Orlando Bridgeman, 1st Earl of Bradford
# Orlando Bridgeman, 1st Earl of Bradford

Orlando Bridgeman, 1st Earl of Bradford (19 March 1762 – 7 September 1825) was a British peer and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1784 to 1800.

## Early life

Bridgeman was the son of the 1st Baron Bradford and his wife Elizabeth Simpson, daughter of Reverend John Simpson. He was educated at Harrow School, London, and at Trinity College, Cambridge.

## Career

At the 1784 general election, Bridgeman was returned unopposed as Member of Parliament (MP) for Wigan. He was returned unopposed for Wigan again in 1790 and 1796. His elder brother Henry Simpson Bridgeman had died in 1782 so he succeeded to his father's titles on 5 June 1800 and vacated his seat in the House of Commons.

In October 1800 he raised a Troop at Weston for the Shropshire Yeomanry and commanded it as Captain until 1804.

On 30 November 1815, he was made Viscount Newport, in the County of Shropshire and Earl of Bradford, in the County of Shropshire. Bradford died aged 63 in Weston Park in Staffordshire.

## Personal life

Lord Bradford married Hon. Lucy Elizabeth Byng, daughter of the 4th Viscount Torrington, on 29 May 1788. They had four sons and a daughter:

* George Augustus Frederick Henry Bridgeman, 2nd Earl of Bradford (1789–1865), who married twice.
* Hon. Charles Orlando Bridgeman (1791–1860), a Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy who married Eliza Caroline Chamberlain, daughter of Sir Henry Chamberlain, 1st Baronet, in 1819.
* Lady Lucy Georgiana Elizabeth Whitmore (1792–1840), who married William Wolryche-Whitmore.
* Hon. Orlando Henry Bridgeman (1794–1827), who married Lady Selina Needham, daughter of the 5th Earl of Kilmorey, in 1817.
* Hon. Henry Edmund Bridgeman (1795–1872), a reverend who married his cousin Louisa Elizabeth Simpson, daughter of Hon. John Simpson, the son of the 1st Baron Bradford (but took the name of Simpson in 1785), in 1820.

Lord Bradford died on 7 September 1825 and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son George.

