Spring 1895
Bradshaw’s China Hall was founded by John Leeming Bradshaws who immigrated to Canada from Lancashire, England when he was 13 years old. He became a trained cabinet maker and opened a furniture and undertaking business in Stratford when he was 21
In 1895, when Peter Watson died, he bought the stock of P. Watson & Son China Hall which specialized in selling china, crockery, tinware, glassware, cutlery, lamps tea and spices. He had planned to clear out all the stock, but in the following 4 months, J.L. Bradshaw discovered he liked the business so much, he gave up the furniture business began running Bradshaw’s China Hall at 58 Ontario Street in Stratford, Ontario.
October 16, 1895
J.L. Bradshaw moves his China Hall to a new, larger premises at 84. Ontario Street in Stratford, Ontario.
1900
J.L. Bradshaw establishes a wholesale business buying large quantities of china, mainly Staffordshire, directly from manufacturers in England and Europe to distribute the merchandise to other Canadian retail shops. J.L. was also Canada’s largest importer of Limoges tableware at the time.
1914 - 1918 World War 1
J.L. Bradshaw is the only chinaware dealer from the whole of America who maintains his annual buying trips overseas through U-boat infested waters. Between 1896 and 1937, he was reputed to have crossed the Atlantic Ocean 87 times.
1942
J.L. Bradshaw dies. The business passes to his son Harold Struthers Bradshaw who runs it for the next 23 years. Also in 1942, David Bradshaw, Harold’s son, starts working in the family shop as a student and was paid $2.00 per week.
1961
Harold Bradshaw retires and his son, a 20 year-old John David Bradshaw officially takes over. Harold Bradshaw dies 3 years later in 1968.
1970
Bill Wreford starts working for David Bradshaw as a traveling salesperson for the wholesale division.
January 1975
At age 28, Bill Wreford and his father Gordon Wreford purchase the retail business, marking the end of the 3rd generation ownership of Bradshaws for the Bradshaw family, but keeping the Bradshaws name for the retail store.
David Bradshaw continued to run the wholesale side of the business, J.L. Bradshaw Ltd. as a completely separate entity. The wholesale company operates today by Todd Rowe – partner to Carole (Bradshaw) Rowe – David Bradshaw’s daughter. Carole currently owns and operates Watson’s Chelsea Bazaar at 84 Ontario Street in Stratford.
1978
Bradshaws is awarded the prestigious Canadian Gift and Tableware Retail Excellence Award.
1984
Bradshaws moves to a new and larger location across the street at it’s present location, 129 Ontario Street, in downtown Stratford.
Instead of hiring movers, Bill Wreford made a donation to Knox Church and their parishioners helped carry one piece of china or crystal at a time across the street to negate the need for packing boxes in an effort to reduce the amount of breakage.
1985
A second Bradshaws retail location opens in London, Ontario. The store is eventually purchased by a former employee of Bradshaws Stratford, Myra Tuer, who operates it for many years before moving on to pursue other interests.
1995
Bradshaws celebrates it’s 100th Anniversary in Stratford. Operated by husband and wife Bill and Sharon Wreford, the store continues to be one of Canada’s truly unique stores. Bill and Sharon adapt to the changing fcae of the tableware and gift industry by continuing to introduce new and innovative products.
2006
Bill and Sharon Wreford retire. Their son, Jeremy Wreford and his wife Carrie (Schwartz) Wreford purchase the business becoming the third generation of the Wreford family, and the sixth generation of Stratford families to be involved with Bradshaws. Carrie and Jeremy strive to acknowledge the history of the company while constantly moving it forward in new directions.
2024
Bradshaws is pleased to win a prestigious giaCanada Global Innovation Award for 2023-2024 presented in Chicago, Illinois.
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