Shopping At George Cannon's

 

A selection of shopping possibilities at George Cannon's chemist come booksellers from 1829-1858. This was in Market Square and then later in the High Street. (Latter premises below)

 

Buy tickets and consult a seat plan to secure the best spot at the Town Hall for the one night only "Woodman's Olio of Curiosities". This 1858 show involved performers with a hundred changes of character, voice and costume to produce an original "mimical, musical and polygraphic" entertainment. Original sounds the right word! Price 3s for the stalls, 2s for the rest except 1s for backseats. Starts 8pm, tell your carriage to call for you at 10pm when all is over. 

Tickets to the Ball held in the Town Hall to mark end of the Races, 1844 -8s including refreshments. 

Anti bilious stomach pills - "Strengthens digestive organs" Prepared by George Cooper of Reading rather than by our George. 

Alternatively try Dr Sydenham's Anti bilious pills which are also unrivalled for "spasms", nervous headaches and liver complaints. Guaranteed to clear your intestines of bile. Mercury free and "suitable for females." 1s 1 and 1/2d a bottle. 

Take a look at book proposals on display at George's, and if you decide you would like to see it published, you can subscribe to help meet the production costs. In exchange you will be able to buy the finished volume for a reduced price, and if you give enough, you might see your name credited as belonging to a subscriber within the book itself. On other occasions you might be thanked in an ad promoting the books publication. George is a printer, and will print some of the proposed volumes himself. In 1829, one of the proposed volumes is a book of Psalms and Hymns which will cost 10s if you subscribe, 12s otherwise. 

Fothergills Nervous drops - for low spirits, fainting fits, hysteria, and relaxation of the system - 4s 6d a bottle. 

Dr James Fever powder -  2s9d a packet. Also cures rheumatism and shortens duration of colds. 

Butlers Cayenne Lozenges - for habitual sore throats. Also acts a stimulus for fatigue. 2s a box. Also offers "digestive candy"  with rhubarb and ginger 2s a box. 

Marshalls universal cream - for sore and ulcerated legs, burns and sores - 1s 1d

Birds Hygein (sic) Antiscorbotic Pills - cures leprosy, scurvy, cancer, kings evil, facial blotches, glandular swellings. Also available as an ointment. 1s 1+1/2 d per box of pills or same price for pot of ointment.

Perry's essence for tooth and earache - 1s1d a bottle

Pococks gangrene embrocation - for ewes! Will also deal with bites from "bites of venomous reptiles" George also sells other patent medicines for farm animals, mostly sheep. He is also an agent for Potter's guano, guaranteed to make your crops grow. 

Mays Matchless Sauce - a savoury sauce, not medicinal 1s 6d Not the obvious thing in our eyes to buy from a bookseller and chemist! Charles May was a chemist located in the Butter Market, Reading and prepared this on his premises along with the other Mays items listed below.  He then dispatched them to local agents such as George.

 

May's indelible ink (for marking linen) - 1s 6d

May's Camphorated Vegetable Dentifrice.  (A tooth cleaning powder used with water) 1s 1+1/2d a box. Higgs Dentifrice powder costs the same and promises to preserve and beautify the teeth. Prepared in Maidenhead by chemist J Higgs.)

Tooth cleaning brushes in the latest most approved patterns

May's Medicated Honey for gentlemen "incommodated" by shaving, nursing mothers, and those with chapped lips, hands or feet. 

Blairs Gout and Rheumatic pills - to prevent the disease "flying to your brain" 

Roses celebrated botanic cream - prevents hair going grey or falling out and makes it glossy as well. One trial will convince of it's superior qualities, or so they say!

A lithographic print of the iron chain suspension bridge now erecting at Great Marlow 1830. Print executed from a drawing made that shows how it will be once complete. 5s each, or 7s 6d on india paper. Produced by George on the premises.  

John Cassells roast Coffee - the first for quality in the Empire. Available in air tight sealed packages from 1-8 oz or 1/2 - 1lb canisters. George also sold tea.

Consult a visiting dentist who sets up at George's -  "decayed teeth restored", every Wednesday in 1838. 

Want to do more historic shopping? Find out what you could buy at John Howes patent medicine and stationers premises here

And take a look at the Historic Cost of Living posts  specific to Marlow  - Part one and Part 2

And information about wages your Marlow ancestor could expect to earn here

Interested in patent medicine? A post about Marlow apothecaries and other early forms of medical care can be found here

More about George

George was behind the building of Cannon's Row (now called Platts Row) in Mill Road - see here for pictures and more info. 

And this post here for an over view of George's life, and a picture of his High Street premises plus an image of his grave. 

SOURCES

Post Office Directory Of Chemists & Druggists, Vol 2 (Kelly's Directory Ltd, 1870)

Windsor and Eton Express February 7th 1829, copy from the British Library and accessed via the BNA

Reading Mercury -7 & 30 May & 15 November 1830, 3 January & 21 February 1831, 13 October 1834, 23 February & 10 October 1835, 24 October & 5 November 1836, 4 February & 5 August 1837, 30 May 1840, 17 February 1844, 5 April 1845, 23 November 1848, 23 November 1850, May 10 1851, 06 March 1858 as above

©MarlowAncestors

The Tragedy Of Susan West Of The Crown.

 

In 1875 widow* Susan West took over the Crown Hotel from short term proprietor Samuel Hill. It was one of the foremost places to stay in Marlow and a big affair to take on. Unfortunately for Susan, things began to go wrong for her almost immediately. 

Less than a year after taking charge, the Crown suffered a severe fire. A certain amount of smoke was seen one evening coming from above a stove, but it was quickly put out by Susan and her servant or so they thought. The household then retired to bed. Towards morning, they awoke to find the chimney was a "burning mass of soot"  down it's entire length. Their own attempts to put the flames out failed so the fire brigade was summoned. This would only have involved rushing to outside the building and ringing the fire bell of the adjacent Town Hall. The horses that pulled the fire engine were usually kept in the Crown's meadow behind the hotel. 

They may have arrived quickly, but the fire brigade faced a formidable task. The old chimney ran a zig zagged course between the bar parlour through the centre of the hotel and out. It was this haphazard path that had allowed "boulders of soot" to form in the corners and these were now alight.  Getting to the fire involved knocking holes in the chimney and walls and pouring in a huge amount of water. Only after hours of "unceasing labour" in very difficult conditions was the fire extinguished. The damage from smoke, flame, and water can be imagined. Some furniture was destroyed and Susan was left with holes in the structure of the building. Thankfully she was fully insured. But the loss of trade occasioned by the time needed to set things right may well have been the start of Susan's financial difficulties. 

The hotel hosted many big events in the next few years and it seemed outwardly to be doing well. But Susan had spent money on modernising the premises and this had left her in debt. Then came the Election Riots of 1880. The hotel was used as the base for poll winner Owen Williams, and his victory was not a popular one with many, especially the poorer members of society. When the election result was announced outside the Crown at 6pm, boos and hisses turned gradually into a full scale riot, with the Crown it's initial focus. By the time the Riot Act was read at 9pm, every single window of the hotel had been broken. A ladder which had been unfortunately left leaning against the front of the building was used as a sort of battering ram. Initially they may have wanted to use it to gain access to the building, but it was pushed through the window with such force the interior plaster and lathe walls were badly damaged. It was then used to batter the hurriedly closed gates of the hotel, which were barricaded from the inside. Threats were said to have been made to burn down the entire hotel. Every front room was described as damaged. While Susan was able to claim some compensation for the structural damage, time spent putting it right must again have lost Susan much income. 

In approximately 1881, Susan suffered an accident when travelling by dog cart. (Horse drawn light vehicle, usually 2 wheeled.) She was thrown from the vehicle and hit her head on a kerb. This left her needing to stay in bed for a month, and even after that she experienced periodic severe headaches. 

Enter John Langley, a recent widower, large scale farmer and fruiterer and landlord of The Verney Arms in Dean Street. He began to "court" Susan and offered to buy the the Crown. This he eventually did, making arrangements with her creditors and shortly afterwards discharging her debts. He took on the licence in 1883, and soon afterwards the couple were married by licence in Fulham at the Parish Church. (Marriage 19 June 1883. Susan had family in the Fulham area). Salutes were fired from the back of the Crown throughout the wedding day and the bellfry stood in readiness to welcome the couple home with a peal of bells when they stepped off the train. However the ever modest Langley sent a message that he did not want any special fuss made and so the bells stayed silent. However a crowd of friends and neighbours gathered at the Crown to shake the hand of the newlyweds. John was something of a local hero and you can read about him and his son in a dedicated biographical post here

At the Christmas of 1882, Sarah seemed happy. She bought a large tree and erected it in the town hall next door which she also managed. She covered the branches with sparkling decorations and toys and invited the children of the tradesman of the town to come and pick out a free gift. It's one of many examples of her generous spirit. But there was an underlying sadness that would not go away. 

Susan was worried that her new husband would never recoup his investment. He said he told her repeatedly that she need not trouble about this. But she seemed depressed and spoke of guilt at the risk John had taken on. She is said to have developed a restless manner, leaving home every few days for short times away, often visiting a sister in London. After one such visit, Susan never returned home. 

She travelled to Bridport Harbour, arriving with a small bag but no luggage or money. (She was born in Somerset although it's believed she was a stranger to Bridport itself.) She asked to hire a room at a boarding house for a few hours, initially to rest after a long journey. She then asked to stay the night and after that extended her stay. She told the landlady of the boarding house that she had no money with her but could have it at a moments notice if she wired to her family. The landlady thought Susan looked respectable if tired and allowed her to stay. She had been told by Susan about her head injury and the lingering pain resulting from it and thought Susan could benefit from a holiday. Her actions seem to have erred on the side of kindness considering she had to take it on trust that Susan would settle her bill and yet allowed her to extend her stay nonetheless. One day Susan went out for a walk and never returned. Her bag was found in her room. A few days later her body was found at the foot of a cliff 300ft high. 

The verdict was suicide. There was some delay identifying Susan as she had given her name as West and her body was described as mangled due to the nature of the fall. At her inquest, questions were raised about the lack of money Susan had travelled with. It was suggested perhaps husband John had not allowed her much money but this was disproved. He said he had never allowed her to ask him for money - because he had always ensured she had plenty so she would never need to ask for it. He had given her £10 as she was going to  visit her sister and he had also received an affectionate letter from Susan while she was staying there. This was supported by others who said Susan had suffered depression because her husband had spent a lot of money on her behalf, despite his reassurances that he did not seek to recoup his investment. John said the Crown was then trading well and they had no ongoing financial difficulties. He would, he said, readily loose a £1,000 pounds if it could bring his wife back to him. Reports of Susan's age range from 33 to 39 at the time of her death. She gave her age as 30 on the 1881 census however. 

This was not unfortunately the last tragedy in the story. Less than 3 years after Susan's death, her husband John was killed in an accident at the Crown. He fell from a ladder while pruning some wall trained fruit trees in the now vanished gardens at the rear of the Hotel. Sadly he could not survive his injuries and died aged 60. The Crown was then put up for sale. 

*It was said at her inquest that Susan had been a widow for about 9 years at the time of her marriage to John Langley. She left a son according to the same report but he is not with her on the 1881 census. 

For a list of landlords of the Crown Inn/Hotel see here and for other related content and other pubs see the Pub Related option on the top drop down menu. Use the A-Z person index on the top drop down menu to find every mention of your ancestor here. 

SOURCES

Census 1871, 1881. From the the transcription from microfilm by Charlotte. 

Law Reports Volume 7, Great Britain High Courts of Justice, Queens Bench Division, Council of Law Reporting, 1881. 

The Hotels Of Europe. (Henry Herbert & Co 1876)

 Maidenhead Advertiser 21 June 1876 - copy from the British Library and accessed via the BNA April 2021. 

Bucks Herald 19, 30 June & 11 September 1883, as above.

Reading Mercury 25 December 1875, 11 September 1883, as above

Kelly's  Directory 1883, Kelly's Directories Ltd. 

Post written and researched by Kathryn Day. 

©MarlowAncestors

Wages in Marlow History *Updated April 2026**

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

Agricultural

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

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

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

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

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

Hay binder pay per load, 1856 = 2 shillings.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

General cook Marlow 1896, per annum = £16.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Head housemaid, per annum 1907 = £26.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Clerical, Managerial And Similar

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Education / school roles:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Craft Occupations

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

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

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

Building And Similar Trades

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Other Manual Occupations

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shop Work

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hospitality 

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

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

Other:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

******

Compiled by Charlotte Day and Kathryn Day.

Compiled from adverts, letters, court cases, interviews.

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

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

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