A GREAT ceremony took place in Higginson Park in 1926 at which Princess Mary handed over the deeds of the park to Crimean War hero General Sir George Higginson (pictured).

The ceremony was the culmination of much fundraising and hard work to secure the riverside location for the town.

Following the death of Robert Griffin in 1920, the last resident of Court Garden, there was concern that the grand estate would be split-up into plots and sold for riverside housing.

Such a prospect appalled the town's people and work began in earnest to raise £8,000 with the intention of purchasing Court Garden for Marlow.

On July 5, 1926, their efforts paid off and the title deeds came into the possession of Marlow securing its future as a place for both locals and visitors to enjoy.

General Sir George Higginson, who lived in Henley Road, was a key player in buying the estate, donating the largest single contribution £1,400. He also invited Princess Mary to the handing over ceremony.

He was undoubtedly Marlow's most distinguished resident at the beginning of the century with King George V and Queen Mary paying regular private visits to his home, Gyldernscroft. On one of her visits the Queen planted a young oak tree in the grounds. The estate has since been broken up and built on but the tree, now well grown, still stands in the garden of a house in Henley Road, appropriately called Queen's Oak.

The General, whose titles included GCB GCVO, KCB, Dep Lt Bucks and Justice of the Peace, was born in 1826 and spent his childhood in West London when it was a series of villages and fields. He was educated at Eton College.

As a young Grenadier he fought throughout the Crimean War and was twice promoted for services in the field.

During his career he travelled extensively on military affairs to Ireland, Canada, France, Italy and Russia.

Most notably he spent time in America during the American Civil War. His American connections date back 400 years to the witch hunting town of Salem. His family descends from the brother of the famous Francis Higginson, the dissenting vicar of Claybrooke, who became minister of the infamous Massachusetts town in 1629.

The general held many foreign decorations as a result of his service abroad but he is not the only decorated military man in his family. His father, General Powell Higginson, had been a Grenadier and had carried the colours at the famous Battle of Corunna.

Having served more than 30 years in the Grenadiers in 1882, the General was ordered to assist in the now defunct Royal Tournament.

His promotion to general followed his appointment to the command of the Brigade of Guards. From 1888 to 1893 the General was the Lieutenant Governor of the Tower of London.

The general became a personal friend of the Royal Family including Prince Albert but was more close to Edward VII. Together the general and Edward were part of a committee set up to create a home for 'homeless and friendless lads'. The home remained of close personal interest to the general and in his autobiography, '71 Years of a Guardsman's Life', he quotes a letter of support from Florence Nightingale.

Following his retirement from the army, Sir George became chairman of the governors of Sir William Borlase's School, chairman of the directors of Marlow Water Company, vice president of Marlow Regatta, vice president of Marlow Institute and Horticultural Society, president of the Marlow British Legion branch and vice president of the Marlow Cottage Hospital.

In 1926 the General reached his 100th birthday and it was only a a few months later, in February 1927, that he died.

His funeral was reported as being the grandest affair Marlow had ever seen.

Flags in the town were all at half mast, shops were shut and blinds were drawn. Hundreds of people lined the route of the funeral procession.

Eight guardsmen in full uniform escorted the coffin, on top of which lay the general's sword and plumed hat, to his final resting place at All Saints Church on the riverside.