Photo: James Pasby
Medal Index Card
3rd Canadian General Hospital
52680 Gunner
J. Bradley
Royal Garrison Artillery
3rd February 1919 Age 38
Loved by all
Son of James and Mary Ann Bradley, of Ferryhill; husband of Margaret Bradley, of 3, Welsh Row, Tudhoe Village, Spennymoor.
Jabez Bradley was born on the 16th May 1881 at Leasingthorne, one of five boys to James Bradley, born Netherton 1853, and his wife Mary Ann, [nee Wilcox], born Paradise, Worcestershire, 1852. They were married on the 23rd August 1870 at Dudley. They had seven children five boys and two girls. The children were Thomas Bradley born 1871, John Bradley, born 1873, William Bradley born 1875, all were born in Paradise, Worcestershire, Alice Bradley, born 1880 at Kate Hills, Worcestershire, Arthur Bradley born Tipton 1887 and Rhoda Bradley born 20th February 1890, Merrington Village, Co Durham.
James Bradley the father, was himself the youngest son of four boys to Richard Bradley, born 1801 and his wife Sarah Bradley, born 1807.
The family moved to the North East to Leasingthorpe about 1880, from Kates Hill, or Kate's Hill, which is now a residential area in Dudley, West Midlands. By 1891 they were residing in Merrington village, Co, Durham. After 1891, Mary Ann Bradley died, date unknown.
James Bradley remarried Emma Bradley [nee Hopper], about 1901, she was a widow, and had a son called Joseph, born 21st June 1892 from her previous marriage, and a daughter Marie, they were residing in 1901 in Ferryhill village, with Arthur Bradley, Rhoda Bradley children from James's first marriage.
Jabez Bradley married Margaret Thomas, born 20th October 1881, on the 12th April 1902 at Ferryhill, Durham and they resided at 17 Davy Street, Ferryhill, Durham. He works at the local colliery as a Coal Hewer. They went on to have four children, however one child died, the other children were Rachael, born Bishop Auckland, 19th November 1902, died 1985, James born Ferryhill, 14th April 1908, died 1995 and Annie born Ferryhill, 24th May 1913.
By 1911, James and his family were residing at 2 Parker Terrace, Darlington Road, Ferryhill, Co Durham. Marie, [nee Hopper], had by now had married a David Furnier, born 1987, in 1909 and had two children but one had died. The step son Joseph Hopper was also residing at this address, he went on later to marry an Alice, born 5th November 1894, and in 1939, both were residing at 81 Stephenson Street, Sedgefield, Durham.
Rhoda Bradley, in 1911, the youngest child of James Bradley was employed as a domestic maid at the Beggs family home in Kensington Gardens, Ferryhill. George Beggs, and his eldest daughter Mary A.M. Beggs were employed by the County Council as teachers, George Begg was a headmaster, born Allenheads 1865, and Mary, P.I, teacher born 1894, Sunniside, He had two other daughters, Doris Beggs, born 1898 and Elizabeth Alice Beggs born 1901 who were both at school. Rhoda in 1912, married a Charles William Brown, born 29th January 1886 and in 1939 they were residing at 17 Durham Road, Ferryhill, Sedgefield, she was a shopkeeper, also with them was a child.
Jabez Bradley volunteered on the 16th November 1914 at Spennymoor, and was given the service number 52680 in the Royal Garrison Artillery. He was 33 years and 6 months old, and his residence address was given as 16 Barnfield Road, Spennymoor, 5 feet 8 and a half inches with a fair complexion, 140lbs. He is sent to Newhaven, which was the No 1 R.G.A, Depot at the time. Jabez was posted to the 16th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, on the 6th January 1915, which was raised in September 1914 as the divisional artillery for the 16th (Irish) Division as part of Kitchener's Second New Army K2. They moved into barracks at Aldershot. In 1915 the battery left the division and in July 1915 proceeded to France. On the 9th July 1915, Jabez embarks for France from Southampton and disembarks at Le Havre on the 10th July 1915.
He was awarded Field Punishment no 2 for 5 days from the 28th September 1916, for 'Neglect of duty when [a] stable orderly'. On the 23rd December 1916 he is sent on UK Leave with a ration allowance, returning on the 2nd January 1917. In March he receives a Class 2 Proficiency pay increase.
Jabez is admitted to hospital on the 6th July 1917 and returns to his unit on the 14th July. On the 8th August 1917, he is admitted to the 3rd Canadian General Hospital located at Dannes Camiers in the Pas-de Calais area from the 19th June 1915, with a staff of 35 Officers, 73 Nursing Sisters and 190 rank and file. During November 1915, the hospital moved to more comfortable accommodation in a partly-destroyed Jesuit College at Boulogne-Sur-Mer. The hospital was part of an evacuation chain, situated further back from the front line than the Casualty Clearing Stations. Base hospitals were ideally situated close to ports and with a railway line so that injured men could be evacuated for longer-term treatment in Britain. The Boulogne area was frequently bombed, but No. 3 was fortunate, escaping serious casualties, although three officers and two nursing sisters did succumb to fatal illnesses. Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, a Medical Officer in the Canadian Field Artillery, was transferred to No. 3 in June 1915 and commanded it until his death from pneumonia in 1918. McCrae was famous as the author of the poem 'In Flanders Fields' written after the 2nd Battle of Ypres.
Source : Royal College of Surgeons.
Jabez is returned to the UK on the 17th August, on board the Hospital Ship HS St Patrick, from Boulogne to the Queen Alexander Cosham Military Hospital, on the 18th August 1917, he is admitted to hospital with 'Trench' Fever, then to Warterlooville Red Cross hospital for another 29 days for vomiting. This is diagnosed as Pyelitis. Pyelitis (pyelonephritis) is a bacterial infection of the renal pelvis. A urinary tract infection or a [bladder infection] is usually responsible for pyelitis. If a lower urinary tract infection goes unnoticed or is does not receive proper treatment, bacteria can spread to the renal pelvis and also infect this area. Pyelitis is treated with antibiotics.
He complained of weakness, pains across the back and abdomen with occasional bouts of fainting. Jabez was required to attend a medical examination as he was discharged from the Army on the 29th January 1918 under Kings Regulations 392 section XIV (2a), 'A soldier found medically un fit to re-engage'. This entitled Jabez to be awarded the Silver War Badge no 308,174. He had spent three and 75 days in the Army.
On the 8th January 1918 he appeared before Medical Board at Cosham, and as a result whilst he was training to be a Bootmaker, he was awarded a 100% disablement pension. The Medical report stated that Pyelitis was the cause, and it will get worse. The initial pension award was 27s 6d plus a children's allowance of 11s 8d for nine weeks, subject to sight of the Medical Board report. They confirmed that his condition was caused by War Service.
His wife Margaret had moved to 3 Welsh Row, Tudhoe with the children. Jabez died from a Purpura hemorrhage on the 3rd February 1919. Margaret died on the 20th September 1934.
Research: 2014 Joanna Anon/James Pasby.
Jabez Bradley is remembered at Ferryhill on F38.02
