Great Bradley Hall of Fame
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EDWIN LEOFRIC (in Anglo Saxon, Ēadwine) (died 1071)
It is known that a Saxon Thane, Ulf, was on the lands in Bradley up until 1071. These lands were owned by Edwin Leofric (or Edwin, Earl of Mercia). Edwin's grandmother was the celebrated Lady Godiva, who is reputed to have ridden naked through the streets of Coventry. In 1066 Edwin and his younger brother Morcar was defeated by King Harald Hardrada of Norway at the head of a huge Norwegian army at the Battle of Fulford, near York. Harald was in turn defeated and slain by Harold Godwinson, five days later at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Edwin's sister, Ealdgyth was married to Harold who died later that year at the Battle of Hastings. Edwin and Morcar reluctantly submitted to William the Conqueror when the Normans invaded England in 1066. In 1068, Edwin and Morcar attempted to raise a rebellion in Mercia but swiftly submitted when William moved against them. Edwin died in 1071 when making his way to Scotland after he was betrayed by his own retinue to the Normans and killed. Edwin is mentioned in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland when the mouse attempts to dry itself and other characters by reciting a dry example of English history |
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ROBERT DE TOSNY (de Tonei), (d. 11th C)
Robert de Tosny came to England with William the Conqueror in 1066. In 1071 the Anglo Saxon, Edwin (in Anglo Saxon, Ēadwine) Earl of Mercia, was assassinated and his lands distributed amongst William's followers. Robert de Tosny was granted, amongst other lands, the manor of Kirting and Bradley and one third of the king's rents in Stafford. He went on to build Stafford Castle. Tosny is a village, population 677, ten miles south of Rouen in the north of France. . |
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BIGOD FAMILY
The Bigod family owned the manor of Bradley in the 13th C. The Bigods were noted for, amongst other things, being the Earls of Norfolk and owners of Framlingham Castle in Suffolk, taking part in the release of Richard the Lionheart and the signing of the Magna Carta |
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BROOKSBY BARTHOLEMEW d. 1448
The Bartholemew family were owners of Great Bradley Manor for over 100 years. Brooksby was Sheriff of Leicestershire in 1411 and again in 1420, and member of five parliaments between 1410 and 1435. The picture shows the family coat of arms |
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LADY MARGARET BEAUFORT, 1443 - 1509
Margaret Beaufort was mother of King Henry VII, who was born when she was just 13, and was the paternal grandmother of Henry VIII. She owned the land between East Green and the River. This land then passed over to St John's College in whose ownership it remained until recently. It is now in private ownership. The twin cottages on the Newmarket side of the village, called St John's Cottages are a reminder of the past. She helped found Christ's College and St John's College in Cambridge. Lady Margaret Hall, the first women's college at Oxford University, was named in honour. She is buried in Westminster Abbey |
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THOMAS SOAMES, ~ 1552
The Soames' owned Great Bradley manor in the 16th C. They also owned a house in Hatton Garden and land in London, and eventually had land and interests in Tobago. Thomas' son was to become Sir Stephen Soames, the Lord Mayor of London and Lord of the Staple, which means he sat on the Wool Sack in the House of Commons. The family commissioned Vermuyden to prepare plans to drain the fens. The picture is of the monument dedicated to the Soames family in Little Thurlow church |
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FRANCES PEYTON 1595 - 1631
Frances Peyton was born on 16th. April 1595, in Great Bradley, Suffolk, the fifth daughter of Sir John Peyton of Iselham in Cambridgeshire. In 1615, at the age of 20, she married Philip Bedingfield, who was born at Ditchingham, Norfolk in 1594, the son of Henry Bedingfield. Phillip and Frances had two daughters, Mary, later Veazey, born 1616 at Ditchingham and Martha, later Morse. Philip passed away on 10th. February 1621, at the age of 27. Philip died without heirs and in his will of February 1621 his estates were subject to the jointure (a settlement for his wife, Dame Frances Bedingfield, for the period that she survives her husband). Frances married her second husband, Miles Hobart esq. of Intwood, Norfolk, the second son of Sir Henry Hobart of Blickling Hall, Norfolk and Lord Chief Justice of Common Pleas. Frances and Miles had "several children". One son survived, John Hobart succeeded in 1647 to the title and estate of his uncle Sir John Hobart of Blickling and was the ancestor of the Earls of Buckinghamshire. Blickling Hall is a magnificent property looked after by the National Trust and the estate was the birthplace of Anne Boleyn, wife of Henry VIII. Frances died 1631 and was buried beside Philip at Hedenham where there is an inscription. "Here lyeth the body of Dame Frances Bedingfield, daughter of Sir John Peyton of Isleham in Cambridgeshire knight and baronet, first married to Sir Philip Bedingfield of Ditchingham and after to Miles Hobart of Intwood esq by whom she had several children. Her only surviving son is Sir John Hobart of Blickling bart who about 33 years after her decease laid this stone in 1664". The family tree is here |
Bedingfield Memorial in Hedenham Church, Norfolk
Blickling Hall, Norfolk
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REV MR CREEK 1809
This is an obituary. "The text says "At Great Bradley, Suffolk, the Rev Mr Creek; who had been schoolmaster there 87 years, had been blind 20, and was in the 111th year of his age" It is from The Gentleman's Magazine: 1809; Volume 79, Part 1 - Page 386 There have only been about 100 verifiable people that have lived to be 111 in the UK! See Wikipedia here |
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MRS SEABROOK ~ 1814
'The Bury and Norwich Post' reported that, on Wednesday October 26th, 1814 Mrs Seabrook, wife of Thomas Seabrook, butcher of Great Bradley, gave birth to a daughter. It was their 26th child! |
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THOMAS BRAND, 1774 - 1851
The Brand family owned Great Bradley manor during the 18th and 19th Centuries. Thomas Brand was, at one time, the owner of Great Bradley Manor and the 19th Baron Dacre He was an MP. His son, also Thomas Brand, became 20th Baron Dacre. Their descendants became the Viscounts Hampden two generations later. The picture shows the coat of arms of the 20th Baron Dacre More Infromation here |
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JOHN McMAHON WILDER
John had a total of 17 children. The eldest was Charles Gosselin Wilder (born 1842, died 1880), the second eldest John Trafalgar Wilder (born 1843, died 1892), the second youngest, William Burnard C. Wilder (born 1866, died 1931) and the youngest, Percival H.E. Wilder (born 1868, died 1942). It was, amazingly, in this order they became Rectors of Great Bradley. This plaque shown in the header of this page is one of the memorials to the family in the church |
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JAMES FRANCIS SMITH 1845 - 1912
John Francis Smith married local girl Mary Eliza Danley in 1876 (who first appears in the 1861 Great Bradley census aged 14) but it's not until 1911 that the census shows them both living together in Great Bradley - with two daughters Mabel (23) & Marjorie (33), a school mistress. James was an architect and a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). He was responsible for some important buildings - including Caxton Hall in London (where the likes of Roger Moore, Tony Blackburn and Liz Burton were married) ; the first public library, in Great Smith Street Westminster (saved from demolition in 1985) and the Hornchurch Cottage Homes for Children, Essex, which provided a pleasant place for orphaned children to grow up and is now a housing devlopment. James was responsible for the restoration of St Marys Church in Great Bradley in 1896. He is buried with Mary just outside the south porch of the church. Their memorial is a distictive cross. |
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JOSIAH NICE, d. 1908
Josiah was the enumerator for the censuses taken between 1881 and 1901 and he was the last miller in the Village. He took over both roles from his father after died in tragic circumstances: A;so called Josiah, the father committed suicide when lightning struck and badly damaged the mill in a storm. Josiah had just spent a huge sum restoring the mill, which was never used again. The mill was demolished in 1949. More information here |
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Reginald 'Rex' Connor Phillips Wilder 1896 - 1914
2nd Lieutenant, Reginald Connor Phillips WILDER, 3rd (Reserve) Battal. ion (att'd 2nd), Suffolk Regiment. Killed in Action on Wednesday, 18th November 1914, Aged 19. Killed in Action shot by a sniper while on trench duty, Western Front near Wulvergem [south of Ypres, Belgium]. Reginald Connor Phillips Wilder was born in 1896 in Great Bradley, baptised in Great Bradley on 24th March 1896, son of Reverend William Burnard Chichester and Mabel Elizabeth WILDER (née GROVE). 1901 census...Aged 5, he was at The Rectory, Great Bradley with his father William Bernard WILDER [34] C of E priest born Barnardiston, his mother Mabel Elizabeth [28] born St.Ives, Hunts; brothers William Eric [6] and Bernard Leslie [2] 1911 census...Aged 15 he was a pupil at Walthamstow College. His parents were still at the Rectory, Great Bradley His entry in De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour reads : WILDER, REGINALD CONNOR PHILLIPS, 2nd.Lieut.,2nd Battn.(12th Foot) The Suffolk Regt., 2nd s. of the Rev.W.B.C.Wilder; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders,and was killed in action there 19.Nov.1914. It was reported that he was shot by a sniper. He was found as shown below, buried in Lindenhoek-Wulvergen Military Cemetery but his grave was later lost, hence he has a memorial cross in the cemetery (1919) but is named on the Menin Gate, panel 21 His father, Reginald was vicar of Great Bradley at the time. This from his father's diary :- 29-11-1914 : On Monday, November 23. A telegram from War Office announcing the death of my 2nd son. Rex C.P. killed in action Nov. 19 1914,"R.I.P." Held a Memorial Service for the poor old fellow at 3 p.m. on the afternoon of the 29th. Church more than full. Service conducted by Rev. B. Fleming. The altar window in St Mary's Church is dedicated to his memory. For more information see the Undying Memory site or our page on Burnard Wilder |
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RICHARD JAMES W. WEBB 1890 - 1915
No.7736, Private, Richard WEBB. 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment Killed in Action on Monday, 24th May 1915, Aged 25 Richard James Wallis Webb was born in Great Bradley son of Elizabeth Jane WEBB. The birth was registered in Sep 1889. She married Robert WALLIS. Given the propensity for changes in spelling of names, this does appear to be the man. His mother may well have given his name for the Burrough Green memorial (but spelled WALLACE) and his grandmother or uncle put him forward under his legal surname for the Great Bradley memorial. 1891 census... Aged 1,he was at Newmarket Road, Great Bradley with his grandfather Richard WEBB [53] musician born Great Bradley; his grandmother Harriet [43] born Cowlinge; great uncle George WEBB 38] musician born Great Bradley and cousin Luke WEBB [21] farm labourer born Little Thurlow. 1901 census... Aged 11, he was "Below the Hill", Great Bradley with his great uncle George, now a farm engine driver, and his widowed grandmother Harriet. 1911 census... On the night of 2nd April 2011 Richard was stationed at Polymedia Camp, Cyprus with the Suffolk Regiment (see image). War records have the 1st Suffolks losing 3 men on 24th May, the bulk of the deaths being 42 recorded as killed on 25th. Only three have identified graves. Richard Webb is commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ypres panel 21 and seemingly as Richard WALLACE on the Borrough Green memorial click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details. With thanks to Bruce Phillips who is 2nd Cousin, 1 removed to Richard Webb for some of this information. Bruce is descended from the Webb's of Great Bradley. His 3x Great Grandfather, Moses Webb, was Parish Clerk in 1851, followed later by his son William. |
Richard, nasmed as Wallace, on the Burrough Green War Memorial
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WILLIAM HURRELL, 1885 - 1916
No.25068, Private, William HURRELL, 8th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died of his Wounds on Monday, 2nd October 1916, Aged 21. William Hurrell was born Barnardiston in 1885 baptised in Kedington St Peter & St Paul on 14th June 1885, son of David and Ellen HURRELL(née COOTE). 1891 census... Aged 5, he was at East Green Cottages, Great Bradley with his father David HURRELL (aged 27) farm labourer born Barnardiston and his mother Ellen (26) born Kedington. 1911 census... Aged 25, a farm labourer working for Mr Badcock, he was at 7 Spring Cottages, Sturmer Road, Haverhill with his parents and sister Lizzie (now recorded as born in Great Bradley). One sibling had died. William Hurrell is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, grave 8:C:164. For more information see the Undying Memory site |
Boulogne Eastern Cemetery
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JAMES MARSH 1898 - 1917 No.201992, Private, James MARSH, 4th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, formerly No 5181, Suffolk Regiment. Killed in Action on Sunday, 4th March 1917, Aged 19 James Marsh was born in Great Bradley on 12th May 1897, son of James and Kate MARSH (née RAWLINSON). 1901 census... Aged 4, he was at Waterfield Road, Great Bradley with his father James MARSH [35] shepherd; his mother Kate [26] born Great Thurlow and sister Elizabeth [1]. All except his mother were born in Great Bradley. He was admitted/re-admitted to Great Bradley Voluntary School on 1st December 1908 and left on reaching 13 years of age. 1911 census... Aged 13, a back house boy, he was at Great Bradley with his parents and sister Elizabeth. The Battalion was in trenches in the Clery area. War Diary:- 4th March - Division on our left delivered an attack, and a smoke cloud and rockets were put up from our trenches which drew some hostile fire which did very little damage. Relieved by 4th Kings Liverpool Regt in the evening. Relief started 7:30 pm and was complete by 10:30. We went into support at HOWITZER WOOD, reaching there about 12:15 am. Casualties 1 OR killed 5 OR wounded. Being the only man killed that day it must be that his grave was destroyed by later fighting as he has no known grave. James Marsh is commemorated on the Thiepval memorial, pier and face 1C/2A. Go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details In 2018, the Centenary of the end of the Great War, two residents from Great Bradley, Sue George and Steve George, gave up their time to place a cross in Flanders to commemorate the sacrifice that this former villager made for our freedom In 2022 the Parish Council has purchased his World War I medals (the Allied Victory Medal, the British War Medal and Memorial Plaque). The medals have been set in a display case and were blessed at the Remembrance Sunday service 125 years after James' birth, at the place he went to school (now our village hall). Click on this link to find out more about hiswar medals, which are now in the possession of the village: james_marsh_medals.docx |
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FRED TILLBROOK WEBB, 1883 - 1918
No.27773, Private, Fred Tilbrook WEBB 6th Battalion, Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire Regiment), formerly No.8146, 9th London Regiment. Killed in Action presumed died in WWI on Wednesday, 10th April 1918, Aged 36. He is named on the Tyne Cot memorial He was born in Great Thurlow baptised in All Saints, Little Bradley on 11th February 1883, son of Samuel and Catherine WEBB (née TILBROOK). 1891 census... Aged 8, he was at Thurlow Road, Great Bradley with his father Samuel WEBB [36] a builder born in Clare; his mother Catherine [36] born in Little Thurlow, sisters Frances Alice [6] and Ethel [4] and brother Cecil [2], all born in Great Bradley. 1901 census... Aged 18, a butcher, he was boarding with butcher Urban Arthur BROWN and his family at 9 Queens Street, Haverhill. His parents were in Great Thurlow with his sisters Frances, Ethel and Elizabeth [9] born Gt Bradley; brothers Cecil, Edwin [7] and Wilfred [3], the last two being born in Great Thurlow. He does not appear to have married, as probate, in the sum of £608-9s-5p, was granted to his Father Samuel. Fred enlisted in Hammersmith, London and stated that he lived in Great Thurlow. Click for more information about his time in the army: |
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THE GREAT BRADLEY MYSTERY, 1917
A black and white silent movie made in the USA. The plot involves an affair with a Mr Bradley (actor Edward Ellis) and his stenographer, Lola. When she becomes pregnant Bradley blames his business partner, Collier. Lola dies after having her baby, and not long after, Bradley is found dead. Collier said that he and Bradley were fighting, and Bradley pulled a gun. They struggled, the gun went off, and Bradley was killed. |
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CECIL WEBB 1890 - 1969
Cecil was younger brother to Fred (see above) as was (probably) in the Royal Engineers in WWI. Cecil survived WWI. His only son Leonard played for the Great Bradley football team. Leonard Webb died in WWII, in Italy as a POW. Leonard is buried at the WWII Caserta memorial cemetery. In the 1891 census Cecil, aged 2 and was living at Thurlow Road, Great Bradley with his father Samuel WEBB [36] a builder born in Clare; his mother Catherine [36] born in Little Thurlow, sisters Frances Alice [6] and Ethel [4] all born in Great Bradley, and brother Fred [8] born in Thurlow. In the 1911 census he is living in Thurlow and working as a bricklayer. |
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CAPTAIN JACK MARRIOT, 1918
Captain Jack Marriot was one of just four British personnel who negotiated the Peace Treaty with the Germans at the end of WORLD War I in 1918. He is the grandfather of Alice Ryder of Great Bradley Hall. The occasion was commemorated as part of an exhibition, held in the village hall, to commmorate the 100th anniverary of the end of the Great War. |
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WORLD WAR I, ROLL OF HONOUR
The roll of honour is a scroll held in a glass fronted wooden frame just inside the southern (main) doorway to the church. It is illustrated with a depiction of St George defeating the dragon flanked by the crossed Union flag & English Cross of St George to the left and an anchor to the right. Beneath the list of names is the commemoration: "Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ". In his notes, W Burnard Wilder (rector from 1982-1920) records "1.1.1920: Held a concert on Jan. 16 to raise Funds for 'Roll of Honour'. Realised £6/16/-." The four names in gold lettering and at the top of the scroll are the men of the village that died in the war. The names below are in black; these men served in the war and returned alive For more information see https://greatbradley.weebly.com/roll-of-honour.html In 2020 to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the end of the second world war a new war memorial was erected. The memorial comprised a tablet, inscribed with the names of the war dead, placed on the outer wall of the village hall (formerly the school), along with a new bench seat with a depiction of WWI soldiers and a poppy motif. It was commemorated with a small service on Rememberance Sunday. |
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BURNARD WILDER, d. 1931
Burnard was the last of four brothers who were Rectors of the Parish. He served from 1892 - 1920. He was, without doubt, the greatest "character" of all the Rectors of our church. He is reputed to have had coins made inscribed "1 pint" and "1/2 pint". The story goes that if the male members of his congregation attended Church once a day they were given a1/2 pint token and, if twice a day, then they were given a 1 pint token. These tokens could be exchanged at the pub for the relative quantity of beer! He was married to Mable, shown here. The family suffered the loss of their son in WWI and the Altar Window was created in his memory. Click for more information |
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ALICE MARY WILDER (Nee HEMERY), 1852 - 1927
Alice was wife of Charles Gosselin McMahon Wilder, who was Rector at Great Bradley from 1870 - 1881. Alice's brother Clement William Hemery emigrated to Australia, where he started a family. One of his great grandsons (born in England) was David Hemery, the hurdler. Hemery won Great Britain's only athletics gold medal at the Mexico Olympics in 1968. After his running career, Hemery worked as a coach in the United States and Great Britain. In 1969 he was made a CBE. For a period in the 1970s he taught at the famous sporting English independent school, Millfield. In 1998, he was elected as the first president of UK Athletics. |
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EDGAR WALLACE, 1875 - 1932
Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace was a British novelist, journalist and playwright, prolific author of crime fiction and thrillers, best known for King Kong. As an author, he wrote more than 150 detective novels, selling as many as 5 million in one year. To assist in his writing he designed and patented the Edgar Wallace Plot wheel. His popularity at the time was comparable to that of Charles Dickens. His link to our village is that in one of his books, The Secret House (1919), Great Bradley is the name of the town outside which the secret house in located. In once line it is referred to as follows: "I'm sorry—I'm rather sleepy. By the way, isn't Great Bradley, about which you were speaking ... ?" It could be a coincidence of course, but as Litttle Bradley is also mentioned in the book I doubt it. |
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MARIA WOOLSTONE ROWBOTTOM, 1848 - 1938
Maria is recorded as having died, aged 90 at Great Bradley Rectory. She was widow of Major Lever Robert Rowbottom, former Wigan Coroner. |
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NATHAN GOOCH, 1886 - 1956
Nathan Gooch was the blind landlord of The Fox public house. Strangers, unaware of his disability, would be astounded to learn that he was blind, for he would serve them with their drinks, take their money and give them change with the confidence and assurance of a sighted person. His gravestone is in the Churchyard Click for more information about the Fox Pub |
Nathan Gooch
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GREAT BRADLEY STAKES, A 1200m race at Newmarket
The Great Bradley Stakes was a name of a race held for at least two years at Newmarket in the 1942 & 43. The most famous horse to win it was Nasrullah (b.1940 d.1959) on July 18th 1942, ridden by Doug Smith. He was a Thoroughbred, sire of 15 champions and the English Champion in 1942. He emigrated from England to U.S. in 1949, when purchased by A.B. Hancock for $400,000. He is buried at Claiborne Farm, USA.. Located just outside Paris, Kentucky, it one of the most famous thoroughbred horse farms in the United States. |
Nasrullah
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SIPSEY BRIDGE
Sipsey Bridge is the bridge at the endge of the parish on the way to Newmarket. It crosses th River Stour which forms the border between Suffolk & Cambridgeshire at this point Sipsey Bridge was also the name of a horse born in 1954 on a Yorkshire Stud. It has a line that is still going today. It is also the bridge over the River Stour between the village and Newmarket. It is at the boundary of the parish but also defines the border between Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. The famous horse Hyperion (the most successful British-bred sire of the 20th century), whose statue is in Newmarket High Street was Great Great Grandfather to Sipsey Bridge. Click here for more information on the pedigree |
Hyperion
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FRED TEMPLEMAN
Fred Templeman appears in the 1901 Census of Great Bradley. He is 9 years old and living with his sisters and recently widowed father in Fox Farm, next to the Fox Inn, where they had been living since 1889. He grew up to be a famous jockey and racehorse trainer. Fred left home for Lambourn, Berkshire, to begin his jockey's apprentice c.1904. He had his first ride in 1905, aged 13. Fred's greatest triumph as a jockey was winning the Derby in 1919 on Grand Parade in it's debut season (a feat not equalled until 1995). As a trainer he had winners at the Newmarket Two Thousand Guineas and The Oaks |
Fred Templeman
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(MARGARET) SUE RYDER, 1923 - 2000
Margaret Susan Ryder,better known as Sue Ryder, or Baroness Ryder of Warsaw, is most well known for her care homes and the Sue Ryder charity. She was born at Scarcroft near Leeds, and lived both there and Great Thurlow Hall, which her father,Charles Foster Ryder,owned. He also owned Great Bradley Hall,which was home to her brother,Stephen. In 1953 she founded the Sue Ryder Foundation. A home at Cavendish, Suffolk, was established by her as a home for concentration camp survivors,and later to provide nursing care for the elderly and disabled. Sue later married Leonard Cheshire who established the care homes named after him,on the 5th April 1959. In 2016 Sue Ryder was commemorated on the First Class stamp |
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REV JOHN ELY
John Eley was Rector of the Benefice churches in the area from 1998- 2010. He was born the son of a shepherd and came to prominence as The Cooking Canon on BBC TV's Pebble Mill at One when he entertained audiences with cookery and comedy as a double act with Rabbi Lionel Blue. He was known as the 'Cooking Canon'. He has three best selling publications from this series, The Cooking Canon, The Cooking Canon Entertains and Simply Divine Rev Ely is on the left in this picture |
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DEBACH DELIGHT
The best racehorse from the Freedom (formerly College) Farm Stud in East Green. She won the Group 3, Deutsche Stutenpreis at Hannover. She bred, Joy of Freedom. The shows picture Debach Delight with owners James and Celia Miller |
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LOUISE MATHIAS, b.1975
Louise was born in 1975 in Bedford, England, and grew up in a Great Bradley, and later, Los Angeles. Her first book, Lark Apprentice, won the 2003 New Issues Poetry Prize and was published in 2004. She divides her time between Joshua Tree, California and northern Indiana, USA. More information here |
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BRENDA BRIN BOOKER
These paintings are by Brenda Brin Booker and, although not explicitly stated, they are from round the village from about 1980. A photo of the location is shown alongside them. Brenda lived in East Green. Click here for an n article about her paintings Joan Thewsey (see below) and Brenda Brin Booker, founded a group called group Five Women Artists Plus in 1981 in Great Bradley. It eventually was a group of 25 professional women artists whose aim was to empower and enable each other to work together to promote, market and publish their work. The exhibiting group presented some 40 exhibitions in and around London. Caroline Benet who lived in Willow Cottage on the main street was also a member of the group. More on therir work is on their 5WA their 5WA website here |
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JOAN THEWSEY
Joan Thewsey D.F.A.,S.B.A works in watercolour. She has exhibited in many places, including Westminster Central Hall with the Society for Botanical Art. She has work in private collections around the world and has won many awards for her work. The pictures here show Red Cottage in East Green, which was her studio whilst she was living in Great Bradley Born in Yorkshire, Joan’s two year training at Barnsley Art School was followed by three years at the Slade Art School, London University, Where she received a Summer Exhibition Prize, a Goldsmith's Company Travel Award to study in Florence and a Fine Art Degree. For a number of years she was head of a very large Art Department in a central London school, the department winning many awards and representing Britain in the World Exhibition of Children’s Art at the Expo in Japan. She was later was seconded part-time to the Institute of Education, London University Art Teacher training department. Joan was a visiting painting and drawing tutor at the Sir John Cass School of Art for eight years, and for many years, having resigned her teaching post, a visiting tutor at the Victoria and Albert Museum. She was then invited to join another department there to present V&A courses to teachers and also invited to tutor at special events when study groups were sponsored at the V&A by companies such as Sainsbury. She contributed text and drawings on design, repeating pattern, and textile history, to a glossy, illustrated, V& A publication ‘A Handbook for Teachers’. |
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STEPHEN TOMPSON
"Tompson is Suffolk's golden boy", Haverhill News,Thursday, 15th July 1999. Stephen Tompson competes in his first international on Saturday - a week after becoming an English Schools athletics champion. The 16-year-old middle distance runner from Great Bradley will compete for England in the junior home international at Carmarthen, his reward for a stunning victory at the schools blue ribband event. Roared on by a vociferous home support at the West Suffolk Arena, Bury St Edmunds, Tompson led from start to finish and was well clear in the in the intermediate (under-17) boys 800m race. The Newmarket Upper School pupil knocked a second off his personal best as he stopped the clock at 1:53.68. "The heats were harder than I thought," said Tompson, who competes for Cambridge and Coleridge. "So I spoke to my trainer from Kent and we planned that I'd lead from the start. "I was aiming to go through 400 in 55 sec, but it was 54, and I was a bit worried, but luckily it worked out and I got a pb. "I've never come close to a medal before," said Tompson, who moved from Kent a couple of years ago. "It feels great." Picture caption: Golden Glow . . . Stephen Tompson with his English schools gold medal |
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CYRIL POTTER d. 2015
Thanks to Cyril Potter's local Suffolk accent Great Bradley is featured in the British Library collection of dialects from around the country. The collection was developed to celebrate the Millennium. To listen to his farming memories click To listen to his farming memories click here and or for more memories here and an additional version here. or To understand the characteristics of Cyril's Suffolk accent see here Cyril also found the Roman coin which is featured at the bottom left of the first village sign from 2003 (see page on the village sign here) Cyril lived in St Osyth's, on the corner of the main street and Evergreen Lane. It was once a shop Cyril and Joyce celebrated their diamond wedding in 2010. Sadly, Cyril died in 2015, aged 87, just a couple of years after moving to Haverhill. POTTER Cyril David, formerly of Great Bradley, passed away peacefully in his sleep at home on Wednesday 10th June 2015, aged 87 years. Loving husband of Joyce, dearly loved dad of Colin and Janet, father-in-law of Elaine and Pete, devoted grandad of Mark, Ian, Sam and Ben and a dear great-grandad. He will be sadly missed by all his family and friends. The funeral service was at West Suffolk Crematorium on Monday 6th July at 2.15pm. |
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VILLAGE SIGN
The original sign was made at a cost of £375 to commemorate the Royal Wedding in July 1981 of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. It lasted until 2010 and It depicted much more than the current sign. It had on it a: � A windmill (which existed in the village until 1949 opposite Mill House on the entrance to the village on the Newmarket side). � An ancient oak tree (at Fox Green end of Evergreen Lane - it was pollarded just before the sign was made. It is believed to date from 1200s). � A fox (Fox Farm was located in the centre of the village. � The Church and its much treasured Norman arch. � HRH The Prince of Wales' feathers � St John's College: Coat of arms of (for centuries, extensive landowners in the village). � A Roman coin (found locally by Cyril Potter on land owned by the manor and now deposited with a local museum). |
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The current village sign was erected at the start of 2010. It was manufactured by H Signs of Mildenhall and the design is the one which got the most votes at the special village meeting held in January 2009
The sign is designed to have a long life and be low maintenance. It has been made with a CAD driven moulding machine from moulded glass fibre resin which is hand painted with high quality acrylics and then protected with a UV stable clear lacquer. It is anticipated that the sign should last for 30 years or more and need re-lacquering every ten years or so. |
village sign
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MILK IT MICK
Milk it Mick was at Loan Oak Stud (now known as the Great Bradley Oak Stud) in East Green for the 2008 season Milk It Mick (trained by Jamie Osborne) ran 12 times as a 2 year old, winning 5 times including Group 3 Somerville Stakes and Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes. He was Champion 2 year old in 2003, Timeform rated 120 as a 2 year old. He went on to run 28 times winning 392,426 and Grade 1 Frank Kilroe stakes at Santa Anita in 2006. |
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SAXONSPRINGS HIGH SOCIETY
Saxonsprings High Society was a Lhasa Apso champion dog , pictured here winning Best-in-Show at the Driffield Championship Show in 1993, out of an entry of 9,010 dogs! She is one of the few Lhasas to win Best-in-Show. at an all breeds Championship show. Daughter of Champion Saxonsprings Hackensack (the only Lhasa to have ever won Best-In-Show, at Crufts). She lived in Great Bradley for most of her 16 years from 1987 - 2004. Bred by the late Jean Blyth, she came to the village aged just 8 weeks old. The picture shows Joan winning at Crufts. See here for more on Jean Blyth. It was Jean's request to see if her dog could feauture on the village website that prompted the creation of this Hall of Fame
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DAWN JASON
From Haverhilll News Thursday, 15th February 2001. " DAWN Jason claimed an amazing five gold medals at a top international event in Switzerland. The West Suffolk club ace, who lives in Great Bradley, took pole position in the 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke and 200m individual medley. The highly-rated 13-year-old was representing Wales at the event in Geneva. It was by far her best performance bearing in mind the competition which came from Europe and Africa, including top young swimmers from Scotland, England, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Egypt. She completed the 100m freestyle in 1min 01.04sec; the 200m freestyle in 2min 10.99sec; the 100m backstroke in 1min.08sec; and the 200m backstroke in 2min 24sec". Coaching Career :
See Haverhill News for more information |
Dawn in 2001
Dawn as a swimming coach in Haverhill
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MATT FITCH
Great Bradley kickboxer Matt Fitch won the International Sports Kickboxing Association British Thai boxing 70kg weight title.Haverhill Leisure Centre personal trainer Fitch, 25, was rated sixth in the British top ten before the fight and became number one in the UK. He competed for the title at the Battle Arena Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) in Bedford on May 29, 2011 winning on points. Fitch has been boxing and Thai Boxing for more than a decade, works for Your Personal Training and is based at Haverhill Leisure Centre. He said: “I am thrilled to have won. It was a good fight and my opponent put up a good defence, but at the end of the day I clinched it on points". See Haverhill News article for a report |
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LINDA & JACK RAMSDEN
Linda Ramsden was a well known and respected race horse trainer. She lived with her husband Jack in the Old Rectory for a number of years until 2015. Jack was a professional gambler. Linda helped launch the British racing career of Kieren Fallon, who teamed up with her not long after the Irishman first based himself in England.The Ramsdens' daughter Emma, who is a Channel Four racing presenter, is married to top jockey Jamie Spencer and their son Joey is a racehorse trainer in South Africa. |
Linda Ramsden
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Jack Ramsden
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ROBERT BARKER
Robert grew up on Fox Green. After dominating local riding club and pony club competitions Robert progressed to Eventing, in which he instantly found his favoured event. From 2009 to 2013 Robert was located at Hartpury College, Gloucestershire, where he studied Equine, and was propelled into the centre of British Eventing. He is now an International Event Rider who also regularly competes in British Dressage and British Show Jumping. He is currently based in Gloucestershire where he has of number of horses in all disciplines |
Robert in 2015
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Robert in 1999
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DOMINIC BROPHY, 2015
From Great Bradley, Dominic represented Cambridgeshire in the national Cross Country in Preston at the National Schools Cross Country Championships He was one of a team of six boys at the U15 level. |
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Shaun in 1967
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BILL & BEN, 2016
Bill & Ben were Alpacaccas that lived at the Old Coach House on the main Street. |
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BRADLEY BOYS
Despite not being a big village and not having much in the way of sports fields Great Bradley has a fine trdition of sporting achievement 1934: Bradley United FC 1934-45. Back Row: Unknown Middle Row: ?, Archie Mills, ?,?,?,? Front Row: Tuffen Mills, Leonard Webb, Jack Felton,?,? Leonard Webb's father Cecil Webb was born in Great Bradley. Until the recreation ground was built along with the Fox Green development the footballers used the Fox pub to change in and then went across the road to use the paddock next to Bradley Hall The 1971 picture shows b/r: Christopher Grey, Richard Avery, Vaughn Goldborough, David Haywood, Nigel Goody, Chrtopher Philips, Michael Smith f/r: Clive Neal, Michael Haywood, James Avery, David Neal, Steven Smith The last two pictures show Dominic, Edward, Jack, Jake, Ben and Christian all lived in Great Bradley When they were 11 they won the primary school football cup with Burrough Green School in 2012 and when they were 16 they won the Cambridge District football cup with Linton Village College in 2017 They spent many hours on the recreation ground in Great Bradley prfecting their skills! |
These Bradley Boys from 1971 played their football in the paddock opposite the Fox pub as there was no recreation ground then
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BRADLEY GIRLS
The cricket sqaure used to be in a field where Clarendale is now. The picture is taken with Evergreen Road in the background It was the Womns Institute that provided the main stay of the sporting stars seen in the rounders team (taken at either Kedinton or Thurlow) and the Fitness Club |
Back row, Eileen Stevenson, Marion Smith, ,Wendy Mansfield, Jane Moreton, Liz Nicholson. Front, Gill Dunn,Elaine Bareham (nee Surridge), Louise Davey, Ann Harris
Fitness Club - Gillian Ginham - Sandra Dolby - Marion Smith - Marion Rowlinson - Anne Harris - Wendy Mansfield
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GREAT BRADLEY HONEY
From New Cottages on Thurlow Road honey is made and offered for sale at the roadside. The bees have produce beautiful runny honey for September This follows the set honey from earlier in the year which is from the abundance of oil seed rape in surrounding fields. |
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From the opposite end of the village Crown House produced its first honey in the Autumn of 2020
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From East Green, this is honey from the former pub know as the Three Tuns
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EDWARD, ALEX & BEN, 2018
Two of students from Great Bradley were nominated for the prestigous Roy Burrell Award in 2018. The award is for outstanding sporting achievement from a student who lives or attends school in Cambridgeshire Alex was nominated for her prowess in Long Jump and Edward for representing the County in Hurdles and Javelin Also nominated was Ben, the grandson of two Great Bradley residents, for representing England at Football. Ben is now (2022) a professional footballer |
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GREAT BRADLEY CHURCH TATTOO, 2018
Mark Felton had a tattoo of Great Bradley Church on his right arm. The two clocks represent the times of two life changing events, getting married which took place at St Mary's church in 1994, and the birth of his son in1998. To date, this is the only recoding of Great Bradley ona tattoo! |
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NIGEL THE POSTMAN
2003 - 2018 A presentation was made to honour Nigel-the-Postman's retiirement after 15 years wonderful service to Great Bradley village. He has served us and the surrounding villages for almost 40 years with the Royal Mail. He was always very cheerful, very caring and looked out for us all. These comments typified everyones feelings:"Happy retirement Nigel. I know my mum and dad at number 40 are going miss you xx" "Nigel went to school with my dad and was the first person to know my son had been born beacuse he was delivering post to my parents house. MY mum was on the phone to my husband who had rang to let her know she was a grandma!" A phenomenal £500 was raised for Nigel from the village, which went on a bottle of champagne and gardening vouchers for his beloved bonzai trees. |
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HIGH SHERIFF OF SUFFOLK, 2018
George Vestey of Great Thurlow Hall was made High Sheriff of Suffolk. The Vestey family/ Thulrow Estate swapped or purchased land in Great Bradley previouly owned by the Ryder family/ Great Bradley Farms. The land aquired was that which is to the west of the B1061. This included the Recreation ground and the allotments. |
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Prize Winning Onions 2019
Onions grown on Rob Bennet's patch on the Great Bradley allotments took the First Prize in the Onion category at the 2019 Thurlow Show.
The then went on to win Best overall entry in show and was awarded the Susan Loveday Vase. The piucture shows Rob on his allottment at the rear of the picture |
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JOHN BARNETT, PARISH CLERK 2004 - 2020
John and Maureen Barnett in their beautiful garden with John's gift of an outdoor barometer/thermometer/ hygrometer to commemorate his 16 years as Great Bradley Parish Clerk. Cards from well wishers and National Garden Vouchers from villagers which will certainly be put to good use by them both. John lead the development of many of the things that the village can be proud of including new pathways, bridges and playground equipment and the archive group. He was instrumental in the hedgerow survey and in bringing about the poignent memory to the war dead (below) |
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NEW WAR MEMORIAL, 2022
To coincide with the 75th anniversary of the end of the second world war a new war memorial was erected. The memorial comprised a tablet, inscribed with the names of the war dead and those who served, placed on the outer wall of the village hall (formerly the school), along with a new bench seat with a depiction of WWI soldiers and a poppy motif. On Armisitce Sunday 2020 a small service of remembrance was held. Pat Spires, Chair of the Parish Council, wrote, "A Poppy Wreath was laid on behalf of Great Bradley at the new Village Hall Memorial. Thank you to Steve & Sue George both ex-service personnel and stalwarts of the British Legion for representing our forces. To Steve for reciting the Exhortation and leading the 2 minute silence. Thanks also go to Simon Kiddy for ensuring our flag was flying. This was not the Remembrance Day Service we wanted to have [due to Covid-19 restrictions] but I hope we honoured those who fell, those who have returned from conflicts and all those who continue to work so hard to keep us safe in these difficult times" Although some research has been undertaken, we can find no record of anyone from the village who was lost in WWII, so the memorial only records those from WWI. This memorial complements the scroll and the bier that honours the dead from WWI that are in the church. In order to keep the memory of those who gave so much alive, we have submitted the pictures of the memorials to the national War Memorial site |
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LUKE MORIRIS b.1988
Luke Morris was born in Oxford and was trained at Newmarket's British Racing School. He was subsequently apprenticed to racehorse trainer Michael Bell since then has become 1st jockey for Sir Mark Prescott. . His first winner came in November 2005 and he won his first group race on Gilt Edge Girl in the Ballyogan Stakes in 2010. He gained his biggest success to date in the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp later in 2010 and again in the same race in 2016. To see Luke in a video of on the Day in the Life of a Jockey click here and an interview with him here |
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HANNAH BOYLE
Hannah Boyle was Miss Durham Tees in 2019 and went on to be a contestant in the 2020 Miss Great Britain contest. She took a holiday in Great Bradley in 2021, pictured here at Pond House. |
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JILL RODWELL, d.2022 Jill lived at Kennel Cottages in Great Bradley for a good number of years. She was an active member of the archive group, helping to bring order into the chaos of hundreds of documents that had accumulated over the years. She was very generous with her time and knowledge in helping others learn about the people and places of Great Bradley 
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