Day 15 - A Room With No View

Nothing exciting to report today really - I slept through breakfast was woken up by the B&B owner making sure I was still alive, went out to get a 2 squids meal deal from Tescos came back to catch up on things. Had a really awful dinner which I wish I never ate and have been pretty much holed up in my room all day looking at a computer screen.

Day 14 - Corny Plaques

Today there was sun and blue skies. Pity I had a pile of work that needed to be done but I still couldn't resist a wander around the Barbican. It is the place where Sir Francis Drake used to hang and from whence he sailed, where the Pilgrim Fathers set off for America on the Mayflower and apparently where "Britons danced in defiance of Hitler's Luftwaffe".

All of these are marked by monuments - a nice of one Franny in his best bloomers (obviously off to play hockey or something).

Some steps and a frame and a zillion plaques for the Mayflower and themed ice cream shops (no doubt for all them American tourists).

And various memorials to the fallen in many wars. Hidden away though I did notice a couple of plaques commemorating the Charlotte and Friendship's departure in the first fleet to Australia and also one for Cornish farmers who made SA what it is today (apparently). On the Charlotte was one convict named John Small who we trace back through Elise Gallard's family (Elsie married William Lathey Way).

Day 13 - Plymouth

Today I checked out to the hostel and headed on the train to Plymouth.

Am staying in the Sea Breezes Guest House and was greeted with a pot of tea and a comfortable room. The sea breezes are quite brisk today but I went for a quick walk into town and around the Barbican to get something to eat. Quiet one in tonight as feeling a bit exhausted from the hectic week.

Day 12 - Joy Riding in Devon

Today I was lucky to receive an invitation from Joy at the Halberton Historical Society for a ride around some of the sites where the Way family had resided in days gone by. I caught the bus to Tiverton passing a couple of steam train stations which unfortunately are not in operation during January.

Joy met me in Tiverton and we headed out to where Hartnell Farm was located. Now a business park there has been much redevelopement and it seems that the owners are wanting to concrete a whole field for further development - a proposal that has met with much opposition from locals. By some co-incidence Joy's family lived at Hartnoll at a later date.
"In Canon Girdlestone's own census in 1864 John, Sarah and one child are listed at Hartnell, John as Labourer for Mr. Cruwys. Also listed at Hartnell is another labourer, wife and child but no-one else so presumably they both lived in the farmhouse and the farmer lived elsewhere.
My Mother's family lived at Hartnell from about 1889 to 1926. I have a feeling that in 1864 is was rather run down and I think in the 1879 the owner or occupier was summoned for bankruptcy !"

We headed up to the Grand Western Canal that had some excellent views over the area and some brave kayakers and swans enjoying the water on this freezing cold day. The canal was important for moving stone and goods throughout Devon.

From here went to meet with a local Dairy Farmer Colin who's family had been in the area for many generations. We were hoping that Colin might be able to shed some light on where 'Dairy House' would have been that the Ways also lived at. This information came from the 1881 Census and alot of farms would have had a dairy house so to pin it down exactly proved to be difficult. It was nice to get out of the cold and sit in Colin's excellent kitchen - with beams that had come from various places such as a wrecked ship in Plymouth!

"1881 Census - Dairy House, Halberton :
WAY, John Thomas Head Married M 40 Dairyman (50 Acres) b Halberton
WAY, Sarah Wife Married F 35 b Bampton
WAY, Francis Son Single M 17 (Dairyman Son) b Halberton
WAY, Emma Daughter Single F 10 Scholar b Sampford Peverell
WAY, John Son Single M 8 Scholar b Halberton
WAY, William Son Single M 6 Scholar b Halberton
WAY, Elizabeth Daughter Single F 5 Scholar b Halberton
WAY, Auther Son Single M 4 Scholar b Halberton
WAY, Hannah Daughter Single F 3 b Halberton
WAY, Walter Son Single M 2 b Halberton
WAY, Charles Son Single M 1 b Halberton"

We then drove down the lane around which it is most likely the Dairy House would have been.

Next we headed up to Sampford Peverell to take a look at Butteridge Farm. The original farm house is long gone - I had a quick chat with the current farmer who has been there 50 years and built thier current residence at this time. Seems he had other Australians visiting the farm to find their roots as well. Still with dairy and sheep on the land.
"1871 Census - Butteridge, Sampford Peverell :
WAY, John T Head M 32 Dairyman b Halberton
WAY, Sarah Wife F 28 b Bampton
WAY, Francis T Son M 7 b Halberton
WAY, *Aurter* Son M 5 b Halberton *Really cannot tell what this is but it seems from later entries it could be "Walter"
WAY, Emma Daughter F 1 month b Sapford Peverell"


A quick bite of lunch at Joy's then back to Tiverton on the bus. Was really impressed with the kindess shown by Joy, Colin, Mike and Linda for a strange Aussie girl wandering around Devon.

Day 11 - Topsham of the Mornin'

Today I was feeling a bit moody and exhausted so figured that I would just do a quick trip to Topsham. Headed off to the station and happened upon the Exeter Farmers Market on the way. Not really in the market for produce I grabbed a blackberry and apple mousse slice - perfect thing for breakfast (well its got fruit in it).

The reason I was interested in visiting Topsham was that it was the place where prison hulks were moored for the prisoners taken from Exeter and other Devon jails before heading to Plymouth and then on to Australia. So it's possible that John Small came through this way.

It was a freezing day today and I almost abandoned the mission - somewhere round about 2 degrees and getting down to -2 tonight. But as I was already at the station on the train I got. It's a lovely little village and I had a nice wander around the village and a couple of antique stores. Jenny if you're ever here there's a big one by the quay - three levels of all sorts of things.

Unfortunately the museum is closed until April but I did take a walk along the Goat Walk (luckily not spotted not having a goat to walk with) to some of the bird viewing platforms set up around the river banks.

Deciding it was just too bloody cold to keep walking around I settled into The Globe for bangers and mash - bangers provided by Arthurs Butchers and they were a tasty banger. After lunch I wandered back up to the street and to Arthurs where I picked up some pate and local cheese for later.

Day 10 - Gone Fiche'n

Well today I figured I should follow up on some of the records whilst in the area. The day started off badly when looking for breakfast I actually walked out of two cafes - waiting 10 mins for a menu is not right. Ended up though having a crepe and coffee for breakfast which was not the light option I was looking for but filled me up ready for a hard day's work in the Records Offices.

I began in the Records Office in the centre of Exeter - right next to the library. And settled myself in with the Cornworthy Records and a microfiche. Cornworthy is part of Devon and is where the Bulley family come from. Now James Beyvous Bulley is our Great Great Great Grandfather on Mary's side.

Kate, Dan and William add another Great.

John Way's mother - Mary May Smith
Mary's Mother Rosetta Stewart
Rosetta's Mother - Mary Jane Bulley.
Mary's Father - James Beyvous Bulley
James' Father - William Bulley married Charlotte Lock
William's Father - William Bulley married Susanna Beavis on 22nd July 1801
William's Father - George Bulley married Mary Homer on 31st January 1768

I managed to find many Bulleys in the Cornworthy area over several decades so it definitely was a main area for the family. I also noticed some Way's in the area as well.

I went on to look for the Halberton Parish Records - some of which were available on microfiche but some were held in the Devon Records Office which was elsewhere. So I packed up my pencil and with directions from the archivist headed off on the Park'n'Ride to Sowton. My instructions seemed clear but I ended up in a monsterous industrial estate with no records office in sight. After wandering around a bit I happened on the Exeter College and asked for directions. The receptionist was very kind but not a master of Google Maps but I got enough of an idea to find where it was.

20 minutes or so later I arrived and rid myself of any contraband. Now considering myself somewhat of a dab hand with the 'fiche I looked up the correct film only to find that the marriage records for Halberton had not yet been 'fiched and I would get to hold and view the original book. I got my regulation pillow and waited excitedly.

I had the general date for John Thomas Way and Sarah Chipplin's marriage in 1863. As I opened the book the very first entry was for the Marriage of James Way and Elizabeth Thomas - July 31st 1837. John Thomas being my Great Great Grandfather and James being his father. John Thomas and Sarah's marriage were also in the book.

Now the interesting thing here is that for Father it states for James - Thomas Webber. Strange. I then found the Baptism record for James and it states for parents name Jane Way - single female. Interesting hey!

Day 9 - Halberton

Today I managed to make contact with the Halberton Historical Society who kindly invited me to meet with them to discuss our family's origins in Halberton. I took the bus through the rolling green hills of Devon and various small towns passing by Diggerland, which I am sure Pants would have been excited to visit, until I arrived outside the Village Hall.

Halberton is still quite a small village and still has much of it's original character. I had a quick drink in the local pub and then had a wander through the streets. These villages have such small streets and often without footpath - dangerous living indeed. Watching several large tractors reversing into small streets was quite impressive.

I headed for the church to see if I could find any 'Way' headstones in the graveyard. Remarkably I did! I found one for William Way who died in 1921 at the age of 73. Tomorrow I will try and see if I can make a family connection - perhaps on of John Thomas' brothers or perhaps no relation at all. This is the church where John Thomas and Sarah would have been married.

The wonderfully kind people of the Historical Society - Joy, Mike and Linda helped me look through various census and also the records of the church as to what familys owned which lands. Whilst many of the buildings and farms listed as residences of the Ways are no longer in existence I do now know where exactly they are. Also the record that we had as Herne Farm in Ashbrittle (1851 Census) is incorrect and it is actually near Halberton. It also most likely not Herne Farm - unfortunately for this particular census the records show one residence for a large number of people and represents more of an area rather than a particular place.



I hope to be able to get back to see the areas but given the difficulty of transport it might not happen - apologies for that one. Still I have some good information to follow up tomorrow in the Records Library.

The area is famous for it's dairy farming given the lushness of the area. A variety of farming was also undertaken in the area and apple farming being part of that given that wages were paid often in cider.

Back to Exeter and took the chance to do the Red Coat Free Guided Ghost Walk tour ... hope I can sleep tonight!