Born in St. John's, Newfoundland Colony, he was the son of Norman Bradley and Evangeline Trimm.

[citation needed] In 1924, he was elected to the House of Assembly representing the electoral district of Port de Grave.

A Conservative, he was a Minister without Portfolio in the cabinet of Walter Stanley Monroe until he resigned from the caucus in 1926 to sit as an Independent.

He was re-elected in 1928 representing the electoral district of Trinity Centre as a Liberal and served as Minister without Portfolio and Solicitor-General in the cabinet of Richard Squires.

The London Delegation was unsuccessful in its attempt to get the promise of continued financial aid if Newfoundland were to resume Responsible Government.