Edward Ettingdene Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
Encyclopedia
Edward Ettingdene Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges, KG, GCB
, GCVO
, PC
, MC
, FRS (4 August 1892 – 27 August 1969) was a British
civil servant.
Born in Yattendon
in Berkshire
, Bridges was the son of Robert Bridges
, later Poet Laureate
, and Mary Monica Waterhouse, daughter of the architect Alfred Waterhouse
. He was educated at Eton
and Magdalen College
, Oxford. Bridges then fought in the First World War with the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
, achieved the rank of Captain and was awarded the Military Cross
.
He later joined the Civil Service
and in 1938 he was appointed Cabinet Secretary
, succeeding Sir Maurice Hankey. Bridges remained in this post until 1946, when he was made Permanent Secretary to the Treasury
and Head of the Home Civil Service, a position he held until 1956. He was invested a Privy Counsellor
in 1953 and in 1957 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Bridges, of Headley in the County of Surrey and of Saint Nicholas at Wade in the County of Kent. In 1965 he was given the additional honour of being made a Knight of the Garter.
After his retirement Lord Bridges notably served as Chancellor of the University of Reading
. Moreover, he was given honorary degree
s from several universities and appointed a Fellow of the Royal Society. He also published The State and the Arts, Romanes Lecture
for 1958, Oxford, and The Treasury (Oxford University Press, 1964).
Bridges married Katharine Dianthe Farrer, daughter of Thomas Cecil Farrer, 2nd Baron Farrer on 6 June 1922. They had four children:
Lord Bridges died at Winterfold Heath, Surrey
, on 27 August 1969, aged 77. He was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son Thomas
, a prominent diplomat who notably served as British Ambassador to Italy from 1983 to 1987.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, GCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, PC
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, FRS (4 August 1892 – 27 August 1969) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
civil servant.
Born in Yattendon
Yattendon
Yattendon is a village and civil parish northeast of Newbury, Berkshire. The M4 motorway passes about south of the village.-Geography:Yattendon stretches from Everington in the west to the hamlet of Burnt Hill in the east and the woodland just east of Yattendon Court, including Mumgrove Copse,...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, Bridges was the son of Robert Bridges
Robert Bridges
Robert Seymour Bridges, OM, was a British poet, and poet laureate from 1913 to 1930.-Personal and professional life:...
, later Poet Laureate
Poet Laureate
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
, and Mary Monica Waterhouse, daughter of the architect Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse was a British architect, particularly associated with the Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. He is perhaps best known for his design for the Natural History Museum in London, and Manchester Town Hall, although he also built a wide variety of other buildings throughout the...
. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Magdalen College
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, Oxford. Bridges then fought in the First World War with the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army.The regiment was formed as a consequence of Childers reforms, a continuation of the Cardwell reforms, by the amalgamation of the 43rd Regiment of Foot and the 52nd Regiment of Foot , forming the 1st...
, achieved the rank of Captain and was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
.
He later joined the Civil Service
British Civil Service
Her Majesty's Home Civil Service, also known as the Home Civil Service, is the permanent bureaucracy of Crown employees that supports Her Majesty's Government - the government of the United Kingdom, composed of a Cabinet of ministers chosen by the prime minister, as well as the devolved...
and in 1938 he was appointed Cabinet Secretary
Cabinet Secretary
A Cabinet Secretary is almost always a senior official who provides services and advice to a Cabinet of Ministers. In many countries, the position can have considerably wider functions and powers, including general responsibility for the entire civil service...
, succeeding Sir Maurice Hankey. Bridges remained in this post until 1946, when he was made Permanent Secretary to the Treasury
Permanent Secretary to the Treasury
The Permanent Secretary to the Treasury is the most senior civil servant at HM Treasury. The post originated as that of Assistant Secretary to the Treasury in 1805; that office was given new duties and renamed in 1867 as a Permanent Secretaryship....
and Head of the Home Civil Service, a position he held until 1956. He was invested a Privy Counsellor
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
in 1953 and in 1957 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Bridges, of Headley in the County of Surrey and of Saint Nicholas at Wade in the County of Kent. In 1965 he was given the additional honour of being made a Knight of the Garter.
After his retirement Lord Bridges notably served as Chancellor of the University of Reading
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
. Moreover, he was given honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
s from several universities and appointed a Fellow of the Royal Society. He also published The State and the Arts, Romanes Lecture
Romanes Lecture
The Romanes Lecture is a prestigious free public lecture given annually at the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford, England.The lecture series was founded by, and named after, the biologist George Romanes, and has been running since 1892. Over the years, many notable figures from the Arts and Sciences have...
for 1958, Oxford, and The Treasury (Oxford University Press, 1964).
Bridges married Katharine Dianthe Farrer, daughter of Thomas Cecil Farrer, 2nd Baron Farrer on 6 June 1922. They had four children:
- Hon. Shirley Frances Bridges (b. 1924)
- Thomas Edward Bridges, 2nd Baron BridgesThomas Edward Bridges, 2nd Baron BridgesThomas Edward Bridges, 2nd Baron Bridges, GCMG is a retired British diplomat. He was educated at Eton College and New College, Oxford and joinned the Foreign Service in 1951...
(b. 1927) (a diplomat) - Hon. Robert Bridges (b. 1930) (an architect)
- Hon. Margaret Evelyn Bridges (b. 1932) (a medieval historian)
Lord Bridges died at Winterfold Heath, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, on 27 August 1969, aged 77. He was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son Thomas
Thomas Edward Bridges, 2nd Baron Bridges
Thomas Edward Bridges, 2nd Baron Bridges, GCMG is a retired British diplomat. He was educated at Eton College and New College, Oxford and joinned the Foreign Service in 1951...
, a prominent diplomat who notably served as British Ambassador to Italy from 1983 to 1987.