1851 Census and Other Records of Occupancy
In the 1851 Census, Woodway Cottage was occupied by James, now aged 80, his wife Jane, née Brimage, aged 56, Louisa aged 32, Jane aged 30, Margaret and Leah, twins, aged 20, Isabella aged 16 and James's grandson, Edward, aged 5. The daughters are all unmarried. Thomas's son Edward is living here, his father having returned to sea after being on sick-leave at Teignmouth in 1848, 1849 and early 1850. Sophia, Thomas's wife is not recorded as living here, presumably giving birth to Edward in Malta in 1850. Under a separate household, still headed by James, is his sister-in-law Leah Brimage, surprisingly titled the 'House Proprietor' aged 52 and unmarried, together with Harriet Wise a 'housemaid' and Charlotte Webber a 'Maid of All Work'. Maybe the term 'House Keeper' was intended as she is grouped with the servants. John Brimage, a retired farmer and probably Jane's older brother has moved to Holcombe, where he is recorded as living as a widow with his daughter or possibly granddaughter Jane, aged 30 in 1851. This 'well to do' family had a Governess, five children and six farm laborers working a 110-acre (0.4 km2) farm.
By 1881 James and his wife have died and the family have moved to Melita, a house further up Woodway Road, near the old Woodway Nursery and opposite Luchana. Melita is the Latin name for Malta. It is not clear what the connection with Thomas Spratt is, however Jane and Isabella Spratt are living here as unmarried sisters, together with their married sister Margaret and her husband Richard T. Langley. Thomas may have purchased this property as he ceased going to sea in 1863 and had a number of land based duties, although he had a house in Sudbury, where he died in 1888. Woodway Cottage is occupied in 1881 by an American family from New York State, named Boyd. They have a German Governess and three servants in residence. A Boyd Road is the name of a new road in a housing estate nearby.
The Street Directory lists a Woodway, a Woodway Cottage and a Wodeway. A Miss. Spratt is at Woodway Cottage in 1866, however a Mrs. Butler is given for 1869. In 1873 a James Pitt Pitts is listed and in 1882 a Vice-Admiral Barnard. The first record of the Whalleys appears for 1888, with Colonel, Mrs. and family. In 1889 Whalley, Lieut.-Col., Percy Charles R.A. as at Wodewaye and the name is kept as Wodewaye from this point until the 1950s.
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