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Bradshaw's cycles

Bradshaw’s local advertising

The Majestic Milk Pram

Shop opened in 1898

On 15th May 1896 “The New Hudson Cycle Company Ltd” was set up with capital of £50,000 in Birmingham. As they became more successful, agents were set up around the country and in 1898 such an agent opened at 6, Western Road Hove. By 1912 the premises had expanded around the corner with Farman Street, taking over numbers 1-3, formerly a picture frame manufactory.

The ‘Majestic Milk Pram’

In the 1920’s the agent became S.G. Bradshaw’s, taking its name from Samuel George Bradshaw, its proprietor. Bradshaw was an innovator and diversified into other products, most successfully devising the ‘Majestic Milk Pram’ for the dairy trade. This container came in 20 and 30 gallon sizes and was a common sight on Brighton’s streets. By 1928 another Bradshaw branch had been opened at 91, Blatchington Road, followed by a further at 70, London Road in the early 1930s.

Closure in the 1960s

In 1937, George Bradshaw presented twelve new cycles to the Brighton District Nurses Association at a ceremony presided over by the Mayor. By 1940 there were branches at 10, Terminus Road, Eastbourne, The Broadway, Haywards Heath and 1, Lansdown Place, Lewes. However, with the demise of the British motorcycle industry there came a downturn in the businesses fortunes, resulting in closure at the end of the 1960s.

Bradshaw’s at 6 Western Road

The Mayor with the Brighton District Nurses Association

Comments about this page

  • I remember this shop, I only lived round the corner in Waterloo Street. I bought my first decent bike in there about 1957. The alley way was the top of Farmen Street and they also had a large bike workshop in this small street. They also sold small motorcycles as well as bicycles.

    By Dennis Fielder (22/06/2013)
  • Bradshaws in London Road was just below Preston Circus on the west side, the main display was to the left as you went in with a side window cabinet that held (joy of joys) new Dinky toys. They sat atop their bright yellow boxes and were a delight to small boy window shoppers (me!). I seem to remember that the interior was mostly bikes, but one big counter with the the toys behind was my Mecca. Smell is such an ephemeral thing, but I think I can just about recall the smell of a new unboxed Dinky!

    By Geoffrey Mead (22/06/2013)
  • I bought my first moped, a Phillips Gadabout from Bradshaws in 1960, their repair shop was in Farmen Street. It was a great moped.

    By Michael.J.Clarl (08/07/2013)
  • Bradshaws in London Road was my source for Matchbox toys too. I wasn’t able to afford Dinkys (I seem to recall they were 2/6, whereas Matchbox were 1/6). My Dad and I would spend hours deciding which to get. I also used to get Lone Star die-cast trains there. What a great store.

    By Marc Turner (09/07/2013)
  • Hi, I am very happy to see that my father George Bradshaw is so well remembered. That’s me pushing the milk cart in 1931. Thanks to his genes  I am still going strong at 91 and living in St Catharine’s, Canada with my wife Bette of 68 years (this year). Bob Bradshaw

    By Bob Bradshaw (18/10/2015)
  • Jack Wade the boss of Wades store in Western Road bought the first NSU Quickly in Brighton & Hove from Bradshaws so I could get around and fit his linoleum. Later I bought a lovely little 75cc Alpino scooter off of them. Strangely they were both plagued by being very reluctant to start in wet weather, but I always found that I got helpful service at Bradshaws; it was a very well stocked and interesting shop .

    John O Beard .

    By John O Beard (25/12/2016)
  • I remember Bradshaws by Preston Circus. During the war my brother and I made model aircraft from old scraps of wood and sold them to Bradshaws to fund the purchase of paint for the next batch of models.

    By Reg Potter (14/05/2019)
  • I remember buying my Raleigh Blue streak cycle about 1959 from the Preston Circus shop and subsequently part-exchanging this for a Capri 80cc motor scooter in 1962 at the Western Road shop. What lovely shops, such a variety of stock and seemed to have so much more than the the modern shops. In those days you were able to park on the road outside both shops! What wonderful times.

    By John Glyde (29/06/2019)
  • Hello!
    I have a green George Bradshaw bike,
    I was wondering if anyone could help me service it!
    I am in the Hertfordshire area
    It needs new brake pads and a looking at the gears, but it seems in good condition?

    Editor’s note: From Brighton? I don’t think so!

    By Laura plumpton (06/08/2019)

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