Fascination and shock... but gruesome killings were never solved
Here lie the dreadfully bruised and lacerated bodies of William Bradbury and Thomas, his son, both of Greenfield, who were together savagely murdered in an unusually horrid manner, on Monday night, April 2nd, 1832, William being 84 and Thomas 46 years old.
Throughout news is read.
Intelligence of their sad end has spread.
Those now who talk of far-famed Greenfield hills
Will think of Bill o’ Jack’s and Tom o’ Bills
Such interest did their tragic end excite
That, ere they were removed from human sight.
Thousands on thousands came to see
The bloody scene of catastrophe. One house, one business, and one bed.
And one most shocking death they had.
One funeral came, one inquest past. And now one grave they had a last.
The brutal double murder, in an isolated moorland inn, remains unsolved, rather like that of the Jack the Ripper killings. Rumours and conjecture have blurred fact from fiction over the years. But still the question has to be asked, can we get any closer to the truth?
Police records about the case have been lost. Most evidence comes from the two or three newspaper reporters who were present at the inquest held at Upper Mill. Their reports were seized upon by the Manchester newspapers of the day and soon circulated throughout the country. So what are the facts?
Between ten and eleven o’clock on the Tuesday morning of April 3, 1832, twelve-year-old Amelia Winterbottom, arrived at her grandfather’s premises, the Moor Cock Inn and found her grandfather and uncle covered in blood.
The terrified girl ran to the nearest house, that of James Whitehead. He ran with his wife and neighbour to the scene . On arriving he discovered the victim downstairs was that of Tom Bradbury. Bradbury’s face was gored in a mass of blood. His skull was fractured and had sixteen wounds - his body was bruised all over. Remarkably, Tom Bradbury was not dead. He made attempts to rise but fell to the floor, unconscious.
William, better known as Bill Bradbury, was then found lying in a bed upstairs. Bill had a deep cut to the left side of his head. His left wrist, arm and fingers had been savaged. All the left side of the old man’s body was lacerated and mangled. Such injuries matched defensive wounds.
James Whitehead fetched Mr Samuel Higginbottom, the doctor from Upper Mill, but both men died from their injuries in a matter of hours.
Certainly the murder scene was disturbing. Blood was found in main room downstairs and adjoining pantry , but not in the bar. A desperate life struggle had taken place between Tom Bradbury and his assailant or assailants. Groceries, including candles, were sprawled across the bloody floor. Steps on the stairs had bloody sock foot prints.
Weapons were found: a poker, a spade and an auger. Later a broken cavalry musket, which belonged to the Bradbury’s was found - it was matted with the blood and hair of Tom Bradbury. The Manchester Courier called it the ‘one of the most diabolical murders ever committed.’
Perhaps the most intriguing and controversial aspect of the case happened when Mr Whitehead, while on his own, repeatedly asked William Bradbury who had committed the attack. Under oath at the inquest, James Whitehead stated that the dying old man moaned, “pats” or, “the pats”. This was a derogatory term used by locals against Irish people. Doctor Higginbottom in giving evidence, said William Bradley’s mutterings were incomprehensible.
Another key witness at the inquest was Reuben Platt. He was a friend of Tom Bradley and was the last person to see him alive. Mr Platt stated that on the evening of Monday 2nd April he had been with Tom Bradley. Together they walked from the Moor
Cock Inn to Greenfield. Tom wanted to buy groceries at Spring-grove. On the way the pair met old William Bradbury on his way to the inn. Tom gave him the inn keys to open the inn.
The crucial part of Reuben Platt’s account was when he testified that he and Tom Bradbury met three Irish labourers by the side of the road, less than a mile from the inn. The Irish labourers asked how far it was to Holmfirth and Tom told them it was eight miles. Reuben then related how Tom said he was uneasy about the Irish men and was worried about his father being alone at the inn. After buying his groceries, Tom Bradley and Reuben Platt parted.
So what was the motive for the attack? Was it an opportunist act of theft that went wrong or was it a targeted attack. Locals spoke of old Bill keeping at least £7 for his funeral at the inn, kept in the downstairs chest of drawers. This was certainly bloodied and smashed open during the attack. Money from the Holmfirth toll road, only a few yards from the inn, was said to have been kept at the inn also. The Moor Cock was also believed to be a den of card playing and gambling. Historian, Paula Badger believes the murders were over a gambling row.
Those who consider a targeted attack look at the character of Tom Bradbury, Bill’s 46 year old younger son. Standing over six feet tall and being of a muscular build, Tom was said to have the strength of at least two men. He had been a bare knuckle boxer and wrestler. Now he spent most of his time on the moors hunting game. If Tom found anyone using the moors he expected payment.
Tom became known as a bully and was widely disliked. He seems to have borne a great dislike of the Irish. Locals said he pulled down their turf hovels and charged them for making brushes from the moorland heather.
Another enemy to add to Tom Bradbury’s list were the ‘Red Bradburys.’ Red James Bradbury and his