For many years I have had in my collection a rather battered photograph with the following faintly captioned in pencil on the back “Table lamp and lampshade factory at Marlow Common, lamp bases made from Marlow Common clay and fired in the nearby kiln”.

Having few other details, I have never printed that picture, although I do have a picture of the Marlow Common kiln and also one of World War One training troops using the clay pit to practice bridging exercises.

The remains of this pit are still visible if you know where to look. Those three pictures are at the top.

However a recent email and attachments from former Marlow resident Ruth Bowler gives us all the missing information… “I was talking to my elderly Aunt, Ione Black aged 94, who was a Marlow girl and we were talking about her young days in Marlow.

She started work at 14 years of age at Wolmer Farm House, Marlow Common making lampshades for Mr & Mrs Lefeaux.

They are listed on the 1939 Register at this address and as “lampshade manufacturers”. My Aunt says they worked in a large barn with no heating!

“The business moved to 68, Chapel Street, Marlow, and my Aunt continued working there.

She remembers during the Second World War the materials were difficult to get so Mr Lefeaux bought in lots of sheepskins and the girls would make beautiful powder puffs to sell instead!

The lamps and puffs were sold in major shops in London including Selfridges.

“I have enclosed some photos which you may be interested in including a “flyer” for the business.

My Aunt can remember a few of the girls names: Ione is on the right in first photo.

Others are Gill Hoare, Sheila Baulkwell and Nancy Lloyd. but not sure which.

Coral Sharpe also worked there. Mr & Mrs Lefeaux moved to Dunster in Somerset and both died there.”

Ruth’s colour catalogue from the factory is dated 1949: they were known as the Northern Lights Studio and their products as Norlite Lamps. Possibly they moved from Marlow Common after the war years.

I assume the business carried on for some time after 1949 but I have no memory of it, nor can I recall ever seeing one of the lamps with their charming Beatrix Potter characters: if any survive today they would surely be collectors’ items.

Number 68, Chapel Street, now totally rebuilt, was until recently headquarters for Laurent Perrier Champagne, but they seem to have moved.

Perhaps fewer people buy Champagne in these hard times or buy cheaper brands from Lidl.

A 1947 photo I have shows a garage-like building occupying Number 68.

Small print on the catalogue reads “Beatrix Potter designs are by permission of Fredk. Warne & Co. Ltd.”

They were the publishers of the hugely popular little children’s books and were known to jump from a great height on anyone who used their characters without permission.

I have one of these books given to me on my fourth birthday - The Tale Of Johnny Town Mouse.

A lovely little story, but I don’t think I ever got to grips with Jemima Puddle Duck who is shown on the first illustration.

Ruth Bowler, by the way, is the daughter of the late Margery Davy, a lifetime inhabitant of the town, who lived to a grand age, and who had some marvellous memories of past times.

She often helped me with facts and figures that I was unaware of.

I would bet she knew all about Norlite Lamps.

Contact Michael at michael@jazzfans.co or 01628 486571.