We apologise for the quality of some of the older photographs, but when you consider they were probably taken using one of the early Kodak Brownie Box cameras, as illustrated here and also shown in the first photograph being used by Bob Roberts, the quality is quite remarkable.
The following pages contain just a small selection of our photographs and memorabilia.
Many of the people shown in these photographs were known to us, not by their Christian names but by the names they were given by their family & friends, mainly from the Primrose Wheelers cycling club and it is these names that we have used throughout.
If you can help us by putting a name to anyone not mentioned, please contact us and we will make the necessary changes.
Also, if you have some old photos or memorabilia that you think would be of interest and you would like to have them considered for displaying in this section, again please contact us, we would love to hear from you.
You can either send a scan or if you prefer, the original photographs which we will of course return to you.
Must be among the earliest photos where one of the subjects, in this case Bob with his trusty Brownie Box camera , is taking a photo of the person taking a photo of him.
Back row -
Front row -
A good old English beach holiday in the 1940's.
Swimming costumes for the ladies, with the men preferring either a suit & tie or the old faithful pullover & flat cap.
I think that may be an innertube from a cars wheel that Dave is sat in. How times have changed.
Back row -
Middle row -
Front row -
Three dapper young ladies out for a winters stroll.
( Don't you just love the plus fours )
Unknown, Maud & Cis
Family outing to Margate Circa 1945.
Back row : Pat, George, Rene, May, Roy, Albert, Bob, Cis, John & John (Jnr)
Front row : David (Marks), Kay, Nell, Brian & Dave (Batter).
1847 Indenture for William George Marks as an apprentice Blacksmith.
This Indenture Witnesseth, That William George Marks of his own consent and with the consent and approbation of his Father Edward Marks of Plumstead in the County of Kent Gardener doth put himself Apprentice to William Chicken and John Stewart of Blackwall in the County of Middlesex Engineers Boiler Makers Founders and Blacksmiths to learn his art, and with them, (after the Manner of an Apprentice,) to serve from the Eighteenth day of May in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight hundred and forty seven until the full End and Term of Five Years from thence next following, to be fully complete and ended. During which Term, the said Apprentice his said Masters faithfully shall serve; their Secrets keep; his lawful commands every where gladly do. He shall do no damage to his said Masters nor see it to be done of others, but that he to his powers shall let, or forthwith give Warning to his said Masters of the same. He shall not waste the Goods of his said Masters nor lend them unlawfully to any. He shall not contract Matrimony, within the said Term. He shall not play at Cards, Dice, Tables, or any other unlawful Games, whereby his said Masters may have any loss. With his own Goods or Others, during the said Term, without License or his said Masters he shall neither buy or sell. He shall not haunt Taverns, or Playhouses, not absent himself from his Master’s Service. Day or Night unlawfully. But in all things as a faithful Apprentice, he shall behave himself towards his Masters and all his, during the said Term. He shall give a true and just account of his Master’s Goods, Chattels, and Money committed to his charge, or which shall come to his hands, whenever required so to do by his said Masters. And the said William Chicken and John Stewart for themselves there Executors Administrators and Apigns do hereby covenant promise and agree to instruct or cause to be instructed their said Apprentice in the Art of a Blacksmith as now carried on by the said William Chicken and John Stewart And that the said Edward Marks his Executors or Administrators with so long as the said William George Marks shall continue such Apprentice as aforesaid provide and find the said William George Marks with good and sufficient Meat, Drink, Clothing Physic Lodging, and all other Necessaries during the said Term. And that the said William George Marks shall not at any time during the said Term exempt himself from the service of William Chicken and John Stewart without the express permission of the said William Chicken and John Stewart first obtained AND further that they the said William Chicken and John Stewart will so long as the said William George Marks shall faithfully serve them the said William Chicken and John Stewart in a manner aforesaid will pay or cause to be paid unto the said William George Marks the following salary that is to say during the first years of the said Term the sum of six shillings weekly and during the second year of the said Term the sum of eight shillings weekly and during the third year of the said Term the sum of ten shillings weekly and during the fourth year of the said Term the sum of twelve shillings weekly and during the fifth year of the said Term the sum of fourteen shillings weekly but if the said William George Marks be absent for any cause from the employ of his said Masters for any time during the said Term no salary shall be payable to him under the above covenant.
And for the true Performance of all and every the said Covenants and Agreements, either of the said Parties bindeth himself unto the other by the Presents. In Witness whereof, the Parties above-
For clarity, we have provided a transcript of the document. Text shown in a script font indicates the handwritten segments.
Signed, Sealed and Delivered (being first }
duly stamped) in the presence of……}
William George Marks
Edward Marks
John Stewart
Wm Chicken
1887 Indenture for Charles Marks as an apprentice Coach Builder & Wheelwright.
For clarity, we have provided a transcript of the document. Text shown in a script font indicates the handwritten segments.
This Indenture WITNESSETH, that Charles Marks, No. 11 Woodfield Place, Harrow Road, Paddington, doth put himself APPRENTICE to John Noyce to learn his Art, and with him (after the manner of an Apprentice) to serve from the 18th October 1887 until the full end and Term of 4 years & 4 months from thence next following to be fully complete and ended: DURING which Term the said Apprentice his Master faithfully shall serve, his secrets keep, his lawful commands everywhere gladly do. Shall do no damage to his said Master nor see to be done of others, but to the best of his power shall let or forthwith give warning to his said Master of the same. Shall not waste the Goods of his said Master nor lend them unlawfully to any. Shall not do any act whereby his said Master may have any loss with his own Goods or others, during the said Term, without license of his said Master Shall neither buy nor sell, nor absent himself from his said Masters service day or night unlawfully, but in all things, as a faithful Apprentice, shall behave himself towards his said Master and all his during the said Term. And the said John Noyce, doth hereby agree to teach his said Apprentice in the Art of Coach Builder & wheelwright which useth by the best means that he can, shall teach and instruct or cause to be taught and instructed * & has further agreed to pay his said apprentice the sum of 5/ per week, the first year 7/ per week the second year, 9/ per week the third year, & 11/ per week the fourth year & 13/ per week the last 4 months.
And for the true performance of all and every the said Covenants and Agreements, either of the said parties bindeth himself unto the other by the Presents.
In Witness whereof the parties above-
Signed, sealed and delivered by the above-
in the presence of Mary M.C.B. Phillips & Herbert. Sampson.
* If indoors, add the words -
Helen H Perry
Charles Marks
John Noyce
Ready for a run out with the Primrose Wheelers.
Possibly taken in Harrow Road waiting for Maud to finish work at Marks & Spencers before setting off for a run out of some 40 miles or more.
Rear tandem Bob
Front tandem Albert & Cis
It's not easy to read, but this is the marriage certificate of Edward Marks and Sophia Broome, it’s dated 28th May 1816.
The thing of note is that the church is St Margaret's in Westminster, situated adjacent to The Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.
Edward was in good company, for among others, Samuel Pepys, Winston Churchill, Harold Macmillan and Lord Louis Mountbatten were all married here.
"Souvenir of Salonika"
The photographs are obviously posed in front of a back drop so the lads could send them home to family, as clearly Charles did.
But how the photographer failed to get the complete title on -
(Charles emigrated to Australia in 1948 with his wife and two children.)
Unknown (seated) & Charles (standing)
Empire Day card.
During the First World War, anyone at home and not involved with the fighting was encouraged to help our servicemen. One of the things that many people did was to provide warm clothing by knitting, balaclavas, gloves, etc.
We remember Maud saying that she received the card because while at school, she had knitted some socks for the soldiers.
Not bad when you consider that she would have been 6 or 7 at the time.
From the OVERSEAS CLUB, it reads:
This is to certify that Maud Marks has helped to send some comfort and happiness to the brave Sailors and Soldiers of the British Empire, fighting to uphold Liberty, Justice Honour and Freedom in the Great War.
Anyone for tennis.
Although I think the racquet was primarily for hitting balls with, not for sitting on.
Maud, Bob & Cis
Shown here are the front & back covers of a programme for the above event, it is one that members of the Primrose Wheelers Cycling Club would almost certainly have attended.
Back in the 1930’s cycling was one of the biggest forms of entertainment for ordinary working people.
Once they had got hold of a bike, usually second hand to begin with, the open roads of our lovely country were theirs for the taking, all they needed were a packed lunch and a puncture repair kit and off they went.
Cycling was an inexpensive way to keep fit, meet friends and develop relationships, which is something our parents certainly did, the Home page shows the 11 children of Charles and Emily who survived childhood, four of these joined the Primrose Wheelers and they all met and married their partners there, as told in the story of The Primrose Wheelers.
1934 Annual Concert & Prize Giving organised by the Cycling Magazine