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Business in Marlow - a Short History Lesson |
It’s a delightful rural town situated on a picturesque stretch of the River Thames. During the last 60 years it has been discovered by many Southern commuters and many businesses now have their offices there. The population has trebled since the second world war but the town still retains its historical character. Let’s find out some more about… Business in Marlow.
Taking a walk through the centre of Marlow reveals a fascinating collection of specialist businesses which include high class boutiques, restaurants, bookshops, arts and crafts stores, and shops specialising in luxury items like chocolates and cigars. Down the road you’ll find the Thames Industrial Estate and Globe Business Park, home to a vast range of small, medium and large manufacturing and distribution companies. The local Chamber of Commerce has been active for almost 40 years and with members from the retail, manufacturing, and professional sectors, it’s clear that Marlow hosts a diverse cross-section of businesses of all shapes and sizes. A small market is held twice a week (Wednesdays and Saturdays) in Dean Street and an excellent Farmers' Market, comprising local farmers and food producers, is held on the first Wednesday of every month from 9am to 1pm in the Causeway. Some History… The Lloyds Bank in Marlow is built on the site of the old "Crown" - a coaching inn from which ‘The Marlow Flier’ operated a twice daily service to London in the early 19th century. The journey from Marlow to Piccadilly took around 3 hours. For years, the biggest employer in Marlow was Wethered’s brewery. The business was first established in 1758 and closed in 1992. Being located on the Thames, it’s no surprise that the river played a part in the business activities of the town. Marlow Mills produced goods such as corn and oil which were then distributed by barges. Raw materials such as malt, meal, paper and beech wood were also unloaded at Marlow. Did You Know… Marlow has been home to many literary and artistic personalities. Internationally acclaimed artist Edward J Gregory lived at Bampton House on the High Street from 1906-1909. His most famous work, ‘Boulters Lock - Sunday Afternoon’ took an astonishing 7 years to complete. The poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and his wife Mary (author of ‘Frankenstein’) lived in West Street from March 1817 to February 1818. It was during this time that Shelley wrote his Revolt to Islam, while Mary Shelley finished Frankenstein - which is probably better known. Other writers sought Marlow as a peaceful place to work, including Jerome K. Jerome. His ‘Three Men in a Boat’ mentioned the inn by the bridge, The Compleat Angler, which in turn was named after the famous work on fishing by Izaak Walton - who stayed in the inn whilst writing it. Transport… Marlow has its own railway station with connections to Bourne End and Maidenhead and hence London and Reading. There are bus connections to Reading, Henley and High Wycombe. With access to the M40 in 5 miles and the M4 in 10 miles, Marlow has excellent road connections to London, the M25, Birmingham and the west of England. Photo: 'Marlow On a Sunday Morning' by Carol Evans |
