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Marlborough
Marlborough photos
Displaying the first of 167 old photos of Marlborough. View all Marlborough photos
Marlborough maps
Historic maps of Marlborough and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Marlborough maps
Marlborough area books
Displaying 1 of 12 books about Marlborough and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Marlborough
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Marlborough.
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or of a photo of Marlborough.
Great Grandfather
It is strange to see one of the two portraits that hung in my grandparents' hallway, for sale on the web. Issac was born in 1837 in Berwick Bassett, Wiltshire. Taught himself to read and write while an agricultural labourer, and joined the Wilts Constabulary in 1874. During the winter of 1881/2 he was pensioned out of the police from injuries sustained in the line of duty. The family story is that he was set upon by poachers in Savernake Forest while he was the local constable at Froxfield and nearly lost the sight in his left eye as a result. He lost his first wife and mother of 3 children at pretty much the same time. He subsequently moved to Marlborough to become Town Crier, Beadle and Bill Poster. In 1888 he remarried Elizabeth Simms (nee Harper) from Barbury Castle and had another three children with her, the youngest being my grandfather, Albert Reginald, born 1894. Isaac remained in this municipal position until his death, aged 73, in 1911.
Happy Days
My name is Leslie Gale. My mum and dad moved into the house along Treacle Bolly in March the 7th 1947 and a week later we were flooded out. Does anybody else remember this flood as several bridges were washed away? We moved out of this house in 1950.
My Family Used to Own This!
A photo very similar to this hangs in my bedroom, I am a West and spent many a happy summers here. My family used to own the tearooms, my mother and her brother were caught in the fire in 1966 which resulted in the top two floors being burnt down. Me, my brother and sister visited only once a year as we live in County Durham up north, but this building means a huge amount to my mum and this picture of it before the fire is treasured in our house. It's lovely to see a picture as it was originally, thanks, Natalie.
Wartime Marlborough
Evacuated with my sister and mother, one of our favourite walks was to Treacle Bolley where we collected rose hips which were then sent away to be made into a source of vitamin C and distributed to those who needed it. On a visit to Marlborough (from London) a few years ago, I was unable to find Treacle Bolley nor anyone who had ever heard of it. Is there anyone out there who knows this lovely spot? (April 2008)
Wartime Marlborough
Sent out of London during the Blitz with my mother, grandmother and sister, a visit to the Polly Tea Rooms was for special occasions only. We loved it when the parents of the boys from Marlborough School came to visit and brought their sons to Polly's for tea (even though we were only 5 or 6!). Happily, the tea rooms are still there, whilst the Merlin on the other side and at the other end of the High Street has disappeared.
Marlborough Mop Fair
I have a photograph of a group of children at the Marlborough Mop Fair from the convalescant home, which used to be a home for old homeless gentlemen, then became a hospital for children recovering from various illnesses. I worked nights, and sometimes got very scared when an old man would come rattling on the door, demanding to get in. Jean Rixon to the left, Norah Wyatt in the center and myself on the right. and several of the darling children. Norah and Jean were both my bridesmaids when I got married at St. Thomas Moore Catholic Church, on George Lane in 1953. Such happy days, always to be remembered. Unfortutunately I have been told that this website does not yet accept photographs from contributors, so I can't post it with this memory. Chris Utrup, nee Mary Broadway
Wiltshire memories
School
I lived and went to school in Ogbourne St Andrew, I think the headmistress was a Miss Platt and very authoritarian. I always remember school dinners because we were not allowed to leave anything it all had to be eaten. Fried tomato was my nemesis.
We rented the house next to the shop, I remember from a very early age, 8-ish, spending time in the pub (it was the Wheatsheaf then) playing darts with the men, it was more of a social club all those years ago. My gran lived in the last house on the road going towards Marlborough (terrace of about 4!!), after her house was the Green Hut, where all the jumble sales were held. This has been knocked down and a house put on it. Another house has appeared in what would have been Gran's garden.
Mum was a stable-lass and worked in Turnells stables and Gran worked in the Manor House cleaning for Mr Cooper. I do remember it was boring at times... Read more
