Alfred Bradford. Alderman and Chairman of Ealing Highways Committee in 1937.
Alfred William Bradford was born in 1873, a son of Alfred Bradford and Alice Wesson Bradford née Tubb (1839-1895). His birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1873 in the Eastbourne Registration District, Sussex (now East Sussex). On 11 January 1874 he was baptised in Christ Church, Eastbourne, jointly with his twin brother William Alfred Bradford (1873-1874), where in the baptismal register his family were shown to be residing in Eastbourne and that his father was a carpenter. When his twin brother died, aged 7 months, the burial register shows that on 27 June 1874 the family were living at 1 Cambridge Terrace, Eastbourne.
He was shown as William Bradford, aged 7 years and a scholar in the census that was undertaken on 3 April 1881. He was still living at 1 Cambridge Terrace, Eastbourne, with his parents and five siblings: Herbert George Bradford (1863-1947) - a bricklayer; Sarah Bradford (1866-1926); Robert Bradford (1872-1941) - a scholar; Rosa Elizabeth Bradford (1875-1961) - a scholar and Mary Bradford (b.1881). His father continued to be listed as a carpenter.
He was described as Alfred Bradford, aged 17 years in the census that was compiled on 5 April 1891. He was listed as a footman residing in the family home of George William Brewis (1849-1900), a local Justice of the Peace, at 6 Spencer Road, Eastbourne, together with a cook and housemaid.
On 5 April 1896 he married Ellen Morgan (1865-1940) in St Marylebone Parish Church, 17 Marylebone Road, London, NW1, where in the marriage register he is shown incorrectly as 28 years (he was only aged 22 years), a bachelor and a coffee house keeper who was living at 44 Smith Street, Kennington, London, the son of Alfred William Bradford, a builder, whilst his wife is described again incorrectly as aged 29 years (she was aged 30 years) and a spinster who was residing at 15 Hayes Place, St Marylebone, the daughter of James Morgan, a game keeper.
When their eldest son, Alfred James Bradford (1897-1963) was baptised on 22 August 1897 at St Luke's Church, Old Street, Finsbury, London, the baptismal register showed him as a dining room keeper and the family were residing at 37 Bath Street, Finsbury.
He was recorded at Alfred W. Bradford, aged 28 years and a coffee house keeper on the census that was taken on 31 March 1901. He was living at 37 Bath Street, Finsbury, London, with his wife and their three children: Alfred James Bradford (1897-1963); Enid Marjorie Bradford (1899-1945) and Edward William Bradford (1900-1947).
When his daughter, Ellen Gwyneth Bradford (1903-1993) was baptised on 17 May 1903 at St Mary's Church, Putney High Street, Putney, Surrey (now Greater London), the baptismal register shows the family were residing at 200 Putney Bridge Road, Putney and he was listed as a dairyman.
His son, Robert George Bradford (1905-1919), was baptised on 28 May 1905 in St John's Church, Mattock Lane, West Ealing, Middlesex (now Greater London), where the baptismal register states that the family were living at 138 Northfield Lane (later renamed as Northfield Avenue), West Ealing, and that he was a dairyman.
When he completed his census return form on 2 April 1911 he described himself as aged 38 years and a master dairyman, living in a seven roomed property at 98 Elers Road, West Ealing, with his wife and their five children.
The Ealing Register of Electors in 1914 show him qualified to vote as owning 138 Northfield Avenue, West Ealing, but that his place of abode was 98 Elers Road, West Ealing.
Both he and his wife do not seem to appear of the 1921 census, but their four surviving children were all listed at 98 Elers Road, West Ealing.
When the England and Wales Register was compiled on 29 September 1939 he was shown as a baker and confectioner who was living at 6 Madeley Road, Ealing. He was also recorded as being a member of the Ealing ARP committee and his date of birth was confusingly shown as 17 November 1872. He was living there with his wife, who was listed as having been born 15 August 1865, together with a cook/housemaid servant. His wife died, aged 75 years, in September 1940.
His death was registered, as aged 75 years, in the 3rd quarter of 1949 in the Ealing Registration District. Probate records confirm that he died on 23 July 1949 at 6 Madeley Road, Ealing. He was buried on 27 July 1949 in Section F, Grave 4, in the South Ealing Cemetery, 28 Chilton Avenue, London, W5 4RU, in the same grave as his wife and their youngest son. Probate was granted on 14 December 1949 jointly to Walter Cranmer Hetherington - a solicitor and Harold Aubrey Merchant - an incorporated accountant. His effects totalled £16,107-15s-0d.
He is shown as "CHAIRMAN OF HIGHWAYS COMMITTEE ALDERMAN A.W. BRADFORD" on the plaque attached to the Hanwell Clock Tower at the junction of Uxbridge Road and Broadway, Hanwell, London, W7.
Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk and Andrew Behan.
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