Jack was born in Martley in 1921 just three years after the First World War, growing up in the 1920’s. He went to school in Martley making allowance in his schooling, for fruit and potato picking, and for hunting. A man who loved the land, with an education rooted in the land.
He tells in his book that he only received one black mark for returning late back to school after spending lunchtime in the fields. The corn in the field along Church Lane was being cut with a binder and a pair of horses belonging to Mr Baldwin of Hilltop Farm, Horsham. The patch of corn was near to completion when he should have returned to school but Jack could not resist the temptation to chase rabbits. He received a stroke of the cane for his late arrival in spite of offering the headmaster, Mr Goring a nice juicy Rabbit. Together with very severe warning and a rollicking when he got back home. Mr Goring was not all bad though as on another occasion, when, as he seemed to do quite often, Jack fell into a brook, he lent him a dry pair of trousers. It seems to me, from my brief read of his book, Jack led a very exciting time in the countryside during his youth.
Jack eventually started farming as a plough boy at The Noak during the time of Colonel Nash, following on from this he went to work with Johnny Davies at Hope House Farm, then with Ernest Badger and latterly the Kirby's.
Tony Kirby remembers how Bill Hoskins, Bert Rowley, himself and Jack tried to earn a crust off 135 acres.
He then went into market gardening with the late Frank Genever, his brother in law. They started from nothing building up to a sizable venture. Many of you in the village will remember his vegetable round.
Jack was also a very creative and inventive man, putting his skills to use making a long distance bird scarer, all fashioned by hand; I will leave you to guess how it was done. I am told that his greenhouse was not only a refuge for himself but also pheasants and foxes, so if you ever wondered where your hunt prey had gone, now you know.
During the wars years the Army arrived, the Land Army, There were Moya, Vicky, June, Jane, Isobel and NELLIE THORPE to name but a few. Nellie was posted to the Nott’s farm. During the course of their farming Nellie and Jack would catch an occasional glimpse of each other and chat over a field hedge.
Local Dances were held on a regular basis to raise money for the war effort and the troops. These dances were a popular meeting place and with the influx of young ladies and the departure of young men to the war, competition became keen. A foursome was set up, between Moya and Billie Nott and Nellie and Jack. The girls however were only allowed out under escort. Courting was not easy under Mr Nott’s strict regime, he insisted that the girls had to be back by 10.30pm and occasionally at 11.00pm for dances. Jack would walk Nellie home and romance grew. They were to become engaged in Hope House Coppice on the way to Jacks home on September 3rd 1944. Subsequently married at St. Mary’s Church Pype Hayes, Tyburn Road, Birmingham, where Nellie came from on 4th August 1945. Friends pointed out a link in the dates. Both were outbreak of war dates for WWI and WWII. They told them they would be fighting the good fight. They were married for 61 years.
Church was an important part to them both, Jack himself recounted here in St Peters Church at a service only a couple of years ago how he came to church three times on a Sunday, morning and evening services and afternoon Sunday school, always in his best gear. He was a man of great faith, who knew his bible well. During the war not only did Jack work on the land but he joined the St. John Ambulance Brigade and wartime ambulance service. he recalls that on one exercise he was trussed up in a bandage and forgotten about for two and a half hours. In his work however, he recalls seeing the returning wounded soldiers as an experience he never forgot. When Nellie and Jack were first married they lived at 3 Berrow Green Road. Whilst there Helen and David were born. Their children have certainly picked things up from Jack and Nellie. Helen being a keen gardener, inheriting Jacks green fingers, and David; Well, Jack loved his sport, taking David to the Villa and Worcester City (to Worcester even when they were playing away from home, David recalls) and to local matches too, Jack having played both football and cricket in his day. They eventually moved to Rose View, Willow Road, renaming it Braethorpe (joining their surnames together) Jack loved his meetings, he enjoyed being involved in the locality at all levels. He was or had been Chairman or on the Committee of almost everything in Martley. From Cricket and Football to Bowls (which he started in 1994) and Darts, Air Rifle shooting and The Working Mens Club (latterly the arts and social club ) and Horticulture. He was president of the village hall of which he had been involved for 71 years. He loved a good meeting or even a bad one!
On the Parish Council I am told, he still liked to sit in on meetings when he could as an observer. This keenness for local affairs meant that he was able to be involved in seeing Martley become Calor Village of the Year two years ago, travelling to London with Dave Cropp to receive the award. He and Nellie were also honored with the Freedom of Martley for years of selfless service to the parish. Jack retired in 1986 but you wouldn’t have known it by his activity. He tells how he didn’t rest on his laurel after retirement, erecting fences and pens for Don Taylor's pheasants and planting Christmas trees, doing part time gardening jobs for many in the parish. He finally started to tend his own garden as well. He said of himself in 2001: "I shall continue to be dogsbody for the Village Hall with whom I have been promoted President" And of course not to forget the Short Mat Bowls group, celebrating his birthday with them only a week or so ago.
Jack was a busy man, always something going on in his life as he didn’t like sitting still. Always ready to help a neighbour. In fact his friends and neighbours even came to him for haircuts. At times there was quite a queue, included Tony Kirby, Tony Banks, Billy Nott, Don and Edgar Taylor to name but a few. Even Bert Edwards came up from Chorley Wood for his cut. However Jack's son Dave wouldn’t let him anywhere near his hair since he was aged 15!
Jack says,- "My thanks to Nellie for all her support in life, we saw some good times and have seen periods in our lives when problems have had to be overcome. Thankfully one remembers the good times and conveniently forgets the bad. One of the most satisfactory periods of my life has been watching my children grow up." Nellie says, "No one could have asked for anyone better to share 61 years of her life with".
Jack Bradley will be greatly missed by Nellie, his family, friends and all the community of Martley.
Jack Bradley 1921-2006
Would anyone have any information about the Red House Martley. G/grandfathers death cert shows place of death as the Red House Martley, on 3/12/1943. We would be thankfull for any information.
Robyn and Robert Brydges [rbrydges@easynet.net.au]