Joseph Bradney
| Joseph Alfred Bradney | |
|---|---|
 Bradney as a lieutenant of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers Militia in 1885. | |
| Born |
11 January 1859 Greet, Tenbury Wells, Shropshire, England |
| Died |
21 July 1933 (aged 74) Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 British Army |
| Years of service | 1882–1918 (36 years) |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Commands held |
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| Battles/wars |
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Colonel Sir Joseph Alfred Bradney, FSA, BA, JP, DL (11 January 1859 – 21 July 1933) was a British soldier, historian and archaeologist, best known for his multivolume A History of Monmouthshire.
Life
Joseph Bradney was born at Greet, Tenbury Wells, Shropshire, and educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge.[1] He acquired, partly by inheritance and partly purchase, Tal-y-Coed Court, an estate at Talycoed, Llanvihangel-Ystern-Llewern, near Monmouth, where he settled at an early age.[2] He entered the army, serving as captain of the Royal Monmouth Engineer Militia from 1882 to 1892, and lieutenant-colonel commanding the 2nd Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment from 1892 to 1912. In the Territorial Force Reserve from 1912 to 1919, he served in France in 1917-18.[3]
Bradney was High Sheriff of Monmouthshire in 1889, a county councillor from 1898 to 1924, and an alderman from 1924 to 1928.[2] He was also a governor and on the Council of the National Library of Wales and the National Museum of Wales. He was a member of the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments in Wales. He was appointed a Companion of the Bath in 1911, and knighted in 1924.[2][4]
He wrote extensively on the history of Monmouthshire, his major work being A History of Monmouthshire, published in four volumes comprising 12 parts, from 1904 until 1933.[2][5] A final fifth volume, drawing on his notes, was published posthumously. The books have been described as a "monumental survey, extensively illustrated and containing dozens of pedigrees, [which remain] a basic reference work essential for the serious study of local history or genealogy in Monmouthshire."
He was married twice, first to Rosa Jenkins (d. 1927), and then to Florence Prothero.[4] A Latin tablet in St. Michael's Church at Llanvihangel-Ystern-Llewern records his achievements.
Works
- Genealogical memoranda relating to the families of Hopkins of Llanfihangel Ystern Llewern, Co. Monmouth, and Probyn of Newland, Co. Gloucester, 1889
- A History of Monmouthshire: From the coming of the Normans into Wales down to the present time, 4 vols, 1904-1933
- (ed.) The diary of Walter Powell of Llantilio Crossenny in the county of Monmouth, gentleman 1603-1654, 1907
- (ed.) Llyfr Baglan : or The book of Baglan, by John Williams, London: Mitchell, Hughes and Clarke, 1910
- A History of the Free Grammar School in the Parish of Llantilio-Crosseny in the County of Monmouh (1924)
References
- ↑ "Bradney, Joseph Alfred (BRDY877JA)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- 1 2 3 4 Sir Joseph Bradney, A History of Monmouthshire, ISBN 0-9520009-6-2
- ↑ 'BRADNEY, Col Sir Joseph (Alfred)', Who Was Who, A & C Black
- 1 2 Biography at Welsh Biography Online
- ↑ http://arcw.llgc.org.uk/anw/get_collection.php?inst_id=1&coll_id=21&expand=
External links
- Works by or about Joseph Bradney in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
- Archival material relating to Joseph Bradney listed at the UK National Archives
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