It is with feelings of the deepest regret that we have to chronicle the death of Fr. Hildebrand Bradley on August 18th. In him the Journal has lost one of its earliest and most devoted friends. Even on his bed of death he showed the liveliest interest in its welfare, and while the last number was passing through the press he interested himself most keenly in all the details of its progress. He spoke enthusiastically of the good 'List' he would have ready for this very number, and friends will recognize the man himself in the wording of the notice prefixed to his last List in which he 'earnestly' solicit their co-operation to make it as accurate as possible. But it has pleased God to dispose otherwise, and the Lists on which he expended so much time and care have passed into other hands. We feel we should be wanting in our duty and disappoint many friends if we failed to devote a little space to his memory, though we are conscious that the great esteem in which he was held, his enthusiastic and self sacrificing loyalty to St. Lawrence's, and above all his saintly personal life, call for more than the mere passing notice we are able to give.
He was born at Hurst Green, near Stonyhurst, in 1859, and after a short time spent at Mount St. Mary's he came to Ampleforth in 1873 - a very tall slender youth, suffering much from the ordinary effects of overgrowth. But the breezy air of the moors soon told its tale, and he developed into that fine manly figure so well known and so easily recognized in the largest company. Though not a brilliant boy he was a persevering and successful student, and all his contemporaries speak of the vigour and earnestness he infused into all his duties, whether prayers or studies or sports. In the pursuit of the latter he was most enthusiastic and public spirited, and his finished 'style' in cricket is well remembered. One who knew him well tells us that he was a most conscientious observer of all rules and most regular in all his religious duties.
He entered the Novitiate in 1877 and after the usual four years at Belmont he returned to Ampleforth in 1881. For four years he was third prefect of discipline, and shortly after his ordination in 1885 Fr. Prior Hurworth assigned to him the duties of Prefect.
With single minded devotion he entered upon his work, sparing himself in nothing that could promote the welfare of his boys, thinking no pains too great if only he could make them better and happier. To instil into them habits of true piety was his one aim. He was accustomed to spend hours and hours in the preparation of each instruction and address, not content with his own lights but seeking and acting upon the best advice he could obtain. As was the case with his sermons also; he had such a humble estimate of his own work that, after re-writing and amending them over and over again, he would submit them to the opinion of others, and again alter them. Though of a very sensitive nature and feeling deeply any want of correspondence with his efforts, he seldom allowed his personal feelings to influence his judgments or his relations with the boys. Boys of the present generation may not know that it is to his untiring and successful efforts that they owe the privilege of the cheap 'College Tickets' from Gilling to the neighbouring stations, a privilege which has saved their pockets and multiplied their 'cuts' to a degree beyond the dreams of their predecessors.
He could do nothing by halves. The wholehearted enthusiasm with which he flung himself into his work was irresistible. It spread itself to all around him and was manifest in the least as in the more important of his doings. Many will remember the earnestness with which he set about the preparations for the Queen's jubilee in 1887, how for days together he worked to raise on the moors near the 'Roman Camp' materials for a bonfire that should, be the biggest in Yorkshire, how he arranged everything even to the minutest details, instructing the band as to the exact second it should strike up, and then how lustily he sang the National Anthem. Though a small thing in itself it illustrates the thoroughness with which he always worked and helps to recal him to memory. It was one of those typical occasions on which his whole being seemed, as was said, to be 'wound up.' Indeed his loyalty to Queen and country was of no ordinary type and seemed to partake of the childlike personal devotion of long past feudal days.
He retired from the prefectship in 1887 and the last eight years of his life were mainly occupied in teaching. Here again thoroughness was his one characteristic and he gave his whole soul to the work. Never content with a perfunctory discharge of his duties but painstaking to a degree, he was ever planning and devising ways and means of making the subject matter easy and intelligible to his classes. He was, it might almost be said, a slave to method. No boy taught by him is ever likely to forget his clear systematical lessons in French or the orderly arrangements of his notes in History. He was an enemy to all slovenliness and inaccuracy, and the one unpardonable sin with him was listlessness and indifference. Perhaps the one secret of the success of his teaching was the enthusiasm which he put into his work and which invariably he elicited from his classes. Nor was his influence confined to his own classes. The whole establishment benefited by Fr. Hildebrand's unceasing energy and there is no one who does not feel that it is the poorer by his loss.
In later years we owe to him the large photographic albums of old Amplefordians and the restoration and increase of the valuable collection of paintings which for many years had been almost disregarded and which through him people have learned to appreciate at their proper value. It entailed great labour on his part and it is only fair to say that from the Earl of Carlisle and Mr. W. C. Milburn of York (the latter his old and faithful friend) he received valuable assistance in the work. He had also a fine appreciation of music and in the College orchestra he was always a most willing and efficient member. He possessed a good baritone voice and for a short time was Choir master.
But busy as his life had been, his spiritual interests were never allowed to suffer. Much, as he helped towards the material prosperity of Alma Mater, he did more by his edifying life and good example. All that we have said of his earnestness and enthusiasm, of the method and precision which were almost a passion with him, is applicable with even greater force to his religious life. It is of course impossible to enter with fulness into the details of his life and habits, but all who knew him will recognize three virtues which were evident on the surface, and these were his humility, his obedience and simple, unaffected piety. These are no empty words, and far from being mere obituary phrases. People of high spirits are usually tempted to take a sanguine view of life and of their own capacities, but this was not the case with Fr. Hildebrand. He had a most sincere distrust of himself, and the very lowest opinion of his own powers. His humility did not consist in forced external practices, but was deeply internal, and was ever shown in his deference to superiors, and to the opinions of those around him. It was a true intellectual humility, and when doing most good he ever seemed unconscious of any good at all. We could give many proofs of this if space allowed, and what made it the more remarkable was the fact that he had always to fight against a naturally hasty temper.
His obedience followed naturally from his humility, and like it was most marked and thorough. We may doubt if he ever consciously broke the smallest rule. The voice of superiors was undoubtedly to him the voice of God. Many a time when the prudence of his action was questioned, he replied. 'Well I have no doubt or scruple about that. I have done nothing without the sanction of the Prior and I have no anxiety.' That sanction he was scrupulous to obtain for even the minutest points of conduct - his studies, his teaching, the least duty that devolved upon him. Following the rule of St. Alphonsus he never allowed a day to pass without at least a half hour's study of Theology, and no matter how busy he was, he never omitted it without laying his reasons before the Prior and first obtaining his express permission.
His simple piety was manifest in his devotion to choir, his sermons and all his private life. His earnest and methodical preparation for and thanksgiving after Mass were examples for all; and no one who was ever present at his Mass could fail to be struck by the wholesouled devotion which seemed almost to transfigure him during the celebration of those divine mysteries.
It may not be out of place to mention the last sermon he preached. It was at Malton in the month of June before he fell ill. As if feeling the shadow of death across his path, he took for his subject 'Suffering.' His tall figure, his spiritual look, the low voice, and above all the concentrated earnestness of every word produced an effect that has been rarely witnessed. The whole of the audience was deeply moved, tears were flowing freely and the fathers themselves were unable to resist the power of his simple and earnest words. The voice is now hushed in death, but no one who heard his sermons will lose the impression made by the deep sincerity that breathed through every word.
We need not dwell upon his long and trying illness. It was in the summer of 1894 while staying at the abbey at Maredsous that he first showed symptoms of the consumption that proved fatal. He returned by easy stages, spending a few days at Douai, and he ever after spoke in the warmest terms of the kindness he received from his brethren there, and bore witness to the generous hospitality, for which St. Edmund's is deservedly noted. It was in October that he reached Ampleforth in a very weak state and he fairly cried with joy on reaching 'home'. His patience and his resignation from that time till August 18, when he died, are well remembered. So anxious was he to prepare well for death and so strict a guard did he keep over himself that, after being told of his grave state of health, he asked a friend if by any sign he had shown any sorrow or regret at the news. He received Extreme Unction a fortnight before he died, and on the evening before his death, which no one suspected to be so near, he asked a brother priest to bring him Holy Viaticum an hour earlier than usual. It seemed a special providence of God, for when he entered the room he found him quite conscious, but almost at the last breath. There was just time to gather the brethren round him and give him the Blessed Sacrament, when after begging pardon for all his faults, he quietly breathed his soul into the hands of God.
May his example find many imitators and produce fruit for years yet to come, and may he rest in peace.
Robert Hildebrand BRADLEY 18 Aug 1895 1859 16 Jul born at Hurst Green, Lancashire educ Ampleforth 1877 3 Sep Clothed 1882 10 Feb Solemn Vows 1885 23 May Priest Prefect of Students 1895 18 Aug died at Ampleforth