BRADBERRY, sometimes called BRADBURY, DAVID (1736–1803), nonconformist minister, appears to have been resident in London in 1768, and for a time was minister of the congregation at Glovers' Hall, London, which then belonged to the baptists; but he went from Ramsgate to Manchester, where he succeeded the Rev. Timothy Priestley, brother of Joseph Priestley, 14 Aug. 1785, as the minister of a congregational church in Cannon Street. He was not very successful in his ministry, which was disturbed by controversy, especially with some Scotch members, who were anxious to import the fashion of 'ruling elders,' and who eventually seceded and erected in Mosley Street what was then the largest dissenting chapel in Lancashire (Halley). He resigned his position in 1794 and left the neighbourhood. He is buried in Bunhill Fields, where his gravestone states that he 'died 13 Jan. 1803, aged 67 years; having been a preacher of the gospel forty-two years.'
Bradberry was the author of:
- 'A Challenge sent by the Lord of Hosts to the Chief of Sinners,' a sermon upon Amos iv. 12, London, printed for the author, 1766.
- 'Letter Relative to the Test Act,' 1789.
- 'Tetelestai, the Final Close.' a poem, in six parts, Manchester, 1704. This poem describes the day of judgment from an 'evangelical' standpoint, and is remarkable for its unusual metre.
The book is also a literary curiosity from its long and quaint dedication, addressed to the Deity, who is styled, among many other titles, 'His most sublime, most high and mighty, most puissant, most sacred, most faithful, most gracious, most catholic, most serene, most reverend,' and 'Governor-general of the World, Chief Shepherd or Archbishop of Souls, Chief Justice of Final Appeals, Judge of the Last Assize, Distributor of Rights and Finisher of Fates, Father of Mercies and Friend of Men' (cf. Notes and Queries, 2nd series, vols. ix. x. xi. xii.)
[Manual of the Chorlton Road Congregational Church. 1877; Wilson's Dissenting Churches iii. 220; Halley's Lancashire, its Puritanism, &c.; British Museum General Catalogue; Allibone's Dictionary; Gent. Mag. vol. lxxxviii. pt. ii. p. 516; Jones's Bunhill Memorials. 1849. p. ll]
BRADBRIDGE or BRODEBRIDGE, WILLIAM (1501–1578), bishop of Exeter, sprang from a Somersetshire family now extinct, but variously known as Bradbridge, Bredbridge, or Brodbridge. William Bradbridge was born in London in 1501. From the fact that he succeeded one Augustine Bradbridge as chancellor of Chichester, who was afterwards appointed treasurer and prebendary of Fordington, diocese of Sarum, in 1566, and who died the next year, it is possible the latter was a brother. One Nicholas Bradbridge was prebend of Lincoln in 1508, and a Jone and George Bradbridge were respectively martyred during the Marian persecution at Maidstone and Canterbury. William took his B.A. degree at Magdalen College, Oxford, on 15 July 1528, but whether as demy or non-foundationer does not appear. In 1529 he became a fellow of his college, M.A. on 6 June 1632, B.D. on 17 June 1539, 'being then arrived to some eminence in the theological faculty' (Wood). On 26 March 1565 he supplicated the university for a D.D. degree, but was not admitted. Yet Strype (Parker, book iv. 4) calls him D.D. He espoused the reformed religion, and had to flee with Barlow, Coverdale, and other fugitives in 1553. He is found, however, in England again in 1555, when, 17 May, on the presentation of Ralph Henslow, he was appointed prebendary of Lyme and Halstock, Sarum. He was also a canon of Chichester, and in 1561 a dispensation was granted him on account of this as regarded part of his term of residence at Salisbury. He subscribed the articles of 1562 as a member of the lower house of convocation, and when the puritanical six articles of the same year were debated in that assembly, in common with all those members who had been brought into friendly contact with the practice of foreign churches during the reign of Mary, he signed them, but was outvoted by a majority of one. He also subscribed the articles of 1571. Bradbridge was collated to be chancellor of Chichester on 28 April 1562, and was allowed to hold the chancellorship in commendam with his bishopric. On Low Sunday 1563 he gave the annual Spittal sermon, and on 23 June of the same year, allowing himself conformable to the discipline which was then being established, was elected dean of Salisbury by letters from
