Sir Brook Bridges, 3rd Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Brook William Bridges, 3rd Baronet (17 September 1733 – 4 September 1791) was a British
baronet and Whig politician.
Born posthumously at Whitehall
, he was the only son of Sir Brook Bridges, 2nd Baronet and his wife Anne Palmer, daughter of Sir Thomas Palmer, 4th Baronet, of Wingham. With his birth he succeeded his father as baronet. Bridges was educated at Eton College
and Trinity College, Cambridge
until 1752 and began subsequently his Grand Tour
. In 1763, he entered the British House of Commons
for Kent
, representing the constituency as Member of Parliament
(MP) until 1774. He was for several years Receiver General
of the land tax for Kent.
On 11 June 1765, he married Fanny Fowler, daughter of Edmund Fowler and heiress to the title Baron Fitzwalter
, at St George's, Hanover Square in London. They had six daughters and seven sons. Bridges died, aged 58 in Portman Square
in London and was buried in Goodnestone
in Kent
. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his second son William, who after the death of his older brother in 1781 had taken the additional Christian name Brook by licence of the archbishop.
His daughter, Elizabeth, married Jane Austen
's brother, and Austen visited them on the estate regularly.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
baronet and Whig politician.
Born posthumously at Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
, he was the only son of Sir Brook Bridges, 2nd Baronet and his wife Anne Palmer, daughter of Sir Thomas Palmer, 4th Baronet, of Wingham. With his birth he succeeded his father as baronet. Bridges was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
until 1752 and began subsequently his Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
. In 1763, he entered the British 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
Kent (UK Parliament constituency)
Kent was a parliamentary constituency covering the county of Kent in southeast England. It returned two "knights of the shire" to the House of Commons by the bloc vote system from the year 1290...
, representing the constituency as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) until 1774. He was for several years Receiver General
Receiver General
A Receiver General is an officer responsible for accepting payments on behalf of a government, and for making payments to a government on behalf of other parties. Receiver General is an alternative title for a Treasurer.-See also:...
of the land tax for Kent.
On 11 June 1765, he married Fanny Fowler, daughter of Edmund Fowler and heiress to the title Baron 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...
, at St George's, Hanover Square in London. They had six daughters and seven sons. Bridges died, aged 58 in Portman Square
Portman Square
Portman Square is a square in London, part of the Portman Estate. It is located at the western end of Wigmore Street, which connects it to Cavendish Square to its east. It is served by London bus route 274...
in London and was buried in 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....
in 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...
. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his second son William, who after the death of his older brother in 1781 had taken the additional Christian name Brook by licence of the archbishop.
His daughter, Elizabeth, married Jane Austen
Jane Austen
Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.Austen lived...
's brother, and Austen visited them on the estate regularly.