The Carrier's Arms and Star Of The Town, Wycombe Road, Great Marlow *updated June 2025*

Updated by Kathryn June 2025.

Historic landlord listing and history timeline: 

Licensed from 1848 with unknown name then. Was known as the Star Of The Town in the 1860s, a name which *may* have been inspired by the launch of Marlow's Star of The Thames boat in 1864 - see here

1861 - ? Possibly Charles Belcher, carrier. Nephew of the Johnsons of the nearby Plough. Or is it one of the Judge family? 

[1865 - Star Of The Town - Mrs Judge]

[1867 - Star Of The Town - Henry Judge, who is fined for opening his beerhouse on a Sunday despite Mrs Judge's efforts to throw the incriminating pints down into the cellar and out of sight. ]

As the Carriers Arms: 

1870 - John & Mary Ann Palmer.  John's parents also called John & Mary Palmer lived with them. John the son had previously been coachman to Major Henry Court at Wargrave. John junior was described as a carrier to Wycombe in 1873. In 1870 a poor "tramp" Ann Russell stole a pair of scissors belonging to Mary Ann from the premises and was sent to prison for six weeks as a result. Ann Russell had used the scissors to pay for lodgings at the Bear in Chapel Street. In 1872 a travelling man was charged with obtaining food and beer from Mary Ann under false pretences. The same occured in 1873 when a supper of bacon, potatoes and bread cost 6d plus 2d for a pint of beer at the Carriers.

1881 - John Palme

1883 - John Palmer 

1887 - John Palmer's chickens stolen from the premises.

1888 - John Palmer, also a carrier assisted by his wife Mary Ann. This year Mary Ann refused to buy a box of cigars offered to her by a customer, rightly suspecting them to be stolen.

1889 -  H Palmer then Benjamin Hughes

1891 - George B Hughes.

1892 - GB Hughes transferred premises to Thomas Munday. G B Hughes heads to The Plough. See here. He is later at the Black Lion,Well End, Little Marlow See here. 

1893/4 - Thomas J Mundy

1895 - Alfred Sarney (see also the Black Horse)

1896 - Alfred Sarney to Mr Sawyer, then to W A Shepherd then to Thomas Richards and finally Edward John Briggs. Difficulties arose from finding proprietor that was acceptable long term licensee to authorities. Such a parade of temporary landlords is quite frequent in Marlow! 

1898 - Samuel Ware 2. John Foster

1899 -  Mr Foster transferred to John Debenham

1907 -  John Debenham *Read about John's thwarted plans for his pub's closure and for a replacement in a new location in this post here

1911 -Mrs Lily Debenham, then holdover to Richard George Brant (who is used by brewery often to take over premises for a short time), followed by  James Belcher, who had moved from Chairmaker's Arms Dean Street. See here

1912  - Firstly Richard George Brant then later that year Walter Goddard.

1912-21 Walter Goddard.

1915 Sgt Smith of the Carrier's Arms is serving in the Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry in Flanders. 

1928- ex farmer James Holmes originally from Pewsey, Wiltshire  took over. 

1932 -James Holmes died of pneumonia following an operation. His widow Ann(e) Holmes takes over. 

1934 - Ann Holmes to Alfred Ball

1935 - Alfred George Ball to Phillip Henry Hanks. 

1937 - Sidney Juggins 

1939 - April of that year. Margaret Juggins. Her husband was serving in the RAF at the time. As he was the one compensated for the forced closure of the pub later that year she looks to have been minding the pub for him while he was thus occupied. *Update - we have confirmed that the landlord from 1937 was Sidney Juggins*

Closed - 1939 / 1940 by authorities to reduce the number of drinking establishments in town. Last landlord Sidney Charles Juggins husband of the above Margaret. The Wethered's brewery did not oppose the forced closure as they said they had enough other premises near by. The old pub was leased for emergency housing in the 40s-50s by the Minister of Housing and Marlow Urban District Council. This ceased c1957 and the owner put it up for sale as a "lucrative" development opportunity. It was demolished late 1961 and Maple Court flats were erected on the site in 1962. 

Researched by Kathryn Day and Charlotte Day.

NOTES - Many Marlow landlords switched premises over time and their family members can often be found running other pubs locally too.  

Related Posts:

There are posts on this blog about individual families associated with certain pubs, as well as on individual pubs themselves so have a look at the Pub Related index here  & don't forget the Person Index for all mentions of someone on this blog. Find it on the top drop down menu. Thousands are listed. 

Posts about life in the neighbouring streets here

More beer sellers than bakers -Temperance in Marlow here

Lists of posts about everyday life in old Great Marlow here

SOURCES Include:

South Bucks Standard, 6 January 1893, 8 November 1895, 3  1896, Bucks Herald November 3rd 1888, each copy held at British Library archives, accessed via the BNA

1872 list of Beer Sellers, Old Bucks County Archives

Kelly's Post Office Directory 1883, 1907, 1911

Census 1881, transcription from microfilm by Charlotte Day. 

©MarlowAncestors 

Historic Landlords of The Plough, Marlow

 Updated by Charlotte April  2026.

Location : Address may be given variously as Little Marlow Road, Wycombe Road, "the Bourne End Road", Town End, Marlow Fields, or Chapel End. Wycombe Road is the most common in historic use but Little Marlow Road was the "proper" address in more modern times. 

The Plough has been demolished, and replaced by this housing. Image ©Colin Groves. 

1854 - James Johnson. Pub "newly erected" in 1853.  James was however a carrier long before, running to London. In 1843 he suffered a severe setback when a valuable horse of his stumbled and fell in harness while crossing the bridge at "Bone End, Wooburn".  [Bone End is now known as Bourne End] The bridge sides were only 2ft high and horse fell head first over them, to be left dangling with its head in the water. James was only slightly injured and frantically tried to cut the horse free with the help of others who ran to his aid but it was too late. The horse was valued at £14. The Bucks Advertiser complained that the bridges in the neighborhood were poorly constructed and dangerous as a whole. 

Property description 1853 from Reading Mercury 17th December edition= 8 rooms, with double coach house, stabling and yard.

1861 - James Johnson (born St.Albans)

1864 - James Johnson (address  given as Chapel Street) Also runs carrier service. 

1869 - James Johnson

1870 - James Meakes. Previously of Little Marlow. Cousin of George Joseph AKA Joseph Meakes pub landlord of a Lane End pub. See here.

1874 - "Plough Inn". That year Joseph Meakes the father of James died at the pub.

1877- "Plough Inn" James Meakes. He married that year Eliza Mann (originally of Norwich). Had his licence endorsed for allowing gambling on the premises and opening later than allowed. James said everyone who was there out of hours were his private guests and were there in a back room to celebrate his forthcoming marriage and no money changed hands. He had forgot to lock the door he said but had called time by 11pm. However the magistrates considered the charge of gambling definitely proved, which was not allowed in a pub under any circumstances. So he was  fined but only a mitigated amount in consideration of his previous good conduct despite a previous warning for a similar offence. Eliza features as an unmarried woman in this post.

"The Plough Commercial Inn" . 

1881 - James Meakes

1883 - James Tompkins "Marlow Fields"

1884 - J. Meakes. Seemingly James back again.

1885 - James Meakes (one source said John but that obviously wrong). James was dead by 1891 as his wife Eliza was listed as a widyw. She had moved to Little Marlow. 2. John Gale. John advertised the fact that he had a lock-up coach house and stabling for guests. He hoped to attract commercial travellers to the pub. It is possible that John is the man of that name who later lived in Victoria Road Marlow and gave his occupation as a "retired coachman". A man of this name was coachman at Marlow Place in Station Road in 1885.

1886 - John Gale

1891 - John Gale.

1892 - John Gale then GB Hughes

1893 - G.B Hughes (See also The Carrier's Arms here) (also carrier running to Reading two days a week and to Wycombe on Fridays) Later at the Black Lion, Well End. 

1895 - Mr and Mrs Smith. Provided dinners and teas for group outings coming to Marlow in order to enjoy the river.

1896 - Samuel Smith

1898  - Sam Smith transfers to Fred. Carter.

1901 - Carter dies aged just 36. Widow Elizabeth takes on licence in immediate aftermath. 

1902 - George Frederick Cox.

1903 - George Frederick Cox.

1905 - Charles F Cox 2. Mr A? Wheeler. Most likely Henry Wheeler as below. 

1907 - Henry George Wheeler. That year his pub was the site of raucous celebrations after Henry East of Dean Street was acquitted at the Old Bailey of serious theft charges. The celebrations saw Wheeler charged with allowing drunkenness on his premises but the magistrate recognised that his small pub had been overwhelmed by 150-200 revellers and he had done all he could to keep order. One of the guests, teenager Kate Lunnon of Hatches Row, Dean Street had previously worked for East was however fined for getting insensibly drunk and passing out on a dung heap in the Plough Yard after drinking a whisky and ginger beer. She could have been more unfortunate and fallen in the pig stye that we know was also in the yard in that year (keeping the pigs of Harry Bowles). To be fair to her the pub was very small, full of people smoking and by all accounts stiflingly hot. Her arguement that she actually fainted after being helped outside to get some air sounds very credible. Henry East had bought her one drink but as far as I can see that was the extent of her alcohol consumption that evening. I demand a retrial! More on the Henry East court case here.

In 1908 Henry Wheeler suffered from a bad head injury after an accident involving his cart and another in collision on the Wycombe Road, past Burroughs Grove. He was dragged along the ground all the way back to the Inn. The other cart was undamaged, Henry's destroyed. Wife "Lizzie"/Elizabeth was nee Brown and was born in The Mint pub in Dean Street where her parents were in charge.  See here. He born London. Hosts the Plough Sick and Dividend Club slate club. 

1913 - "Plough Inn"

1919 - 32 Henry George Wheeler.

1932 - after 27 hears at the helm, Henry George Wheeler passes the licence to Edward Ernest Wheeler. Henry later became the librarian at the library set up in part of what is now Liston Hall, and the caretaker of the whole hall. He died at the Riley Nursing Home, Chapel Street in 1940. Edward Wheeler was a retired Metropolitan police officer.

1932-44- Edward Ernest Wheeler. Edward died this year, leaving a widow and a married daughter.

C 1950-early 1957 Harry C Windmill. Harry and Mrs Windmill moved to Middleton-on-Sea, near Bognor Regis.

1957 - 60 Victor Easthaugh.

1958 or 1959  depending on reports- the inaugural Boxing Day barrell rolling contest down Glade Road contested by the regulars of the Plough and those of the Marlow Donkey, one pub versus the other. This tradition continued until at least 1966. The winning team received a trophy of a silver barrell though not at the first event.

1964 -67 (at least) Jim Tubb landlord.

Related Posts:

There are posts on this blog about individual families associated with certain pubs, as well as on individual pubs themselves so have a look at the Pub Related index here  & don't forget the Person Index for all mentions of someone on this blog. Find it on the top drop down menu. 

Posts about life in the neighbouring streets here

More beer sellers than bakers -Temperance in Marlow here

Lists of posts about everyday life in old Great Marlow here

SOURCES

 Kelly's Post Office Directory 1864,1883, 1899, 1903, 1907, 1915,1920,1939

Marlow Town Guide 1905

Marlow Directory and Almanack, various years. 

Bucks Free Press 19th August 1932, Wycombe Library 

Contemporary newspaper reports of licencing hearings, court cases and other related news, some accessed via the BNA - a selected few: 

Bucks Herald June 24th 1874 and 11th March 1877 as above. 

South Bucks Standard - January 6 1893, December 24,1913, as above. 

Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News 14 October 1843, as above

Bucks Free Press - 7th May 1943, High Wycombe Library. 

Census 1861,1871,1881,1891

©MarlowAncestors.