Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 1.djvu/230

 daughter of John H. Smith, by whom he had one daughter.

Braddon was an enthusiastic sportsman. He was hardly popular; his bluff manner of speech was too often touched with sarcasm. He was author of ‘Life in India’ (1872) and ‘Thirty Years of Shikar’ (1895).

 BRADFORD, EDWARD RIDLEY COLBORNE, (1836–1911), Anglo-Indian administrator and commissioner of the metropolitan police, London, born on 27 July 1836 at Hambleden Cottage, Buckinghamshire, was second son (in a family of three sons and five daughters) of William Mussage Kirkwall Bradford (1806–1872), who was rector successively of Rotherfield Greys, Oxfordshire, Weeke, Hampshire, and finally from 1844 of West Meon, Hampshire. His mother, Mary (1810–1894), was elder daughter of Henry Colborne Ridley, rector of Hambleden, who was younger brother of Sir Matthew White Ridley, third baronet. His eldest brother, Henry William (1835–1907), was a bencher of the Middle Temple and a county councillor for Westminster. Edward attended a private school at Henley on Thames, and at the age of ten joined his eldest brother at Marlborough; but a dangerous illness cut short his career there, and after studying with a tutor at Blackheath he accepted a cadetship in the service of the East India Company from one of the directors, Butterworth Bayley. He sailed for India on 13 Nov. 1853 and joined the 2nd Madras light cavalry at Jalna. For the next ten years he gave abundant promise of a brilliant military career, winning the confidence of his men by his peculiar charm of manner and being distinguished for his horsemanship and quick perception of character. In 1855 he became lieutenant and joined the 6th Madras cavalry at Mhow. Throughout his service in Central India it was said of him that ‘the good sowars (troopers) loved him, while the bad instinctively feared him.’

On the outbreak of the war with Persia General John Jacob [q. v.] selected him for the duty of organising a corps of irregular cavalry in Persia. But the project was abandoned, and Bradford was attached to a troop of 14th light dragoons, serving at the capture of Muhammara, and receiving the medal and the clasp. The progress of the mutiny hastened his return to India, where he was soon engaged in three fields of operations, near Jabalpur, in the Sagar and Nerbudda districts, and in the pursuit of Tantia Topi. The mutiny of the 52nd Bengal native infantry on 18 Sept. 1857 and the rebellion of local chiefs led to frequent skirmishes, in which Bradford, as adjutant of the left wing 6th Madras cavalry, took part. More serious operations followed after his transfer to the famous corps of irregular cavalry, Mayne's horse, of which he became adjutant, and on 25 Oct. 1858 second in command. He was engaged on 19 October in the brilliant charge of seventy sabres on the rear of Tantia Topi's force, as they retired from Sindwah before General Sir John Michel [q. v.]. He was again to the front on 25 October at Korai, where, after covering sixty-four miles of difficult country in sixty hours, the British cavalry separated one wing of Tantia's force from the other and cut it to pieces. He was specially mentioned in despatches for ‘his great influence over the native soldiery, his excellent tact and judgment,’ and Lord Canning commended his ‘spirit and gallantry.’ He won fresh laurels at Rajgarh, having acted as commandant of 1st regiment Mayne's horse as well as political agent at Goona in 1859. Captain Mayne (8 June 1860) recommended him to the special notice of government for his constant ‘gallantry, discretion and energy.’ Broken down by the strain of these operations, Bradford was ordered home in September 1860, and on his return to duty he was appointed political assistant in West Malwa in addition to his military duties.

On 10 May 1863 Bradford suffered a calamity which changed the course of his career. He joined a party of officers from Goona on a shooting expedition. After eighteen tigers were killed without casualty Bradford and Captain Curtis, Inniskilling dragoons, having exhausted their leave, left for Agar. On their way near Dilanpur they heard of a tiger, and they and a trooper went in pursuit. The tiger, twice wounded, charged Bradford, whose second gun failed to fire. Bradford dropped into an adjoining pool, whence the tiger dragged and played with him ‘just as a cat does with a mouse, occasionally taking his arm in its mouth and giving him a crunch.’ A change of position enabled Bradford's companion Curtis to fire without risk to his friend, and the tiger, driven off, was despatched by the trooper. Then followed a painful journey to Agar, and at a point thirty-five miles from the