Initially the club had no home and rowers sheltered under Marlow Bridge on the Buckinghamshire side, but when the freeholder died in 1888 they had to move to Meakes and Redknap boathouse on the other side of the river. In 1892 Edward Riley offered to allow the use of his land just above the Meakes boathouse, by 1896 Mr Wethered, the club captain (from the local brewery family) obtained a lease from Mr Ward, a life tenant of the site that the club now occupies. The clubhouse was complete in 1896 and formally opened in 1897. Ward died 10 years later, but the new owner, Mr Borgnis, granted a new lease the club remained a tenant of sympathetic landlords until it acquired the freehold following the 2011 fire. The neighbouring land was acquired from Sir James Boyton (who still has a boat named after him). During the early years of the club, the Town Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta was a trophy that many of the Upper Thames clubs wanted, and Marlow entered every year from 1871 (except 1879) until it was withdrawn in 1883, and it won 6 times. The club competed at many local regattas. During the World War I the club lost many members to the war including most of the first eight which had won at many local regattas, and played host to disabled servicemen and a guards regiment which had been garrisoned nearby. Marlow first competed in the Head of the River Race in 1932, and lost further members in World War II. By the 1950s the club was strong, with Mike Spracklen, later an internationally famous coach, as captain in 1959.
Initially the club had no home and rowers sheltered under Marlow Bridge on the Buckinghamshire side, but when the freeholder died in 1888 they had to move to Meakes and Redknap boathouse on the other side of the river. In 1892 Edward Riley offered to allow the use of his land just above the Meakes boathouse, by 1896 Mr Wethered, the club captain (from the local brewery family) obtained a lease from Mr Ward, a life tenant of the site that the club now occupies. The clubhouse was complete in 1896 and formally opened in 1897. Ward died 10 years later, but the new owner, Mr Borgnis, granted a new lease the club remained a tenant of sympathetic landlords until it acquired the freehold following the 2011 fire. The neighbouring land was acquired from Sir James Boyton (who still has a boat named after him). During the early years of the club, the Town Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta was a trophy that many of the Upper Thames clubs wanted, and Marlow entered every year from 1871 (except 1879) until it was withdrawn in 1883, and it won 6 times. The club competed at many local regattas. During the World War I the club lost many members to the war including most of the first eight which had won at many local regattas, and played host to disabled servicemen and a guards regiment which had been garrisoned nearby. Marlow first competed in the Head of the River Race in 1932, and lost further members in World War II. By the 1950s the club was strong, with M. Spracklen, later an internationally famous coach, as captain in 1959.