High Street East Side continued

David Nichols [aka Nicholls. David later crossed through in pencil and the name James substituted faintly. This was in 1851 the home of James Nicholls blacksmith who probably worked for Burrells blacksmith and ironmongers, a near neighbour. James was probably already in occupation of the property in 1835 when he is recorded as an independent voter of the High Street. Frederick the son of James later took over Burrells]

House £7

*****

Ralph Clark [a tailor and independent  viterin 1835, this property later John Collins Clark / Clerk the tailor]

House and garden £11

*****

? Haynes [first name altered and illegible as a result, looks like James after alteration, possibly formed from original entry "Francis". A James Haynes / Haines was a carpenter - see here for a biography. He did later than the assessment live definitely in this house]

House and garden

£11

Workshop, garden and yard at wharf

£5 (occupied part of the old "tithe barn" by the bridge.) 

*****

Elizabeth Palmer

House, garden, lawn, stables, coach houses, offices and yard

£50 (Palmer House/Palmers)

*****

Josiah Clark [a grocer. Robbed of bacon and butter the previous year. More about his illustrious family here and a photo of his grave here]

House and garden

£15

*****

Thomas White

House and garden

£8

*****

Charles Clark

House and garden

£9

***** 

John Cozens [a John Cozens senior died 1836 aged 81. Had moved to the town from Oxfordshire]

House, yard, chaisehouse, stable, garden and house and garden adjoining

£25 (A beautiful stucco and bow fronted house now demolished) 

*****

Late Charles Wethered

House

£18

*****

Thomas Hardy 

House, garden and yard

£14

*****

George Creswell [barge owner, inn keeper, constable and farmer. Long post about him here]

House and garden

£10

*****

Henry Badger (the Parish Clerk) 

House and garden

£10

*****

End of High Street East Side

Transcribed and researched by Charlotte Day.

1833 Parochial Assessment Great Marlow The Causeway (Part 7)

 My family has the original 

working notebooks used by the surveyors to compile this assessment. As they are fragile I am transcribing them gradually on the blog. I put them up in order as they chime in with research myself or others are doing.

The notebooks contain some scribbled notes added in the few years after the assessment too.

Transcription follows this pattern:

Name

Property occupied

Annual value of property

Any notes by me in square brackets

© Marlow Ancestors. Use this transcription for family or local history purposes if you credit this blog.

The Causeway

James Bird Brooks

House, shop, bakehouse, yard, carthouse, stable, granary, woodhouse, bacon house, loft etc

£21

*****

James Carter

Cottage in yard [This was accessed from what we would now call Station Road, which was then usually called Brook / Brooks Street because of Brooks' premises on the corner of it]

£3

*****

Late Widow Dobler [this name then  crossed out and no occupier name to replace it]

Cottage [crossed out and "new house " x2 put in instead]

£3 [crossed out and value of £6 each added for each one of the "new houses" added above]

*****

Late George Wilson

House and garden

£5 10 shillings

*****

Harriet Clark

House and garden

£6

*****

Bennell (no first name) [a Mrs Bennell lived on the Causeway in 1835 when an attempt was made to burgle her house]

House and garden

£6

*****

Widow Rockwell [Probably Rockell, spelling is various]

Cottage and garden 

£4

*****

John Langley

Cottage

£2

*****

William Smith [milliner]

House and garden

£6

*****

Robert White

Cottage and yard

£4

*****

Elizabeth Higgs

The Roebuck house [pub renamed the George and Dragon two years later], yard, stables, carthouse and garden

£9

*****

Thomas Sparks

House and garden

£12

*****

Widow White

The Swan house [pub], yard, stable and garden 

£9

*****

End of Causeway

Alfred Neighbour - Innkeeper And Duck Wrestler

 This post is a summary of the life of Alfred Edmund Neighbour, landlord of the Red Lion in Marlow, and the Dog & Badger inn at Medmenham. 

Gardening in the blood

Alfred was born in 1840 to 34 year old gardener John who was in charge of the gardens of Remnantz in the 1850s. The family lived for decades in "Potlands" or the Portland's area off West Street - for more about this time see the People Of Potland's post here Alfred's older brother William would grow up to be the celebrated head gardener at Court Garden and later Harleyford (read more here), while 3 other brothers Edward, John and Edwin also spent at least some time working as gardeners too. The kitchen gardens of Remnantz could be accessed from Portland's Alley as well as from West Street. It's possible the younger brothers may also have spent some time working at Remnantz in their junior roles. I believe Alfred's mother Hannah Maria died shortly after his birth. 

Young Alfred however took another path and came to work on the railways. By 1861 he was at Leatherhead in Surrey* working as a railway guard, a responsible position for a young man. Like many youthful railway workers who were unmarried, he lodged with another family, in this case the Walkers at the Plough Inn. By the time of his first marriage in 1864, he had been promoted to a railway inspector (that is of safety rather than tickets). 

His bride was Marlow's Hannah Elizabeth Hoare, daughter of beer sellers and lodging house keepers Charles and Charlotte. Hannah grew up in Gun Lane (now Trinity Rd) where her parents kept the small but respectable The Three Horseshoes. They always had lodgers, as beer sellers often did, so conditions were cramped. Later the Hoares moved to run the rather less salubrious by reputation Travellers Friend in Dean Street. This functioned more as a common lodging house than a beer seller by this time but it was licensed. Sometimes as many as 16 mostly young single men were slotted in with the family - no one expected their own room. Finally the Hoares would run the The Bear in Chapel Street, again a licensed premises that functioned chiefly as a lodging house, and not a very spacious one given the sometimes high number of residents. 

At The Red Lion

A couple of years after their marriage, Alfred and Hannah were back in Marlow. Hannah would find herself yet again serving beer as the couple decided to take over the Red Lion in West Street. This was just next to the Neighbours original Potland's home. The Red Lion did have the odd longer term lodger and regular overnight paying guests but it  was definitely a few steps up from the "common lodging houses". The Neighbours time there was relatively peaceful although Alfred went through that Marlow rite of passage of recieving a summons for allowing illegal gambling on the premises. (1867) This was related to the playing of card games there.  Alfred was caught by a plain clothes constable who found several games ongoing in the back room, with Alfred frequently present. Alfred argued that he was new to the publican business and he had observed other licensees allowing card games so he thought there was no harm in it. He would however promise to abide by the terms of his licence in future. The court was fairly sympathetic and issued a low fine. Perhaps they did not realise his wife had been bought up in the trade and probably knew the regulations very well! 

Sadly Hannah passed away when her youngest son Edward (b.1870) was just an infant. Soon afterwards, Alfred gave up the licence, and we loose sight of him for a couple of years. By 1877, however Alfred was in Medmenham and preparing to marry again..to another publicans daughter. 

The Dog & Badger

Emma Sawyer grew up in Medmenham with parents James and Mary, innkeepers at the historic roadside Dog and Badger inn. By age 14 she was helping her parents as a bar maid, no labour restrictions relating to the employment of minors selling alcohol were yet in place! It was the tradition role for young unmarried publicans daughters, and good training - there is a reason a very high number go on to marry into other innkeeping families. When Emma and Alfred took over the Dog & Badger in turn from Emma's widowed mother, they would describe their 14 year old son/ step son Charles as their ostler and and 13 year old Hannah as a bar maid in turn. (1881). Alfred's son Edward age 11 was still obliged to go to school but he did not escape beer selling entirely. The adult Edward would (after a stint as a carpenter) be a beer dealer and grocer at Neighbours Stores in Quoiting Square with wife Catherine nee White. 

Enter the duck

Things were not always peaceful for Alfred and Emma. In 1879 Alfred got into a tussle with a customer that landed him in court. It was the day of Marlow October Fair, and so there was a lot of traffic passing between Henley and Marlow. It was therefore a busy day for Henry too, in his position on the roadside between the two. Henley licensed victualler Joseph Ball was amongst those stopping by on both the way in and out.  Shortly after Joseph and two friends arrived, Alfred encountered them and showed them a (dead) duck in his possession. (It seems Alfred thought it a good example, and drew their attention to it) Joseph took hold of the bird and made an offer to buy it that was presumably cheekily low. Alfred contended the encounter was a jocular one and he thought they were joking so laugh over he reached to retrieve the bird. But Joseph said he had made a bargain and would insist Alfred kept to it and so refused to hand the duck back. Some arguments went on for 5-10 mins, including a tug of war involving the thankfully dead animal. Alfred then lost what was left of his temper and threatened to hit Joseph if he didn't hand back the duck. Shortly afterwards he followed through with this, making several blows and drawing blood. There were plenty of witnesses and it was admitted Joseph had had quite a bit to drink. The court found Alfred guilty but expressed regret that they felt obliged to do so as they felt he had been much provoked. They set his fine as low as possible and relieved him of the obligation to pay some of the costs. Whether the duck was left in a fit state to be of use to either is unrecorded! 

Afterwards

In the early 1880s the Neighbours decided to leave the Dog & Badger. Many people were not landlords for long and a great number of past Marlow people with diverse backgrounds can include a stint as a beer seller in their history. They lasted longer than many. They did have one last attempt to take on another premises, that of the troubled Chairmakers Arms in Dean Street in 1884 but their application was refused. The authorities were sick of trouble at the Chairmakers and a constantly changing set of landlords and would not consider someone with any kind of question mark against them. For the Neighbours it was the fact they had been operating the premises in practice for a short time without a licence while someone else was technically in charge. You can read about that here

The couple moved out of our area to London where Alfred would remain for the last 15 years or so of his life. He is described as a engineers labourer on the 1891 census. Half brother Edwin was not too far away, working as a gardener in Hanwell. There appears to a number of more distant Neighbour relatives in the general area which may have provided a different incentive to move there. He died in 1907. 

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

RELATED POSTS:

Pub index where you will find proprietor listings for the pubs and lodging houses mentioned above: here

Other posts related to Medmenham: here

To find every mention of an individual here, use the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down - 4,000 individuals are currently listed. 

The Allams - details of Hannah Hoares sister Sarah, who married into the Allam fish monger family, as well as information on the sad death of mum Charlotte  - here

Every day life in old Marlow : here

Biography of individuals index here

 * Trip points for researchers:

Some online research databases have misread the birthplace of Alfred on the 1861 census as "St Marleybone", Bucks which does not exist. It actually reads Great Marlow but that's old handwriting for you! Always best to check several sources if you can. Beware too of the similar aged ALBERT  Edmund Neighbour which again some sites (and only some) have accidentally listed as ALFRED, born Beaconsfield. There were many Neighbours there but our Alfred was born in Great Marlow. Both married Lambeth, but different years. The Hoares other daughter Sarah Tilleard also married at Lambeth. 

 The Neighbour families of Bucks /Oxfordshire/ Surrey include people who work in the kind of trades that mean frequent moves further afield such as domestic and market gardening, railway workers, publicans and soldiers.  It is therefore best to cast the net widely when looking for them. 

Posts on gardener William Neighbour, Waterman Arms landlord Henry Neighbour and wife Catherine, and tollgate keeper and convict William Neighbour are available by searching this index here

SOURCES INCLUDE:

Census 1841 -1891 transcripts from the originals microfilm by Charlotte and Jane Pullinger.  

Journal of Horticulture and Cottage Gardener -  Article by George W Johnson FRHS and Robert Hogg LLD, September 1864

South Bucks Free Press 9 March 1867, from the British Library Archive via the BNA

Bucks Herald 7 November 1867. 

Reading Mercury 09 March 1867

The Horticultural Domestic Journal collected, 1870-1880. (1881)

Landlord listing research for the Dog and Badger by Charlotte. 

© MarlowAncestors

The Smiths and Gammons Of Duchess Place

Duchess Place in Marlow consisted of a shop on the corner of Victoria Road and Dedmere Road plus 9 cottages and (in 1896 a "studio") adjoining that could be accessed from both streets. The buildings exist still but Duchess Place is no longer a separate street address.

George Gammon was a carter for a flour mill. As such in 1905 he was fined for driving his cart after sunset without having a light. He grew up in Hambledon. Before coming to Marlow he had been a baker. His wife Sarah had a laundry business at home of which George was also involved in the management of. They lived in Duchess Place from 1897 until circa 1901 when they moved to nearby Station Rise. By 1907 George was again calling himself a baker and but must have still considered himself a partner in his wife's laundry business as in that year George accused his employee Elizabeth Smith of stealing a child's dress which he had put in a parcel and asked her to send to Shepherds Bush from the post office. This will have been clean laundry returned to a customer. Good laundresses were seen as gold dust and households were happy to send important laundry miles to have it carefully done.

Elizabeth sold or gifted, it was unclear, the dress to Amelia White to whom she also sold some lace and a petticoat. In the same court Elizabeth stood accused of stealing a pig's head from a High Street shop. She pleaded in her defence a sincere desire to act honorably but admitted that she could not stop herself taking things. 

This wasn't the first time that the Gammons had accused an employee of stealing from them. Two years previously Sarah's charge against Hetty Bitmead for allegedly taking an apron from them was dismissed from lack of evidence. They certainly were robbed of a shirt front and collar on another occasion at Duchess Place.

Elizabeth Smith was sentenced to a month's hard labour which is a pretty light sentence given that she had 4 previous convictions for theft. Elizabeth was 31 years old and had lived with her father William at number six Duchess Place for at least 16 years. Relations were clearly sometimes strained between the two as in 1899 William took out an ad in the South Bucks Standard warning shopkeepers and others that he would no longer honour any debts which she contracted. It was probably already just the two of them left at home. Elizabeth's mother Ann AKA Annie had died at Duchess Place in 1894 aged only 51 and her brothers had certainly left home by the time of the 1901 census.

It was four weeks after that their next door neighbour at number seven, Mrs Gammon, advertised for a good laundress to live in with them. I had wondered if that ad just might have what provoked the financially pressed Elizabeth Smith to begin her employment with the Gammons but no, Elizabeth was a needlewoman not a laundress and still living with her widowed father in 1901. William was then a rag beater at the paper mills down by river but earlier was described as an engineer at the mills . By 1911 he and his daughter had moved to South Place in Marlow. There was a 2 year old boy William in the household listed as William's grandson. There is a fair chance that this is an illegitimate child for Elizabeth though he could also be the son of one of her brothers, William or Augustus. William her brother served as a soldier.

Researched and written by Charlotte Day. 

To see what else we have on Duchess Place or surrounding addresses in old Marlow see this index.

To find all mentions of someone on this blog see the A-Z Person Index.

See:

South Bucks Standard 2nd June 1899 and 25th October 1907.

Census 1891 and 1901. 

G.R.O death registrations.

White Grave, Marlow Cemetery

 

18413 Private W F White. Royal Defence Corps. 

19 August 1920.

For more grave photos / transcriptions for Marlow, Little Marlow and Hurley plus a few from Bisham see here.

All mentions of someone on this blog can be found under the A-Z Person Index on top drop down menu. 

Military related posts including First World War index here

©Marlow Ancestors. Reproduction of this image is freely allowed for local or family history purposes, if you credit this blog.

1833 Parochial Assessment Lane End Part One

 As Lane End was part of the parish of Great Marlow in Buckinghamshire it is covered by my original 1833 parochial assessment notebooks for that parish, which are held by my family. These were the working notebooks used by the assessors to compile the local tax assessment for 1834. My notebooks also contain additions and corrections for several years afterwards and scrap related correspondence related to the assessment.

©Marlow Ancestors. Freely use quotes from this transcription for family or local history purposes if you credit this blog.

Any notes by me are in square brackets.

Corrections and amendments to the original notes seems to have been done in the notebook up to circa 1839 and will be noted in my transcription too if they occur in these parts of the assessment.

Charles Fletcher

Property occupied:

Crown Inn house, garden, "etc"

Annual value of property: £9 10 shillings

Also occupies:

Shoemaker's shop

£2

Small orchard

£1

Orchard by Marks 

£3

*****

William Jarvis

House and garden

£5

*****

William Collins

Cottage and garden

£4

Meeting House [note added in brackets afterwards "if rated"]

£7

*****

Jeremiah Almond

Cottage

£3

*****

William Catton

Yard, barn, shop, sheds and garden

£6

House and garden

£6

Orchard, stable and shed

£4

Small garden

10 shillings

*****

James Bird

Cottage and garden

£4 10 shillings

*****

Thomas Hackstraw

Cottage and garden [pencil note added later: " part of garden"].

£3 10 Shillings

*****

Thomas Marks

Beer shop house, yard, stable [pencil brackets later put around the word stable] and garden

£7

*****

?Ramsey [no first name, last hard to read could be Ramey, even Rancey. Later the name "Denham" added in pencil without Ramsey name being crossed out]

Cottage and garden

£3

*****

Joseph Lovegrove

House, yard, stable, carthouse, sheds and garden

£10

*****

Edward Tundall

House and garden

£5

*****

William Janes

House, yard and garden

£5

*****

William Lee

Cottage and garden

£3

*****

Widow Biggs

Cottage and garden

£3

*****

Thomas White

Cottage and garden

£4 10 shillings

******

Joseph Dean

Cottage and garden

£3

*****

Samuel Harris

Cottage and garden

£3

*****

Henry Gray

Cottage, garden and stable

£5

*****

Martha Bateman

Cottage and part of yard

£3

****

To be continued..

Look at Nearby Places on the menu for more Lane End content.

The Person Index lists every mention of any individual on this blog. Find it in the top drop down menu.

Great Marlow Aliases and Nicknames

Updated by Charlotte March 2026

Here's a selection of the most distinctive aliases and nicknames used by some of our Marlow forebears. A number of these were revealed in reports of a crime. However anecdotal evidence suggests it was very common for men, including perfectly law abiding ones, in the working class Dean Street area of town in particular to bear a nickname that more or less replaced their real name in everyday life. A number of older residents remember this to be the case well within living memory. We have also gathered their recollections, although many nicknames can no longer be definitely attached to a remembered real first name. This lists gives only the older examples..

Blooming Billy - William Aldridge 1838. Broke his leg while working on the railway at Maidenhead that year.

Bon Ton - John Plumridge 1871. "Bon Ton" was usually the way the posh, urban elite mostly of London, were referred too. Often used mockingly for those whose manners and dress were very pretentious but could also be used for those who were the very much the opposite!

Born Drunk - Frederick Heath 1874. He was fined for being drunk and disorderly that year and described as an old offender in this respect.

Bosher East - William East 1868

Brassy - Alfred Edward Allum 1886 Probably the same man involved in the 1880 Election riots - see here

Bucks Poet, The - Nathaniel Gordon, vet, one time publican, and amateur poet. Used late 1860s-71.

Butcher Lloyd - George Lloyd name in use at least 1876-1884.  Frequent visitor to the magistrate courts on charges ranging from poaching and drunkenness to assault and wife beating (Wife Eliza.) 

Charlie Wonder = Charles Burns  (d 1873) stagecoach and later omnibus driver,one of whose vehicles was called "The Wonder". A biography of him will be published on the blog late in 2026.

Chickey - Thomas Meads of Bovingdon Green 1873.

Chinnum/Chin'em - Perry poaching associate Thomas Anderson, 1840's/50s. Dean Street. A "colourful" (and very violent) character - read more here and about the Perry poaching business here. Chin'em was later arrested for a savage attack on his mother Elizabeth while he was drunk. He nearly cut the nose off her face and left her with a lasting disfigurement. She begged the court on her knees to be merciful to her son, and in fact declined to give evidence against him. She said she could not now remember how the "accident" happened but she might have bumped her face on a door, a scenario the surgeon who saw her shortly after the incident said could in no way account for such an injury. This lead to the very reluctant dismissal of the case by the magistrates.  

Chit Edmunds - Charles Edmunds, childhood nickname which stuck for life due to his small stature. Died age 57 in 1903 in London. 

Cocky Billingshurst - George Billingshurst, 1898. 

Cuddle Bowles - John Bowles 1894.

Dolley Fad - James Ilsley, 1841.

Duke Sparkes - James Sparkes, who died 1898 age c 72. 

Dummy White - Alfred White. An unkind nickname, as Alfred was deaf and partially unable to speak or "dumb" as it would have been called. Died early 1900s.

Dutchman - Josiah Dean of Marlow and Wycombe. Transported for life 1824 - see here

Donkey Dean - 1824, unknown Dean wanted in connection with Webb's gang of marauders. Not the same as Dutchman above. 

The Marlow Cyclone - George Bryant, boxer 1910

Daisy Smith - Richard Smith of Bisham 1840. See the post here for more on this very wanted man!

Fatty Anderson - George Anderson 1841 "a notorious character".

Feckey - Henry Neighbour, 1868. Known for going around pubs cadging beer.

Gaib - Thomas Rose, 1840 born c 1821. A sawyer. Sentenced to 10 years transportation for stealing meat from the shop of Jason Povey. 

Ginger - William Anderson 1873.

Guinea Bean - Charles Bowles, Skewer maker 1839 Dean Street. 

Haphazard - John Edwards. Known for recklessly getting into carts that were already moving. Died in the attempt 1874.

Happy Grace - James James (yes, that was his name. There was also a William Williams in Marlow at one point!) used for him 1886-1909 (when he sent to workhouse) at least. He may also have been known as James Grace as in 1864 a "Happy Grace" alias James Grace  was charged with burglary in Marlow.

Jack Shepherd -(after the notorious 18thc thief and absconder from prison) - Joseph Muspratt who at the age of approximately 12 was sentenced to 3 months in Aylesbury gaol for stealing a loaf of bread from the cart of Patrick Fullicks in 1848.

Jigger- James Wingrove of Burroughs Grove 1907.

King of the City - John Langley senior, biography here.

Lady Stone - Henry Stone 1880.

Little Wonder - Edward Shaw, Marlow FC footballer and captain. 1890. From his youthful proficiency at football. 

Long Tom - Thomas Walker, Marlow F C player 1880s. 

Lord Paget /Mi'lord - Richard Perry. (Died age 63 in 1842 by "visitation of God" while walking in his garden. Druggist Robert Foottit pays for a "decent" burial as Richard had sometimes worked for him. Richard was very poor but had "integrity" and good humour and was "much respected". Many thought poverty precluded such qualities so Richard did very well to turn those prejudices on their head!)

Matilda Blake - Alice Willis, 1881.

Nobby Clark - James Clark. An amateur boxer locally early 1910s. Also a convicted poacher. 

Nutty Price - Frederick Price. 1919. 

Old Jockey - George Eaton. Farm labourer of Cross Roads Farm, Bisham. Died in his sleep 1888 aged "about 50"  - he routinely slept in the cart shed of the farm and so died there. He was found by farmer's son John Anderson. 

Polly Longstockings - Mary Wicks, 1860.

Poodle James - 1.) William James who froze to death on the road in 1882. 2.) Henry James presumably a relative of William, of Dean Street reprimanded for trespassing at Gyldernscroft as a youth in 1882 and involved in attempts to con someone into buying a useless dog for the purpose of rabbiting in 1913. Fined for using indecent language in the Horns pub 1917.

Potter Crewe / Primrose Crewe - William Crewe, 1884. The "Primose" bit added to his nickname after he ,when found poaching, said that he was actually in the woods innocently  gathering primroses .

Pretty Moon - William East 1862. 

Ramping Bob - Robert Taylor, 1837.

Ranji Baker - Herbert Baker who died of consumption age 24 in 1903. 

Royal Belmont - James Cooper, a gipsy 1873.

Sandy - William Anson (age 18), 1882.

Scotty - John Maxwell Banks, tailor who lodged at the Bear 1874

Shallop - George Perry 1837.

Shiner  / Shiner White - George Henry White, fisherman, 1874, 1878, 1882.

Shock East - Charles East, butcher 1839 (Transported for 14 years - see here)

Sackey East - 1867. 

Snuffy Martin  - William Hatton of Little Marlow. Sentenced to 7 years transportation in 1848 for the crime of sheep stealing as he had previous convictions. Age 41. 

Spouter Clark - Richard Clark 1839. Sentenced to 15 years transportation then for robbing a house in Dean Street. 

Stump Harris - Frederick Harris 1868. 

Tallyho - Master Croxon, 1834. A young man frequently in trouble!

Tear-Em-Up Slade - Charles Slade of Gun Lane, 1893. From his occupation as a rag and bone man. Read more here.

Tipney White - George Shaw White, fisherman 1884. 

Topper Frewin- George Frewin(g) killed in a fight at The Bear 1874. 

Tourno - Thomas Frith 1839.

Tricky Davis - William Davis 1860.

Trickey Trackey - William Davis 1835.

Truckman - Henry Creswell 1865.

William White - George Todd dealer 1903.

A few early-mid 20th century examples (all men) Halfpenny, Tonty, Hooker, Sniffer/Snifter, Polly (yes male), Tipper, Topper, Bracey. 

*To find all mentions of an individual here use the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu*

 List of posts about everyday life in old Great Marlow here 

Compiled by Kathryn Day, and Charlotte Day. Last updated by Charlotte Feb 2026.

© Marlow Ancestors

1833 Parochial Assessment Great Marlow Quoiting Square / Oxford Terrace

 The original assessment working notebooks with related correspondence from 1833 (to be used for the 1834 parish rates readjustment) have been preserved by my family. There are handwritten corrections to circa 1839. The notebooks are fragile however so I am gradually transcribing it on this blog so it is not lost. I am transcribing the parts in the order that chimes in with other research I am doing.

Layout I have used is:

Name

Property

Assessed Annual Worth

Any notes by me in square brackets

By Charlotte Day.

Quoiting Place [Quoiting Square] and Oxford Terrace [in Oxford Road. Note the assessors went out of property order in parts of this section. They did not say which properties were in Oxford Terrace and which in Quoiting Place, though in many cases I do nevertheless know where the properties mentioned were located].

Widow Dolby

House and yard

£8

*****

Robert Wakelin [a bricklayer. Wife Hannah]

House and yard

£8

*****

David Jones

House and yard

£8

*****

George Reading

House, yard and sheds

£9

*****

John Boulter

Crown and Anchor house [pub] and garden [This was Oxford Terrace, in Oxford Road]

£8

*****

David Evans [a chimney sweep who employed at least 2 men by 1842. May also have worked c.1848-53 as a "fire defender". Biography of his wife here] 

House and garden

£5

*****

Levi White [Later landlord of the Three Tuns]

House and garden

£5

*****

John Beaver

Cottage and garden

£3

*****

John Suthery

Cottage and garden

£4

*****

William Bryant

The Lodge house and garden [Oxford Road]

£6

*****

Thomas Piggott 

House and gardens near the Lodge [Oxford Road]

£8

*****

Sir William Robert Clayton M.P [At The Cottage, later Quoitings House, not to be confused with Oxford Cottage]

Dwelling house with conservatory, stables, coach houses, coach yard, shrubbery, walks, kitchen garden, green house, lawn and other convenient offices [off Oxford Road]

£70

"A small cottage at The Cottage" [usually gardeners lodge]

£2

*****

John Lloyd Locke Clayton

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

£30 [Oxford House?]

*****

William East

Six almshouses in the occupation of poor widows "if rateable" [Oxford Road, William presumably a trustee or guardian of these charity properties] each:

£3

*****

John Flint

House, yard, stables, coach house and large walled garden [probably at end of Hayes Place, which opened onto the side of Quoiting Square]

£15

Wood house and garden adjoining

£2

****

Robert Looseley

Cottage and garden

£5

*****

John Cox

Shop and garden 

£5

House in front, woodhouse, gardens and yard

£6 10 shillings

****

John Tanner Hitchcock [in 1832 acquitted on a charge of stealing an umbrella from a fellow drinker at the Red Lion in nearby West Street. He had simply picked up the wrong umbrella. His wife was Ann nee Badger of Bisham who died in 1847. John was of Colnbrook at the time of their 1805 marriage. A corn dealer. In same property, which he rented, in 1840]

House yard and garden

£5 

*****

Joseph Martin

House and garden

£5

*****

William Gunnell [Quoiting Place]

House yard and garden

£5

*****

James White jnr

Cottage and garden

£4

*****

Joseph Cox [wheelright, likely working for Thomas Cox below]

Cottage and garden

£3

*****

William Bavin [Quoiting Place, a chairmaker there since at least 1830. Later a beer retailer who moved to St Peter's Street to run the Two Brewers by 1837 and was later at the first incarnation of the Carpenter's Arms. For more see here] .

House, shop and shed

£6 10 shillings

*****

Michael Field [Marlow doctor and horse racing enthusiast. He died 1834]

House etc

£4

*****

Gilman [a blacksmith, no first name]

House, shop, Shoeing house, yard etc

£10

*****

William Ward [Quoiting Place]

Six Bells Beer House, yard and garden

£9 ( Read his will here) List of proprietors of the Six Bells is available here

*****

Robert Ward [Quoiting Place]

House and garden

£6

*****

William Creswell [Quoiting Place, he was a shoemaker, who had previously ran the Six Bells]

House and garden

£5 10 shillings

*****

Thomas Cox [Quoiting Place, a wheelwright. Had workshop premises behind this that don't seem to be mentioned here!]

Cottage and garden

£4 10 shillings

*****

Joseph Horne

House and yard

£8

*****

Robert Clark (probably a builder).

House and garden 

£6

*****

Richard Way [came to Marlow in the early 1800s from Ockley. Wife Rebecca. He died 1836, Rebecca in 1821. Richard was a farmer in the 1820s. I am unsure if he was still farming in the 1830s. Their son Richard was a carpenter in West Street (later High Street), while another son was a poulterer in the High Street - see here - and another a publican. For the latter see here].

House and yard

£5 10 shillings

*****

William Stallwood [died 1837].

The Three Logerheads [Quoiting Place. Three Loggerheads pub, later the Queen], house and yard

£7

List of occupiers of the Loggerheads/Queen - see here

This assessment continued in a second post here

1700s Quoiting Square residents here.

1700s Oxford Road residents here

1700s West Street residents here

To find all mentions of an individual or family here, use the A-Z Person Index on the top drop down menu. 

To find other streets/areas in the assessment, search for them in the Specific shops, streets etc index here. 

 For posts about everyday life in Marlow for the people mentioned here see the post index here

Every Family Has A Black Sheep - William Humphrey Shaw

 

As our post title says, every family has a black sheep, and I would suggest William Humphrey Shaw as the Victorian candidate for his family! William's older brother Robert was the well known Robert Shaw of Robert Shaw and Sons boat builders. A fondly remembered and respectable man, his brother William was on the other hand something of a trouble maker. 

The father to both was another William Humphrey Shaw, (wife Susannah). He was an Oxfordshire butcher who moved to Marlow after Robert's birth and so William Humphrey junior was born in Great Marlow in 1841. (Later William senior is working as a watchmen) The family lived in Dean Street before settling at St Peters Street where they would remain for a long time.  This street finishes at a dead end formed by the River Thames. If the young William was to walk to the end of this street, he would look across at the Compleat Angler hotel where his brother Robert would eventually go to live and work as a "fisherman" or anglers guide. William also became a fisherman. He continued to work in this role for decades, so presumably he was good at it, mixing this work with the less seasonal work of a waterman. Robert became a famous river guide, one that people from London would ask for by name. It was suggested that in order to successfully secure his services, you would need to write several months in advance. William seems to have done fairly well in the same role initially but perhaps it was hard to follow in the steps of his successful brother. For soon the two brothers paths diverged. Robert would go on to run his boat hire and boat building business, and did very well for himself building an impressive riverside house to boot. William on the other hand seems to have developed a talent for getting himself into trouble. 

Many of Williams tussles with the law involved the "demon drink". For example in 1864 William was involved in a scuffle at the Red Lion in West Street. He accused a Mr Andrews of assaulting him there after the pair exchanged "words". However after hearing the evidence of witnesses, the magistrates decided that Andrews was direly provoked and Shaw thoroughly deserved the punishment inflicted on him! 

10 years later, William was convicted of a much more serious assault, or rather a string of brutal attacks on his wife Emma (nee Jones).  The pair had married in 1869.  William admitted suffering from attacks of jealousy and dared to justify his beatings on the fact he suspected her of adultery. In 1873 Emma went to the police and got a warrant issued for Williams arrest based on his attacks on her person, but in the end she got cold feet and refused to appear against him when the matter came to court. But according to Emma, the violence continued, usually precipitated by William's late night arrival home drunk. The neighbours continually complained at his shouting and the couple were asked to leave several homes they rented as a result. In 1878 a particularly bad spell for Emma resulted in William finally getting his turn in front of the magistrates. Emma had been told to leave a 4th house due to Williams outbursts. The events of the 5 or so days before William's arrest make extremely sad reading. He broke her nose, punched her throat, shoved her head against a bed post, kicked her in the face, dragged her from the bed by her hair and repeatedly locked her outside, including in her night dress. Twice she was taken in by her neighbours during the night. Sadly Williams unproven fears of Emma's unfaithfulness were able under the laws of the time to make sure his conviction was for "aggravated assault". His punishment? A fine of 40s and 12s costs. However crucially for Emma, the court was satisfied that "future safety of the wife was in peril" and made an separation order that meant she was free to live apart from him. Without such an order, William could have, in theory sued for Emma to return to their marital home had she left him. He was also ordered to give her a set weekly sum for her maintenance with the promise of time in gaol should he fall behind with this. Yes, William was more likely to go to prison for falling behind with his maintenance payments than assaulting his wife seriously for 5 consecutive days! 

Sadly the reality of being a seperated wife was difficult in its own way. Although the court could order that William would maintain her financially, the sum granted was relatively small because allowance was also made for the fact William needed to maintain his own seperate household out of his not too high earnings. She could not of course marry anyone else  This is a factor, as well as any psychological or emotional ones, that means we often see Victorian victims of domestic violence return to their partner. This is sadly what Emma eventually did, and we can only hope he treated her better. Unfortunately he certainly did not learn to control either his temper or his drinking. 

A further conviction for drunkenness in 1881 saw William plead guilty and receive a 5 shilling fine. The following year, William was back in court for refusing to leave a licenced premises when asked to do so. The rolling drunk William arrived outside the Greyhound Inn in Spittal Street late in the evening. Landlord Thomas Willis heard the swearing William outside but the latter pushed his way into the bar before he could be refused entry. Thomas then asked him to leave at which William let forth the "most foul, disgusting and blasphemous language". He was then ejected. William was not someone Thomas said he would ever serve, drink or sober, based on past behaviour. Another fine was added to the Shaw tally, then one for poaching a rabbit. At this point they were living in Station Rd. 

In December 1887 both William and Emma found themselves in trouble. William was convicted of stealing some fowls from James Field, of Wood End Farm near Medmenham. Emma was convicted in turn for recieving the stolen goods, as was Eliza Bowles who had sold them to various people in Marlow on behalf of the Shaws. (Eliza said the fowls had been raised either by her son who had gone into the army, or by a nephew who said she could sell them to pay for her Christmas dinner.)  I can't find consistent information as to their sentence. William certainly went to prison, for either 2 or 3 months, and Emma for 1 or 3 months and Eliza for one month. William was described then as a fisherman still, and Emma was working as a charwoman. Later she was a needlewoman. Two low paid occupations. 

The following year William was summoned for illegal fishing at Bisham. He was using eel baskets, against the Thames Conservancy's regulations. Another fine followed, but the conviction must have an impact on his ability to work successfully as a fisherman. 

Emma died in 1898. Later the same year William married widow, charwoman (and former furrier) Sarah Rose previously of Cambridge Rd. The pair lived in Dean Street. I do not know whether Sarah suffered at Williams hands. Unfortunately his step daughter Harriet did. He was accused of unlawfully wounding her in 1901 when she was 30.  She lived nearby in Dean Street with her husband Thomas Pearce. Her two youngest sisters Elizabeth "Lizzie" age 14 and Mary age 10 had the misfortune of still living with their step father.  He tried the old trick of "punishing" the girls by locking them out of the home for an unspecified reason. 

At 9pm they went for help to Harriet having been stuck outside for 4 hours.  She keep them with her for an hour then took them home, and found the front door still locked. The back door was however open, and she told the girls to go in and go quickly up the stairs to bed. But William was waiting inside and smashed a pottery jug into Harriet's face, before hitting her on the head with a poker. The terrified girls ran to get their brother in law Thomas Pearce, who arrived to find William  on top of Harriet who had a blood soaked dress. He pulled him off, giving William a minor head injury of his own. The police were called and William was found, drunk, in the High Street with a bandaged head.  He claimed it was blood loss that made him appear drunk to Sergeant Crook. His excuse this time? That Harriet and the girls were "jealous" and sulky about not being able to do as they pleased at home. He said he had been knocked about by them. Astonishingly, while the jury took only 10 minutes to find William guilty of common assault they also expressed they felt there had been much "provocation" and asked for leniency. While the bench said they thought the jury had taken a very lenient view, they would be lenient in sentencing and gave William a 7 day prison sentence with hard labour. 

By 1908 William had moved to Wooburn and was working as a common (that is general)  labourer.  At least one more conviction for drunk and disorderly behaviour is attached to his name. A few years later William is unemployed and Sarah was a peddlar, another low paid job. Things must have been financially very difficult. I have not traced Williams death. It was never going to be reported in the same way as brother Roberts, whose passing in 1908 bought Marlow to a standstill as the community queued to pay their respects. 

The end of St Peters Street, Marlow. Photo courtesy of R Martin. 

Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

Related Posts:

Robert Shaw king of the river here

To find all mentions of a person or family here, use the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. 

Sources include:

Ashby-Sterry Joseph, Tiny Travels (Tinsley Bros 1874)

Fennel, John Greville The Rail and The Road or Tourist Anglers  Guide to Waters and Quarters  (H Cox 1867)

Bucks Advertiser and Free Press 6 July 1901 - thanks to Michael Frew.

Bucks Herald 27 August 1881, 15 April 1882, 22 January 1887, 5 Jul 1901 - copies from British Library Archive and accessed via the BNA 2019

Northants Mercury 7 January 1888, as above

Reading Mercury 27 February 1864, Reading Library. 

Reading Observer 18 July 1888

South Bucks Standard 3 January 1908, 6 July 1901 BNA as above. 

"England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4GPM-Z3Z : 22 February 2021), Emma Shaw in household of William H Shaw, Great Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom;  citing PRO RG 12, Buckinghamshire county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.

"England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4GG5-33Z : 22 February 2021), Sarah Rose, Great Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1891 England, Scotland and Wales census," 

Judicial research of Jane Pullinger,  1970. With thanks. 

Census 1871, transcript from microfilm by Charlotte. 

"England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2D2Z-6V9 : 13 December 2014), Emma Jones, 1869; from "England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing 1869, quarter 3, vol. 3A, p. 659, Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, General Register Office, Southport, England. 

Ginger Frost, « «He Could Not Hold His Passions»: Domestic Violence and Cohabitation in England (1850-1905) », Crime, Histoire & Sociétés / Crime, History & Societies [En ligne], Vol. 12, n°1 | 2008, mis en ligne le 04 avril 2011, Accessed Feb 2022. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/chs/64 ; DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/chs.64

Patients Treated At The First Marlow Cottage Hospital

  We have completed several posts about the original Marlow Cottage Hospital in Cambridge Road (1889 -1915), which you can find linked to below.  This one focuses on some of the patients treated there. The hospital was intended to serve Great Marlow, Little Marlow and Bisham but on average a third of patients came from places such as Lane End and Wooburn. Over half were children. The number of inpatients is hugely dwarfed by the outpatients who attended the hospital for more minor care, and also those in ill health that the nurses visited in their homes. 

Operations were performed at the hospital which had it's own operating theatre. The visiting surgeons (Dr John Dunbar Dickson and Dr Robert Culhane) were responsible for these but the day to day care was down to the Matrons - Nurse Mary Ann Cassidy in the first year, and Mary Anne Cole thereafter, sometimes assisted by a second paid nurse, probationer or servant. The most common operations were relatively simple - the removal of tonsils and adenoids in children for example. But some were more complicated. I've chosen to feature the unsuccessful 1894 operation on William Soley because the inquest gave really interesting details of the attempts made to revive him. Most operations did not end so badly however! 

William was a journeyman baker working for Mrs Spindlo in Chapel Street. He had a tumour in his groin and it was decided it must be removed quickly. He was reluctant to be operated on but was persuaded by the doctors that it was really necessary. As a working man he naturally had to consider carefully before committing to anything that would result in an unpaid period of time off work. Mrs Spindlo provided her cart to carry him to the hospital. He had previously undergone several examinations and it was determined that his heart and lungs were healthy enough to endure the operation. This was due to take place the following day. It would be performed by Dr Culhane, assisted by Dr Dickson, and attended by Matron Mary Cole. Chloroform was the anaesthetic available to them. Unfortunately within two minutes of it being administered and before any cuts were made, William stopped breathing and suffered a cardiac arrest. To revive him they tried not only artificial respiration, but also hitting William with wet towels, putting mustard on his chest, applying ammonia to his nostrils and cold water to his face. Sadly nothing worked. William died on the operating table. It was decided he had suffered an unpredictable reaction to the chloroform, which caused or accelerated a heart problem. The coroner's jury donated their fees to poor widow Eliza. 

Most of the adult male patients seem to have suffered work based injuries.  I will give two examples. 

Ellis Harvey, aged 56, was working on Dial Cottage in 1890. He was a bricklayer and was engaged on doing some exterior repairs. He fell from 18-20ft high scaffolding and suffered serious spinal injuries. A cart was requisitioned to take him straight to the Cottage Hospital. His injuries were beyond the repair of the doctors, and Nurse Cole could only do her best to make him more comfortable in the last days of his life. He died less than two weeks later. As before, the jury at the inquest into his death gave up their fees, this time donating them to the Hospital itself. It was believed he had suffered from a giddy spell, as the scaffolding was examined and was considered safe. (He was working for Mr Pierce of High Wycombe)

The second case is that of Amos Newell age 25. In 1893 he was working for his uncle Emmanuel Plumridge, who leased part of Star Meadow (off Wycombe Rd) from Mrs Atkinson of The Rookery. What Emmanuel was interested in was the large walnut trees there. They were the sort of crop that has bought a surprisingly large number of Marlow men and women to grief. More valuable relatively than now, a large number of people had convictions for stealing walnuts from Marlow trees, and those in Star Meadow were a hot target. (Trees at Little Marlow were also plagued by nut rustlers!) Emmanuel had been given the right to also collect the nuts when he hired the field. So his nephew Amos and another man were sent to harvest the crop. Amos did not work exclusively for his uncle whose main job was as a  highways and cartage contractor.  Amos is described as a farm labourer at his death. In the effort to reach more nuts, Amos clambered up the tree as he always did. He would stand on a bough and shake the branches with the other man remaining below. Unfortunately Amos misjudged his foothold and the bough he stood on broke off, and he plummeted to the ground. He was taken immediately to the hospital but died shortly afterwards. Another case involving a walnut tree was that of William Beaver, hawker, of Primrose Lea. If it was hazardous to knock the nuts down sober it was much worse to attempt it while "in drink" and unfortunately that's what William did in 1899. He fell 40ft from the tree, at Frieth. At first it seemed a miraculous escape from serious injury. His fall had been broken by lower branches to some degree and he had no broken bones but he did have 2 cuts on his head. He was taken by cart back to Marlow to have his wounds seen to at the Cottage Hospital. On the way there his wife Martha*, from who he was seperated, was informed of the accident and saw him briefly. She said she remarked it was not wise to pick walnuts when the worse for drink and sent the cart on it's way, not thinking him seriously injured. Dr John Dunbar Dickson saw to his head and sent William home. But the "friends" that he lived with would not recieve him and so he was returned to the hospital and admitted. He complained of a headache after 2 days, but his condition took a sudden dramatic turn for the worse on the forth day. He had became agitated and violent towards the nurse the night before, and the doctor said he was forced to put William in a straightjacket to protect the staff. Dr Dickson said William had begun to suffer from severe delirum tremens which had been aggrivated by his fall, and sadly William died "raving mad" a few hours later. 

 

Alcohol also played a part in the horrifying accident suffered by Lower Assendon bricklayer Phillip Joseph Joiner, who was working at Bourne End. Phillip was "worse for wear" and waiting to cross at the level crossing near Bourne End station. But a goods train was pulled up there and rather than wait for it pass, Phillip decided to crawl under the train through to the other side. Another man waiting at the crossing warned him to wait, but Phillip was determined. Sadly the train moved while he was on his way underneath and his legs were severely injured. He was taken to the Cottage Hospital quickly and both legs were amputated. He did not survive. He was 29.  

These cases might be depressing, so I'll end with an example of one that seemed very serious but had a happy ending. A "Master White" aged between 10-12 years old, fell out of a moving train between Bourne End and Marlow in 1892. He was travelling back to Marlow alone. It seems he had been leaning out of the window, when his cap fell off. In trying to make a snatch for it, he over reached and fell from the train. This is partial guess work from those at the the time as no one travelling on the train saw exactly what happened. Very luckily for the boy, someone in the fields adjacent to the rail line did see him fall. They ran to the spot and initially feared the worst as the boy was unresponsive and covered in blood due to some nasty head wounds. But he came round, and was carried to the Hospital. He was found to have a lot of cuts, and was naturally badly shaken. But under Nurse Cole's expert care, he was expected to make a full recovery. 

The times the staff could not save their patients always makes more of a ripple than those occasions where the sick make a quick recovery. The staff there saved hundreds of lives and lots of Marlow people would not be alive today if their ancestors had not spent time at the Marlow Cottage Hospital. 

*Martha Beaver had successfully applied for a seperation order from her husband in 1898 after he had assaulted her with a penknife while drunk. He was sentenced to 2 months in prison with hard labour and on release was made to pay a weekly sum for the maintenance of his wife and the three youngest of their six children then living at home. 

For more about the hospital see the following posts:

Matron Mary Ann Cole here

Matron Mary Ann Cassidy and the setting up of the forerunners to the Hospital here

Apothecaries and patent medicine sellers here

List of medical related posts here

The Romantic troubles of Dr Culhane here

Death by fire here

More on the Spindlo's here

Others are on the General History option in the top drop down menu. 

To find every mention of your ancestor here use the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu. 

See:

South Bucks Standard 16 September 1892, 03 August 1894. 

©Marlow Ancestors