Marlow - in the steps of Daniel Defoe

New York Times 23rd February 2022

It has been quite a while since I bought a copy of this august international paper. For some reason the newsagents dotted about Ringwood where I live in the New Forest region of England do not deem it worthwhile stocking next to the indigenous national dailies. Isolationism and exceptionalism? Whatever the reason I have not seen one available since we officially left the EU. Today’s purchase was a luxury I enjoyed over a full English breakfast at the Strawberry Grove restaurant in Marlow.

In all the books I have read by journalists who have reported from the world’s conflict zones they all mention a perennial problem. That is “where is the best place to be to do my job?”. With the Ukraine should it be Moscow, Kyiv or Munich? In his piece titled “Two powers are not just bystanders” Thomas L Friedman provides the answer of the ideal location in the first paragraph.

I have tried to understand what it is that is driving Putin to behave the way he does. Here is a man who is 69 this year, a grandfather and according to official state figures has an annual salary of $115,000. This does not quite equate with being seen to be wearing a range of very expensive watches valued at $700,000. I somehow don’t think the likes of Rolex or Tag Heur would be lending him watches to get his endorsement to appear in ads in the western press. Other sources say that he has amassed a personal billion-dollar fortune accumulated through holding stakes in different Russian companies. Suffice to say he is comfortably off. So, why continue to lead his country and poke a stick into the hornets’ nest that is Ukraine and risk incurring the wrath of the West? Or, maybe he knows he is quite safe doing this as the West is highly reluctant to allow itself to be dragged into a conflict much preferring the use of economic sanctions as a weapon.

Come on Vlad, look at yourself and seriously consider retiring in great comfort and security to your dacha somewhere at a Russian resort. There you can enjoy your grandchildren, live in peace and maybe return to study and become an honorary professor at what is now called the “Saint Petersburg University” where you specialized in international trade.

With all of the above thoughts freshly written it should be revealed what Thomas L Friedman suggested as the best location for journalists wanting to cover the Ukraine situation:

“The only place to be for understanding this war is inside Russian President Vladimir Putin’s head”

Note: How quickly things changed between breakfast this Monday morning and a couple of days later.

Strawberry Grove Restaurant, High Street, Marlow Buckinghamshire

I always try to support independent restaurants to salve my conscience about keeping money in the local economy and maintaining individuality on our shopping streets. Recently these well aimed intentions have resulted in disappointment and in one case a rather delicate stomach for twenty- four hours following the visit. However, I have begun to venture back to the independents, and I am glad to say that the latest experience has been positive; breakfast at the Strawberry Grove.

A fresh almost continental café feel about the place with modern functional utilitarian furniture inside and a couple of bistro tables and chairs on the street. I opted for inside as it was only 5c today. I left those facilities for the eating and coffee drinking smokers today. I had the full English which included black pudding, fine back bacon, sausage, sourdough toast, poached egg and vine cherry tomatoes that were so fresh they could have been picked just minutes before being cooked. When the breakfast was served, I was warned the “plate is hot” and it was. So the food was still quite warm down to the last forkful of a delicious sausage. Breakfast and coffee including 12.5% service charge came to £14.85. ($20USD).

To quote Arnie “I will be back” and soon I hope.

Daniel Defoe

Daniel Defoe (1684 – 1731) who is perhaps most famous for his novel “Robinson Crusoe” which was published in 1719 also wrote “A tour thro’ the whole island of Great Britain divided into circuits or journals” between 1724 and 1727. He records his visit Marlow or Greater Marlow as it was known then in circa 1722.

He described the town as “…proper enough to be spoken of, and is particularly worth notice for several things…”

“… a town of great embarkation on the Thames…”

From that one can only assume he arrived at Great Marlow by boat along the Thames. He goes on to describe some local manufacturing:

“On the river of Thames, just by the side of the town, though on the other bank, are three very remarkable mills…”

They were the Temple Brass Mills upriver at Bisham and Marlow Mills which became the centre of thimble production in Great Britain in the late 17th century. Those mills have long ago disappeared and have been replaced by a rowing club, some very expansive extensive riverside properties and all that remains of what Defoe would have seen is the small church that was once part of Bisham Abbey.

The bridge and church that Defoe would have crossed and worshipped at were replaced in 1832 and 1831 respectively. In his book “The Chiltern Hundreds” (1897) Albert J foster described both as:

“Church and bridge are both new, and it must be confessed, not very handsome.”

Defoe was a regular customer of the coffee shops in his day so most likely he would have enjoyed a visit to Strawberry Grove. Sitting quietly at a table reading a pamphlet, listening to the local gossip, maybe joining in and making a fuss of the customers’ dogs as they passed his table. They might even have been handed a piece of bacon or sausage by the rather grand looking bewigged gentleman. As for Albert Foster, his opinion of the bridge and the church might have improved if he had been able to stop for breakfast and coffee there before going on to look at them and recording his negative opinions.