Matthews Brothers builders

The firm of Matthews Brothers (under various names) was one of the most successful builders in Winslow in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They traced their origin very specifically to 1777 (as shown in the business card on the right). That must be when the founder Thomas Matthews (d.1837 aged 83) arrived in Winslow. He married Jane, daughter of Thomas Gibbs at Winslow in 1783, when both were "of this parish". See the will of William Gibbs her uncle (1789). Although they were apparently Anglicans, their son William and Jane's brother John Gibbs became prominent Baptists (see Keach's Meeting House for full details). Thomas is recorded as a carpenter in 1798, joiner in 1804 and joiner and cabinet maker in 1812. He lived in various places in Horn Street but doesn't seem to have owned any property.

Children of Thomas and Jane Matthews:

• Thomas: bap. 1784, no further information
• Sarah: bap. 1786; m. Samuel Bristow of Winslow 1807; he is mentioned as a Baptist Sunday School teacher in 1824
• William: bap. 1787, see below
• John: bap. 1789; bur. 1835 aged 46
• Richard: bap. 1791; m. Ann King of Winslow 1824; buried 1835 as "Richard Matthews aged 43 of Buckingham"

William Matthews d.1860 aged 73. He was variously described as cabinet maker, carpenter, joiner and builder. He left Winslow temporarily in his youth, and married his wife Mary (b. at Stanton, Salop, c.1786 according to 1851 Census) d.1856. They were living in Lower Tooting when their daughter Jane was born. They became Baptists and were baptised at Swanbourne in 1817; William succeeded his uncle John Gibbs as deacon in Winslow in 1818.

1841 Census: Horn Street

William	Matthews	53	Carpenter Joiner	born in county? Y
Mary	do	55		N
Sarah	do	23	Dress maker	Y
William	do	18	Carpenter Joiner	Y
Elizabeth	do	13	Dress maker	Y
John	Grace	20	Carpenter Apprentice	Y
Willis	Hall	15	Carpenter	Y

Thewy lived in the large house fronting Horn Street on the 1878 map below (right of the letter O), and the gardens were gradually converted into a builder's yard.

The maps show the Matthews property in 1878 and 1898, before and after the rebuilding of the adjacent Congregational Church. The large house shown in 1878 had been divided into two by 1898.

The thatched cottage on the left is still standing (21 Horn Street), but the other two houses forming the Matthews property were demolished - demolition may already have begun at the rear on the right of the photo. Matthews Brothers bought the house out of the photo to the right (Old Tan Yard / Sunnyside) in 1900, and that's probably when the demolition took place, creating much better access to the yard at the rear previously reached only through the half-open gate. There is a signboard for Matthews Bros above the gate. It looks as if the part on the house on the left was altered to create the gateway, and separated from the older one on the right whose clay tile roof appears to have replaced thatch.

The house can be traced back in the manor court records to 1721 when, according to an agreement recited in 1786, it was divided between Robert Eden and his mother Ann:

Robert Eden and Ann Eden widow surrendered the cottage in which they then dwelt with outhouses, gardens, orchards.  One bay with garden adjoining as then marked out and by Robert to be fenced, to the use of Ann for her life, but if she should marry then to Robert for life paying her 7s p.a.; after the decease of such husband, in trust for Ann for her life; after the decease of Ann then to the use of Ann wife of Robert for her life; after her decease to the heirs of the bodies of Robert and Ann his wife, or for default of such issue to the heirs of Robert and Ann his wife.  The residue of the property: to the use of Robert and Ann his wife for their lives, then to the heirs of their bodies, or their heirs.

It passed through the ownership of three Robert Edens until 1809, when a fourth, Robert Eden of Chatham victualler, sold it to Joseph Dudley for £84. It was then in the occupation of Robert Bowden & John Newman. In 1811 Joseph Dudley sold it to James Turner of Southam corn dealer for £110. In 1825 Turner sold it to Henry George of Winslow cordwainer and Mercy his wife (whose sister was Turner's wife; they were also Baptists). Land Tax shows the occupants as Henry George and Richard Clarke (1814-23), Henry George & Thomas Read (1825-26). Henry & Mercy George mortgaged it to Richard Staniford for £80, and in 1828 Richard Staniford took possession for non-payment. It was then in the occupation of Thomas Read jr and Joseph Godfrey. In 1836 it was sold to Willliam and Mary Matthews for £150:

1836 court book
Surrender: Richard Staniford brickmaker & John George of Newport Pagnell cordwainer, eldest son & heir of Henry George for £150
Admission: William Matthews of Winslow carpenter & joiner & Mary his wife for their lives, & William’s heirs
Cottage heretofore 2 tenements in Winslow late in the occupations of Henry George & Thomas Read jr, now untenanted.  Richard Staniford was admitted 1828 on forfeited conditional surrender of Henry George.  Rent 4d fine £1.

In 1837 the cottage with outhouses and gardens was mortgaged to Richard Staniford for £130. In 1848 the mortgage was increased by £40, and the cottage was now in the occupation of William Matthews or his assigns.
There was a new mortgage in 1858 to Robert Williatt Jones for £180; the cottage was now in the occupation of William Matthews the younger or his assigns.

Children of William and Mary Matthews:

• Thomas: probably born before his parents returned to Winslow; baptised at Swanbourne in 1836; m. Anne Wigley of Thame 1836 (presumably the sister of Henry Wigley who moved from Thame to Winslow); emigrated to Australia and wrote "Reminiscences of the Old Baptist Meeting House"
• Jane: b. c.1816 in Tooting, d.1888 aged 73; m. William Henry Lomath 1836
• Sarah: b.1818; m. James Spicer, governor of the Workhouse in 1845; dressmaker, married with 3 children, living with her parents in 1851 (while her husband was in prison); living with James and 5 children in Horn Street in 1861; then moved to Hammersmith
• John: b.1820; executor for his father and for his brother William; in 1878 he was carpenter of Guilsborough, Northants
• William: b.1822, see below
• Richard: born & died 1826
• Mary: b.1828; m.1848 James Bull of Winslow aged 20, engineer; moved to Hampstead
• Elizabeth: b.1828; dressmaker living with parents in 1851

1851 Census: Horn Street (two adjacent households)

William	Matthews	Head	mar	63	Carpenter & builder emp. 2 men	b. Winslow
Mary	do	Wife	mar	65		b. Stanton, Salop
Sarah	Spicer	Dau	mar	32	Dress maker	b. Winslow
Elizabeth	Matthews	Dau	unm	22	Dress maker	b. Winslow
Jesse	Spicer	Grandson		5	Scholar	do
George	Spicer	do		3	do	do
Sarah Ann	Lomath	Granddau		10	Nurse maid	do
William	Matthews	Head	mar	28	Builder's foreman	do
Agnes	do	Wife	mar	31	Scholar	b. Belmeghie, Kinc.

1861: 23 Feb: The Will of William Matthews late of Winslow in the County of Buckingham Carpenter and Joiner deceased who died 19 May 1860 at Winslow aforesaid was proved at the Principal Registry by the oath of John Matthews of Guilsborough in the County of Northampton Carpenter the Son the sole Executor. Effects under £20.

William Matthews d.1878 aged 56. See his will and inventory, with the inquest on his death in mysterious circumstances. His children had Anglican baptisms. Married Agnes Wright (b. c.1820 in Kincardineshire, d.1877) in Birmingham in 1849.

In 1844, William Matthews the younger bought 280 square yards of Crocketts Close from John Morecraft for £17 "on part whereof William Matthews had erected a Cottage in two Tenements, bounded on the east by the Turnpike Road leading to Buckingham, on the south by other part of the Close then lately contracted to be sold to George Mayne, on the west by a Close belonging to George West and on the north by the premises of Thomas Allen". He mortgaged it to Richard Staniford for £130, and in 1846 for another £40. In 1852 he mortgaged it to George Maydon for £450; the cottages were then in the occupation of Joseph Howard & William Roads. He sold it to George Egleton in 1869; cottages then in the occupation of John Hardwick & John Sear. This is now 81 High Street.

Children of William and Agnes Matthews:

• William Thomas: b.1853, d.1934; m. Emma Mitchell (d.1928) from Newton Longville in 1877; after their father's death he and his brother continued the business as Matthews Brothers; in 1881 they were employing 4 men and 2 boys; retired some time after 1911, when the business became R.J. Matthews & Son; lived at 25 Horn Street - house listed with 6 rooms in 1911 and 5 in 1921; no children
• Richard James: b.1857, d.1942 aged 84; married his cousin Ruth Lomath in 1879 (d.1929); the two brothers were living in adjacent houses in Horn Street in 1881 and 1891; moved to Arundel House in 1897 (q.v. for more information); he had to return to managing the business after his son Frederick died in 1931, and it wound down after that; Gibbard & Ingram took over the premises at Arundel House and Horn Street in 1933
• Frederic John: born & died 1859

1861 Census: Horn Street

William	Matthews	Head	mar	38	Builder employing 4 men & 3 boys	b. Winslow
Agnes	do	Wife	mar	40		b. Scotland
William T.	do	Son	unm	8	Scholar	b. Winslow
Richard J.	do	Son	unm	3		do
Jesse	Higgins	Apprentice	unm	20	Builder's app	b. Granborough
George	Emely	do	unm	19	do	b. Leighton Buzzard
Hanna E.	Bates	Servant	unm	15	Maid of all work	b. Winslow
Henry T.	Newman	Boarder		15	Scholar	b. Stowe

1871 Census: Horn Street

William	Matthews	Head	mar	47	Builder	b. Winslow
Agnes	do	Wife	mar	50		b. Scotland
William T.	do	Son	unm	18	Joiner	b. Winslow
Richard J.	do	Son	unm	16	do	do
Sarah	Bennett	Lodger	wid	73	no occupation	b. Broughton, Bucks

1881 Census: Horn Street (two adjacent households)

Richard J.	Matthews	Head	mar	23	Builder partner emp. 4 men & 2 boys	b. Winslow
Ruth	do	Wife	mar	26		b. Winslow
Frederick R.	do	Son		8m		do
William T.	Matthews	Head	mar	28	Builder partner emp. 4 men & 2 boys	b. Winslow
Emma	do	Wife	mar	31		b. Newton Longville

1891 Census: Horn Street (two adjacent households)

William T.	Matthews	Head	mar	41	Builder	b. Winslow
Emma	do	Wife	mar	38		b. Newton Longville
Elizabeth Mary	Pratt	Niece	single	14	Scholar	b. Leckhamstead
Richard J.	Matthews	Head	mar	33	Builder	b. Winslow
Ruth	do	Wife	mar	36		b. Winslow
Frederick R.	do	Son		10	Scholar	do
Agnes Ellen	do	Dau		9	Scholar	do

These maps show the Horn Street property in 1923 and 1978. The large house was demolished soon after 1898, presumably when W.T. Matthews moved to 25 Horn Street (Sunnyside) which the Matthews Brothers bought from the estate of W.H. French for £500 in 1900. They bought 17-21 Horn Street in 1894 (as shown in the 1910 Valuation) and William Matthews still owned them in 1930 (D/WIG/3/1/12).

The 1910 Valuation shows Matthews Brothers as one of the biggest property owners in Winslow. Their portfolio included land at Winslow (although not the piece known as Matthews Close), houses and land at Shipton, 110-112 High Street, three houses in Avenue Road, 2 and 14-16 Church Street, houses and yards in Horn Street, and the former Coxill's site next to Arundel House. They also bought 40-42 Station Road in 1913.

Children of Richard James and Ruth Matthews:

• Frederick Richard: b.1880, d.1931 aged 50 (see his will for more information); m. Elizabeth Mary Gadsden from Swanbourne in 1910. She was living at 9 Horn Street in 1939.
• Agnes Ellen b.1882, d.1951; she was the last of the family in Winslow and the remaining property was left to her cousins

After the death of F.R. Matthews, there was a newspaper announcement that the business would be run under the personal supervision of R.J. Matthews but it wound down quickly. There don't seem to be any references to it as a going concern after 1931, and the premises were taken over by Gibbard & Ingram. Old Tanyard Close has now been built on the site.

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