William Bradnee 1861 – 1942

Photographic Business

Apprenticed with his uncle photographer Walter Bradnee in Newton Abbott, Devon then set up his own studio in Exeter.

Census

1871	Age 9	Hill Pool, Chaddesley Corbett, Worcestershire – Scholar
1881	Age 19	1 Calabria, Newton Abbot, Devon – Photographer Asst.
		(at home of his uncle photographer Walter Bradnee)
1891	Age 29	16 New North Rd, Exeter (lodger) – Photographer
1901	Age 39	10 Devonshire Place, Exeter, Devon – Photographer (Employer)
1911	Age 50	4 St. James Road, Exeter, Devon – Photographer

William Bradnee

William Bradnee was born in 1861 in Wolverhampton, the son of John Bradnee and Hannah Bate. John Bradnee was a farm bailiff.

The family moved to Chaddesley Corbett in Worcestershire, the home town of Hannah not too long after William’s birth.

By the time of the family’s later move to Areley Kings, William became apprenticed to his uncle Walter Bradnee who had opened a photographic studio in Newton Abbott in South Devon.

William later set up his own studio about 12 miles to the north in Exeter.

William subsequently formed a partnership with Howard Trewent Heath (c.1865-1904) called Heath & Bradnee that was advertised from 235 High Street, Exeter from 1891 to 1939 although the firm was trading from at least December 1890 (copyrighted photo in National Archives, Kew). Heath was the son of Plymouth photographer Henry Heath of the firm Heath and Bullingham.

In 1895 William married sculptural artist Adelaide Lowe, an Exeter native.

Heath seems to have left the business partnership as he appears as licensee of the Plough Hotel in Weston Super Mare in the 1901 census.

William Bradnee also advertised from the High Street address under his own name for a few years but continued using the business name Heath & Bradnee many years beyond Heath’s death in 1904 in Newton Abbot.

Heath & Bradnee photographed the town of Exeter as well as its people. The business folded in 1939 when William would have been 78.

William died 3 years later in Edgware, Middlesex.

Walter Bradnee – the uncle

William had an uncle, Walter Bradnee, who was also involved in the photography business. For more details, click here.

Family Details

 

Father	John Bradnee born c.1821, Wheathill, Shropshire (Farm Bailiff)
Mother	Hannah Bate born c.1838, Chaddesley Corbett, Worcestershire
Born	1861 Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
Married	1895 in St. Thomas district, Devon to Adelaide Lowe born c.1872, Exeter, Devon
	(daughter of Charles & Lucy Lowe)
Child 1	Margery Bradnee born 1895 in Pinhoe, Devon
Child 2	Kathleen Bradnee born 5 Nov 1896 in Exeter, Devon
Child 3	William Stephen Bradnee born 1898 in Exeter, Devon
Child 4	John Hustler Bradnee born 1899 and died 1899 in Exeter, Devon
Child 5	Naomi Bradnee born 1904 in Exeter, Devon
Child 6	Phillip R. Bradnee born 1911 in Exeter, Devon
Died	22 Dec 1942, Edgware, Middlesex

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Compiled by Marcel Safier © www.cartedevisite.co.uk

Thanks to Bradnee family historian Chantal Martin chantalmartin2055@hotmail.com for providing information

Other Sources

Trade directory information courtesy of  Sandy Barrie

Census data researched by Marcel Safier

Images provided from the Victorian Image Collection by  Ron Cosens

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William Bradnee – Gallery

We do not have any photographs taken by William Bradnee at present. Can you help?

However, please see below for examples of photographs taken by Heath & Bradnee – William was the Bradnee in the partnership.

Heath & Bradnee carte de visite 1	Heath & Bradnee carte de visite 1 (verso)
Heath & Bradnee carte de visite 2	Heath & Bradnee carte de visite 2 (verso)
Heath & Bradnee carte de visite 3	Heath & Bradnee carte de visite 3 (verso)
Heath & Bradnee carte de visite 4	Heath & Bradnee carte de visite 4 (verso)
Heath & Bradnee cabinet card 1	Heath & Bradnee cabinet card 1 (verso)
Heath & Bradnee cabinet card 2	Heath & Bradnee cabinet card 2 (verso)
Heath & Bradnee cabinet card 3	Heath & Bradnee cabinet card 3 (verso)
Heath & Bradnee cabinet card 4	Heath & Bradnee cabinet card 4 (verso)