Bertie Bradnack

Bertie Bradnack

Bernard Ernest Bradnack was born on 2nd February 1908 in Walsall, Staffordshire and founded Walsall Pressings in 1946.

Bertie drove a Cooper Mk VII Norton through 1953 and '54, he managed some respectable results in spite of his 17 stones, a sixth in the final at Castle Combe in April, '53 and the same in the Easter 20 final at Brands and sixth again in his heat at Ibsley on 18th April. In August he took a fourth in the prestigious Commander Yorke Trophy at Silverstone but failed to finish after a shunt and gearbox problems at Agen, in France in September.

At Brands, Easter '54, Bertie took fifth in the Junior final then seventh at Snetterton on 24th April. After this he moved into sports car categories and occasional rallies.

The wishbone mounting lugs on a Cooper chassis are known as "Bradnack Lugs". Coopers had struggled to cut them out of scrap until Bertie stepped in.

Bertie died in October 1989.