Brady Bags - Since 1887
Brady brothers John and Albert started their company in Birmingham in 1887 making leather gun cases. Over the years their range expanded to fishing and game bags, and Brady became world renowned as makers of the finest quality sporting leather goods.
Brady bags continue to be hand-made in Walsall, from best quality canvas, brass components and English bridle leather. Many styles first introduced in the 30s and 40s are still made to original patterns and remain some of the most popular Brady styles. We are proud to maintain the traditions, values and standards established more than a century ago.
1870-1930
Brady Brothers was founded by John and Albert Brady in Price Street in Birmingham, England in the 1870s. They made leather goods for use in field sports, including high-quality gun cases. John's son Ernest and Albert's son Leonard both joined Brady Brothers later, and Ernest took over the business in 1928.
The business prospered under Ernest's direction, and in the 1930s Ernest and Leonard moved to larger premises in Shadwell Street in the heart of Birmingham's gun quarter. It was there Ernest first designed and personally made a range of fishing bags all named after English rivers. These bags were to become the mainstay of the company and the source of its prosperity and fame in future years.
Hand-made Brady gun cases were also greatly prized throughout the world. Oak and leather cases were made for movie and theatrical celebrities and royalty, including the Sultan of Oman and the Duke of Westminster.
Leonard left Brady Brothers and moved to Hollywood. He was a fine craftsman and set up a business making props for films. Below are two photographs from the Brady archive showing Leonard with two props he made for famous actors.
1940-1980
During the war, Ernest was forced to move the business into his own house, with the help of one stitcher and one part-time machinist. The house was bombed during the war and so was Birmingham. The city was going to have to be reconstructed, and Shadwell Street was to be demolished, so Ernest decided to start up the business again by moving to Halesowen in 1946, a small town in the industrial Black Country.
At that time, it was vital to find new outlets to rebuild the business. Ernest built a caravan and took his family to London for a month. Every day Ernest went into central London with a large wheeled truck he had constructed, loaded with samples of all the things that Brady Brothers made. He called at all the big stores and as many small fishing and gun makers shops as he could find, showing them his goods and taking many orders. This saved the business and caused not a little amusement and was often referred to by Brady customers over the years.
Brady Bags had a reputation for quality and longevity – Ernest's daughter Helen remembered, "As a girl, I went into work one day in the 1950's and found the hallway full of what looked like a lot of broken-down cases and in some blood-stained game and fishing bags. Thinking they were all rubbish and that I should be deputed to put them in the dustbin, I luckily made some enquiries about the matter first. I discovered that they belonged to the Duke of Westminster and his son, who had just inherited them, and Brady was to repair them and suitably initial each item."
1990 to Present Day
After Ernest's death in the 1980s, his daughter Helen and Ernest's brother Philip ran the company until 1993. In 1993, Michael Goold of W.A. Goold (Holdings) Limited purchased Brady Brothers Ltd and incorporated it into their existing holdings.
In the 2000s, Brady's manufacturing moved to Walsall, the historic heart of England's leather industry, bringing its renowned quality to a wider audience. In 2015, Vale Brothers purchased Brady Bags. In 2018, BOY'S CO., LTD. (Japan) purchased Brady Bags while keeping the entire manufacture in England.
All Brady bags are still handcrafted in our factory in Walsall, England. The production starts with selecting the finest materials, like Drill Canvas from Italy, Harris Tweed from Scotland, and Milled Cruiser leather from England, then adding brass buckles, studs and zippers. Shoulder straps and handles are made from military-grade cotton cord, and some fishing bag liners are made from cotton with natural rubber attached.
However, it takes more than just the finest materials to make a Brady bag. It takes seven steps and many years of training, and Brady's craftsmen continue to hone their skills every day. Behind every Brady bag stands a team with a combined 627 years of bag-making experience and knowledge (the number of years of service of all of our employees). This collective expertise ensures that every bag is durable, distinctive, and built to last a lifetime with proper care.
