We continue with our journey around the more important houses of Dawlish.

Brookdale Cottage

Built as Brook Cottage around 1800, with John Upham being the first occupier who may have been the builder.

He was an English bookseller and antiquarian who also wrote books on a number of subjects.

He was also sheriff in 1807, and Mayor of Exeter in 1809.

The orne cottage was later leased, but still owned by Mr Upham, who sold it in 1839 to Robert Bishop Twose, a linen draper on the Strand. 

In the 1880s, Mr Walter Tebbitt bought the cottage for £1460 and built 'Our Room', latterly the Shaftesbury Theatre. This was used for the working people of Dawlish.

Between the cottage and Our Room, an exhibition of Gower and Ball's loud speaking telephone was held.

The name of the cottage changed to Brookdale in 1923, and in 1959 the tennis court in the gardens was demolished and a Post Office built in it's place.

Its pink walls and cottage are Grade II listed. One of the walls is made from cob, while the others are constructed with stones from the local beach.

St Michael's Home of Home

Built on Strand Hill, the two adjacent semi-detached houses are of pale brick from Hexter and Humpherson of Kingsteinton.

By 1887, it was St Michael's and latterly the Girl's Friendly Society who looked after servants to protect them from falling into prostitution.

The Society also took over the adjacent house and later moved to Westcliff before having its meetings in the Parish Rooms, Old Town St and then in members' houses.

The houses by 1920 had become private dwellings.

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Ed: This article is part of local historian Ray Bickel's series on Dawlish history. Use the links below to read previous articles:

Part One: What were the origins of Dawlish?

Part Two: The origins of St Gregory's Church

Part Three: The history of Dawlish's churches

Part Four: The origins of the Lawn and Tuck's Plot

Part Five: Tuck's Plot, the Lawn and the swans at the turn of the century

Part Six: The origins of Brunel's railway

Part Seven: Blowing up cliffs and Brunel's Atmospheric Railway

Part Eight: The early days of the railway

Part Nine: The 2014 storm and plans for a Dawlish avoiding line

Part 10: Pubs of Dawlish, past and present

Part 11: Pubs of Dawlish, past and present part II

Part 12: Pubs of Dawlish, past and present part III

Part 13: Pubs of Dawlish, past and present part IV

Part 14: Pubs of Dawlish, past and present part V

Part 15: Historic houses of Dawlish