ISMACS Logo

International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society

The purpose of the International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society is to foster the collecting of, and research into, sewing machines.

Bradbury Sewing Machine Company Articles

  • Bradbury Tandem Bicycle
  • Bradbury's Band of Hope
  • How Bradbury became known as the "Temperance Company" during Victorian Britain's anti-alcohol movement. Workers swore "not to touch, taste, or handle the accursed cup."
  • Bradbury and the Iron Duke's Machines
  • An industrial dispute in 1852 launched one of Britain's largest sewing machine manufacturers, eventually expanding to bicycles and motorcycles from its Wellington Works in Oldham.
  • Bradbury Update
  • Newly discovered documents and artifacts reveal the evolving Bradbury business from the 1850s through early 1900s, including rare prize medals and early cycle catalogs.
  • Heavyweights for Industry
  • Industrial-strength machines designed for commercial applications, including the popular boot patching machine that became a standard in cobbler shops worldwide.
  • It's all in an Ad
  • A simple 1894 advertisement reveals surprising details about Bradbury's marketing strategy, product line, and the declining popularity of their Wellington hand machine.
  • It's Soeze
  • The fascinating evolution of Bradbury's answer to German imports, with four distinct versions produced between 1898-1906 before evolving into the Family V.S.
  • Was this really the first electric?
  • Evidence that Bradbury offered an electric sewing machine in 1903, fourteen years before National's claimed "first" in 1917.
  • The Lancashire Sewing Machine Company
  • Exploring the connections between early manufacturers Judkins, Bradbury, and Grover & Baker through their involvement with this mysterious company.
  • The Pendleton Mystery
  • A corporate dispute erupted when George Bradbury secretly backed his son's competing sewing machine factory while still directing Bradbury & Co. It's no wonder the Board of Bradbury & Co Ltd were a tad upset ...
  • Season's Greetings
  • A festive Bradbury Family S machine decorated with hand-painted holly and robin motifs, likely a special Christmas gift for a fortunate Victorian recipient.
  • Using Your Attachments: The Underbraider
  • How to properly use this clever attachment that adds decorative braided trim while stitching, transforming plain garments with professional embellishments.
  • William Carver - The first Dr. Who?
  • Timeline inconsistencies question William Carver's claimed role in developing early British sewing machines in 1852. Could Sugden and Bradbury be the true pioneers?

ISMACS is an organization totally independent of all sewing-machine manufacturers, past or present and is not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned in these pages.  Please Note: Do not contact any ISMACS official in an attempt to solicit a valuation - it is not possible other than by hands-on assessment and your request will be ignored.

All rights reserved by ISMACS, under International and Pan American copyright conventions. Reproduction or copy of this page, in any form, in part or in whole, is strictly prohibited, without prior, written permission.