Bradley: Where it all began
Today we visit Bradley, where Europeans first came ashore in this uncharted territory.
The inhabitants, lacking in creativity after months at sea, wanted to call the new settlement "Landing" because, well, it was the site of their landing.
However, after a full day's worth of discussion the residents of the little coastal hamlet settled on Bradley, for two reasons: first, because the meaning of Bradley - "broad clearing" in Old English - was deemed fitting; but also because village elder who took charge of the affairs of the settlement hailed from Bradley, Lincolnshire.
Thus, it was settled, and this is what would eventually become what is now known as Old Town in Bradley:
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The scene above features the once bustling port of Bradley on Beach Road, which has since been replaced by far bigger and more modern facilities elsewhere in the region and now, alongside the beautiful beaches, fulfils a largely recreational purpose.
Curving out and up from Beach Road is Main Street, lined by the Bradley Town Hall, the St. George Post Office, the local primary school, district hospital and the Bradley Halt (which features the railway station and bus stop):
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Main Street viewed from this direction features the St George's Post Office complex (top left) and the Bradley Town Hall (off centre) on the Bradley Square along Strand Street.
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Running north-south from Main Street, and parallel with the beach, is Strand Street, which features a number of historic residential and commercial row houses.
Some of these have been demolished to make way for more modern incarnations, but recent developments in the sleepy town have brought a grinding halt to that... but more about that later...
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A closer look at the historic buildings lining Strand Street, starting with the six properties occupied by the Royal Strand Hotel on the far left, followed by more recent commercial developments to its right.
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These more contemporary commercial properties were, initially, hardly contentious and were welcomed by townsfolk as a sign of renewed interest in the future of Bradley.
Little did they know that within a few years the attention of more colourful investors would be focused on the once tranquil bedroom community, bringing with them Pizza Hut, Chuck-e-Cheese and the cultural aspects accompanying that lifestyle.
These colourful establishments quickly set up shop on Main Road next to the District Hospital and across the road from the Post Office. Townsfolk were surprised when, what they understood would be "commercial establishments serving food", turned out this colourful a scar on their once historic neighbourhood.
Something had to be done, and so the Society for the Restoration and Preservation of Bradley was formed by a group of local busybodies well-to-do citizens...
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Replies to comments at the previous entry.
Thanks for reading! Until next time!
M
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