John Arthur Douglas Bloomfield, 2nd Baron Bloomfield, GCB, PC, DL (12 November 1802 – 17 August 1879) was a British peer and diplomatist.[1]
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Bloomfield was the eldest son of Benjamin Bloomfield, 1st Baron Bloomfield and his wife Hariott, the oldest daughter of John Douglas.[2] He was educated privately and at the young age of sixteen, he became an attaché to Vienna.[1]
From 1824, Bloomfield was attaché at Lisbon and was transferred as secretary of legation to Stuttgart in the following year.[1] He was sent to Stockholm in 1826 and came as secretary of embassy to St Petersburg in 1839.[1] Five years later, he was promoted to envoy.[1] In 1846, he succeeded his father as baron and in 1848, he was awarded a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).[1]
Bloomfield was appointed ambassador to Berlin in 1851 and on this occasion was advanced to a Knight Commander (KCB).[1] In 1858, he was further honoured as a Knight Grand Cross (GBC).[1] He reached his highest post as ambassador to Vienna in 1860 and was sworn of the Privy Council.[1] On his retirement in 1871, he was created Baron Bloomfield, this time in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, which enabled him to a seat in the House of Lords.[1] He represented County Tipperary as a Deputy Lieutenant.[2]
On 4 September 1845, Bloomfield had married Hon. Georgiana Liddell, the youngest child of Thomas Liddell, 1st Baron Ravensworth and a former maid of honour to Queen Victoria.[1] He died childess in 1879 at his home, Ciamhaltha, near Newport, County Tipperary and his titles became extinct.[1] Bloomfield was buried in his family's vault at Borrisnafarney parish Church, beside the Loughton Demense and Moneygall, in County Offaly. An impressive memorial exists in the church in his memory.
| Court offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Frederick Turner |
Page of Honour 1816 – 1818 |
Succeeded by Arthur Wellesley |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by The Lord Stuart de Rothesay (as Ambassador) |
British Minister to Russia 1844 – 1851 |
Succeeded by Sir George Seymour |
| Preceded by The Earl of Westmorland |
British Minister to Prussia 1851 – 1860 |
Succeeded by Lord Augustus Loftus |
| Preceded by Lord Augustus Loftus |
British Ambassador to Austria (Austria-Hungary from 1867) 1860 – 1871 |
Succeeded by Sir Andrew Buchanan |
| Peerage of Ireland | ||
| Preceded by Benjamin Bloomfield |
Baron Bloomfield 1846 – 1879 |
Extinct |
| Peerage of the United Kingdom | ||
| New creation | Baron Bloomfield 1871 – 1879 |
Extinct |