Person

Austin Bradley was born on 6 May 1885. His father was police constable Thomas Bradley (1858-1910), originally from Ludworth. His mother was Irishwoman Catherine Bradley (1861). Austin was their second child of ten. He had five sisters and four brothers. In 1891 his family lived in King Street, Tudhoe to where they had moved via Fulwell, Sunderland since his birth in Jarrow.

In 1901 the Bradley family lived at 53 Front Street, Tudhoe Colliery. At this time Austin was working as a grocer’s shop assistant. He married Ellen Large (1884) in 1910. She was a native of Tudhoe and the daughter of a foreman heap inspector at the colliery. At the time of the 1911 census the couple were living at 27 Diamond Street, Spennymoor with her brother Charles and his family. Austin was working as a grocer’s traveller for the Co-operative Society.

Austin joined the Royal Navy on 25 October 1916 to serve for the duration of hostilities. He was initially rated as ordinary seaman and given the service number J61179. After initial training at HMS Victory I, he joined the crew of HMS Pheasant on 17 January 1917.

HMS Pheasant was a Moon-class destroyer based at Scapa Flow, Orkney, Scotland. On 1 March 1917 Pheasant was taking part in a standard patrol around Hoy when it was mined about one mile off the Old Man of Hoy. It rapidly sank with the loss of its entire crew of 88 men.

Austin’s body was not recovered for burial. He is honoured on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. In his hometown of Spennymoor he is remembered on the Cenotaph 1914-18 and in the Book of Remembrance 1914-18, Town Hall. He left a will naming his brother-in-law, Charles Large, a commercial clerk, as his beneficiary to receive his effects of £114 7s 6d.

Austin Bradley was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal for his service in World War One.

Birth date: 06-May-1885

Death date: 01-Mar-1917

Residence: King Street, Tudhoe (1891 census)
53 Front Street, Tudhoe Colliery (1901 census)
27 Diamond Street (1911 census)

Employment: Grocer’s shop assistant (1901 census)
Grocer’s traveller (1911 census and 1916 service record)

Family: Parents: Thomas Bradley (1858), Catherine Bradley (1861)
Siblings: William Bradley (1883), Julia Bradley (1888), Catherine Bradley (1889), Hannah Bradley (1889), Amelia Bradley (1892), Helena Bradley (1894), James Bradley (1896), Thomas Bradley (1901), John Bradley (1901)
Spouse: Ellen Bradley nee Large (1884)

Military service:

J61179
Ordinary seaman
HMS Pheasant

Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal

Memorial(s): Portsmouth Naval Memorial
Cenotaph 1914-18, Spennymoor
Book of Remembrance 1914-18, Town Hall, Spennymoor

Gender: Male

Contributed by David D, Stanley, Co Durham