Bradford Family – Rubyvale

The Bradford family has played a significant role in the history of the Sapphire Gemfields. Charles James Bradford, born in the 1860s, was drawn to circus life and, after working in the profession for several years, established his own show. At the turn of the century, he married Emily C. De Zoet, and their travelling circus circuit included the townships of Lightning Ridge and Rubyvale. With a growing family, they settled in Rubyvale in 1909.

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Charles and Emily had five children: Emily Mary, Charles Herman, John Edward, May Gertrude, and Reuben William. The children were enrolled in the Rubyvale Provisional School when it opened in 1908 and were all involved in the family circus, becoming accomplished horse riders, acrobats, and trapeze artists.

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Emily later married gem merchant Harry Spencer. More information about the Spencer family can be found outside Black Star House on the corner of Burridge Place, Rubyvale. 

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Charles Bradford, Gemcutter
Bradford family home from early 1900s to 1990s

May, an extraordinary woman, married Frank Shepherd. You can learn more by visiting the May Bradford place marker on Farm Road, Rubyvale.

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Charles married Jane McKerr, and they remained on the Sapphire Gemfields, raising their children: Charles Jr, Gordon, Noel, Mary, and Dorothea. The three boys joined the armed forces in World War II. Sadly, Gordon was lost in battle in 1944. Upon returning home, young Charlie and Noel spent three years in Brisbane learning gem-cutting with the firm Halpin and McCracken. During this time, Charlie cut the famous Anderson’s Yellow. See the Anderson’s Yellow place marker on Crystal Street, Willows Gemfields. 

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They later returned to Rubyvale to build a stationary cutting plant, said to be the first on the Sapphire Gemfields. Young Charlie became known for his gem-cutting expertise and faceted some of the best-known sapphires from the region. He married Eileen White of Tadcaster, Withersfield, in 1946, and they remained in the Bradford family home until the 1990s. 

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Charles combined mining with his circus life, and in 1911, became the first to use mechanised machinery in the local sapphire industry when he added a 4HP motor to his wash plant.

Marriage connected the Bradfords with other prominent families of the ‘fields, including the Spencer, White, and Shepherd families, creating fascinating stories and lasting legacies. The Bradford home and cutting plant remain in the same location today, steeped in local history.

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