Gerald Bridgeman, 6th Earl of Bradford

The Earl of Bradford

Arms of the Earl of Bradford
Born 29 September 1911(1911-09-29)
Died 30 August 1981(1981-08-30) (aged 69)
Title Earl of Bradford
Tenure 21 March 1957 - 30 August 1981
(&1000000000000002400000024 years, &10000000000000162000000162 days)
Other titles 6th Viscount Newport
7th Baron Bradford
11th Baronet Bridgeman of Great Lever
Successor Richard Bridgeman, 7th Earl
Spouse(s) Mary Willoughby Montgomery
Issue Richard Thomas Orlando Bridgeman
Serena Mary Bridgeman
Caroline Louise Bridgeman
Charles Gerald Orlando Bridgeman
Parents Orlando Bridgeman, 5th Earl of Bradford
The Hon. Margaret Cecilia Bruce

Gerald Michael Orlando Bridgeman, 6th Earl of Bradford, TD, DL, JP (29 September 1911 – 30 August 1981),[1] styled Viscount Newport between 1915 and 1957, was a British peer and soldier.

Contents

Background

He was the only son of Orlando Bridgeman, 5th Earl of Bradford and his wife Hon. Margaret Cecilia Bruce, eldest daughter of Henry Bruce, 2nd Baron Aberdare.[2] In 1957, he succeeded his father as earl.[1] Bridgeman was educated at Harrow School and went then to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1932.[3] In 1961, he received a Master of Arts from Trinity College.[3]

Career

Bridgeman served in the Shropshire Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps, part of the Territorial Army and fought in the Second World War.[4] He mentioned in despatches and was decorated with the Territorial Decoration.[4] On his retirement in 1962, he was granted the rank of a captain.[5]

Elected in 1955, Bridgeman was president of the Country Landowners' Association for two years.[4] In 1975, he received the Bledisloe Gold Medal for Landowners by the Royal Agricultural Society of England.[6]

Bridgeman was Justice of the Peace for Shropshire from 1949 and became Deputy Lieutenant of that county two years later.[3] He was appointed Crown Estate Commissioner in 1956,[7] a post he held until 1968.[8] In 1970, he was nominated Vice Lord Lieutenant.[9]

He owned land in Castle Bromwich, Warwickshire.

Family

On 31 October 1946, he married Mary Willoughby Montgomery (died 1986), elder daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Hassard Montgomery (22 June 1872 - 19 February 1953) and Hester Frances Dames-Longworth (12 May 1894 - 1954). They had four children[3]:

Bridgeman died in 1981 and was succeeded in his titles by his older son Richard.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Leigh Rayment - Peerage". http://www.leighrayment.com/peers/peersB4.htm. Retrieved 7 August 2009. 
  2. ^ Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1929). Armorial Families. vol. I. London: Hurst & Blackett. pp. 122. 
  3. ^ a b c d "ThePeerage - Gerald Michael Orlando Bridgeman, 6th Earl of Bradford". http://www.thepeerage.com/p1964.htm#i19640. Retrieved 16 November 2006. 
  4. ^ a b c Who is Who 1963. London: Adam & Charles Black Ltd.. 1963. pp. 334. 
  5. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 42649. p. 3177. 13 April 1962. Retrieved 7 August 2009.
  6. ^ "The Royal Agricultural Society of England, Official Website - Official and Awards" (PDF). http://www.rase.org.uk/activities/publications/RASE_journal/2007/24-k8275jher873478ew.pdf. Retrieved 7 August 2009. 
  7. ^ London Gazette: no. 40952. p. 7165. 18 December 1956. Retrieved 7 August 2009.
  8. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 43194. p. 619. 16 January 1968. Retrieved 7 August 2009.
  9. ^ London Gazette: no. 45098. p. 5344. 12 May 1970. Retrieved 7 August 2009.

External links

Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Orlando Bridgeman		 Earl of Bradford
1957 – 1981		 Succeeded by
Richard Bridgeman