Walter Smith Bradley
1854 Born son of Thomas Bradley in Pensnett, Worcs
He was educated at Wolverhampton Grammar School.
His father's firm was Thomas and Isaac Bradley; they made pig-iron and other castings(Caponfield furnaces).
1870 Walter joined his father’s firm after leaving school.
1872 He established Bradley's at the Albion Works, at about the age of 18. At under 21 he was, in the law of the time, a minor, unable to buy land and with limited powers to enter into contracts. His father probably backed him. The industrial boom in the UK helped the hollow-ware trade to expand, but it is nor known what the company made at first. The firm employed about 25 sheet metal workers and produced pans, bowls and galvanised buckets. They rapidly expanded to cover almost anything which could be produced in sheet metal.
1885 His older son was born and christened Cuthbert Hermon Bradley, (known as Hermon). He joined the company in 1903.
1891 Walter S Bradley 36, ironmaster, living in Handsworth with Sophie M Bradley 32, Cuthbert H Bradley 5, Emmie J Bradley 2[1]
1891 Birth of second son, Hector Claude[2]
1901 Ironmaster, living in Kings Norton, with Sophia M Bradley 42, Hermon Bradley 15, Irene Bradley 12, Hector Bradley 9[3]
1911 Manufacturer of hollow-ware, living in Edgbaston[4] - Bradley and Co
1918 W. S. Bradley died on 17 March.