The Vanished Houses of Marlow No 2 - The Original Thames Lawn

 If you had stopped to ask one of our Victorian Marlow citizens for directions to Thames Lawn, they would not have sent you to the current house bearing that name at the bottom of St Peter's Street. Instead they would suggest you stroll along the river a little further, into Mill Road as we call it. As you pass the house known as The Sycamores and look to your right, the sweep of grass stretching along the river front  would still be easily recognisable. This was also known as the Thames Lawn but it is not our destination. Look ahead, just before the lock, and you will see the handsome Elizabethan style riverside residence currently known as Three Gables and Unicorn Bridge House. But to our Victorian friends, a quite different property would have sat on that spot -  the original Thames Lawn House. It's this sadly forgotten but once very important home that is the subject of our post today. If you wish to know more about the house more recently known as Thames Lawn, see the linked posts below. 

A Word Of Caution 

As mentioned above, Thames Lawn and Thames Bank were both often used as the equivalent of street addresses for any of the homes fronting the river in Mill Lane as it was then. So for example The Sycamores could be referred to as "The Sycamores, Thames Lawn" or "The Sycamores, Mill Lane"  or "The Sycamores, Thames Bank".  Understanding this is the key to untangling who lived where and when. It means that any person whose address is given as Thames Bank, may be living in Thames Bank House, but they might equally be present at any of the nearby houses too. The story is complicated because most of the early homes that stretched along this riverside part of Mill Lane were either built or occupied (often both) by members of the Wright family of Marlow paper mills or by one of the other mill operators. Therefore the project of finding historic residents for the specific properties in that area has been a very long task. I have revised some of the below information first collected many years ago but it's still a work in progress. Be aware too of the riverside house, also Wright owned, known as The Lawn or Lawn Cottage, set back from Mill Road. Members of the Wright family seem to have signed themselves as of Thames Lawn or Marlow Mills regardless of whether they were occupying The Lawn, The Sycamores etc.

Early History 

Late Victorian accounts of Thames Lawn House said it was in existence in the 18th century. Unfortunately I can not be any more precise about a build date for this original property but it may well have been older still. The house was said then to have been purchased by the Wright family of Marlow Mills - with William Wright born there in 1798.  In that year, the Wright's were in occupation of one if not both paper mills but they did not yet own them. They were leased from mealman Thomas Ricketts who operated the third Marlow Mill - at that point a corn mill. Twenty five years before Ricketts was seeking a business partner to share grinding there, and he offered to supply a residence conveniently close to the Mill if required. This could refer to Thames Lawn House but equally to another house nearby such as Mill Cottage which was often occupied later by the various proprietors of the corn mill, or to Weir Cottage. When Ricketts died the three mills were put up for auction at Garraways coffee house, along with two residences associated with them one of which was almost certainly our subject. One of the paper mills - the Lower Mill, closest to the site of Thames Lawn - was eventually taken on by Salem Chapel stalwart Francis Pepper who operated it himself. He had formerly been in partnership with the Wrights but this relationship was dissolved in 1814. We know Francis lived adjacent to the mill complex, and I believe it was he who was resident at Thames Lawn House before the Rose family. Certainly the mill property came with a detached residence when it was sold on his death in 1831. An 1827 map of the Mill site shows "Mr Peppers Garden" and an unnamed house immediately adjacent. This is approximately where Thames Lawn was and where Three Gables is now. Presumably this house was the one occupied by Francis Pepper but many better off people possessed "gardens" separate from their homes in old Marlow! This residence was set back a little closer to where Mill Bank is in the present day so it had a slightly larger front garden then. (Certainly William Rose believed Pepper had been a former residence of his home.) 

Regardless of who was in residence, the house had a lucky escape in 1826 when a destructive fire broke out at Wright's paper mill. It started in the drying room which was very close to the property, under somewhat suspicious circumstances. Very quickly the large quantity of paper within was destroyed. A depression in the paper trade meant there had been more paper on the premises than usual. The blaze was considered to be the work of an incendiary and so a substantial reward was offered in return for giving up the culprit. I do not believe they were identified. The residential property closest to the mills (eg Mill Cottage too) were considered to be in grave danger during this blaze. The orange glow in the sky could apparently be seen from as far away as Reading! 

The Rose Family 

The most detailed early description of the house comes from the time it was occupied by wealthy solicitor William Rose and his "beloved wife" of 40 years Caroline in the late 1860s and early 1870s. William maintained a London office at Change Alley, aka Exchange Alley. This bustling and narrow lane and the area around was an historic centre for financial services in the capital including London's first Stock Exchange. It must have been some relief to retire from that part of the city to his elegant Thames side home. William inherited the property from his uncle Ralph Rose who had lived in it many years, followed by his widow. 

William's pride and joy at Marlow was obviously his carefully curated library. This contained some 900 volumes including a large number of legal works and a complete set of the Encyclopedia Britannica. The rest of the home was filled with some "very choice" furniture and all the home  accessories a gentleman of means could enjoy the possession of - from bronze figurines to old Wedgewood china. It then had 8 bedrooms and 3 reception room and a conservatory plus a coach house. The clear selling feature were the "tastefully arranged" gardens sloping down to the river with the enchanting views towards the bridge and Weir. The Roses spent time and money on improving the house, and possibly extending it. 

Did the garden include the grass running along the margin of the river in front of The Sycamores which was also referred to as the Thames lawn? That would prove to be a somewhat contentious issue! William Rose was said to have regarded it as common ground and paid little attention to who used it. He did apparently enjoy playing a game or two of quoits there. In fact when the Wrights tried to claim it as private property, enclose it, and prevent fishing from there, William Rose objected, and said in fact the area was listed as an appurtenance to his home. He did not wish to close access to it himself, and certainly wasn't going to allow anyone else to do so. He threatened the Wrights with legal action and seems to have succeeded in diminishing any threat to public access to the area then. William Rose pointed out that the property he inherited came with related exclusive fishing rights to this area. So nobody had any right to gather fish from the lawn or nearby - but they Wights had been doing so on a large scale and selling them out of town. Rose considered this not only illegal removal of his property but morally wrong as it was depriving locals of access to cheaper fish. It's fair to say the relationship between the Roses and the Wrights would not be a cordial one. 

A path ran across this disputed lawn which was used by those using the lock by either custom or right, although it's exact route I can't determine precisely.  When it was later (1886) decided to divert this path for aesthetic reasons the question of who actually had ownership would lead to a lot of legal wrangling on at least two occasions. No one has been paying rates for it it seemed, and no rent had been paid either. It seems likely that whoever did own it had forgotten. At least whatever documents William Rose had had that he said proved absolutely his ownership to the stretch seem to have been lost. The then occupier of Weir Cottage produced various deeds to suggest the lawn was his, but on the other hand it was said many of the older residents were certain it was originally  common land and that documents could be produced to support that. The Mill Road residents did not pretend that the path wasn't in general use (e.g public by custom) but they thought only those using it as a towpath had a legal right to do so. The outcome of this second  attempt to restrict public access to the grass was unsuccessful as the magistrates agreed that there was no public benefit to such a change, and it would create a bad precedent. A suggestion had been made that the occupiers of the Mill Road properties (not including Thames Lawn House) should pay a quit rent to the parish in return for continuing to use and maintain it but I do not think this compromise was adopted. Sanction was definitely given in 1893 to divert the then path to more or less its current route from Mill Road to the foot bridge over the mill cut however. It was to be lined with a red brick wall mounted by "rustic" iron railings as constructed by Marlow builder Lovells. And the Coxes would be obliged to pay for its maintenance for 5 years. 

Tragedy overcome the Rose family in quick succession in the early 1870s.  Caroline died in September 1871 and William himself followed a little over 4 months later age 64. Then in 1874, their son Alfred Valentine Rose died aged just 29 at Wooburn. The executors put the house up for let after William's death but in 1876 the house was auctioned off by the last surviving trustee William Rippington Rose. This auction took place in the historic riverside Complete Angler inn. Following this there was a few short term residents including some who hired it for the summer or "river season". Then in approximately 1880, a man would arrive at Thames Lawn who would bring the house to the attention of people far and wide. 

Edmund Yates in residence 

Thames Lawn House by name starts to get specifically mentioned in contemporary guides to the Thames at this time. They noted it was a "picturesque" building with a famous resident - the writer, magazine editor and critic Edmund Yates. Edmund was a friend of Charles Dickens or as some said, an acolyte or disciple who regarded the author as "some kind of God."

Mostly a summer resident, Edmund entertained many names of literary and theatrical Victorian London at Thames Lawn - not all of them household names now. The superstar actors Henry Irving and Ellen Terry and the then editor of Punch magazine were among his regular weekend guests. Not everyone well known appreciated Edmund's company however. During his time at Marlow he spent several weeks in a London gaol (out of a longer sentence) for publishing a libel in his gossipy magazine against a member of the aristocracy. He was not the author of the article and on reading it in draft had crossed out the most offending sentences with the intention these parts were not to be published. Unfortunately they were, and he was found guilty of the libel. Edmund was let out early on account of bad health. A banquet in London to celebrate his release was attended by over 200 people. 

Although Edmund did not live full time at Marlow, he certainly enjoyed the river while he could. He kept a small steam launch and was president of the Thames Steam Launch Association. Many regarded these launches as an unpleasant addition to the Thames, and they were associated with bad steering, noisy whistles and with speeding past other river traffic to the latters peril. So there were a lot of campaigns to potentially oversee their use more closely. The Association wanted to represent the launch owners and prevent what they considered petty restrictions, frivolous law suits and damage both intentional and deliberate to their craft. 

Edmund lived at Marlow for about 5 years. He had moved away at the time he died at the Savoy Hotel in London in 1894 after falling ill at the Garrick Theatre. He had been regarded as in delicate health for some time but it seemed his sudden collapse was still a surprise.  He had seemed to rally a little after spending part of the winter abroad on doctors orders. For many years after his death Thames Lawn would still be referred to as Yates former residence by the literature catering for Thames tourists.

The situation of Yates' Thames Lawn House is undoubtedly picturesque and romantic to our modern eyes but it would not have been quite a place of undisturbed peace disturbed only by the "hum" of the weir. It immediately abutted the Marlow mills and these were not known to be exactly quiet in operation. The adjacent Marlow Lock could see an eye-watering number of craft pass through it on busy summer weekends such as those around the time of Ascot or Henley regatta. The river was still a working one even if there were fewer barges passing by than before the railway came to Marlow. Sometimes too a dead body would be recovered from the river adjacent to Thames Lawn. 

But there were many compensations.  It was in a prime position to enjoy what must have been the most beautiful sight of the "Venetian river parade" of illuminated launches and punts which took place at the time of the annual regattas. Most of the riverside residents decorated their homes with bucket lamps and lanterns at the same time and those at Thames Lawn were no exception. People came far and wide to enjoy this glittering wonderland. 

Is that a lion I hear? 

In the 1890s there were two residents at Thames Lawn who had some interests in some rather unusual pets. Mrs Coppinger (who also rented another house along the river side at times) had a pet monkey which she enjoyed taking for rides in her launch. But this was tame compared to the ambitions of young Captain Marshall. Always interested in wildlife, Marshall bought a lion cub from a passing circus and this would form the nucleus of what would become the Marlow Menagerie complete with pumas, elephants, wolves and more. I have compiled a full biography of Marshall which you can read here. With a somewhat small garden to make into a zoo, he hired some land along the river bank towards Gossmore to house his collection. He soon out grew this and moved to a specially constructed residence with animal enclosures at the site of what is now known as Gossmore House. Marshall is remembered for a successful attempt to drive two ponies in tandem across the relatively narrow footbridge to the lock from the Thames Lawn. Don't try that at home! Mrs Coppinger and Captain Marshall were said to be lovers and sometime co residents at Thames Lawn. The vastly unsubstantiated Marlow legend is that she was suspected of an arson attack on Marshall's next residence motivated by jealousy at his forthcoming marriage to another and that she then left town never to return. Arson it certainly was believed to be by Marshall, but no culprit was identified despite a substantial reward offered. Initial investigations had identified an overheated flue as the most likely cause. Furthermore it's certainly not true that Coppinger left immediately and finally after the fire. She's still recorded here 6 months later and as a summer visitor for a couple years afterwards. Not did the fire occur on the eve of his wedding as some say - the events didn't in fact occur in the same year! 

Captain Lamotte and his family were the next residents. The Captain came to Marlow to take charge of the local Volunteers. (Forerunners to the Territorial Army - read about our Marlow company here). Described as a "most able and energetic officer" he was supposed to have won the "golden opinions" of all ranks. The couple certainly threw themselves into the local society, joining groups and fundraising drives of all kinds.  They remained there until 1897, with the Captain rejoining his regiment the following year. In the time between leaving Thames Lawn and leaving the country, the Lamottes moved to Quarry Wood House. (A post dedicated to that vanished property will follow shortly.)

Fire! 

In the summer of 1897 the "well known and attractive little property" with its "pretty garden" and landing stage was yet again offered for sale at the Complete Angler. ("Little" was obviously relative - it was described then as comprising 9 bed and dressing rooms, an entrance hall, a bathroom - yes just one - and three reception rooms.)  The purchaser was the wealthy author and magazine proprietor Mrs Ada Bennett Edwards. She was the co owner of The Field with her brothers, among other titles. Her father and other relatives were some time residents of other properties in Mill Road so it was an area she knew well. 

She had planned a significant overhaul and modernisation of the house. Unfortunately less than 6 months later, a fire would break out just as the works were nearing completion. This was serious enough, but the proximity of the Mills with their wooden buildings and abundance of combustible material within made it even more of a serious situation. The Mills own fire engine was bought out as it was the workers there that had first raised the alarm, and Marlow fire brigade were also quickly in attendance. The proximity of the river as well as a fire hydrant meant there was no shortage of water to hand. Nevertheless there was a time when the Mills were regarded as in severe danger of going up too. The flames burned with such ferocity that despite the frantic efforts of all, Thames Lawn was totally gutted. A heaven sent outbreak of rain prevented the numerous sparks taking hold at the mill. A smouldering  beam running through a fire place was blamed  - a surprisingly common cause of Marlow house fires! It's unfortunate for Mrs Edwards that much of the furniture had been moved back in and was if course destroyed too. Even more unfortunate, the insurance policy taken out against fire by Mrs Bennett Edwards was said to have lapsed. Fortunately she was a lady of considerable means, as well as a wealth of determination, and she decided to build a new house on the spot. A Who's Who entry for 1898 mentions that her hobbies include "artistic house decorating" which was something she was about to have ample scope to indulge. (Her other interests were "practical and experimental zoology", cycling and tennis.)

A description of the destroyed house mentions that at that time there has been on top of the house a sort of glass panelled tower. I believe this may have been part of Mrs Edwards additions to the house as there is no record of this distinctive feature earlier. If so it lived too short a while to appear in any photographs which is a pity. 

New life and new styling 

The local newspapers said that Mrs Bennett Edwards very quickly launched into a new contract with a London architect to get her house built. With a now blank canvas she was free to decide on a completely different style of architecture. She chose a "very pleasant half timbered style" with lattice windows. No expense was to be spared. Comfort and modern conveniences were her watchwords. There would now be not only a bathroom but 4 w.cs as well. Drainage was on "the latest scientific principles" and electric call bells were fitted throughout to summon staff as required. A noted striking feature was the "very handsome oak panelled hall of imposing dimensions" and the "fine oak staircase." There were 11 bedrooms, 3 reception rooms, and a boat house which it was stated could easily be converted into a garage for a motor car. 

Mrs Bennett Edwards did not live at the house for long despite her efforts to create such a pleasant home. By April 1900 it was advertised as available to let for the summer season. In 1902 the house was sold for £5,120, the contents following shortly after. 

Edwardian Residents

Sir James Boyton arrived next, president of the auctioneers Elliott, Son & Boyton and an M.P. He like many of his predecessors also kept a London residence. James was a keen rower and something of an authority on all things River Thames. If he had any intention just to relax and enjoy river events as a spectator alone, he was an optimistic man. It was inevitable he would find himself invited to involve himself in organising the Marlow Regatta. In particular I can see he assisted on the committee behind the above mentioned Venetian fete. Sadly James suffered a serious motoring accident near Henley in 1905 which resulted in the partial amputation of one of his arms. While this may have curtailed his planned involvement in any veterans events, he did see his children including daughter Kitty row at the regatta. He acted as a judge of the illuminated craft competition, umpired various races, and his wife was co opted into giving out the regatta prizes on different occasions. James also caused a great deal of excitement when he acted several times as a host for the Cambridge rowing crew who would compete in the University boat race. The bridge was lined with spectators whenever they practiced at Marlow. 

The Boyton's retained possession of Thames Lawn during the beginning of the First World War. Their son was sadly killed in France in 1916. James himself also suffered yet another serious accident when the omnibus he was travelling in within London hit another vehicle and overturned with a loss of life. All of the passengers were injured to some degree - James by lacerations made by broken glass on his "full" arm. The news was met by an outpouring of sympathy back in Marlow. 

Above, Three Gables with the modern mill style apartments to the rear. 

James died in May 1926 but I think he had left Marlow a few years previously. (Certainly the freehold of the house was for sale in 1919) In his will he left a request that his wife and children should pay a sum of £15 to any grandson of his that competed within Henley Regatta. Rowing devotee to the last! 

Next resident was race course manager Frederick Henry Cathcart who was there by 1926. We've reached the limit of the period our research deals with but Henry deserves a mention as the honorary treasurer of the Higginson birthday fund that raised the money to purchase the Court Garden estate so it could become what we know as Higginson Park*. The first mention I've seen of the use of "Three Gables" as a new name for this Thames Lawn comes in 1926 - so he may well have been the person to make that change. UPDATE  - biography of Frederick Cathcart is available here

Written and researched by Kathryn Day

Related posts

*More on Frederick's role in securing the park can be found in a post about its early history here here

Index of posts about other specific property including the "other Thames Lawn" - here

To look for more about any particular person or family - see the A-Z Person Index in the top drop down menu. There's many thousands of people listed there with more names added weekly. 

Sources: 

Boyd, Frank M - A Pelican's Tale. (H Jenkins 1919) 

Krausse, A D - Pictorial History of the Thames. (Krausse 1883)

Who's Who, 1898. 

Parish Assessment assessor's notebooks, 1833. Transcribed by Charlotte Day.

Census data 1871-1891 - from the transcripts from the originals at the National Archives by Jane Pullinger and Charlotte Day.

1827 Great Marlow Mill Plan. 

Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News February 1874, 14th August 1926. 

Bucks Herald - 19th June 1886, 8th December 1888

Berkshire Chronicle 15th April 1826, 19th March & 14th May 1831, 23rd September 1871, 3rd February 1872

Country Life 19th April 1919 

Dundee Evening Echo 8th December 1897

Galignani's Messenger -  the spirit of the English" qv Paris, May 5 1826 - digitised by Google and accessed May 2021. 

Gloucestershire Echo February 13th 1934. 

Henley Advertiser 13th May 1871

John Bull 28th April 1826 

London Gazette 25th October 1814 

Maidenhead Advertiser May 28th & 27th October 1884, June 16 1886, 5th December 1888, 8th October 1890, 23rd May 1894

Morning Post 8th July 1897

Morning Leader 3rd November 1902

Newcastle Journal 23rd December 1916

Reading Mercury 5th February 1798, 13th June 1831,  19th February 1876, 6th January 1917

Sporting Life 29th April 1882

South Bucks Standard 6th February 1891, 20th May & 2nd December 1892, 11th August 1893, 18th June,  6th August & 10th December  1897, 28th December 1898, 20th April 1900, 10th October & 14th November 1902, 2nd June 1905, 12th March 1914, 2 November 1918

The Gentlewoman 12th July 1890 

The Globe 3rd November 1902

Walthamstow and Leyton Guardian 7th December 1894. 

Westminster Gazette - 8th December 1897

Windsor & Eton Express 15th April 1826,  6th June 1874

Kelly's Directory of Bucks, Berks &  Oxon - 1911, 1913, 1915, 1920. 

Ordnance Survey map 1876. 

Wilson, David Gordon - The Middle Thames, Spurs Books 1977. 

South Bucks Free Press 1st & 15th May 1867. 

© MarlowAncestors

The Lives Of Owen Sawyer and Joseph Russell

Sometimes we pick a random individual from Marlow's past and decide to flesh out the bones of their life. So now is the turn of Victorian West Street and Queens Rd resident Owen Sawyer. 

Owen was born in 1847 to West Street bakers James and Charlotte Sawyer. They and their business feature in a post here which includes a photo of their premises. Charlotte had the reputation of being an accomplished businesswoman and she continued the business after her husband's early death. In this she was assisted by Owen's brothers Henry and James. Subsequently James would take over the management of the bakers from his aged mother, and indeed continued to run it after her death. 

Owen however was apprenticed to High Street cabinet maker Daniel Walker, who also ran The Hope public house later. Daniel did not just make furniture, he also engaged in more general carpentry tasks. So Owen would later recall engaging in work such as making and even erecting fencing. It was good training if hard work and Owen would later strike out on his own as a skilled carpenter. He initially moved to Dean Street after marrying wife Mary Ann and that was the setting for the event below. Subsequently he spent several decades living in Queens Road. 

Murder! 

A dramatic incident in the life of Owen occured when he was 28 and found himself in court charged with assaulting Thomas John Pattison Junior. Thomas said Owen forced himself through his front door and attacked him although it isn't clear what the motive would have been. Fortunately for Owen, the witnesses supported a quite different version of events. Owen had heard Sarah, the wife of Thomas screaming "Murder! Murder!" as he was going pass their home. He, Sarah's sister and her neighbour rushed in and found that Thomas had Sarah by the neck and was threatening her with her knife, despite the fact she was holding one of their children. He had apparently been offended by the fact Sarah expressed the wish to stay in their current home rather than move to Strong Beer Acre as Thomas had announced they would shortly be doing. Thomas was bound over for a year to keep the peace for one year, and Owen was found not guilty of the assault. 

Diving superstar

Owen was a renowned swimmer and diver, and a member of the Amateur Rowing club. In 1875 he won a regatta competition which involved diving as far as possible off Marlow Bridge. The entry point into the water was marked and whoever got furthest from the bridge was the champion. Owen's winning distance was 40 yards. It was noted that he was a hard man to beat when in form! Other events included "diving for eggs" and water polo in canoes. The Rowing club also had monthly competitions running at this time, which Owen took part in. In the 1890s he operated the telegraph system at Bourne End Regatta that transmitted the official results from the umpire. They were then announced to the crowds who couldn't all see the finish clearly. He was also a member of other sporting institutions in the town - and one of the players who made up The Royal Victoria Working Mans FC, Marlow's "other" football team which subsequently amalgamated with Marlow FC. (Read more on them here)

Another institution in the town that Owen had great involvement in was the Clayton Arms Slate Club, a friendly society.  This provided invaluable support to working men in the event of accident or illness robbing them of the opportunity to earn their living. Owen was one of the founding members, and also served on its organisational commitee. You can read more about it here. He was also a member of the Marlow Volunteer fire brigade. Even after retirement from that he sometimes lent a hand at fires, such as one at the George & Dragon during the October street fair of 1898. Civilians were often utilised in such occasions, and someone of Owen's experience was obviously all the more welcome. Owen suffered a house fire of his own that nearly cost the life of two of his children - you can read more in this post about his father in law John Langley here

Lastly we should mention Owen's role as one of the collectors of contributions for the local Transvaal Relief Fund around 1900. This dealt with cases of need in families who had a member serving in the South African wars then ongoing. Furthermore he was elected to the committee of this group. 

Owen could also be found as a member of the Bucks Rifle Volunteers. He was the oldest Volunteer when he retired after 34 years diligent service in the autumn of 1902. Owen had by then attained the rank of Corporal. He said on his retirement that the hours spent with his fellow rifle volunteers were amongst the happiest of his life. As a member of the Volunteers Social and Shooting Club, he had spent many happy days with these comrades at the rifle range and in local pubs. You can read more about the volunteers here

Two sad events - the first

In 1890, Owen was working at a house in Mill Lane. He saw a young man who he knew slightly coming along the lane. This was Joseph Lionel "Joe" Russell* age 25, who had been crippled for life in a childhood accident.  He had been born into a military family in India, but shortly after their return to England, his father had died.  His mother had worked at Bray Court, and the lady of that house and subsequently Marlow Place (Mrs Haig) had tried to support Joseph with an allowance when his mother had in turn died. She had also paid off some of his debts. It had once seemed doubtful that Joseph's physical condition would allow him to fully support himself. But he had nevertheless started work as a commercial clerk to Thomas Butler the wine and spirit merchant. And so the allowance had finally been stopped, although Mrs Haig still provided his clothing. However, Joseph was subject to fits of depression and had taken to drinking. When he passed Owen, he asked to shake his hand, and told Owen they would not see any such other again. Joseph then proceeded along Mill Lane towards the Mill and river. Owen was naturally suspicious at such ominous words, and watched the other man carefully. When he saw his destination, he ran a short distance down the lane to the Mills and called for help. Mr Wright and Owen found a muddy and wet Joseph at the bank of the Thames attempting to wade in. He could not swim and had a suicide note in his pocket. He was bought back to the Mills to receive medical attention. Suicide was a criminal offence then, and so Joseph was bought before the court and Owen had to give evidence as to what he had seen. Joseph was let off as he promised not to attempt his life again. Sadly, he did not keep this promise, and three years later he drowned after throwing himself off Marlow Bridge. 

A tragedy close to home

In 1903 Owen appeared at another inquest. This was sadly that of his brother James Sawyer the baker. For reasons that are not always easy to grasp, the Sawyer family bakers was no longer doing well in the few previous years. A severe fire in 1897 can not have helped although both the building and contents were insured. By May 1902 it had closed, and James was out of work. (The business was sold to Charles H Carter who ran the Bridge Restaurant and bakers on the Causeway, where Burgers is now. As he already had a West Street branch, the business was moved there) I believe he may have worked for another baker in town at first but this did not last. When leaving the bakery he had of course also lost his home. (He went to lodge with Jane Thornton.) He was 67, and perhaps he could not face "starting again". One evening Owen met his brother in the Carpenters Arms and noted his downcast look. He gave him some money, as the baker was significantly in arrears with his rent.  The two parted and no one saw James alive again. His person was spotted in the river near Thames Bank by labourer Thomas Munday. Thomas retrieved the body with the assistance of equipment provided by the Marlow Lock keeper, and the aid of George Budd. It was taken to the Two Brewers, where a copy of his and Owens parents' marriage certificate was found in his pocket. Deliberate entering of the river could not be proved, nor a definite  accident as there were no witnesses so the verdict of the inquest jury was the open "Found Drowned".

A happier event of that year was the marriage of daughter Ada to Edwin Meadows Madeley. Ada was a former school teacher at the national school. 

Owen's own death was less dramatic and he passed away age 78 in 1926. 

*Joseph came to Marlow from Holyport near Maidenhead shortly before his first suicide attempt. He lodged for seven years with plumber George and Louisa Davis in Cambridge Rd. George and Louisa feature with their daughter Annie in a post here - but be warned it's another sad post! Joseph was said to have been in a fearful state when Mrs Haig took him under her wing, unable to go up stairs for example. He had spent much time in Maidenhead hospital. Louisa Davis believed that his first suicide attempt had been precipitated by her threat that if he continued such heavy drinking he must leave her home. She believed the second was due to a guilty conscience, as she considered it likely that he was stealing from his employer. He had too much money to spend on drink she said, given his other expenses and level of wages. Joseph had two brothers and two sisters, whom Mrs Haig had also helped get a start in life. The boys were in the Army at the time of his death. He was buried in a paupers grave at Cookham, with no family to attend the service. His body had been found by Spade Oak ferryman Jonathan Sparks. The jump from the bridge was witnessed by carpenter Mark Creswell.

 Mrs Haig remarried and went to live at Fox Court, Maidenhead with husband Captain Masey. 

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Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

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

 Use the General History tab to find out more about everyday life in Joseph's and Owen's Great Marlow. 

©Marlow Ancestors.

1700s West Street Residents

Updated March 2023.

 I glean every possible will and property record to gather the names of those who lived in West Street in the 1700s. The date next to each name is the date I find reference to them there but they may have been present earlier and later. This post is for the OCCUPIERS not owners of property. In most cases in the 1700s the two are not the same thing. The precise buildings cannot usually be identified but I am working on it!

Multiple people in the same family can bear the same name so don't automatically presume that a "John Smith" here is your particular "Joe Smith"!

Alice and Robert Beckford. He was a hoop shaver and owned their West Street home, though they only occupied part of it. This was described in his will written 1730 and proved 1731.

David Beckford 1751. Occupied part of the house formerly occupied by Alice and Robert Beckford above, which had been inherited by the Beckford's daughter.

John Biggs. Tenant of a cottage 1733. This was probably on the North side, close to Potlands.

Abel Bird. "The youngest Abel Bird" Shoemaker resident 1754. There were multiple Abel Birds about, the Bird family owned several West Street properties as well as some elsewhere in Marlow such as in Chapel Street.

William Bradshaw, market gardener, tenant of lands. 1709-26. Now part of Borlase playing fields.

Samuel Bradshaw, market gardener, tenant of lands off West Street South side 1735. 

Thomas Cook. Tenant of house and land 1784-91. This appears to be on the way out of town. Owned by William Bishop who farmed at Winter Hill.

John Cox in 1751 occupied part of the same house (divided into two) that David Beckford also occupied.

J Dalmes Esquire. Tenant of Remnantz 1787.

Elizabeth Davis. Albion House. Running a school 1785. Same property as used by Sophia Tylecote, below.

Ann Gray - occupier 1792. North side. Likely widow of Benjamin Gray, bricklayer, who died 1791.

Thomas Gray - Bricklayer (and possibly carpenter) 1754.

Parmenus Grey. Labourer. Tenant of a North side cottage 1722.

William Glanville. Tenant 1729.

John Goldsmith. Tenant of a cottage West End (so on way out of town) 1767.

Anne and Thomas Handley. 1758. He owned the house that they lived in. He died in 1760 and left this and some land in Oxford Road to Anne for her lifetime.

James Harding. Tenant of a cottage West End (West Street from about Borlase onwards going out of town) 1767.

Mathew Hawes. Surgeon resident 1798.

Ann Hobbs, Mrs. 1774 to death 1787. More on her with a photo of the premises here 

Thomas Hussey, of the Ship Inn. Tenant 1792. All landlords for this pub here

William Johnson. Tenant 1733.

John Lane. 1787+ (probably 1785+) Running an ironmonger's shop. Took over from Ann Hobbs above. More, including a photo of the premises as they are today here

Ann Lockwood, widow. Occupier and owner of a cottage North Side 1726. She had bought the cottage in 1707 from her relatives Richard and Ann Lockwood who lived nearby in West Street but did not immediately occupy it herself.

Richard and Ann Lockwood. Owner occupiers of a North side cottage 1709. Relatives of the Ann Lockwood above, whose home they had also once owned.

Robert Moore. A baker. Owned and lived in a house 1795. Left it to his sister Susan.

Edward Neighbour. Landlord of the Coach and Horses 1783 till death 1787. Wife Lydia who inherited all his liquors and other possessions. Landlord listing for this pub here

Thomas Ollis. Ran the Three Tuns. 1798 to after 1800. Will 1808 summarized here.

William Phillips. Owner and occupier. Will 1749.

Thomas Pither. Occupier cottage North side 1709.

James and Sarah Puddifant. Late 1700s. He was a pawnbroker, biographical post about them here.

George Rackshaw. Tenant of a cottage, South side 1726. Neighbour of John Smith.

Thomas Redding. Tenant of cottage and land 1791. Seems Henley Road end.

Stephen Remnant. Owner and sometimes occupier Remnantz. 1753 -1787. After that owner only. Also later 1700s had some land on the other side of the street. Biography post here

Cornelius Richardson, hatter. Occupier 1754. Unknown if owner.

John Smith. Occupier 1726. South Side. Neighbour of George Rackshaw.

William Smith, cordwainer in West Street 1779-98. North side. The Smiths were still boot making in West Street, albeit on the other side of the road well into the 1800s.

Richard Truss. Tenant 1762. North Side.

Sophia Tylecote. Running school from and living Albion House 1795 to post 1700s. Apparently tenant at first but the house was owned by 1809 by her husband Jeffrey, a banker. Read more here

William White. Occupied part of a house in West Street 1730, owned by Robert Beckford above.

Elizabeth Wright. Landlady Duke's Head pub. 1761.

Related Posts:

To find every mention of an individual here, use the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. As of April 2022 there are more than 4,000 individuals listed there. 

For an index of posts related to West Street in general see the listing here

Everyday life in old Great Marlow:

here

Post listing for West Street pubs, ale houses etc here

Recreated 1700s trade directory here

Residents of 1700s Spittal Street here

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

The Other Royal Celebrations In Marlow

We have posts due on events such as the Golden and Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of Queen Victoria's reign, but this entry is about how the town celebrated (or not) some of the other events in Queen Victoria's life. 

If your ancestor lived in Marlow in June 1838, then it is very likely they at least heard celebrations of the Queen's coronation because it appears to have been a very noisy event. Victoria had succeeded to the throne in June 1837 so the residents of Marlow had plenty of time to consider how to mark the occasion. The reports vary widely with rival political groups accusing the other of doing little, which is reflected in the accounts published in local newspapers. The Windsor and Eton Express said that the church bells were rung on Coronation day and that the shops were closed. Others said this was a lie, and only the Tory supporters in town would be content to do so little. The Bucks Gazette said liberal tradespeople took on the task with enthusiasm as did the Clayton family at Harleyford. The Clayton's Conservative political rivals, the Williams of Temple House, who included the Marlow M.P, were accused of not organising anything grand. So the reports have to be filtered with the understanding of the political bias of the reporter. One thing all can agree on is that many fireworks were let off, some guns, and a few cannons. The last were courtesy of Harleyford where the din of artillery was said to have been kept up all day. After 41 discharges of cannon, even the most devoted royalist in the neighbourhood must have been happy a new Queen was not crowned everyday!

 Amongst the criticism levelled at MP Thomas Peers Williams and his supporters such as the Wethered family of the Brewery, was that they had not as wealthier citizens put their hand in their pockets to subsidise any celebrations for the poorer classes. It seems they had been expected to pay the bell ringers for their services, but had not offered to do so so the money had to come out of the Church rates fund. It was also hoped a subscription would have been raised to provide some relief to the poor.  The Bucks Gazette went further and said those who put on events publicly had "resisted the will of the domineering tyrant in the town." (Williams) This may be a little unfair, as while Williams was a controversial politician who was accused of evicting those of his tenants who did not vote for him, his family did entertain members of the Royal Family at Temple House in latter years and so was not exactly anti royal. It seems the feeling was that big occasions meant those who acted in power in the town should play their part and help those with little money to celebrate. Failure to do so was regarded as "selfish". 

Those who did include the less well off were Joseph Tyler of the Clayton Arms in Oxford Lane/Quoiting Place. Joseph entertained more than 100 to dinner - an "elegant repast". And Messrs Wright of Marlow Mills gave a hot beef dinner with ale and punch to 100 or so staff and their family members. This dinner included plum pudding which might seem unseasonal to our eyes but it's a regular feature of many Victorian celebration dinners in Marlow and elsewhere whatever the time of year. 

Moving on to 1840, when Queen Victoria was married to Albert. On this occasion the liberal papers again accused the conservative interests of failure to mark the occasion properly. The celebrations were described as "very limited". But Harleyford House bought out their "artillery" again. (41 discharges of cannon). The bells were of course rang and guns fired. The reliably generous and kind Benjamin Atkinson of The Rookery entertained all his staff to a meal along as did a few unnamed tradesmen working on a smaller scale. But the "most influential  inhabitants of the town who owe all this wealth and influence to the lower ranks of society did very little."

In 1858, the Queen's eldest daughter, Victoria the Princess Royal was married in turn to Prince Frederick of Prussia. Mr Borgnis and Mr William Ward decided to treat the boys of the Blue Coat school (now Borlase) to something to mark the event. Their choice would probably not get distributed today, given that it consisted of cake - and wine! Those attending the National schools recieved some tasty buns while the pupils of the British Schools were given a full tea, presumably without alcoholic beverages. 

The Queen's birthday was usually marked in a small way. Prayers for her continued health were a standard in the local churches. The church bells were rang, and some shops and homes were decorated with bunting. This is more often recorded in the later part of the reign. The local Oddfellows lodge (friendly society) held a church parade (that is a parade to the parish church in full regalia for a  special service) on several occasions in the 1880s in honour of Her Majesty's birthday. In 1887, they were lead by the town band and they followed this with a public dinner for 100 people at The Greyhound.

Various members of the Royals visited the big houses in the area such as Temple, Gyldernscroft and Harleyford. Some of these visits were "under the radar" but others very much the opposite. When the prince and princess of Wales passed through Marlow in a steam launch, on their way to visit the Williams at Temple House, they were expected. Their arrival was somewhat inconveniently timed to occur during the Regatta. They were late, but they did indeed arrive in the end and were greeted with a royal salute. 

The last event other than the Jubilees to mark was of course the death of the Queen. The first notification of any significant news usually came courtesy of a telegram to the post office which would then be displayed either inside or out for all to see. (Less seriously the match reports of Marlow Football Club when playing away also arrived this way.) A week before the Queen's death, a telegram bought news the Queen was seriously ill. Special prayers were said in the various churches and chapels the following day, in the hope of a recovery. Public events due to take place in the next few days were cancelled as a gesture of respect - dramatic performances in the Music Room and a football match. But on 22 January 1901, the news was recieved by telegram late in the day that the Queen had died at Osbourne House, surrounded by her family. It was immediately ordered that the bells should toll in the church. This sound was said to be what made many Marlow residents realise that the rumour about the Queen's death were true. 

Written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

Related posts:

Coronation Celebrations 1902 here

Jubilee 1887 Here

Storm disruption during 1897 jubilee Little Marlow here

Royal furniture makers the Mealings here

Other posts about everyday life in old Marlow here

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

Sources:

Goodrich, Samuel Griswold. Peter Parley's visit to London during the Coronation (Library of Alexandria, 1838)

McCarthy, John - A History Of Our Own Times, 1871. 

Wilson, Robert. Life and Times of Queen Victoria (Cassell and Company, 1891) 

Bucks Gazette 14 July 1838, 22 February 1840 - British Library Archive, accessed via the BNA. 

Reading Mercury 30 January 1858, 31 May 1890, 26 January 1901 - As above

Bucks Herald 13 July 1878, as above. 

Windsor and Eton Express 30 June 1838. As above. 

Slough Eton and Windsor Observer May 28 1887, Slough Library. 

©Marlow Ancestors

Will Summary Richard Silver of Great Marlow 1832

 A brief will.

Will written 1831 and proved 1832.

Childbed linen maker.

After all debts, funeral expenses paid all household furniture, plate, linen, china and all other personal estate to dear wife Elizabeth. She was the sole executor.

Witnessed by John Wright and W Jackson. 

I obtained my will copy from the National Archives, Kew. This I then transcribed and summarized here. 

Notes:

Richard lived and ran his business from West Street. Elizabeth continued to live there for at least a few years after his death. Their home was on same side of the road as the Ship Inn. She Elizabeth on the 1833 parochial Assessment here.

W Jackson the will witness was William Jackson a Marlow watchmaker. 

More posts like this can be found on the Will Transcription menu here. See also the A-Z Person Index for every mention of every individual on the blog. Thousands of people from Marlow are mentioned.

More West Street content can be found under the"Specific Shops, Streets....Etc" menu option here.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use this summary if you credit this blog.

Revd John Briggs

Revd John Briggs came to the Congregational Church in Quoiting Square Marlow (now called Christ Church URC) from a previous post in Preston Lancashire late in 1866. The Independent Chapel in Whitby also wanted John but he turned them down.

John originated from the wonderfully named village of Idle near Bradford in Yorkshire. His father was a clothier and by the time he was 13 John was working as a cloth weaver for him. However a change of direction occurred at some point and John graduated from Airedale College, a specialist training college for Congregational ministers, located then at Undercliffe near Bradford. His was a Congregational family like many others in the village of Idle.

The Grimshaw Street Independent Chapel, Preston seems to have been John's first post, from 1861 onwards.

Prior to being appointed there John visited the chapel multiple times as a guest preacher. As was often the case when a man was seen as talented in that way, his future congregation had him pencilled as their preferred new minister when the time came that they had a vacancy, long before that vacancy occurred.

The attraction of John was obvious from reportage on his work, the Preston Chronicle calling him a man "in the first rank of our local orators" to give one example of praise for his sermons.

As well as the usual extra sermons given in aid of Sunday Schools, missionaries and the like the local Preston paper in 1865 advertised a sermon he was to preach on the life and death of Richard Cobden, a politician who had campaigned for the repeal of the Corn Laws, pacifism and the establishment of free non - denominational schools for children. John himself was outspoken in drumming up support for free education for children. 

His other big passion was his opposition to the system of Easter Dues exacted by Church of England clergy. He was the secretary of the Preston Anti-Easter Dues Association and something of a firebrand speaker anywhere and everywhere in that respect. In 1865 he and his associates managed to persuade the local vicar to publicly hand back to two men who had refused on principle to pay their dues some goods seized from them in lieu of cash - two hams and a barometer!

John was also a big supporter of the Young Men's Christian Association in Preston but does not seem to have been involved with that organisation in Marlow. In fact compared to other ministers of the Congregational Church at Marlow in the 1800s, John was very quiet. Whereas others were often to be found at major events in the town and were actively involved in hot local discussions about issues such as tax, the system of education and temperance John seldom appears as a speaker or organiser of events other than those directly related to his work at his own church. That doesn't mean he didn't attend other events, perhaps he preferred to attend in a quieter, less "up on stage"capacity. It was a marked change in his behaviour though between Preston and Marlow, which is puzzling.

John and his wife Sara / Sarah (nee Burrows married at the Grimshaw Street chapel August 1865) lived in the Congregational minister's house in Chapel Street Marlow. There on March 16th 1867 a daughter Mabel Sara was born to them. Sadly she died after just a few weeks as did another child, John Burrows, born to them the next year. 

On a happier note John received 26 new members into his church in 1867. That would average out at one a fortnight across the year. Impressive! Keeping members as active church members apparently wasn't as easy. In The Story of Christ Church, Quoiting Square 1693-1986 Arthur Macurthur writes that in February 1867 it was decided that those who had not attended the Lord's Supper for six months forfeited their church membership.

John resigned in Spring 1868, with the intention of entering the Church of England as a clergyman. This he did indeed do, becoming the curate of St John's Church in the suburb of Tuebrook, Liverpool when it opened in 1870. He served under vicar J.C Reade whose wealthy wife paid for the church to be built. Like many a curate John  performed a large amount of the marriages and other ceremonies at the church. Though obviously dedicated to Tuebrook, the Reades did not actually live there. 

John never lost contact with his old home of Preston. His entry to the Church of England did not go down well at all with some of his old associates there however. In fact a fair amount of venom was directed at him for perceived hypocrisy particularly by those still opposing Easter Dues. A later secretary of the Preston Anti Easter Dues Association was particularly scathing, to the point of publicly insinuating John had never been to University and was falsely claiming to have been sufficiently clever and hardworking to earn a degree. Ouch. There was no substance to this allegation by the way. John was an M.A.

He did not lose contact with Marlow either, returning in 1873 for the funeral of William Wright a prominent worshipper at his old Congregational Church in Quoiting Square. He was considered one of the guests of honour at the funeral so there was no obvious resentment in Marlow stemming from his removing to the Church Of England.

John resigned as a curate of St John's in 1871 to become Honorary Secretary of the Colonial and Continental Church Society. He was credited with being a highly successful fundraiser for that organisation. He remained based in Liverpool though he traveled widely in his role. 

He and Sarah lived at 43 Victoria Road in the suburb of Tuebrook where daughters were born to them in 1873 and 1875.

He died in 1877.

***

Further reading:

An 1870 religious pamphlet written by John is available free and in full here on Google Books.

Christ Church, Quoiting Square website which includes scans of history booklets here.

More biographies of Marlow clergy on this blog including John's successor Revd James Mountain, can be found under the Church Related option on the menu. All mentions of someone on the blog can be found by looking at the Person Index. Over 2,300 people are mentioned so far.

St John the Baptist, Tuebrook church website including photos of the attractive interior here.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to reproduce this content for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog.

Some Sources.

Preston Herald 23rd March 1867 and 9th May 1868. Preston Chronicle February 25th 1865. All via the BNA. Copies held in the British Library Archives.

The Story of Christ Church, Quoiting Square 1693-1986 by Arthur Macarthur. Thanks to Martin Ashford for giving us a copy of this.

"England and Wales Census, 1851," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SPMF-VBW : 12 September 2019), William Briggs, , Yorkshire,Yorkshire (West Riding), England; citing , Yorkshire,Yorkshire (West Riding), England, p. 24, from "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.

GRO birth and death registrations, Bucks, Registry Office index.

Bull Inn Landlords The Smiths

Bisham isn't part of our patch but going to the Bull Inn across the river in Bisham for a drink was a common activity for Marlow people and we have a weakness for old innkeepers so couldn't resist including Thomas and Elizabeth Smith.

The grave proudly states that Thomas was "many years landlord of the Bull Inn" Bisham. The stone is also in honour of his wife Elizabeth.

Thomas died February 1833, in the 69th year of his age and Elizabeth died January 1849 in the 68th year of her age the grave says.

The will of Thomas proved 1833 calls Elizabeth his "dear wife". She received all his household furniture and effects including his plate [silver], linen, china, and wearing apparel not to mention his stock of wines and liquors.

His daughter Sarah wife of Thomas Fenner, farmer of Bisham was left £100 invested in 3.5℅ stocks. 

Executors of the will were his friends John Badger and Richard Shelton, both of Bisham who received £10 each in compensation for their trouble.

All residual property to wife Elizabeth. 

The will was witnessed by Marlow solicitor John Wright and his clerk W Jackson who had probably been there drawing up the will.

Elizabeth became landlady of the Bull after her husband's death. She appears as such in Kelly's Directory for 1847 for instance.

For the grave of Richard Shelton and more about him (tragic) see here.

Look at the  option on the menu for any other Bisham Scraps we have gathered and for a link to an excellent podcast on Bisham History.

See Pub Related on the menu for Marlow, Little Marlow, Medmenham, Handy Cross and Lane End pub history posts.

Sources:

Will of Thomas Smith, PCC, held at the National Archives. Transcribed by me.

Kelly's Directory 1847 published by Kelly's Directories Limited. Digitized by Google.

Gravestone Bisham churchyard.

Revd William Roome And His Son

Revd William James Boden Roome was at the Congregational Church in Quoiting Square between 1871 and 1873.

William was born in Chesterfield Derbyshire in 1832 and baptised at Sheffield. His father had since 1831 ran a "classical, mathematical and commercial academy" for young gentleman in Hollywell Street Chesterfield. William's mother was Charlotte née Boden. Her father James Boden was a very long serving Congregational minister at Queen Street Chapel Sheffield (hence her son's Sheffield baptism) not to mention both a writer of and collector of hymns. When he retired it was to Chesterfield. Her brother was also a minister while her sisters ran a school for young ladies in Chesterfield. So both Congregationalism and involvement in education were well established in William's background. 

In 1841 nine year old William suffered the deaths of both his mother and maternal grandfather. This was followed the next year by the loss of his maternal grandmother too. At the same time his father was suffering severe financial difficulties so life must have been hard for the boy.

By 1851 William had moved with his father and brother to Chelsea in London from where Mr Roome ran a small private school. Some of their pupils lived in with them, others came daily. 

At some point in the 1850s William left the family business to pursue his vocation in the church and in 1863 he was appointed to the Coventry Road Congregational Church in Birmingham. The next year he married (in the Camberwell registration district) Emma Eugenia Waterman.

In the late 1860s William moved with Emma to Lindfield, Sussex before being offered his post at Marlow in 1871. He left Lindfield in April of that year with a £40 purse donated to him by his congregation at his leaving do plus another £15 gifted to him after the official goodbye celebration.

At the time of the 1871 census William was in Marlow but not yet resident at the Congregational Church's manse in Chapel Street. Instead he lived at "Rose Villa". He was not officially received as the minister of the church until an event in the Sunday School room in late September 1871. During the Summer refurbishment work had been taking place inside the church building which may explain the several month's delay between his arrival in Marlow and his officially starting work.

If William had time on his hands he likely took the chance to indulge his passion for astronomy. He was a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and both lectured and wrote about all things space related. He was also interested in ancient cultures whose religions were entwined with astronomical observations so he gave talks on the likes of the Ancient Egyptians and Babylonians. None of these talks seem to have been at Marlow.

At the event welcoming him to the church in September 1871 the traditional rattling of a collection box occurred and the local newspapers reported that William's new congregation donated a generous amount towards the cost of those recent church refurbishments.

Nevertheless William seems not to have found Marlow quite to his liking as after just under two years as minister here he offered his resignation on the grounds that he did not feel supported in his work by his congregation. 

Just before he resigned one of the most important members of his flock, William Wright of Marlow Mills, died. The funeral was one of the biggest in town for several years but while Revd Roome was asked to say some prayers at the funeral the Wright family requested that former minister Andrew Mearns return to Marlow from London to conduct the main service. Revd Mearns was very popular and much in demand as a preacher everywhere- see my dedicated post for more about him. Perhaps William Roome felt a bit slighted.

He was certainly generally piqued as he not only said goodbye to Marlow, he turned his back on the whole Congregational church movement, becoming instead a Presbyterian minister. Initially he served in London, before moving to Aldershot Hampshire. 

William and Emma's son William junior trained as a surveyor but became a missionary in Africa working with the British and Foreign Bible Society and others. He traversed that continent seven times and as a result was able to draw up useful maps for other missionaries. He also made precise records of where each African language he encountered was used as he believed only by presenting Christian material in local languages would missionaries be ultimately successful. He published a biography of African Evangelical preacher Apolo Kivebulaya whom he had met there.

While he travelled widely within Africa, William junior specialised in the Belgian Congo. His lectures on the culture of the Pigmy peoples he met there were in demand in England and Ireland alike. He illustrated these lectures with photographs and film footage. His membership of the Royal Geographic Society pushed him to make some deviations from missionary routes to visit famed African places. He climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and visited the spot where Doctor Livingstone's heart was buried for instance. When not in Africa he worked as an architect and surveyor, mostly in Belfast where he chose to live. His mother Emma once widowed retired to live with him there. It seems the Irish links of the family may have come from her side. Both she and her son remained devoted Presbyterians. They regularly helped raise money to aid Belfast "cripples". Emma died aged 76 in 1917.

More minister biographies under the Church Related tab on the menu. All mentions of each person on this blog can be found in the Person Index on the top drop down menu. 

See:

United Presbyterian Magazine 1876.

Evangelical Magazine and Missionary Chronicle 1863, digitized by Google.

Reading Mercury 30th September 1871 and Bucks Herald 15th April 1871.

List of Fellows Royal Astronomical Society.

Marriage Registrations England and Wales GRO.

England and Wales Census 1851 and 1871 [My transcription from microfilm].

Thanks to Aiden O'Brien for finding the Sheffield baptisms.

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

Medmenham Pub / Hotel Landlord Listings and History

 Updated April 2026

Every time we see a landlord listed in a court case, advert, will, property deed or the like we note name and premises. Lots of listings for other pubs that would have been in the Great Marlow wider parish have already been published here, and lots more are in production.

We focus on pre 1940 landlords. Dates next to names are when we have evidence of the person there. They may have been in occupation longer without us finding evidence for any named landlord thus far.

Ferry Boat / Ferry Hotel originally also sometimes called The Ferry House Inn / The Ferry and later the Abbey Hotel.

1829- Pub exists - "The Ferry Public House"

1839-48 John Johnson. Always gave a big dinner for his friends at the pub on Christmas Day. Also hosted an annual Eel Feast. In 1835 its thatched stable burnt down. John left 1848. He died 1849 aged 77. John ran the actual Ferry across the Thames too by 1831.

1859-63 Henry Bitmead and his German wife Marie. She drowned in the river in 1881, in what was suspected as suicide. She was then aged around 70 it was said. The inquest was held in her former pub. Henry was fined in 1861 for selling short measures (a very common offence, and not necessarily deliberate as publicans struggled to buy measures that could be proved to be correct).

1871 Thomas Street, who had married the Bitmeads's daughter Marie. Left that year to go to the Black Boy, Hurley. See here.

1871-72 Thomas Hudson Holbrook. He died very soon after he got the license.

1872-84 Henry John Todd.  "Ferry Hotel".

1885 "Ferry Hotel". Barmaid then was Annie Marie Bryant.

1891 Ferry Hotel - "A very popular popular riverside inn, presided over by Mr Fred Johnson who is well known to most up river men."(Marlow Directory and Guide to the Thames, 1891) It's noted the ruins of the Medmenham Abbey which now form part of the hotel are a distinctive feature.  (See below) 

Abbey Hotel (see above) 

1911 Fred. Johnson. 

Dog and Badger

Building believed to be 14th century. We are told that the main Marlow to Henley road next to the pub dates only to the days of the turnpikes in the 1700s. Various dates are suggested for the start of the premises being used as a pub, from the 1400s to the 1700s. Originally it was the Church House for Medmenham - banns for marriage still being formerly read out there apparently in the late 1800s! Nell Gwynne was rumoured to have enjoyed sitting by the fire there on her visits to Medmenham. A cannonball was found lodged in one of the walls during 20th century restoration work. Probably this was from the civil war. There was certainly fighting in the area at Hambledon and Fawley during that war.

1831-32 Johnathan Osborn.

1833 James Sawyer, wife Mary. 

1845 New brick facing put onto the pub.

1847 T Sawyer [Thomas]  

1858-63 James Sawyer as above. Fined 1861 for having a short pint measure.

1866 Mrs Sawyer.

1872 Mary Sawyer.

1873- an illegal lock-in was discovered at the pub. The sound of customers singing and a concertina being played were just something of a giveaway to a passing constable!

1877-82 Alfred Edmund Neighbour (See also the post here). In 1877 Alfred married Emma Sawyer, daughter of James above. (Alfred's first wife was Hannah nee Hoare)  Alfred was previously at the Red Lion, Marlow. In 1881 he described 15 year old son Charles as his ostler and 13 year old daughter Hannah as his barmaid! (Emma Sawyer had been described as a bar maid at around the same age by father James above in 1851.) Other son Edward, a scholar, age 10 would in the future run Neighbours licenced grocery and general stores in Quoting Square with wife Catherine nee White. Alfred Edmund Neighbour was the son of Victorian head gardener John Neighbour of Potland's and Remnantz. To read more about John see here

1882-85 William Grant.

1885-1901 Frederick Wright. In 1895 the pub was bought by Wethered's Brewery of Marlow. Wright was of course the tenant not owner.

1907 Henry ? Wright. 2. Frederick Wright 3. Frank Richard Searle. This rapid turnover of landlords suggests some difficulties at the pub.

1911- William Alfred Jarvis.

1917 - Licence transferred from Reuben Peacock to F.W Denison.

1933 -1940 (at least) John Nye.

C1959-1983 Sonny Kirby assisted by his two daughters. He retired to Dorset in 1983.

For similar posts about pubs in Great Marlow, Little Marlow and Hurley see Pub Related on the menu here.

List of 100+ Great Marlow beershops, alehouses, pubs, inns etc see here

For more Medmenham related posts see this index

 All mentions of someone on this blog can be found in the A-Z Person Index which can be found on the top drop down menu. Thousands of people get a mention.

Researched by Charlotte and Kathryn Day.

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

Pick a pair at Mr Langston's

The above image is from a 1905 guide to Marlow, and it was one used in several Edwardian guides. It shows the second premises of William Bradby Langston, boot and shoe seller of the High Street, Marlow. More recent Marlow residents will remember it as Millwards and then Clarks shoe shop. William was born in Reading and his family ran the long lived Langstons department store there. 

Image ©Colin Groves

In 1891 William thanked his customers for 7 years of patronage. He was clearly doing well for himself as he decided to open a second branch within Marlow High Street. His original premises was almost opposite the new one. The first was located on the corner of the High Street and Institute Road. See below. 

Image © Colin Groves. 

William claimed to stock thousands of shoes and boots in this first shop. He catered for both adults and children and was the agent for various brands of shoes. The second premises would initially specialise in sporting and boating shoes. Need a pair for gymnastics or tennis? Langston was your man. For the next few years William's adverts would proudly announce that he was "On both sides of the street!" He was certainly not without competition in Marlow although he arguably offered the biggest selection. William also offered repairs on the premises. There were branches in Lane End and at no 3 & 4  The Parade, Bourne End, the last of which was also a gents and boys outfitter. (Later ladies too.)

In 1895 things were not going quite so well however. 

William decided to amalgamate his two Marlow stores after 4 years. He chose the newer of the two, next to the brewery, to be the one shop he maintained. Doing so involved a large sale so that the stock could squeeze into the remaining space. The original premises was turned into a ill fated and short lived temperance hotel and refreshment room, under the management of Mr Perry and then J Janes. 

According to William himself, he sold his business to the manager of his Marlow store Francis Spencer in 1909. He then removed to Bournemouth. This information was given in a court case where William was chasing up "book debts" which he had not sold on with the rest of the business. He had employed a man to collect them and had not received the the money promptly. The collector was found not guilty as no specific date had been agreed by which the funds had to be given over. But William's business affairs seem complicated, and I am not sure how much of the business was sold in 1909. It may be that he bought it back in part because in 1914 an announcement was posted that stated that the partnership between William and Arthur Shortland, trading as boot and shoe factors and outfitters of Bourne End and High Street, Marlow was henceforth dissolved. The announcement says the business had been carried on under the name of WB Langston. Arthur Shortland was the former manager of his Bourne End shops according to his own statement. The use of "factor" suggests that he was acting as an agent or middleman for wholesale purposes although the High Street premises were also still operating as a shop at this time. The Bourne End shop subsequently traded under the Shortland name as a clothier. 

William stands out in Marlow as he was a member of the strict Plymouth Brethren religious group. This small group met at first in a cottage in Glade Rd and later took over the former Baptist Chapel in Dean Street which had also later used as one of the All Saints mission rooms. William is described as their most prominent member along with his future second mother in law Mrs Frederick Wright and it seems they were responsible for securing this new premises. There was a bigger Plymouth Brethren group in Maidenhead which met in various places, including the Friends Meeting House (Quakers). (A Plymouth Brethren Mission Hall would later be found in Oxford Road in the 1920s and then in New Town Rd - described as "recently erected" in 1932.)

Below is the grave of William's first wife Clara. It is located in All Saints Parish Church. He married a second time to Ellen Jane nee Wright, daughter of fellow Plymouth Brethren member Mrs Frederick Wright [Eleanor nee Gibbons]. Ellen was born in Russian Finland along with her sister Fanny. This was where her parents spent approx 3 years after their marriage. Sadly Ellen died in 1902 at the couples then home in Chapel Street (Frederick was the second son of Joseph Wright of Marlow Mills and he was in Finland to consult on paper manufacture there.)

Inscription reads:

Clara, the beloved wife of William Langston who died June 9 1893 Age 29 years. 

Also of Nellie, details crumbled away. This is possibly the couples (Clara and William's) daughter b. 1887, Nellie Sophia who grew up to marry Arthur Shortland. 

NB.The Wright family were mostly associated with the Salem Chapel / Congregational church as a whole - including the "breakaway group". For more information see the post on Rev Thomas Styles here and a related post on the Morgans here

If you are researching the Wright family of Marlow Mills (there were more than one in Marlow!) then you may like to know that Joseph Wright "junior"  was - very unusually for the time - divorced by his wife in 1836. The wife is not given a first name in the court reports but based on the stated marriage date of the couple (1823) she was Mary Ann nee Dyson. Mrs Wright petitioned for divorce on the grounds of cruelty and adultery. The judge found adultery not proven but said it was "impossible" to read the evidence submitted for the second claim and not be convinced that cruelty had been proved. Among the claims was the fact Joseph had hit his wife such "violent blows" that he had knocked her to the ground when she was going to see her children. Joseph's representative did not give a defence, his wife had 7 witnesses. 

Sir Herbert Jenner had no hesitation in granting the divorce and "in condemnation" of Joseph's actions, made the guilty husband pay all costs.  

Above undated advert for Arthur Shortlands, of The Parade Bourne End, as Langstons there became. 

©MarlowAncestors. 

Researched and written by Kathryn Day. 

To find all mentions of your ancestor in these pages, use the A-Z person index on the top drop down menu. To find info on a particular shop or business, use the Specific Shops, Streets etc option there. 

Selected Sources:

GRO Birth, marriage and death index

1871, 1881,1891 census transcription by Charlotte Day from microfilm. 

1905 Marlow Guide

South Bucks Standard 01 May 1891, 23 November 1894, 18 January & 26 April 1895,  15 March 1902, 11 February 1910 British Library Archive accessed via the BNA

Maidenhead Advertiser 2 October 1889, as above

Bucks Herald 11 June 1910, 10 March 1917 as above

New Times, London 18 October 1823, as above. 

Public Ledger 16 April 1836

Sun, London 16 April 1836

The Gazette 28 April 1914

Kelly's directory 1883, 1903 (Kellys Directories Ltd) 

Marlow Almanack & Directory 1897

Obit. Eleanor Wright nee Gibbons published 1908. Provided by Jane Pullinger 1989. 

Paper Mills Directory 1891, digitized by Google. 

Bourne End on Thames Guide issued by the Bourne End Traders Association 1950s. 

Marlow in the Swing Riots 1830

 In the November of 1830, a number of anxious farmers, and prosperous Marlow citizens gathered for a public meeting in the Upper Crown. The reason for their concern was repeated reports of the "incendiaries" as they called them, who had been targeting the hay ricks in the wider neighbourhood. Farm workers unhappy with their low pay and working conditions, had been making their points by commiting acts of arson, destroying property worth large sums. This was not a meeting to discuss how legitimate any of the grievances were, and the papers stressed it was the principal citizens that were in attendance. The purpose was to decide the best way to protect property. Two courses of action were decided on, to swear in extra special constables, and to mount a foot and horse patrol of the neighbourhood hay ricks. Handbills were also circulated in Hambledon and Medmenham encouraging men to come forward to be sworn as constables to "assist in the preservation of peace."

 

Those Marlow men who kept a close eye on national news would have been aware that trouble was likely to strike close to home. Throughout the South East there had been so called Swing Riots since the summer. These were named after the fictional "Captain Swing" whose name was used to sign warning letters to local farmers and employers, threatening them with acts of arson and property destruction if they did not give in to paticular demands. One act of rebellion seems to have inspired others, and the focus locally began to be on "machine breaking" or putting out of action threshing machines and other mechanical devices that were reducing employment opportunities. Some of these contentious threshers were made locally, by Marlow ironmonger, engineer and agricultural implement maker John Moss. Reports of the excellent amount of work one of his machines was able to achieve in a short time at a farm in Rickmansworth, may have inspired some farmers locally to invest in one themselves. They could also be hired. 

A LETTER IS RECEIVED

Farm labourers looking for threshing work were only too aware of which farms had the threshing machines on hand to partially replace their labour. In November 1830 Mr Wright at the Marlow Paper Mills, Richard Webb at Marlow Bottom Farm, Joseph Biddle of Town Farm/High Wycombe and James Phelps of Temple Farm were amongst a group of local farmers and paper mill owners who received a dreaded Swing letter. Their property was threatened unless they did away with the machines that were taking away jobs. 

Joseph Biddle had read enough reports of the violence occasioned by a refusal to cooperate with the rioters, and was in no mood to take chances. He immediately had his new threshing machine taken down. He had a large number of ricks in close proximity and said it would be impossible to save the whole should one be ignited. Mr Phelps of Temple followed his lead. Richard Webb was said to have burnt his own threshing machine to pre-empt any action. And then they waited. 

A week or two later these letters were followed up by some targeting smaller landowners and gentleman farmers including William Atkinson (Marlow Bottom, Town End and the Rookery farms), Mr Wethered and  Mr Lovegrove.  

THE NEWS FROM WYCOMBE

Most reports of a Swing Riot starting begin with some mention of suspicious strangers being seen in the town and those at High Wycombe were no exception. Some of the rioters gathered at Flackwell Heath, first in the beerhouse of John Sarney (the Leathern Bottle) and then on the Heath itself before proceeding to attack a number of the paper mills in the vicinity of Loudwater. Some of the mill owners tried to reassure the men that the machines had been taken out of use, but it was usually to no avail and the mills were broken into and equipment destroyed. An 'express message" was sent to the Town Clerk at Marlow, to warn him to prepare for a similar attack on the Marlow Paper Mills. What happened next is subject to wildly different eye witness accounts published within the next few days. 

Some accused the town clerk of panic. But this is with hindsight. He had no way of knowing which direction the rioters would come next. He first had to spread word, without the aid of telephone, around the town. So he ordered the alarm bell at the Town Hall to be rung, usually reserved for announcing a fire. We might expect the church bells to be rung, but there is no mention of this. This summoned the town criers to the Crown, who then went to their appointed places to make a public announcement. This was apparently to alert householders to a looming risk to their home and persons, and to request they gather to decide the best course of action. This was considered to be to dispatch a message to Colonel Clayton, the magistrate, at Harleyford. Unfortunately, Clayton had already decided on his own best course of action. That was to go shooting, and leave things to the special constables he had seen sworn in. The differing reports of the rest of the days action can partly be explained by those who seem to support Clayton and were therefore keen to dismiss the riots as over hyped and nothing that justified Clayton staying at home in case he was needed. Clayton said he thought the constables could have dealt with things, and he would not want to burden the parish with any added costs that other protective measures might entail. 

But our town clerk needed someone to take charge and so he sent a message to our two MPs, Mr Williams senior and Junior at Temple. They were thankfully at home and immediately came to Marlow and set up at the Crown. They then began to swear in a number of additional Special Constables, and were joined by other magistrates.

Some eyewitness accounts declare there was panic in the streets with woman rushing home with children in their arms, and householders arming themselves with whatever was to hand. Shops were barricaded and shutters closed. Other eyewitnesses, said that while a few "old women" and "gentlemen commonly denominated as dandies" were alarmed, the only panic was seen in the actions of the Clerk and MP (who was a political rival to Clayton). The streets were perfectly quiet they say. On the other hand others stated that it was decided to send a horse and cart to fetch a "depot of muskets kept in the neighbourhood" and they also considered sending for Colonel Clayton's small cannons that were kept at Harleyford and used on ceremonial occasions. These might be taken to the Mills as a deterrent they thought. It isn't clear if this messenger was sent. But an unnamed man was despatched to Reading to fetch the military. Unfortunately he was told he should have gone to Windsor barracks instead so it was after midnight that help arrived in the form of 30 Grenadier Guards and their officer, travelling in a coach, post chaise and cart. 

In the end, the rioters never made it on to Marlow. We may never know how many Marlow men travelled to Flackwell Heath or Wycombe to join in. But 21 year old Little Marlow ploughman and agricultural labourer William Knibbs (Nibbs) (born Flackwell Heath) was one of several Buckinghamshire men sentenced to 7 years transportation for role he played in the "riotous assembly" at Loudwater and resisting arrest at the scene. This was an immediate commutation of a death sentence. He left the UK on the ship Proteus with 111 other prisoners on 12 April 1831 and arrived in Van Diemens Land, Australia on 3rd August. He died there age 75 in 1884. 

Flackwell Heath's John Sarney (Sawney) received a pardon after spending several years on the prison hulks. He was buried at Marlow in 1840 so presumably had moved there. Aged 53/4 when convicted. John had originally been sentenced to death before it was reduced to transportation for life, and he was moved to the prison hulks for something like 5 years before a decision to pardon him was made. His offence related to machine breaking at the paper making mill of William Robert Davis.  A large petition from local residents was presented to the authorities shortly after the conviction appealing for mercy for John and this was followed by a similar letter from many of the mill owners and others who had been attacked or threatened including William Davis and Marlow's Mr Wright. They no doubt felt that calm would better be preserved if mercy was shown to those not considered to be the most strident ringleaders. Farmer Edmund Collins, overseer of Wycombe continued to write campaigning for John's release from his extended stay in the hulks. Edmund said the delay in making a decision in the case had prolonged the torture for wife Sarah who was "almost out of her mind" with stress and worry.  Indeed Edmund offered to employ John should he be released.  

Other local connections:

(All of the below spent time on the hulk York at Portsmouth before being transported on the Proteus as above, unless stated)

 Aylesbury's John Blizzard, whose wife Mary was living "on the parish" at Little Marlow at the time of her husband's trial. He was sentenced to death but this was commuted to transportation for life. He had been involved in the destruction of Zachary Allnutt's paper making machine at High Wycombe. 

William Butler was a native of Little Marlow then living in Woburn. A farm labourer, he was sentenced to death commuted to 7 years transportation for his involvement in the machine breaking at Allnutt's paper mill as above. 

John Moody - 26 year old ploughman and Little Marlow native. Offence again relates to Allnutt's mill. Death sentence commuted to 7 years transportation. 

William Moody age 22, of Little Marlow. Probably brother to above. Death sentence commuted to 1 years imprisonment. 

Related Posts

1847 election riots Here

Chartist Edmund Stallwood here

Every mention of an individual here can be found listed in the A-Z person index in the top drop down menu. 

SOURCES - a selection

A Guide to Early Modern History, 1830- 1835, Cory, William Johnson. C Paul &Co 1882. 

The Life & Times of Swing, the Kent Rick Burner. "Swing, Francis".  R Carlisle, 1830.  

Berkshire Chronicle - 27 November 1830. Copy from the British Library and accessed via the BNA March 2021

The News (London)  21 November 1830, as above

Reading Mercury 20 September & 29 November 1830, as above

Windsor and Eton Express 28 August,  27 November, 4 & 11 December 1830, as above

Oxford Journal 27 November 1830, as above

Albion and The Star 26 November 1830, as above

Sun (London) 25 November 1830, as above

History Of England from the year 1830- 1874, Volume 1. Molesworth, William M. Chapman & Hall, 1886. 

https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/proteus. Accessed April 2021. 

Hampshire Machine Breakers, Jill Chambers. (J Chambers 1990)

©MarlowAncestors