Frederick and James Bradbury – 9 Foundry Road

Frederick and James Bradbury were the 2 eldest sons of James and Emma Bradbury. They had 3 sisters and a brother. All of them were born in Stamford and had probably lived at 9 Foundry Road all their lives. Their father was a labourer in the brewing industry. At the time of the 1911 census James was a 12yr old schoolboy and Frederick was working as a porter on the railway.

Frederick

On the 15th June 1906 the Stamford Mercury reported that Frederick Bradbury along with another boy was charged with stealing from a market trader. The boys claimed in their defence that the trader concerned owed them the money for work they had done. The court may have believed them but never-the-less their parents were told to give them a good thrashing! Perhaps it was this incident that meant he was encouraged to join the army which he did aged 16 years about the time the census was taken. He served 4 years as a driver and then gunner being stationed at Lydd, Thetford and Larkhill.

At the end of his initial engagement Frederick re-enlisted in December 1915 joining the 1st Battalion of the Northants Regiment with the rank of Bombadier. He served in France and Egypt returning home in April 1916 by which time he had gained the rank of Corporal. In August that year he married Violet Emily Hawkes at High Wycombe and in November that year their 1st child, Frederick James, was born.

Sometime in 1917 he returned to Alexandria where on 5th November 1917 the 3rd finger of his left hand was crushed while he was handling a gun – this was not on active service but it was noted that he was in no way to blame for the accident.

For a few months before he was an Acting Sergeant and when he was demobbed in May 1919 he was described as reliable and intelligent with exemplary conduct and sobriety. He had gone a long way from Stamford Borough Police Court!

James

Although he was only 16 years old, James enlisted in September 1915. Five months later he was invalided home and may not have returned to service.

After the War

Frederick and Violet had several more children, one of them born in Stamford.

James married Florrie Stangar in March 1926 and their son, James was born in Stamford in 1927