Below is a picture of the actual handwritten transcript of what we believe to be an article in what is claimed to be the ‘Marlborough Times’ dating back to April 1904:
click image to enlarge
Text:
Marlborough Times. Sat April 23 1904
Old Marlborough L and M***.VI
George Maton. His father lived at the corner house between New Rd and Oxford St, now Mr Staggs, at no.7 New Rd. Had 12 children. One of the youngest sons, Dan, who kept the Wellington Arms died at the age of 49. The letter(?) (I think I have heard) painted a picture of some boon(?) companions, which is now to be seen in the ‘Kings Arms’ (37 K’bry St) and a humorous advertisement setting forth the powerful character of the ginger beer which he purveyed. George himself was older He died in 1900, at the age of 80. He was a clever coachpainter who worked for Mr Charles Awdry, plumber and builder, and lived at no. 8 in the New Rd. He had a fast(?) brush and has been known to decorate a chest of drawers after the fashion of the day, finishing one drawer before the boy could bring the next. He boasted that he could paint the numbers on the street doors as fast as one could walk along the street and read them. He could also do good permanent work, as witness the ‘V. Head’ which he painted over no. 48 High Street. He was fond of painting views of Marlborough and in San. Forest, and in his latter days (some 40 years in point of fact) spent in Devizes Asylum, he was allowed to reproduce some of these with copies of his larger picture of the old Castle Inn.
Notes:
The ‘Kings Arms’ at 37 Kingsbury St closed many years ago, don’t have a date.
The ‘Castle Inn’ – this was the building that then became Marlborough College, originally the very grand and large house the Seymour family – Marquessate of Hertford – which is now ‘C1’ House at The College, at the far end of the Court. This indicates that there may be more than one copy of this painting, one is held by The College
Climate extremes in Marlborough: What’s being done
