We have been informed that Alec Bradley died peacefully in Roselands Nursing Home on Tuesday January 10. He had lived for many years in Rope Walk, Rye and was a regular attender at St Mary’s Church.
He was a familiar figure, whom I often encountered 10 or 15 years ago, wheeling his wooden barrow along the eastern embankment of the River Rother. A solitary figure, he would be collecting driftwood for his fire at home or bringing saplings to plant along the river bank. Today these can be seen as trees, grown to a good height, below the path beyond North Point and also by the little bridge on the cycle track to Camber.
He seemed to have a nautical air and I thought of him as a retired ship’s captain, so it was no surprise to learn that he had served in the Royal Navy and then in the merchant navy for many years. As a result he was conscious of having missed for those years all the excitement of political and social upheavals in the world, according to a former neighbour.
I did not know him well but he was always a pleasure to meet and had a friendly word for everyone. It is understood that family members in New Zealand are coming over for the funeral on a date to be announced.
