Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 2nd Baronet

Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 2nd Baronet (27 April 1678 – 5 December 1746) was a

House of Commons between 1707 and 1738. He faked his own death

in 1738 and spent the rest of his life in prison.

Early life

Bridgeman was the eldest son of Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 1st Baronet and his wife Mary Cave, daughter of Sir Thomas Cave, 1st Baronet.^[1]^[2] He was educated at Rugby School in Warwickshire and matriculated at Trinity College, Oxford on 10 November 1694, aged 15.^[3] He succeeded his father to the baronetcy on the latter's death in 1701^[1] He inherited the family estate at Bowood Park, Wiltshire, where a lease from the crown was renewed in 1702. On 15 April 1702, he married Susanna Dashwood, daughter of Sir Francis Dashwood, 1st Baronet, a wealthy City merchant. It was a financially advantageous match as Bridgeman acquired Wanstead, one of Dashwood's manors in Essex, as part of the marriage settlement. He used Wanstead as his main country residence for a while, but later sold it.^[4]

Career

Bridgeman's father had a high reputation at Coventry At the

Member of Parliament for Coventry. He was re-elected MP for Coventry at the 1708 British general election and saw off a petition by his opponents accusing him of bribery. He voted for the naturalization of the Palatines and for the impeachment of Dr Sacheverell. At the 1710, he was defeated at Coventry as a result of the Tory resurgence in the city.^[4]

After five years out of Parliament, Bridgeman was returned as MP for

Governor of Barbados,^[6]

a lucrative post, but with a high mortality rate.

Disappearance

Bridgeman disappeared before sailing to Barbados.

Thames near Limehouse and because it had been disfigured by the water, the body was falsely identified as Bridgeman's.^[8]

Bridgeman's principal creditor

Richard Long acquired ownership of the estate after a Chancery Decree in his favour in 1739.^[5] The diary of John Perceval, 1st Earl of Egmont says the following:^[9]

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 in October 1738 and was imprisoned.

Death and legacy

Bridgeman died at the gaol of

Francis succeeded to the baronetcy on his father's apparent death in 1738. However, with his father restored, he predeceased his father in 1740 and the title became extinct with Bridgeman's death.^[4] Bridgeman's sister Penelope was married to Thomas Newport, 1st Baron Torrington.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b Cokayne, George Edward, ed. (1904), Complete Baronetage volume 4 (1665-1707), vol. 4, Exeter: William Pollard and Co, p. 75, retrieved 2 February 2019
^ ^a ^b Lodge, Edmund (1838). The Genealogy of the Existing British Peerage (6th ed.). London: Saunder and Otley. pp. 82.
^ Foster, Joseph. "Braly-Bruer in Alumni Oxonienses 1500-1714 pp. 171-200". British History Online. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Eveline Cruickshanks, Stuart Handley and D. W. Hayton, ed. (2002). The House of Commons, 1690-1715. Vol. I. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 324–325.
^ ^a ^b Ralph Bernard Pugh; Elizabeth Crittall; D. A. Crowley (1957). A History of the County of Wiltshire. Vol. XVII. p. 118.
^ "BRIDGEMAN, Sir Orlando, 2nd Bt. (?1679-1746), of Bowood Park, nr. Calne, Wilts". History of Parliament Online (1715-1754). Retrieved 5 March 2019.
^ Haydn, Joseph (1851). The Book of Dignities: Containing Rolls of the Official Personages of the British Empire. London: Longman, Brown, Green and Longman's. pp. 276.
^ Courthope, William (1835). Synopsis of the Extinct Baronetage of England. London: G. Woodfall. p. 29.
^ Perceval, John (1920). Manuscripts of the Earl of Egmont. Vol. II. London: HM Stationery. p. 510.

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Sir Christopher Hales, 2nd Bt Thomas Gery	1707–1710 With: Edward Hopkins	Succeeded by Robert Craven Thomas Gery
Preceded by William Northey William Hedges	Member of Parliament for Calne 1715–1722 With: Richard Chiswell	Succeeded by Benjamin Haskins-Stiles George Duckett
Preceded by Lord Stanhope Marquess of Hartington	Member of Parliament for Lostwithiel 1724–1728 With: Henry Parsons 1724–1727 Sir William Stanhope Jan – Aug 1727 Darell Trelawny 1727–1728	Succeeded by Anthony Cracherode Edward Knatchbull
Preceded by Sir William Clayton Henry Herbert	Member of Parliament for Blechingley 1727–1734 With: Sir William Clayton	Succeeded by Sir William Clayton Sir Kenrick Clayton
Preceded by Sir George Downing Thomas Wyndham	Member of Parliament for Dunwich 1734–1738 With: Sir George Downing	Succeeded by William Morden
Government offices
Preceded by James Dotin, acting	Governor of Barbados 1737–1738	Succeeded by Humphrey Howarth
Baronetage of England
Preceded by Orlando Bridgeman	Baronet (of Ridley) 1701–1746	Succeeded by (Francis Bridgeman)

[Cokayne4-1] Cokayne, George Edward, ed. (1904), Complete Baronetage volume 4 (1665-1707), vol. 4, Exeter: William Pollard and Co, p. 75, retrieved 2 February 2019

[Lodge-2] Lodge, Edmund (1838). The Genealogy of the Existing British Peerage (6th ed.). London: Saunder and Otley. pp. 82.

[ALUM-3] Foster, Joseph. "Braly-Bruer in Alumni Oxonienses 1500-1714 pp. 171-200". British History Online. Retrieved 5 March 2019.

[Commons-4] Eveline Cruickshanks, Stuart Handley and D. W. Hayton, ed. (2002). The House of Commons, 1690-1715. Vol. I. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 324–325.

[Wiltshire-5] Ralph Bernard Pugh; Elizabeth Crittall; D. A. Crowley (1957). A History of the County of Wiltshire. Vol. XVII. p. 118.

[HOP2-6] "BRIDGEMAN, Sir Orlando, 2nd Bt. (?1679-1746), of Bowood Park, nr. Calne, Wilts". History of Parliament Online (1715-1754). Retrieved 5 March 2019.

[7] Haydn, Joseph (1851). The Book of Dignities: Containing Rolls of the Official Personages of the British Empire. London: Longman, Brown, Green and Longman's. pp. 276.

[8] Courthope, William (1835). Synopsis of the Extinct Baronetage of England. London: G. Woodfall. p. 29.

[9] Perceval, John (1920). Manuscripts of the Earl of Egmont. Vol. II. London: HM Stationery. p. 510.

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v t e Governors of Barbados
Barbados (1627–1833)	H. Powell W. Deane C. Wolferstone J. Powell R. Wheatley^* W. Tufton Henry Hawley Richard Peers ^* William Hawley^* Henry Huncks Philip Bell Francis Willoughby George Ayscue Daniel Searle ^* Thomas Modyford^* Humphrey Walrond^* Francis Willoughby Henry Willoughby ^* William Willoughby^* Samuel Barwick^* Henry Hawley ^* William Willoughby Christopher Codrington ^* Peter Colleton^* Jonathan Atkins^* John Witham^* Richard Dutton Edwyn Stede^* James Kendall Francis Russell Francis Bond^* Ralph Grey John Farmer^* Bevil Granville Mitford Crow George Lillington^* Robert Lowther William Sharpe^* John Frere^* Samuel Cox^* Henry Worsley Thomas Catesby Paget James Dotin^* Walter Chetwynd Emanuel Howe James Dotin^* Orlando Bridgeman Humphrey Howarth Thomas Gage Robert Byng James Dotin^* Thomas Robinson Henry Grenville Charles Pinfold Samuel Rous^* William Spry Samuel Rous^* Edward Hay^* John Dotin^* James Cunninghame John Dotin^* David Parry William Bishop^* George Poyntz Ricketts William Bishop^* Francis Mackenzie John Spooner^* George Beckwith James Leith John Foster Alleyne^* Stapleton Cotton John Skeete^* Samuel Hinds^* Henry Warde James Frederick Lyon
Barbados and the Windward Islands (1833–1885)	Lionel Smith Evan MacGregor Charles Henry Darling Charles Grey William Reid William Colebrooke Francis Hincks James Walker Rawson W. Rawson Sanford Freeling^* John Hennessy George Strahan D. J. Gamble^* William Robinson
Barbados (1885–1966)	Charles Lees Walter Sendall James Hay Frederick Hodgson Gilbert Carter Leslie Probyn Charles O'Brien William Robertson Harry Newlands Mark Young Eubule Waddington Henry Bushe Hilary Blood Alfred Savage Robert Arundell John Stow
Related	Government House
^* Served as Acting Governor of Barbados.