Mention of local historian Sergeant Arthur Boarder in last week’s column made me realise that I had never dipped into a unique album of his – dozens of pictures he took of demolitions or building alterations in the town, especially if excavations were involved.

Arthur had a theory, not widely shared as far as I know, that a Roman Road had passed through Marlow, and he loved pointing his camera into holes in the ground looking for possible firm evidence.

Anyway here are just a few of Arthur’s other photos from the many in this album, these are mostly from the early 2000s, and I have left them on Arthur’s typewritten captions.

The unique vintage West Street chimney before changes were made. “The last to be swept by a young boy”.

I have a great picture of chimney sweep Ben Harris appearing out of the top of this in the early 1900s.

The former Territorial Headquarters at the end of Institute Road, now replaced by a Dental Surgery.

Building work at the premises in the High Street, before opening as Cafe Uno. It is now Megans.

Crown Road (I think it is actually Crown Lane) before flats were built and before Saddle Safari moved to Dean Street.

The unique old barn in Morris Place is now converted into La Cantina Del Vino.

Finally, also in Morris Place, the rear of the former Eddowes’ Ironmonger’s premises in Spittal Street before it was enlarged for Marks & Spencer’s Food Store.

Interesting photos - I’ll find more another week, and maybe you would be interested in seeing a few of Arthur’s controversial ‘Roman Road’ pictures which he is convinced crossed the river by means of a very basic wooden bridge at the shallowest point close to what is now St Peter Street and proceeded in a more or less straight line and up the present day Dean Street.

Arthur may have proved that Romans were in this area and I quote from his notes: “On 27th and 28th July 2002 I walked behind Peter Ricketts’ tractor as he ploughed an area on both sides of the footpath in Happy Valley and I retrieved a Roman coin of the Emperor Valentinian, in addition to an earlier Iron Age coin of Epatticus”.

I have never got involved with Roman history, but I will make further investigations before I print the further selection of Arthur’s pictures. Possibly the relatively newly formed Marlow Archaeology Group might have some thoughts.

By the way, I was at school with a Peter Ricketts who I think came from a Cookham farming family: I wonder if this is the same person.

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