BRADLEY is a small village and parish, 3 miles south-west from Grimsby and 157 from London, within the parliamentary borough of Great Grimsby, in the North Lindsey division of the county, parts of Lindsey, wapentake of Bradley Haverstoe, Caistor Union, county court district and petty sessional division of Grimsby, rural deanery of Grimsby No 2, archdeaconry of Stow and diocese of Lincoln. 

The church of St George is a small  but ancient building of stone, consisting of chancel and nave, south porch and an embattled western tower, partly of Norman date, containing one bell; the font is of early date: there are sittings for 100 persons.

The register dates from the year 1664.

The living is a rectory, tithe rent-charge £221, net yearly value £193, including 6 acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of Major Robert Nassau Sutton-Nelthorpe JP of Scawby, and held since 1876 by the Rev Thomas Paul Coopland MA of St Catherine’s College, Cambridge.

There is a small Wesleyan Chapel here.

The poor children of the parish share the benefits of Laceby Free School, distant three miles.

Major Robert Naasau Sutton-Nelthorpe JP of Scawby is Lord of the manor and principal landowner.

The soil is silt and clay; subsoil clay and gravel.

The chief crops are wheat, barley, oats, turnips and seeds.

The area is 1,648 acres, rateable value £1,619: the population in 1881 was 100.

Parish clerk                                          Edmund Cragg

Wall letter box cleared at 5.15. Letters through Grimsby, which with Laceby, are the nearest money order & telegraph office, arrive at 7.30.

Rev Thos Paul Coopland MA               The Rectory

Stamper Anningson                               farmer

Samuel Towle Gooseman                     farmer

George Kirk                                         farmer

Mrs Mary Kirk                         farmer

Redfern Kirk                                        farmer

George Markham                                 farmer

Source: Kelly’s Directory 1889