Alice BRAILSFORD (née TAYLOR) (1879-1961)

Alice Brailsford, née Taylor (1879-1961) was the wife of Philip Brailsford who worked as gardener for the Sladden family.

Alice was born at Elmley Castle on 15^th March 1879, the fourth of eight children of Charles Taylor, an agricultural labourer, and his wife, Matilda.

On leaving school, Alice went into service.  According to Alice’s granddaughter, the story goes that she met and fell in love with a young man who had been destined to become a Land Agent.  Philip Brailsford from Derbyshire felt he could not live up to his father’s expectations and did a bunk, ending up at Evesham Station.  He found his way to Elmley Castle where he and Alice met.  They had a son, Malcolm Henry (1899-1986), who was registered with the surname of Taylor, but later took the name of Brailsford.  Alice was working away from home at the time of the 1901 census, Philip was lodging in Elmley Castle working as a poultry man, and one-year-old Malcolm was staying with his grandparents, Charles and Matilda Taylor.

Alice and Philip married in the Pershore district later in 1901.  They were living in Evesham when a second son, Thomas Edward (1904-1969), was born.  By November 1904 they had moved to Badsey when Malcolm enrolled at Badsey Council School.  Alice and Philip went on to have six more children born in Badsey:  Janet Mary (1909-1909), George Monsell (1910-2006), Henry Forrest (1913-1986), Philip James (1915-1918), Margaret Kate (1918-1990) and Rhoda Eleanor (1920-1999).  According to the 1911 census, Alice had given birth to four children who had died, but only Janet appears to have been registered.

The Brailsfords lived firstly at what is now No 25 Brewers Lane, Badsey.  In about 1913 they moved a few houses along to Tower View (now a detached house but then a semi-detached house with them living in the left-hand half).

Alice is mentioned in a letter written by Ethel Sladden on 30^th September 1915.  Whilst Philip appears to have been a trusted and respected employee to the Sladden family, it seems he had a drink problem and Ethel felt compelled to go and visit Alice to talk to her about it.  A letter from Mela Brown Constable on 6^th July 1916 revealed that he had at last given up drinking and was a changed man.

Alice and Philip remained at Tower View for the rest of their lives.  Philip died in 1950 and Alice died on 9^th January 1961, aged 81, just over ten years later.  Philip and Alice had been tenants at Tower View, but their son, Jim, took the opportunity to buy it in 1960, remaining there until moving into a home in about 2001 whereupon the house was sold.