Thomas Bridges, 2nd Baron Bridges

Thomas Edward Bridges, 2nd Baron Bridges, GCMG (27 November 1927 – 27 May 2017)[2] was a British hereditary peer and diplomat.[3]

The Right Honourable
The Lord Bridges
GCMG
Bridges in 2009
Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Italy
In office
1983–1987
Preceded bySir Ronald Arculus
Succeeded bySir Derek Thomas
Member of the House of Lords
as a hereditary peer
12 February 1975 – 11 November 1999
Preceded byThe 1st Baron Bridges
Succeeded bySeat abolished
as an elected hereditary peer
11 November 1999 – 18 May 2016 [1]
Election1999
Preceded bySeat established
Succeeded byThe 15th Earl of Cork and Orrery
Personal details
Born(1927-11-27)27 November 1927
Died27 May 2017(2017-05-27) (aged 89)
Political partyCrossbench
SpouseRachel Mary Bunbury
Children3
Parent
Alma materEton College
New College, Oxford

Early life

Bridges was born on 27 November 1927 to Edward Bridges, later Cabinet Secretary. His grandfather was Robert Bridges, the Poet Laureate. He was educated at Eton College and New College, Oxford.

Career

He joined the Diplomatic Service in 1951. Following postings to, amongst other places, West Berlin, Rio de Janeiro, Moscow and Washington, D.C., he was HM Ambassador to Italy from 1983 to 1987.

He sat as a crossbench member of the House of Lords from 1975, and was one of the ninety hereditary peers elected to remain under the House of Lords Act 1999[4] He was on leave of absence from March 2011 to May 2015.[5] Having failed to attend during the whole of the 2015–16 session without being on leave of absence, he ceased to be a member on 18 May 2016 pursuant to section 2 of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014.[6] He died a year later on 27 May 2017 at the age of 89.

Personal life

Bridges was married to Rachel Mary Bunbury (1926–2005), youngest daughter of Sir Henry Noel Bunbury KCB. They had three children:

The Conservative peer The Lord Bridges of Headley is his nephew.

Honours

In 1969, Bridges succeeded to the barony of Bridges upon the death of his father. In the 1975 New Year Honours, he was appointed to the Order of St Michael and St George as a Companion (CMG).[8] In the 1983 New Year Honours, Bridges was promoted within the same Order as a Knight Commander (KCMG).[9] In the 1988 New Year Honours, Bridges was promoted within the same Order as a Knight Grand Cross (GCMG).[10]

References
  1. Removed under Section 2 of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014.
  2. Bridges
  3. A & C Black (2012). "BRIDGES, 2nd Baron". Who's Who 2012, online edition. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  4. "Lord Bridges". House of Lords website. UK parliament. 2012. Archived from the original on 16 October 2011. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  5. "Ineligible members of the House of Lords". House of Lords website. UK parliament. 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  6. "Four absent peers cease to be House of Lords members". BBC News. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  7. A & C Black (2012). "BRIDGES, Hon. Mark Thomas". Who's Who 2012, online edition. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  8. "No. 46444". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1974. p. 4.
  9. "No. 49212". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1982. p. 4.
  10. "No. 51171". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1987. p. 3.
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