Anthony Bradley, yeoman, cheesefactor.
The first I know of Anthony was his inclusion in his father Henry`s Will dated 1720, wherein Anthony was left £50. Two of his brothers John and Benjamin were left £200. Anthony is living at Hallfield in 1725 and 1727 according to certain indentures of his father Henry.
Direct Ancestry
The following places Anthony in my direct line of ancestors, starting with my father
John Howard, Percy, Frederic, John Henry, Benjamin, Thomas, ANTHONY, Henry
Marriage of Anthony to Katherine Whittacre and their family.
The marriage settlement (copy held) for Katherine Whittacre was between ‘Anthony Bradley of Hallfield in the parish of Bradbourne and County of Derby Gent of the first part and Andrew Whittacre of the parish of Sudbury in the same County Gent and Katherine Whittacre spinster Granddaughter of the said Andrew Whittacre of the second part and Thomas Challoner of Lees Hall in the said County of Derby Gent and William Greaves of Mayfield in the County of Stafford of the Third part’ and involved the sum of £700 and land at Upper or Over Mayfield in the County of Stafford or commonly known as Nether Lomfield Gate, Lower field gate, the Strongford, the Hasle Rows and the Ottomy Pingle. These lands it appear were acquired for the sum of £990 by Anthony`s brother Henry of Woodhead, Kniveton Gentleman, son and heir of the late Henry Bradley of Bradborne Gentleman in May 1724 from 2 spinster daughters of the late Gilbert Mathon late of the City of Durham, namely Deborah and Eleanor and also their mother Anne, now the wife of George Bowes of Durham, who in turn had made indenture dated 20 March in the same year with Anthony Salvin Gentleman of Durham. In 1727 Henry sold the lands to Anthony for the sum of £1200.
Family of Anthony and Katherine
Henry (bp 1728-1743 Bradbourne)
Sarah (bp1730-1739 Bradbourne)
Anthony (bp Atlow 1732-1743 Bradbourne)
John (bp Atlow 1733-?). He was a Linen Draper in Cornhill, London (mother Catherine`s Obligation 1761)
Anne (bp Atlow 1735-?)
Catharine (bp Atlow 1736-?)
Joseph (bp Atlow 1737-1740
Benjamin (bp Atlow 1738-?)
Thomas (my 4xgt.grandfather) (bp Atlow 1741-?) married Jane Granger at St Michael, Derby on 13 July 1763 (Jane aged 22). Thomas was a farmer of Atlow in Bradbourne. A Katherine Bradley ( his mother?) was a witness at the wedding, also Rebecca Orme.
Joseph (bp Atlow 1741 Bradbourne d.1772 London)) apprenticed to his uncle John, distiller in London, in 1758 although the papers for this were burnt in a fire (see Henry Bradley’s child John). In his Will (made April 1772 and proved July 1772) Joseph leaves £500 each to his brother Benjamin and his sister Sarah. He also leaves £20 to a Mrs Haugh (?) currently living with him. All residue and remainder to his brother John. Brother John and John Cooke of Bromley Distiller appointed executors.
Sarah (bp Atlow 1744 -?) married William Allport of St Chad, Lichfield, Land Surveyor at Atlow 19 March 1775, witnessed by her brother Thomas Bradley. They had 3 children, William Bradley Allport (1776), Sarah Clifford Allport (1778) and George who died soon after birth in August 1779. Sarah died in September, a month later, presumably in connection with the birth. William married for the second time to Hannah Curzon in Aldridge in 1786. They had 4 children.
The life of Anthony
It is likely Anthony was regarded as a Yeoman at first, but it appears he ventured into other business – a cheesefactor.
A lovely descriptive passage taken from ‘A Georgian County Town – Ashbourne 1725-1825 Vol. 1 Fashionable Society’ by Ashbourne local History Group mentions these Bradleys and many thanks goes to the Group for their hard work and making this available.
‘Mercers and drapers were regarded as superior tradesmen and theirs was one of the few retail trades deemed suitable for the sons of the established or aspiring gentry. Another superior trade also requiring considerable capital but without the same social cachet was that of grocer. One family involved in both were the Bradleys, one of the best known business names in Ashbourne up to the end of the Victorian period. Originating from yeomen farming stock in the Bradbourne and Atlow areas, two members of the family probably established themselves, like the Longdens, in the cheesetrade; both Anthony Bradley of Bradbourne (1695-1760) and his near contemporary Henry Bradley of Ashbourne were cheesefactors. Another Anthony (1728-1811) became a mercer in the Market Place, and ventured into banking in the 1780s, to be followed by a partnership in a new cotton mill at Hanging Bridge. Unfortunately he over-reached himself and was declared bankrupt in the 1790s. His daughter married into the local gentry, however, becoming the bride of John Hayne of Ashbourne Green Hall in 1795.’
Also from the same book there is a list of those purchasing licences to use hair powder on their wigs (1796) and Anthony Bradley jr and Henry Bradley of Market Place are mentioned.
On 28 October 1743 Anthony was declared bankrupt and an indenture drawn up between William Fitzherbert of Tissington Esq, Francis Higginbotham of Ashborne Gentleman and John Chatterton of Ashborne Gentleman of the one part and Thomas Challoner of Sudbury Wood Gentleman and Joseph Bradley of Bradborne Yeoman both Creditors of Anthony Bradley of Hallfield Cheesefactor and Timber Merchant of the other part.
It should be mentioned that there is another Bradley family prominent in the area at the time and I`m sure they are connected somehow but as yet I have been unable to verify this. The mention of the other Anthony (b.1728) confirms this as I`m not sure where this Anthony fits in.
Anthony died in 1760 and Letters of Administration were granted to his widow Catharine, (note different spelling) Samuel Wylde (Mercer) and Thomas Cantrell (cutler). Anthony was described as a Cheesefactor. An inventory of the stock and household goods was taken 8th September 1760 by John Greensmith and Francis Wheeldon. For example: 10 calves £12 10s, 3 Stirks £6 6s, 71 sheep £63 18s, 19 milking cows and a bull £110 and various other livestock. Also livestock at Leehall (presumably the residence) and this included 200 cheeses £24. It then goes on to list all household goods in the ‘garret’, ‘closet’, ‘best parlor’, ‘little parlor’, ‘kitchen’, ‘bed chamber’, ‘little chamber’, chamber over house’, and ‘the next room’
Then in 1761 on Catharine`s death, son John was granted Letters of Administration.