Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 2nd Baronet facts for kids
Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 2nd Baronet (born April 27, 1678 – died December 5, 1746) was a British landowner and a politician from the Whig party. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is like a parliament, from 1707 to 1738. In 1738, he pretended to have died and spent the rest of his life in a place where people were held for legal reasons.
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Early Life and Family
Orlando Bridgeman was the oldest son of Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 1st Baronet and his wife, Mary Cave. He went to school at Rugby School in Warwickshire. Later, he studied at Trinity College, Oxford when he was 15 years old.
When his father passed away in 1701, Orlando became the 2nd Baronet. He also inherited his family's large estate called Bowood Park in Wiltshire.
In 1702, he married Susanna Dashwood. Her father, Sir Francis Dashwood, 1st Baronet, was a very rich merchant. This marriage helped Bridgeman financially, as he received a property called Wanstead in Essex. He lived there for some time before selling it.
Political Career
Orlando Bridgeman followed in his father's footsteps in politics. His family was well-known in Coventry.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
In 1705, Bridgeman tried to become a Member of Parliament (MP) for Coventry as a Whig. He lost the election at first. However, after he and his partner complained, the election was cancelled in 1707. He won the next election and became an MP for Coventry.
He was re-elected in 1708. Even though some people accused him of bribery, he kept his seat. As an MP, he voted for new laws, including one that allowed Protestants from other countries to become British citizens.
In 1710, he lost his seat in Coventry because the Tory party became more popular.
Later Years in Parliament
After five years, Bridgeman returned to Parliament in 1715 as an MP for Calne. In 1716, he got a job as the Auditor General for George, Prince of Wales. This meant he helped manage the Prince's money.
He supported a law called the Septennial Act, which made parliamentary terms longer. However, in 1717, he disagreed with the government and voted against some of their plans.
He lost his seat again in 1722 but was elected for Lostwithiel in 1724. When the Prince of Wales became King George II in 1727, Bridgeman was appointed to the Board of Trade. He worked there until 1738.
In 1727, he was elected for two places, Calne and Blechingley, and chose to represent Blechingley. He changed seats again in 1734, becoming an MP for Dunwich.
By this time, Bridgeman was building a new house at Bowood. However, he got into serious financial trouble and owed a lot of money. In 1737, he was offered a job as the Governor of Barbados, which was a good position, but it was also known for being risky due to health conditions.
The Disappearance
Before he could sail to Barbados, Bridgeman disappeared. He left letters for his family and the King, and his clothes were found by the Thames river. On June 10, 1738, a body was found in the Thames near Limehouse. Because the body was hard to identify, it was mistakenly thought to be Bridgeman.
Richard Long, who Bridgeman owed a lot of money to, took ownership of Bridgeman's estate in 1739.
However, Bridgeman had not actually died. He was found hiding in an inn in Slough in October 1738. He had pretended to drown himself to avoid his creditors, the people he owed money to. After he was found, he was taken into custody.
Later Life and Legacy
Sir Orlando Bridgeman died on December 5, 1746, at the age of 68, while he was held in a prison in Gloucester. He was buried in St Nicholas' Church, Gloucester.
He had three sons and two daughters. His oldest son, Francis, was thought to have inherited the baronetcy when his father was believed to be dead in 1738. However, Francis passed away in 1740, before his father's actual death. Because of this, the title of Baronet ended when Sir Orlando Bridgeman died.
Sir Orlando Bridgeman's sister, Penelope, was married to Thomas Newport, 1st Baron Torrington.
Images for kids
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Bowood House, 1880
