Reginald Bridgeman
Encyclopedia
Reginald Francis Orlando Bridgeman CMG
, MVO
(14 October 1884 – 11 December 1968) was a British
diplomat and politician.
, he was the oldest son of Brigadier Francis Charles Bridgeman
, son of Orlando Bridgeman, 3rd Earl of Bradford
, and his first wife Gertude Cecilia Hanbury, daughter of George Hanbury. He was educated at Harrow School
and the University of Cambridge
.
in 1903 and became clerk a in the Foreign Office already in the next year. In 1908, Bridgeman joined Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service
and became third secretary at the embassy in Paris
. Bridgeman was promoted to second secretary three years later, was moved to Athens
in 1916, but returned already in the following year. He became first secretary in 1918 and was transferred as chargè d'affaires to Vienna
in the next year. In 1920, Bridgeman was appointed counsellor of embassy at Teheran. After a visit to India
he left the service influenced by his experiences there and sympathised with the Communist Party of Great Britain
.
From 1925, Bridgeman worked as secretary in the Chinese Information Bureau. He was head of the British delegation sent by the House of Commons
to the League Against Imperialism
(LAI) in Brussels
in 1927 and became its secretary in 1933. He contested Uxbridge
for Labour
in the 1929 general election
, but was expelled from the party short time after, because of his membership in the LAI. After the League's dissolution, he was readmitted to Labour in 1938 and was adopted as Labour's prospective candidate for Hendon
. Bridgeman was expelled again in 1941 and after the Second World War, he joined the Britain-China Friendship Association. He was a member of the British-Soviet Friendship Society and sat in the National Council for Civil Liberties. In 1962, he was nominated vice-chairman of the Co-ordinating Committee for Nuclear Disarmament.
and in 1917 a Companion
of the Order of St Michael and St George
. On 4 June 1923, he married Olwen Elizabeth Jones, oldest daughter of Maurice Jones, and had by her four children, two sons and two daughters. Bridgeman died in 1968 and was buried at Ruislip
.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, MVO
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...
(14 October 1884 – 11 December 1968) 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...
diplomat and politician.
Background
Born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he was the oldest son of Brigadier Francis Charles Bridgeman
Francis Charles Bridgeman
Brigadier Francis Charles Bridgeman JP , styled The Honourable from 1865, was a British Army officer and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1895.-Background and education:...
, son of Orlando Bridgeman, 3rd Earl of Bradford
Orlando Bridgeman, 3rd Earl of Bradford
Orlando George Charles Bridgeman, 3rd Earl of Bradford PC DL , styled Viscount Newport between 1825 and 1865, was a British courtier and Conservative politician...
, and his first wife Gertude Cecilia Hanbury, daughter of George Hanbury. He was educated at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
.
Career
He was despatched as honorary attaché to MadridMadrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
in 1903 and became clerk a in the Foreign Office already in the next year. In 1908, Bridgeman joined Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service
Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service
Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service is the diplomatic service of the United Kingdom, dealing with foreign affairs, as opposed to the Home Civil Service, which deals with domestic affairs...
and became third secretary at the embassy in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Bridgeman was promoted to second secretary three years later, was moved to Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
in 1916, but returned already in the following year. He became first secretary in 1918 and was transferred as chargè d'affaires to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in the next year. In 1920, Bridgeman was appointed counsellor of embassy at Teheran. After a visit to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
he left the service influenced by his experiences there and sympathised with the Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
.
From 1925, Bridgeman worked as secretary in the Chinese Information Bureau. He was head of the British delegation sent by the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
to the League Against Imperialism
League against Imperialism
The League against Imperialism was founded in the Egmont Palace in Brussels, Belgium, on February 10, 1927, in presence of 175 delegates, among which 107 came from 37 countries under colonial rule. The Congress aimed at creating a "mass anti-imperialist movement" at a world scale, and was...
(LAI) in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
in 1927 and became its secretary in 1933. He contested Uxbridge
Uxbridge (UK Parliament constituency)
Uxbridge was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament using the first-past-the-post voting system, from 1885 until it was abolished at the 2010 general election....
for Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
in the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, but was expelled from the party short time after, because of his membership in the LAI. After the League's dissolution, he was readmitted to Labour in 1938 and was adopted as Labour's prospective candidate for Hendon
Hendon (UK Parliament constituency)
Hendon is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. The current MP, since 2010, is Matthew Offord of the Conservative Party.-History:The constituency was originally...
. Bridgeman was expelled again in 1941 and after the Second World War, he joined the Britain-China Friendship Association. He was a member of the British-Soviet Friendship Society and sat in the National Council for Civil Liberties. In 1962, he was nominated vice-chairman of the Co-ordinating Committee for Nuclear Disarmament.
Family and legacy
In 1914, Bridgeman was awarded a Member of the Royal Victorian OrderRoyal 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...
and in 1917 a Companion
Companion
Companion may refer to:* A friend or acquaintance you associate yourself with* Companion , a nurse assistant or similar professional who assists a patient one-on-one* Companion , an architectural feature of ships...
of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
. On 4 June 1923, he married Olwen Elizabeth Jones, oldest daughter of Maurice Jones, and had by her four children, two sons and two daughters. Bridgeman died in 1968 and was buried at Ruislip
Ruislip
Ruislip is a suburban area, centred on an old village in Greater London, and is part of the London Borough of Hillingdon.It was formerly also a parish covering the neighbouring areas of Eastcote, Northwood, Ruislip Manor and South Ruislip in the area. The parish appears in the Domesday Book, and...
.