D. W. Bradley

D.W. Bradley has lived in North Yorkshire for thirty-five years but was born in Lincoln, where he spent his childhood. He was educated at Rosemary Secondary Modern School and the City School (a Grammar School) where he became Head Boy. At the age of twelve he was selected to play Henry III in Jean Anoulih's "Becket" at Lincoln Theatre Royal and when he was sixteen, he was selected for a place at the National Youth Theatre in London where he performed in Shakespeare's history plays. He regularly performed in school and YMCA productions and with the Lindum Players. His main memories of school centred on getting into trouble for imitating members of staff and for being an enthusiastic but incompetent sportsman. He went on to train in drama at Bretton Hall, a prestigious institution for budding performers and teachers. Here he became Deputy President of the Students' Union and gained a Bachelor of Education degree with honours. He found his niche teaching drama in secondary schools in Barnsley, Sheffield, Scarborough and Hull. He loved being a secondary headteacher for twenty years in Whitby, Darlington and Northallerton schools and always insisted on being 'a teaching head'.

 

In retirement, he has been Chairman of the Eskdale Festival of the Arts for six years, an active member of the University of the Third Age, a Rotarian and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. His passions include walking, writing, gardening, travelling, theatre, cricket, lecturing and coaching young performers.

 

D.W. Bradley has a singer-songwriter daughter, Katie, who lives in France with her husband and two children.