JAMES BRADFIELD

THE LATE MR. JAMES BRADFIELD.

 Mr. lames Bradfield, who passed away on Thursday last, was born at Galley Mill, Kingsclere, on October last, and passed the whole of his life in the same village. His father, Mr. Richard Bradfield, came to Kingsclere from Milton in Berkshire, where the Bradfield family has resided for over two hundred years. and carried on the business of millers. Mr. J. Bradfield grew up to manhood at home with his father, assisting him in his business and succeeded to it entirely in 1832.

A man of great capacity for work and management he carried it on successfully adding to it the Lower Mill and Cannon Court and Kingsclere farms, as time went on, and taking up his residence at Fox Grove in 1867. He was a practical agriculturist, and though well acquainted with scientific theories of cultivation was a little sceptical of laying too much stress on them.

He took an interest In local affairs and was elected guardian of the poor in 1833. He made a special study of the administration of the Poor Law and took an Influential position at the Board. Being elected Vice-chairman In 1864 he continued to act In that capacity till 1874, when through Illness and domestic affliction he resigned his position as guardian. In 1880 he was once more elected guardian and remained so until the time of his death. He felt much gratitude to his fellow citizens that at each contested election they did him the honour to return him at the head of the poll.

He was far many years a trustee of Highham's Charity, in connection with Mr. W. Holding of Burclere and Mr. E. Drake, and was never absent from the annual distribution of the same until this last Christmas, when his state of health would not permit his presence. He was also for nine or ten years one of the managers of the Newbury Savings' Bank.

In polities he was Liberal till the great split in that party in 1886, when he became a Liberal Unionist, but expressed the resolution never to record a vote against his old friends.

He was all his life a member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of which be was a generous supporter. He was a Class Leader and Superintendent of the Sunday School for very many years, and never lost his interest. He gained the respect of all who knew him, and was in many ways a remarkable man, possessing a rare combination of estimable qualities. His sterling integrity, his general information and practical common sense, governed by large and wide sympathies, made him a wise counsellor, and one in whom trust and confidence could be safely reposed.

The village has lost one who was ever a peacemaker, whose Influence made for righteousness, and whose place in its commercial and religious life cannot easily be filled, and his children and personal friends have suffered an irreparable loss. It seemed to those nearest to him that be never entirely recovered from the shock occasioned by the death of his wife and his second son Richard, within seven weeks of each other in the early part of 1891, but although his physical strength gradually failed him he retained his faculties unimpaired to the last, and died as he had lived, a consistent Christian.

The funeral took piece at Newbury Cemetery, where the Bradfield family vault is situated, but in deference to the wish of the numerous friends of the deceased, a memorial service was previously held at the Kingsclere Wesleyan Chapel, where the deceased was a constant worshipper. The funeral procession left Foxgrove soon after two o'clock, preceded by the Rev. Herbert Burson, superintendent minister of the Newbury Circuit, and Dr. Reginald Maples. A large number of Kingsclere residents followed, the funeral knell being tolled meanwhile from the tower of the parish church, from which also floated the flag half-mast high. The chapel was crowded by a sorrowful and sympathetic congregation by whom the loss of a trusted friend and kindly neighbour was keenly felt.

Amongst those present were Rev. E. Orde-Powlett, Mr. John Porter, Mr. J. Carter Holding, Mr. John Barnes., Dr. Maples, M C. Sidery, J. M. Carter, W. and J. Garrett, F. Marks, Hobbs, C. Leader, C. Chance, T. Wilson, J. G. Ford, W. Wallis, C. Hopkins, W. Lambourne, T. Pizzey , G. W. Cow, Drury, Powers, Mc. The service was conducted by the Rev. H. Burson, and was impressive throughout. The hymns sung were 'O God, our help in ages past” and "Rock of ages.” In a short address Mr. Burson said …

“Our much respected and deeply lamented friend was during the whole of his life was a regular worshipper in this house of God; he was a most consistent member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. More than 50 years ago, when It was not so easy to say it as it is now, he said of the church and congregation worshipping here, ‘This people shall be my people, and their God shall be my God.’ and he never swerved from his early religious choice. The late Mr. Bradfield held intelligently and strongly the first and most vital elements of the New Testament Faith, the only hope set before him was Jesus Christ and Him Crucified; to this hope he fled for refuge, and in this hope he trusted and rested amidst all the activity of his busy life. Yes, and through all the days and nights, of his mortal affliction he knew no other foundation than Jesus, and Jesus only and hence in the valley and shadow of death he ‘feared no evil.’ When the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon the house it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock, and that rock was Christ.

“To such a man who was constantly probing about for the foundation of things, religion In no degree was a matter of feeling or emotion, but of conviction and principle which must be evidenced in the life. To Mr. Bradfield true religion and undefiled meant ‘doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God, while caring for the widows and to their orphans in their affliction. There came to him, as there comes to all men, and especially to men of Mr. Bradfield's temperament and cast of mind, times of depression and disquietude times when the question arose, ‘Why art thou cast down, O my soul. and why art thou disquieted within me?’ This mental solicitude was met with the Psalmist's own reply, ‘Hope thou In God. for I shall yet praise him.’ In the removal of our friend front our midst Wesleyan Methodism is Kingsclere and in the Newbury Circuit, has lost a generous supporter and a truly consistent adherent.

“There was no part of church life or of church organization which was not dear to him to the last day of his life. Not Methodism only, but the whole parish of Kingsclere. with its Board of Guardians, its parish charities, the various trusts of the parish, as well the circle of commercial life, have all lost in the death of our friend one of its chiefest and strongest councillors. We cannot forget that at this time this village suffering a double loss for almost at the same moment that Mr. Bradfield breathed his last, your esteemed and trusted Dr. Edwards passed away, and though belonging to another section of the Church of Christ, the late Doctor and Mr. Bradfield were bound together by common sympathies. and most earnestly laboured together for the peace and goodwill of all sections of the parish community. Brethren, standing as we do this afternoon in the presence of death, let us seek earnestly to ‘number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom .' So that when the call comes to us, we. like our friend who has gone. may ‘depart and be with Christ’”

 At the conclusion of the service a muffled peal. was rung on the bells of the Parish Church. The funeral procession then left for Newbury, arriving at the cemetery about four o'clock, where in spite of the cold showers of sleet and rain, a large number of friends were in waiting. The body was taken into the little chapel, which was crowded, among the mourners being a number of aged labourers who appeared to feel the loss of a good master. The Rev. H. Burson read the opening sentences of the burial service, while the Psalm was read by the Rev W. Cowdell, and sympathetic prayer was offered by the Rev. J. Ingham. The hymn "O God our help in ages past" was sung, and then the body was conveyed to the grave, where the final ceremony was conducted. Another hymn was sung "Give the wings of faith to rise," and with a last look at the wreath-covered coffin, the mourners departed.

The mourners Included Miss Bradfield, Mr. and Mrs. R. Bradfield (Warminster), Mr. John Bradfield (Wareham), Mr. and Mrs. James Bradfield (Stockbridge), Rev. W. Bradfield (Leicester), Mr. Thomas Bradfield (Kingsclere), Rev Alfred Bradfield (Barrow-In-Furness), Mrs. Jefrereys (Kingsclere), and Mr. Sidery (Kingsclere).

[then follows a list of those present and those who’d sent ‘a number of beautiful floral wreaths.}

The coffin was of massive polished oak, with brass fittings, made by Mr. C. Garrett, of Kingsclere. It was Inscribed:

JAMES BRADFIELD

Died February 28^th February1894,

Aged 71

The funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs. Penford & Son, of Newbury.

Newbury Weekly News and General Advertiser - Thursday 08 March 1894