[5] Bray's marketing strategy emphasized her unique position as a woman builder, targeting women as her primary audience.
It controversially references Penda, a 7th-century pagan king of Mercia who likely marched through the area on his way to battle with Oswy of Northumbria.
[13][4] Her homes were advertised as "Houses of distinctive design and superior finish", and she was known for incorporating modern amenities like stainless steel sinks and refrigerators.
She noted how tastes had changed over the years, with a shift from front-parlour type houses to designs featuring large living rooms with dining recesses and working kitchens rather than kitchenettes.
Bray believed that well-planned kitchens should be suitable for everyday meals, especially breakfast, reflecting her practical approach to home design.
Her presence on building sites sometimes led to confusion, with people initially assuming she was a tenant rather than the developer and boss.
[15] Bray's direct involvement extended to all aspects of her work, including occasional attempts at bricklaying, though she admitted to limited success in this area.
[6] She continued to manage all aspects of her business, from design and construction to tenant relations, even after her husband joined the Army.
At a 1945 Labour Women's Conference, she was described as "a member of the Socialist party for 20 years and the builder of 650 small houses in Leeds before the war".
[29] She also promoted denser urban development to prevent suburban sprawl, suggesting reorganizing Leeds' housing by utilizing derelict spaces within city boundaries.
Her advocacy in the late 1940s urged local authorities to purchase and modernize old houses for conversion into multiple dwellings, favoring public ownership over private enterprise.
[30] At a 1945 Labour Women's Conference, she further advocated for significant government intervention in housing, including calls for the mass production of affordable utility kitchen fittings to be achieved by restricting manufacturers' profits.
Her stance highlighted a belief in prioritizing accessibility of quality housing features for working people over corporate interests.
[31] Bray proposed a radical vision for urban development, advocating for the construction of skyscraper flats in Leeds.
She argued that people needed to be persuaded to accept new methods and that their limited experience with various forms of housing had restricted their vision of what could be achieved.
[28] In an article for The Labour Woman in April 1945, she elaborated on this vision: "Before us it lies, ten stories high with large windows catching every possible ray of sunshine.
She envisioned these buildings surrounded by "a wide stretch of green interspersed here and there by flowering trees," with dedicated spaces for children and allotments.