A Yank at the Cottage - in 1868!

...In my research into Fulham Football Club I have found that there is - albeit very tenuous - a link with Craven Cottage and an American.
The only information I have is that after Sir Ralph Howard who owned the original Craven Cottage (before FFC was formed in 1879) sold the property, a certain W.Bentley Woodbury b took on the estate with a view to convert it into a pleasure resort in 1868. The project failed and Craven Cottage passed on to Mr Tod Heatley.

I do not know from what part of the USA Mr Woodbury came from, what other projects he was involved with, what year did he go to England, what became of him. So I am asking the historians or just the inquisitive amongst you if you could help me put 'flesh to the bones' about this character. Thank you in anticipation - Ed (LBNo11) :?:

 

This is what a google search brings up.

Note the coincidence of time and place.... plus the income from his invention would have given him 'seed money'.

And

Unfortunately it would rule out the "American" angle.This archive link would explain its failure:

* * * * * **
Ooops! Like so many other results, the link display differently when gone at directly than when approached from google, try THIS then click on "The Nation... notes"

EASTER EGG!

In copy/pasting the above, -which is as it was displayed- Several pages of non-related excerpts were revealed, in between the two paragraphs on Woodbury quoted. Try it

 

A yank at Craven Cottage???

...well I could have put money on you replying PF, and I appreciate your efforts. As you say it would appear to rule out an American 'angle' however, although it seems unlikely that the name W.Bentley Woodbury could have had more than one bearer, would any US archive find a William or Wendle, or Wayne even Washington(!) as the 'W' first name?

My information clearly states he was an American and Walter was from Manchester.

Perhaps more midnight oil.. :coffee:
LBNo11

 

RE: A yank at Craven Cottage???

I tried a couple other permutations/search engines and struck out.... I'm thinking that the name is unusual enough and the timelines coincide such that the inventor/photographer is the likely culprit.

Note that he had some income monies from selling rights to the process just before. Note that mention is made of his 'bad head for business'... just makes such a 'pleasure resort' scheme plausible by him.