Matthew Bradley (bef. 1834 - 1892)

Born before 19 Jan 1834 in Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland, England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 20 Oct 1892 after age 58 in Tumbarumba, New South Wales

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Andrew Lancaster [send private message]

Biography

Matthew Bradley came free to the Colony of Victoria (1851-1900)

Baptised 19th January 1834 in Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland. Son of Anthony & Agnes Bradley, Kirkby Stephen. Anthony was a common brewer at the time of baptism.

1841 English census. Children living with the parents in 1841 at Linster Street in Hulme in Chorlton district (in Manchester, but south of the Medlock river) were William 12, Thomas 11, Isabella 4 and James 2. But Anthony 9 and Matthew 6 were in Kirkby Stephen with their maternal grandmother Isabella (Bella) Dixon, grocer, as well, apparently, as their uncle William Dixon, a 39 year old farmer. Anthony was again for a while a journeyman brewer at this time.

1851 English census. Anthony and Agnes died at a fairly young age before the next census in 1851. It shows that the children are still in Hulme (Manchester) with the oldest boy William John Bradley as head of household, in an un-numbered house on the street called Abbey Grove. Most of the family is said to be born in the same place, which is difficult to read but apparently says "Scotland, Kirkby Stephen" with "Westmoreland" then written in over Kirkby Stephen. Of course Scotland is incorrect, but geographically close. Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland is correct (and not quite in Scotland). This is who was there:

• William Bradley, 22, is the head of the family, and an agent for stocks and fancy goods
• Thomas Bradley, 20, is his brother, and a clerk in a cotton manufacturer.
• Anthony Bradley, 19, another brother, is a "worker and traveller"
• Matthew Bradley, 17, another brother, is a clerk in stocks and fancy goods, so perhaps working with William?
• James Bradley, (not Ewart), is an 11 year old brother marked as a scholar, who is said to be born in the same place in Westmorland as his older brothers.
• Couper Bradley, 9, is another scholar brother, but this time born locally in Hulme.
• Mary Bradley, 7, is a sister scholar, again born locally.
• [Mary?] Bradley, 33? 55?, is a house keeper and aunt, born in Kirkby Stephen like the older boys. Note: Findmypast think her name is Ellen, and ancestry.com have Biddy! Both suggest an age of 33. Bradly genealogist Nancy McLaughlin (of New Zealand) suggests she is Mary and 55, which would match a baptism in Kirkby Stephen 3 Sep 1795 for Mary, dau of Wm Bradley & Margaret Hutchinson. This would make her a sister of Anthony Bradley and an aunt of his children.

Matthew arrived in Victoria, Australia, on the El Dorado on 19 Nov 1852 at the age of 19, with his brother Thomas Bradley. They appear to have found their brother Anthony, who however died aged 30 on 3rd May 1862 of dysentery, at Specimen Gully, Barkers Creek, Victoria. Soon after it seems Matthew left. As mentioned on his death certificate, he was in Victoria for about 3 years before moving up to NSW.

Matthew's reason for moving north (away from his brothers) seems clear because Thomas left a message in the The Argus (Melbourne), Thursday 6 February 1862:

"ANYONE giving INFORMATION of the whereabouts or fate of MATTHEW BRADLEY, from Manchester, who left Barker’s Creek, November, 1855, for the Ovens via Melbourne, will receive £10 reward. Thomas Bradley, Post Office, Barker’s Creek."

The Ovens diggings were the site of a new gold rush at this time, but also close to the NSW border. Another place nearby which newspaper said people were heading to, was for example Adelong.

Matthew married Martha Jane Oak(e)s (of Yass) at Albury 27th June 1859, and by this time he had apparently developed new ideas about how to make money. The birth registration of their first child in 1862 says that Matthew and Martha were then living at "Yarra Yarra Station" in the district of Albury, and Matthew was storekeeper there. About the time they were there, it was owned by a future politician named George Day who was originally in the Victorian goldfields like Matthew, but had become a store keeper and from there gotten into cattle, the same path Matthew would follow. Furthermore, Matthew must have witnessed the enormous costs of a mass slaughter brought about by an outbreak of pleuro-pneumonia epizootica. Matthew also sought government contracts and worked as a butcher once he moved to Tumbarumba.

His next known job brought him one step closer to Tumbarumba. The Tumut & Adelong Times Thursday 29 December 1864, in its General Intelligence section, under "Mail Contracts" announced in the Government Gazette, mentions a three year contract to Mathew Bradley to do Tarcutta and Adelong, three times a week on horseback. Looking at the birth certificate of his second child, it appears that he had in fact already moved there.

Newspapers show that Matthew started being mentioned first as a butcher, then as the keeper of the pound. He eventually became a cattle man of some repute, but continued to make applications to try to open a slaughter house, which he however failed to get permission for.

Matthew, a grazier & auctioneer, died of a cerebral haemorrhage, 20th October 1892. In newspapers, very little is said about his being an auctioneer, although he does appear in a directory. And one advert in The Manaro Mercury, and Cooma and Bombala Advertiser, in various editions of December 1885, concerns a sale of a "SUMMER RUN within 50 miles of Cooma. Fine Open Downs, well-grassed and watered; carry 40,000 sheep all the season." People were to apply to "M. BRADLEY, Auctioneer, Tumbarumba".

Children

Tracing the children is difficult to do perfectly. There were at least 15 who lived long enough to be recorded, and apparently 3 more who did not. 9 survived their parents. The first children had their births registered (in the Albury district of those times) without names: 4139/1862 male, 4407/1863 female, 4918/1867 male. And even after that, names given at registration never seemed to stick. In some cases, it is just a simple case of the middle and first names swapping, or the middle name changing, but in other cases there were bigger changes. To get past this we are helped by the mass baptism which the first 7 children had in 22 June 1873, in what was apparently a big trip to the Church of England church in Adelong, and also by the listing of names of living children on the death certiticates of Matthew (1892) and Martha (1901).

• John William Anthony Bradley, was amongst those baptised in 1873, but was registered without name 4 August 1862 (4139/1862). This registration says he was born 12 July 1862 at "Yarra Yarra Station, district of Albury". (Yarra Yarra is also given as Matthew's residence when describing him as informant.) His father Matthew is described as a 28 year old storekeeper, born "Kirkby Stephen, Westmoreland England" whose marriage date is given as 28 June 1859 in Albury. The mother is Martha Jane Oakes, 21 years old, born Yass. Mrs McPhee was present at birth. No "previous issue" is reported. In his parents' death registrations he is listed as "John W A" and was 30 years old in 1892 and 38 years old in 1901.
• Mary Agnes Bradley, also in the baptism batch, had also been registered originally with no name (4407/1863). She was born 13 November 1863 in "Tumberumba NSW", and this was registered 15 December in Albury. Matthew is described as a 30 year old grazier, born "Kirby Stephen" in England, and married "June 1859" in Albury. Her mother's maiden name is given as Martha Jane Oaks, and she was 22 and born Yass. Concerning siblings only "1 male living" is mentioned, which would of course by John. Hester Baker was present at the birth. In her parents' death registrations she is clearly listed as "Mary Agnes" and "Mary A" and was 29 in 1892 and 36 in 1901.
• Jane Isabella Bradley, mentioned by this name in the baptism, but had died before her parents' deaths. A newspaper mentions her dieing at her parent's house in 1884, at the age of 19. The newspaper specifically calls her the second daughter of Matthew Bradley. It appears that her actual birth registration must have been as Susan Bradley (4741/1865 in Albury). This registration informs us she was born 21 April 1865 in "Tumberumba", registered 14 September. Matthew is described as a 32 year old grazier, born Kirkby Stephen, England, and married "July 1859". The mother's maiden name is Martha Jane Oaks, 22 years old and born Yass. Concerning other children, the registration just says "2", which cover John and Mary but possibly ignores deceased children. Apart from Matthew, Mrs Thomas was also present at the birth. The death registration index online (6084/1884) calls her Jane J Bradley, and calls Matthew, "Mathhew" but these are only indexing errors. The death registration gives the normal name spellings for Jane and her father, and uses the Oakes spelling for her mother's maiden name. She died 15 September 1884, a 19 year old spinster, at "Tumberumba NSW". Her father is described as a grazier of Tumerumba and was the informant of the death. The cause of death was given as 1 month of "peretonitis". Her medical attendant John T Burgoyne saw her on the day of her death. She was buried 17 September 1884 at Tumberumba, but no minister or religion is recorded for the burial. (Possibly she was buried at the family graveyard, which Dorne Saunders reports to have existed on the property.) This death was registered 7 October at The Hume in Albury.
• Thomas Cowper Bradley, another whose name is clear from the big baptism, was apparently the last to have a birth registration with no name. He was born 24 December 1866 (Christmas Eve) at Pound Creek, "Tumberumba". This was registered 7 February in Albury (4918/1867). Matthew the father is described as a 34 year old grazier, born Kirkby Stephen, England, married simple 1859. The mother Martha Jane's maiden name is this time spelled as "Oaks" and she was 25, born Yass. Mrs Blake was present at birth. The count of other children is 1 male, 2 female living, which matches the above, but now also "3 males deceased" are mentioned, and probably we can doubt that these 3 were all between Jane and Thomas. In his parents' death registrations Thomas is 25 in 1892 and 34 in 1901. His middle name was throughout his life sometimes mis-spelt, as was the name of the uncle in England, so it is possible to find Thomas Cooper Bradley or Thomas Couper Bradley.
• Alice Susan Bradley, one of the children named in her parents' death registrations as 22 in 1892 and 31 in 1901. So it seems tolerably clear that she was actually registered at birth as Alice Elizabeth Bradley (5376/1870) but baptised at the big baptism as Susan Alice Bradley. The birth registration reports she was born 3 December 1869 at Clover Bank Tumbarumba. The father Matthew is called a 36 year old grazier, born Kirkby Stephen, England. Her mother Martha Janes Oakes was 27 and born Yass NSW. The marriage is this time described as having happened 26 January 1859, in Albury. The count of other children is 2 males and 2 females living, 3 males dead, matching the situation when Thomas was born. Mrs Blake was present at birth.
• James Edmund Bradley, was born 4 May 1871 at Pound Creek, Tumbarumba. He switched middle names between registration , where he was James Matthew Bradley, and baptism in 1873. The registration was 1 July 1871 in Albury, 5775/1871, but it seems someone had first written 29 July; this was corrected on 29 June already.The baptism spells his middle name Edmund, but apparently it was later generally spelled James Edmond Bradley. Matthew is described as a 37 year old butcher, born in Kirkby Stephen, England. The mother is described as Martha Jane Oakes, born Yass, and 28 years old. Their marriage is said to have been 29 June 1859 in Albury. Mrs Blake was present at the birth. The count of other children is 2 males and 3 females living, 2 males dead, the last number of course being impossible. He died 29 September 1912 in Tumberumba, registered 30 September 12936/1912, registered in Tumbarumba Shire, with both his parents still mentioned on the registration although he was 41, and they were both deceased. (Martha Jane's maiden name was given this time as Oakes.) A A Bradley, his brother was the informant of the death, also a resident of Tumbarumba. It mentions that James had married at age 25 to Emma Elizabeth Christian, and their children were Gladys 13, Alvia 11, Warren 6, Errol 4, Leith 2, and they had 2 male children who had died. The cause of death of Lobar preumonia and exhaustion, 10 days. The medical attendent was Henry S Maw, who had last seen him the day before he died. He was buried on the same day he died it seems, at the Church of England cemetery, Tumbarumba, presided over by Arthur Phillops as a Church of England burial.
• George Matthew Bradley, ended up being baptised with a "Matthew" in his name instead of his older brother James, who took his "Edmund" instead, because George was born as Edmund George Bradley (5854/1873), and then baptised as Mathew George Bradley. The birth registration agrees with the normal reports of his birth on 28 November 1872. The place is given as "Glove Bank Tumerbumba" Matthew is described as a 38 year old butcher, born Westmorland England. Martha Jane's maiden name is spelled Oakes, and is 29, born Yass. They are said to have married June 1859 in Albury New South Wales, and to have 3 male and 3 female children living, and also to have had 3 dead male children. Witness to the birth was William Lander. George Matthew Bradley is mentioned in his parents' death certificates as 20 in 1892 and 29 in 1901. George was the youngest at the big baptism, so after him we no longer have that help.
• Reginald Dixon Bradley. Have not found birth or baptism record, but he appears in his parents' death registrations as 18 in 1892 and 27 in 1901. So he was born about 1874. The family genealogists say he was born 14 June 1874.
• Rose Rebecca Bradley was born 5 September 1875 (registered 15 December in Albury, 10686/1875), at "Clover Bank, Tumberumba, NSW". Mrs McLachlan was present. Her father Matthew is described as a 42 year old grazier and butcher, born in Westmorland, England. The mother Martha Jane Oakes was 34, and born Yass. This is one of the births where their marriage is said to have been on the 29th of June 1859. The count of other children is 5 male and 3 females living. Rose died in "Tumberumba" 16 November 1875, the same year as she was born (4522/1875, registered 4 December in Albury), described as 10 weeks and 3 days old. Her parents were described as Matthew Bradley grazier and butcher, and Martha Jane Oakes. Matthew, residing at Clover Bank, was the informant. The cause of death was 7 days of dysentery. Medical attendant E Hawkins had seen her the day before, on the 15th. She was buried on the 17th in "Tumberumba". No minister or religion are recorded.
• Frances Louisa Bradley was born 15 August 1877, and this registered as Louisa Fanny Bradley on 20 September in Albury (7001/1877). On her parents' death registrations her names had already reversed and she was 15 in 1892 and 23 in 1901. The birthplace is simply given as "Tumberumba NSW" (with that spelling). Her father Matthew is described as a 43 year old grazier born in Westmorland, and the correct marriage date is reported (27 June 1859 in Albury.) The mother is Martha Jane Oakes, 36 years old and born Yass. The count of other children is 5 male and 3 females living, 3 males and 1 female dead. Mrs McLachlan was present at the birth. The standardised idea that Francis is the boy's spelling seems not to have been stuck to yet in her lifetime, and she is often referred to also as Francis Louisa Bradley. Her nickname was Topsy.
• Arthur Henry Bradley was born in 30 June 1879, the younger of two twins, and this was registered at Albury 2 August (8161/1879). The birth registration says he was born at "Clover Bank Tumberumba" (sic). His father Matthew is described as a 45 year old grazier from Westmorland who had married 29 June 1859 in Albury. The mother "Martha Jane Oakes", was 36 and born in Yass. They had 5 male and 4 female living children, and 4 male and 1 female who had died. Present at the birth were Mrs Booth and Mrs McLachlan. Arthur lived only a bit longer than Ernest, dieing 11 October 1880 (registered 18 October, 5054/1880) at the age of 15 months and 13 days. The parents were given as Matthew Bradley grazier, and Martha Jane Oakes. The informant was the acting undertaker, John Pinhorn. The cause of death was 3 days of Croup. Medical attendant Geo Windrum last saw him on the day he died. He was buried on the 13th in "Tumberumba", but no minister or religion are recorded.
• Ernest Edward Bradley was born 29 June 1879 (registered 2 August, 8160/1879) and died 17 October 1879 (3900/1879, registered 25 October at Albury) at the age of "3 months and 1/2", both events taking place in "Tumberumba". He was the elder born of twins, along with Arthur. The other information on the birth registration is the same as for his twin brother. The cause of death was 5 days of dysentry, and no specific medical attendant is named. The informant was again the acting undertaker, John Pinhorn. The burial was 19 October in "Tumberumba", with no minister or religion recorded.
• Augustus Arthur Bradley, was born 1 November 1881, and registered under the same name he apparently kept all his life (9477/1881, registered 29 December at "the Hume", Albury). The place of birth is given as Pound Creek, in "Tumberumba" (sic.), and Matthew the father is described again as a grazier born in Westmorland, this time 47 years old, who had married in June 1859 in Albury to Martha Jane Oakes. Martha is now 38, and still describes as born in Yass. The count of other children is now 5 male and 5 female living, and 5 male and 1 female dead, little Arthur having passed away by now. Present at the birth was Mrs Booth. In his parents' death certificates he is 11 in 1892 and 19 in 1901.
• Percy Bradley (same as following?) was born 9 May 1883 (10686/1883). The birth was at "Clover Bank" and registration was at The Hume at Albury, 6th July 1883. The father Matthew was a 49 year old grazier at the time, born Westmorland England. He certifies as Matthew Bradley Father Borodale. Mrs Todd was also present at the birth. Martha Janes maiden named is spelled as Oaks, and she was now 40, born Yass. The registration also reports that there were 6 male and 4 female living siblings, but there had been 5 dead male children before Percy, which matches what was reported at George's birth, plus the twins. It also reports one female dead, which must be Rose. We do not have any information about the death of Percy Bradley, but he is not mentioned in the death certificates of his parents.
• Francis Ernest Bradley (same as previous?) died 3 January 1884 (6031/1884) as an 8 month old infant boy, in Tumberumba. The parents are given as Matthew Bradley, grazier, and Martha Jane Oakes. He does not appear to have a birth certificate, and is not mentioned by name in the death certificates of the parents. The informant of the death was Thomas Bradley, brother, of "Tumberumba", and it was registered 21 January at The Hume at Albury. The cause of death was 4 days of gastric fever. The medical attendant A H Florence had last seen him the day before. He was buried the day of his death, and again no minister or religion is recorded.

The Daily Telegraph Tue 7 Jan 1902 Page 2 Advertising (from Trove website):

LEGAL NOTICES.

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES - PROBATE JURISDICTION.— In the Estate of MATTHEW BRADLEY late of Tumberumba in the State of New South Wales Grazier deceased intestate. APPLICATION will be made after fourteen days from the date hereof for leave to withdraw the caveat lodged by Frances Livingstone Alice Baumgarten Mary Andrews Reginald Bradley Arthur Bradley Thomas Bradley and James Bradley the caveators herein. Dated this thirtieth day of December one thousand nine hundred and one. W. HOWARD RUSSEL Proctor Tumberumba. By his Agents READ and READ Solicitors Sydney.

Sources

Newspapers and documents are cited in-line above. The first versions of the above were made by descendant Andrew Lancaster, partly based upon his 2 webpages:

• (1) about Matthew Bradley's ancestry in Westmorland, and
• (2) about his family's move to Manchester and then Australia.