Bradbury motorcycle & light vehicles 1936 onward

[Ian Bradley 10]

Hi all ,I have a set of norton magnesium crankcases from 1936 that was sent to an agent (bike shop) Dan Bradbury in April 1936 .does anyone know of norton races from this period that come from the Sheffield area? I know the shop was still going in the 50 -60 but am struggling to find info on this bike .

Many thanks Ian

 

---------- Post added 03-10-2016 at 21:02 ----------

 

These bikes were only given to top riders and were the for runner to the famous Manx Norton. Might be worth asking your grandads.

Thank Ian

[Firparnian 10]

Might be worth giving Bill Beevers on Deep Lane, I think it was his Grandather who had the original shop at Page Hall and was a competitor at the TT

[Ian Bradley 10]

Thank you Firparnian.

I contacted bill beevers shop and spoke to nice lads who gave me some numbers of other norton men who worked for a race mechanic , Charlie Freeman and Ross Marsh .storeman . to race men . Will let you know how I get on.

If anyone out there has more info ,phographes , memorabilia of norton racers and there bike that would be very interesting.

Many thank Ian

[bullerboY 10]

Bill Beevers has been dead for years so has Charlie Freeman so your best bet for any information on this subject is the Vintage Motorcycle Club where they will have all the correct information you require Ian.Bill Beevers is a trade name now Bill lived in Castletown in the Isle of Man where i used to go and see him until he and his wife Lily died.Charlie Freemans shop doesnt exist any more it a block of flats called Freeman Court in Eckington.Dan Bradburys has not existed since the late sixties and was on London Rd.Hope this helps.Bill left the shop to his nephew Tom when he retired and then Tom sold it on along with the name.

Edited October 4, 2016 by bullerboY

[Shogun 10]

I worked at Dan Bradburys on london road as a machinic early seventies time,upstairs in the top of the shop was a lot of parts and frames for some kind of racing bike and a lot of old stuff, there was a lot of pictures there as well,the lady who was the owner of the place at the time would not talk about it I thought something happened stories were somone got killed or injured racing for the shop,they had a greeves silverstone then that I rode a few times.

[biker 10]

I worked at Dan Bradburys on london road as a machinic early seventies time,upstairs in the top of the shop was a lot of parts and frames for some kind of racing bike and a lot of old stuff, there was a lot of pictures there as well,the lady who was the owner of the place at the time would not talk about it I thought something happened stories were somone got killed or injured racing for the shop,they had a greeves silverstone then that I rode a few times.

 

Do you have any pictures or information on the Greeves Silverstone as the Greeves club would be very interested.

[Ian Bradley 10]

I worked at Dan Bradburys on london road as a machinic early seventies time,upstairs in the top of the shop was a lot of parts and frames for some kind of racing bike and a lot of old stuff, there was a lot of pictures there as well,the lady who was the owner of the place at the time would not talk about it I thought something happened stories were somone got killed or injured racing for the shop,they had a greeves silverstone then that I rode a few times.

 

Hi Showgun very interesting ,who was the lady owner? Do you know of any one that bought race bikes from Bradbury's in the past.Is there anyone you know who I might be able talk to about the shop the lads who worked there and you never know that them or yourself could help so much.

What happend to the shop and all the bike stuff and photos? What bikes were being sold when the shop went bust?

Thanks again for spending time to reply regards Ian

 

---------- Post added 07-10-2016 at 14:33 ----------

 

Hi Showgun ,do you know Russ Marsh or Dennis bagshaw by any chance ? I spoke to Russ a few days ago , nice man . I'm still trying to get in touch with Dennis but can't get through to him yet.

I've found a photograph of a lavish after season party in1928 hosted by Sheffield dealer Dan Bradbury , They must have been very successful back in the day. Was the shop very large and how many people worked there?

Regards Ian

[suzyoo 11]

Hi Showgun very interesting ,who was the lady owner? Do you know of any one that bought race bikes from Bradbury's in the past.Is there anyone you know who I might be able talk to about the shop the lads who worked there and you never know that them or yourself could help so much.

What happend to the shop and all the bike stuff and photos? What bikes were being sold when the shop went bust?

Thanks again for spending time to reply regards Ian

 

---------- Post added 07-10-2016 at 14:33 ----------

 

Hi Showgun ,do you know Russ Marsh or Dennis bagshaw by any chance ? I spoke to Russ a few days ago , nice man . I'm still trying to get in touch with Dennis but can't get through to him yet.

I've found a photograph of a lavish after season party in1928 hosted by Sheffield dealer Dan Bradbury , They must have been very successful back in the day. Was the shop very large and how many people worked there?

Regards Ian

 

the buildings still there on london road

[Ian Bradley 10]

Hi suzyoo . What number on London road ? I will google map it. Was your Grandad a side car man?

[Shogun 10]

I think the lady was a married relative I can remember her as a very stern business like lady upstairs in the office who was a stickler for timekeeping,I can throw a few names in who I worked with at the time,the shop manager was a miserable sod called brian english a nother was a good mate who I have not seen for a few years was a lad called glen norton who went on to run the A57 garage on handsworth road brilliant mechanic who taught me a lot and believe or not I actually worked with the famous much loved and missed Ravi,he taught me a lot about scooters even though I was a greasy motorbiker at the time,one of the salesmen might still be around a guy called crump just can't remember his first name he worked in a few motorbike shops around sheffield,yes Dans was a very busy and famous shop at the time,they made a few bad business decisions at the time that finished them off mainly dealing in moskvich cars they lost loads of money on them,I hated working on them pile of junk the recalls overwhelmed the workshop to a point where we were forgetting the bread and butter motorbike trade they also had a spell in dealing with Reliant cars as well,sad demise of a famous dealership they closed around 1980 time and moved down the road a bit selling Lada cars,I left around that time.Ile have think about some more names and things,hope that helps a bit..Shogun

[hillsbro 28]

...What number on London road?...

Nos. 224-230, just past Cecil Square. Here is a link to a picturesheffield.com photo.

[Shogun 10]

Yes just coming back to a few things Graham crump that was his name he set a few bike shops up after leaving sure he is still around there was a big bearded mechanic called Reg there as well..I was a good friend of a few or the lads that worked at ropers down the roads a bit..good old days I was a dedicated british bike fan never liked and refused to accept Japanese bikes even to this day sad but there ya go, as for the Greeves it was in the back of the show room last time I saw it was a 250cc 25a square barrel villiers engine with the wild cat bore and piston it had the banana forks, it was yellow and blue I had a spin on it at a track somewhere in Derby we when one weekend to a race meeting there if rember I was bit too tall for it as it a very small bike.the shop building is still there you can see the shop front still the same and the workshop up the back street is still there in very much the same state.

 

---------- Post added 08-10-2016 at 10:10 ----------

 

Nos. 224-230, just past Cecil Square. Here is a link to a picturesheffield.com photo.

 

Thanks Hillsbro you always come up with the pictures yes the workshop was at the top of that side road on the right