Hugh Mullanphy Bradley 1862 -1954

                  

Hugh, the baby of the family

John Bradley, Hugh's grandson, sent the following to Bobby:

"As a youngster I was told that Hugh was named Mullanphy after his uncle and that he went to sea as a young man on one of his uncle’s ships.  He certainly was a Sailor having  talked about his time at sea (although not much!!).  He was a whiz with words.  He could  spell anything and give you its meaning, he said as a result of only having a Dictionary to read whilst at sea.

Hugh Bradley 14 July 1881

I have Hugh’s copy of Norrie’s Epitome (a Seaman’s handbook) dated 1884 in his handwriting.  I wonder whether it was as a result of the death of his parents that he went to sea?
 

 

















My grandfather, Hugh, didn’t talk much about his experiences and as a young man growing up I didn’t have the sense to ask enough questions.

 So we have quite a gap in knowledge of him up until he married in Sydney on 10th April, 1895 to Eleanor Frances Baily (aged 29).  The Marriage Certificate lists Hugh’s father as Owen Bradley and his mother only as Mary (no surname ).  We now know that her maiden name was Lowthian.

Scandal!!!  Hugh and Eleanor were married four years after their daughter, Muriel, was born.  They are both named on the Birth Certificate.  We haven’t been able to find out when Hugh and Eleanor arrived in Sydney.

It is interesting to note that Eleanor’s Birth Certificate lists 17 Cullenwood Ave., Ranelagh, Dublin as her parents address.  There was some suggestion in the family that Hugh left Ireland under somewhat of a cloud (hearsay) and I remember that he refused to acknowledge correspondence from the Dublin solicitors, Horan and Devine, although he did receive monies for the  rent of 3 Sallymount Terrace from time to time.  

Hugh worked on the Sydney waterfront for Messagerie Maritime from 1 January 1893 until 1 January 1935, when he retired only to return to the wharves as a nightwatchman during the War years when labour was short.  I remember him going off to work in a long leather coat carrying a Gladstone bag.

After Hugh died in 1954, Sallymount Terrace was inherited by my father, Hubert Baily Bradley (born 6th January 1906 and died November 1995)”