Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 2nd Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 2nd Baronet (27 April 1678 – 5 December 1746) was a British
baronet and Whig politician.
and his wife Mary Cave, daughter of Sir Thomas Cave, 1st Baronet. His sister Penelope was married to Thomas Newport, 1st Baron Torrington
. Bridgeman was educated at Rugby School
in Warwickshire
and went then to Trinity College, Oxford
, where he matriculated in 1694. He succeeded his father as baronet on the latter's death in 1701.
following the Acts of Union
in 1707, sitting as a Member of Parliament
(MP) for Coventry
in the first Parliament of Great Britain
until 1710. Five years later, he stood for Calne
until 1722. Bridgeman represented Lostwithiel
from a by-election
in 1724 until the general election of 1727
, when he was also successful for Blechingley
, for which he chose to sit until 1734. He was afterwards returned to the House for Dunwich
, a seat he held for the next four years.
In 1716, Bridgeman was appointed Auditor General
to George, Prince of Wales
, serving until the latter's accession to the throne in 1727. He then joined the Board of Trade
as a commissioner, an office he held until 1738.
, and had by her three sons and two daughters.
and because it had been disfigured by the water, the body was falsely identified as Bridgeman's.
Bridgeman had built a new house at Bowood Park
in Wiltshire
, so that he got deeply into debt and the Chancery Court
s started with proceedings against him in 1737. His principal creditor Richard Long
acquired ownership of the estate after a Chancery Decree in his favour in 1739. The diary of John Perceval, 1st Earl of Egmont
says the following:
Bridgeman was found in an inn at Slough
in October 1838 and was imprisoned. He died at the gaol of Gloucester
on 5 December 1746 and was buried in St Nicholas' Church, Gloucester
. Although his oldest son Francis
is sometimes considered to have succeeded to the baronetcy, he in fact predeceased his father in 1740 and the title became extinct with Bridgeman's death.
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.
Background
He was the oldest son of Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 1st BaronetSir Orlando Bridgeman, 1st Baronet, of Ridley
Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 1st Baronet FRS was an English baronet and politician.-Background:Bridgeman was the second son of Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 1st Baronet, by his second wife Dorothy, daughter of John Saunders. He was educated at Westminster College from 1662 and after two years went to Magdalene...
and his wife Mary Cave, daughter of Sir Thomas Cave, 1st Baronet. His sister Penelope was married to Thomas Newport, 1st Baron Torrington
Thomas Newport, 1st Baron Torrington
Thomas Newport, 1st Baron Torrington PC , styled The Honourable from 1675 until 1716, was an English peer, barrister and Whig politician.-Background:...
. Bridgeman was educated at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
in Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
and went then to Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
, where he matriculated in 1694. He succeeded his father as baronet on the latter's death in 1701.
Career
Bridgeman entered the British House of CommonsBritish 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...
following the Acts of Union
Acts of Union 1707
The Acts of Union were two Parliamentary Acts - the Union with Scotland Act passed in 1706 by the Parliament of England, and the Union with England Act passed in 1707 by the Parliament of Scotland - which put into effect the terms of the Treaty of Union that had been agreed on 22 July 1706,...
in 1707, sitting as a 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) for Coventry
Coventry (UK Parliament constituency)
Coventry was a borough constituency which was represented in the House of Commons of England and its successors, the House of Commons of Great Britain and the House of Commons of the United Kingdom....
in the first Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
until 1710. Five years later, he stood for Calne
Calne (UK Parliament constituency)
Calne was a parliamentary borough in Wiltshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1832, and then one member from 1832 until 1885, when the borough was abolished.-History:...
until 1722. Bridgeman represented Lostwithiel
Lostwithiel (UK Parliament constituency)
Lostwithiel was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1304 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
from a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in 1724 until the general election of 1727
British general election, 1727
The British general election, 1727 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 7th Parliament of Great Britain to be held, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. The election was triggered by the death of George I; at the time elections...
, when he was also successful for Blechingley
Bletchingley (UK Parliament constituency)
Bletchingley was a parliamentary borough in Surrey. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England from 1295 to 1707, to the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom until 1832, when the constituency was...
, for which he chose to sit until 1734. He was afterwards returned to the House for Dunwich
Dunwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Dunwich was a parliamentary borough in Suffolk, one of the most notorious of all the rotten boroughs. It elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1298 until 1832, when the constituency was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
, a seat he held for the next four years.
In 1716, Bridgeman was appointed Auditor General
Comptroller and Auditor General
Comptroller and auditor-general is the abbreviated title of a government official in a number of jurisdictions, including the UK, the Republic of Ireland, India, and China....
to George, Prince of Wales
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
, serving until the latter's accession to the throne in 1727. He then joined the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
as a commissioner, an office he held until 1738.
Family
On 15 April 1702, he married Susanna Dashwood, daughter of Sir Francis Dashwood, 1st BaronetSir Francis Dashwood, 1st Baronet
Sir Francis Dashwood, 1st Baronet was a British merchant.A son of Francis Dashwood, Alderman of London, he and his brother Samuel Dashwood early joined their father's business and became leading silk importers. They were also members of the British East India Company and the Worshipful Company of...
, and had by her three sons and two daughters.
Disappearance
In 1737, Bridgeman was nominated Governor of Barbados, but disappeared before sailing. He left farewell letters to his family and to the king. On 10 June 1838, a body was found drowned in the Thames near LimehouseLimehouse
Limehouse is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is on the northern bank of the River Thames opposite Rotherhithe and between Ratcliff to the west and Millwall to the east....
and because it had been disfigured by the water, the body was falsely identified as Bridgeman's.
Bridgeman had built a new house at Bowood Park
Bowood House
Bowood is a grade I listed Georgian country house with interiors by Robert Adam and a garden designed by Lancelot "Capability" Brown. It is adjacent to the village of Derry Hill, halfway between Calne and Chippenham in Wiltshire, England...
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, so that he got deeply into debt and the Chancery Court
Chancery Court
The Chancery Court of York is an ecclesiastical court for the Province of York of the Church of England.The presiding officer, the Official Principal and Auditor, has been the same person as the Dean of the Arches since the nineteenth century . The Court comprises the Auditor, two clergy and two...
s started with proceedings against him in 1737. His principal creditor Richard Long
Richard Long (MP 1734-1741)
Richard Long was an English politician.Born in Steeple Ashton, Wiltshire, he was the first son of Richard Long of Rood Ashton by his first wife Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Long of Rowden, Chippenham...
acquired ownership of the estate after a Chancery Decree in his favour in 1739. The diary of John Perceval, 1st Earl of Egmont
John Perceval, 1st Earl of Egmont
John Perceval, 1st Earl of Egmont PC, FRS , known as Sir John Perceval, 5t, from 1691 to 1715, as The Lord Perceval from 1715 to 1722 and as The Viscount Perceval from 1722 to 1733, was an Anglo-Irish politician....
says the following:
Sir Orlando Bridgeman who, instead of going to his government of Barbados conferred on his last winter, made his escape (as he hoped) from the world, to avoid his creditors, by pretending to make himself away, and accordingly gave it out that he had drowned himself, was ferreted out of his hole by the reward advertised for whoever should discover him, and seized in an inn at Slough, where he had ever since concealed himself.
Bridgeman was found in an inn at Slough
Slough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
in October 1838 and was imprisoned. He died at the gaol of Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
on 5 December 1746 and was buried in St Nicholas' Church, Gloucester
St Nicholas' Church, Gloucester
St Nicholas' Church, Gloucester, is a redundant Anglican church in Westgate Street in the city of Gloucester, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. Its truncated spire is a landmark in the...
. Although his oldest son Francis
Sir Francis Bridgeman, 3rd Baronet
Sir Francis Bridgeman, 3rd Baronet was a British baronet.He was the only son of Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 2nd Baronet and his wife Susanna Dashwood, daughter of Sir Francis Dashwood, 1st Baronet. Following his father's apparent drowing in 1738, Bridgeman was assumed to have inherited the baronetcy...
is sometimes considered to have succeeded to the baronetcy, he in fact predeceased his father in 1740 and the title became extinct with Bridgeman's death.