December 2, 1915
People who are taking but a cursory interest in football these times have been very puzzled to know who and what Norman Bradley is. They have in many cases imagined that the old Stoke and Liverpool half back veteran had come back to Anfield life.
Little has been published regarding Bradley, save that “he played well.” His game is of the John McConnell type. Anfielders will recall the half-back named, and will recollect that McConnell was a clever but not robust. Bandsman Bradley is not only clever in defence, but also in leading to forward attacks, and he is a robust player, too. For his size – he’s on a par with McNeal of West Brom – he’s doing remarkably well. I was led to “get” Bradley’s physiognomy, because we knew not what his experience had been, and we wondered how he could play such a topping game against Everton’s brilliant left wing on Saturday last. Bradley, who is a bandsman in a local regiment, tells me that he played for Prescot Athletic when he was but seventeen years old – what a good school for a boy! Tim and Sam Speakman likewise played for Prescot before taking on the Anfield armour.
After Bradley left Prescot he went to British Columbia to join his brother, and for nearly three seasons he played with the Port Alberin F.A. He came back to England to enlist, the Lusitania being his “ferry.”
He was born in Kirdale, and is but 22 years old. He has a very promising outlook from the football point of view. Anfield has taken kindly to him, just as he has taken kindly to Anfield, and if he continues in his steadfast game he will want a lot of moving by opponents or by aspirants for the right half back position of the Liverpool side.
(Source: Liverpool Echo: December 2, 1915)
Images of Bandsman Norman Briscoe Bradley, courtesy of Cheryl Taschuk.
"Play Up, Liverpool" 
Very interesting, he was my second cousin, once removed.
His father and father’s brother were both from Hayfield in Derbyshire and married two BRISCOE sisters from Bolton, hence his second name.
Baptism: 28 Jun 1893 St Mary, Walton on the Hill, Lancashire, England
Norman Briscoe Bradley – [Child] of Daniel Balentine Bradley & Elizabeth Annie
Born: 5 Jun 1893
Abode: South Lodge, Westminster Road, Kirkdale
Occupation: Plumber
Baptised by: J. W. Tyrer, Curate
Register: Baptisms 1883 – 1894, Page 368, Entry 3944
Source: LDS Film 1647561
Hi Martin. I am happy you could find information about him. It is just recently that we discovered that his first name was Norman. For many years we thought that this player was another Bradley that used to play with Liverpool 10 years earlier.
I remember that I have posted numerous articles about him throughout 1916. You will find all of these by searching for Bradley in the search area.
Do you know what he did after the war?
Kjell
There is a marriage shown on Ancestry in British Columbia 1872-1935 for a Norman Briscoe BRADLEY but I can’t see the details as no subscription for Canada. Some BC records are online so will check those later. It looks as if he might have gone back to Canada as unlikely to be someone else with the same full name. His brother (Herbert) stayed in Canada.
Norman appears to have died in BC in 1958 from a couple of trees on Ancestry.
This is amazing. Norman was my dad. He married in Liverpool before emigrating to Canada (Nelson, British Columbia) where he settled. He and his wife separated / divorced and she went back to Liverpool with 3 of their 6 children. My dad kept the other 3. My mother went to keep house for him and look after the children and ended up marrying him and they had 7 more children. I am the youngest. I have heard many stories about “Bandsman Bradley” and his football career but don’t know much about his life in England. He died in1958 and is buried in Nelson.
Thanks to to Martin Briscoe for getting in touch with me via a link on Ancestry.ca.
Cheryl Taschuk (nee Bradley)
Hi Cheryl. I am so happy you found some news here that you were not aware of. I will let either you or Martin know if I discover anything else regarding Bandsman and his career at Liverpool Football Club.
Kjell
Thank you so much, Kjell. This information is very interesting to me and to my entire family.
Cheryl
Hi,
I don’t know if this picture is of any interest to you but I’m forwarding it in case. Dad (Norman Bradley) was third from the right in the front row.
Regards,
Cheryl
Cheryl Taschuk
8005 Arthur Drive
Saanichton, BC V8M 1V4
ph: 250-652-7878
– sent from Laptop – Office –
Hi Cheryl, I don’t think the picture got attached through the WordPress system. If you want you can email me, and also, if you want, I can add the picture to NBB’s portrait page.
Kjell
Hi Kjell,
I thought I did email it. Please let me know if this gets through (I’ll imbed the photo I mentioned and a couple of others). Or if you can provide a different email address, I can send them that way.
Please let me know if they are of interest to you. I, and I’m sure my siblings, would be most honoured if you added one to your website.
Thanks for your patience.
Cheryl
Dad (Norman Bradley) is 4 rows down on leftmost side. Dad is in bottom row, third from right.
S17-12-Dad.JPGS18-13-Dad-Team Picture.JPG
A restored photo of my Dad in his military uniform.
S21-922-Dad in Uniform Final.JPG
Cheryl Taschuk
8005 Arthur Drive
Saanichton, BC V8M 1V4
ph: 250-652-7878
– sent from Laptop – Office –
Many thanks for both kjehan and Martin for these fascinating details.
Martin recently emailed my mother Judith Bradley, and she called me today and was absolutely chuffed and excited about hearing information regarding her father Bandsman Bradley.
Mum deserves as many happy moments as possible, thanks folks for giving her one!
Oh- and hi Cheryl- (she’s my aunt, bless her soul. Possibly the most gracious, understanding and tolerant aunt a loutish disrespectful teenager could have).
Scott Stephenson