Dame Judi Dench note to Bradley's jeweller owner Kay Bradley

Kay Bradley, owner of Bradley’s Jewellers in Low Petergate, was touched to receive the hand-written thank you note from none other than York-born Dame Judi Dench.

Kay had sent Dame Judi jewellery from her York rose collection when she performed alongside author and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth earlier this month at the city's Grand Opera House.

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Dame Judi Dench on a recent visit to The Mount School (Image: Supplied) She said the pieces were taken to Dame Judi's dressing room, and a few days later the jeweller was shocked to receive such a heartwarming message.

"It absolutely made my year to receive such a glorious note, Judi wrote that I had done such a sweet thing and that she loved the York Rose and the pink case it came in," said Kay, who was recently named Professional Jeweller Retail Leader of the Year. 

Dame Judi Dench's note to Bradley's owner, Kay Bradley (Image: Supplied)

At her York show Dame Judi performed to a packed auditorium and to celebrate the event, the theatre dedicated a seat to her - the very first seat dedication at the venue since it was refurbished in 2022.

During the show Dame Judi shared an anecdote of why she wanted to go to The Mount because she loved the uniform – blue shirts with the white collar, and she had thought, theatrically, ‘what a costume.’ 

The audience also loved the tale of how The Mount’s ‘wet walks’ (walking in the rain) were not to her taste, so she called her parents from a local telephone box to collect her and her friend who enjoyed a cup of tea in the warmth of her house in Heworth. When they were due back from the walk her parents would use a watering can to sprinkle water on them before dropping them off round the corner from school to help them get away with it. 

Kay Bradley holding her Professional Jeweller Retail Leader of the Year Award (Image: Supplied) Talking about the note Kay admired Dame Judi's handwriting, saying: "She obviously learnt her stunning italic scroll from her school days at The Mount. I too went to a Quaker school and you don't forget that kind of fantastic education."

Kay also invited Dame Judi to a black tie dinner at Castle Howard next month to the launch of Faberge and Bradley's Christmas robin egg surprise locket. 

Dame Judi's note to Kay (Image: Supplied) In addition Kay gifted a pair of King Charles III coronation collection cufflinks to Gyles.

"He emailed back to say he is wearing my cufflinks with pride and spreading the word. What a consummate gentleman," she said.Dame Judi with Gyles Brandreth