Brook William Bridges, 1st Baron FitzWalter (2 June 1801 – 6 December 1875), known as Sir Brook Bridges, Bt, between 1829 and 1875, was a British peer and Conservative

Conservative Party (UK)

The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...

 politician.

Background

Born at Goodnestone

Goodnestone, Dover

Goodnestone is a village in the district of Dover, Kent, England.-Goodnestone Park near Sandwich:Goodnestone Park is a stately home near the Canterbury–Sandwich village. It was built in 1704 by Brook Bridges, 1st Baronet....

, Kent

Kent

Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...

, FitzWalter was the eldest son of Sir Brook William Bridges, 4th Baronet, and Eleanor, daughter of John Foote. He was educated at Winchester

Winchester College

Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...

 and Oriel College, Oxford.

Political career

In 1841 FitzWalter claimed the ancient barony of FitzWalter

Baron FitzWalter

Baron FitzWalter is an ancient title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1295 for Robert FitzWalter. The title was created by writ, which means that it can descend through both male and female lines. His great-grandson, the fourth Baron, was an Admiral of the Fleet. His grandson, the...

, which had been in abeyance

Abeyance

Abeyance is a state of expectancy in respect of property, titles or office, when the right to them is not vested in any one person, but awaits the appearance or determination of the true owner. In law, the term abeyance can only be applied to such future estates as have not yet vested or possibly...

 since 1756, as a descendant of Mary, sister of Benjamin Mildmay, 17th Baron FitzWalter. However, the House of Lords

House of Lords

The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....

 decided against terminating the abeyance in his favour. In February 1852 FitzWalter was elected to the House of Commons

British House of Commons

The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...

 for Kent East, but lost the seat already in July the same year. He reclaimed the seat in 1857, and held it until 1868. The latter year he was created Baron FitzWalter, of Woodham Walter in the County of Essex.

Family

Lord FitzWalter married his first cousin, Fanny, daughter of Lewis Cage and Fanny Bridges, in 1834. They had no children. She died in October 1874. Lord FitzWalter survived her by just over a year and died at Goodnestone Park, Goodnestone, in December 1875, aged 74. The barony became extinct on his death while he was succeeded in the baronetcy by his younger brother, Reverend George Bridges. The original barony of FitzWalter was called out of abeyance in 1924 in favour of Lord FitzWalter's great-nephew, Henry Fitzwalter Plumptre (the grandson of his sister Eleanor Bridges).