Earl of Bradford, of Bradford in the

County of Salop Shropshire (; abbreviated SalopAlso used officially as the name of the county from 1974–1980. The demonym for inhabitants of the county "Salopian" derives from this name.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West M ...

, is a title that has been created twice, once in the

Peerage of England The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. From that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were closed to new creations, and new peers were created in a single Peerag ...

and once in the

Peerage of the United Kingdom The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great B ...

. It was first created in 1694 for Francis Newport, 2nd Baron Newport. However, all the Newport titles became extinct on the death of the fourth Earl in 1762. The earldom was revived in 1815 for Orlando Bridgeman, 2nd Baron Bradford. The Bridgeman family had previously succeeded to the Newport estates.

History of the title

Newport creation

The Newports were an ancient

Shropshire Shropshire (; abbreviated SalopAlso used officially as the name of the county from 1974–1980. The demonym for inhabitants of the county "Salopian" derives from this name.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West M ...

family. One member of the family, Richard Newport, represented

and

Shrewsbury Shrewsbury ( , ) is a market town and civil parish in Shropshire (district), Shropshire, England. It is sited on the River Severn, northwest of Wolverhampton, west of Telford, southeast of Wrexham and north of Hereford. At the 2021 United ...

in Parliament and was a supporter of King Charles I during the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

. In 1642 he was raised to the Peerage of England as Baron Newport, of

High Ercall High Ercall ( ), also known in the past as Ercall Magna (), is a village in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England. The civil parish is still called Ercall Magna, and had a total population of 1,679 at the ...

in the County of Shropshire. His son Francis, the second Baron, represented

in the

Long Parliament The Long Parliament was an Parliament of England, English Parliament which lasted from 1640 until 1660, making it the longest-lasting Parliament in English and British history. It followed the fiasco of the Short Parliament, which had convened f ...

and fought as a Royalist in the

. After the Restoration he served as

Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire. Before the English Civil War, the lieutenancy of Shropshire was always held by the Lord Lieutenant of Wales, but after the Restoration, its lieutenants were appointed sep ...

, as

Comptroller of the Household The Comptroller of the Household is an ancient position in the British royal household, nominally the second-ranking member of the Lord Steward's department after the Treasurer of the Household. The Comptroller was an ''ex officio'' member of ...

and as

Treasurer of the Household The Treasurer of the Household is a member of the Royal Households of the United Kingdom, Royal Household of the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The position is usually held by one of the government deputy Chief ...

. In 1676 Newport was created Viscount Newport, of Bradford in the County of Shropshire, and on 11 May 1694 he was further honoured when he was made Earl of Bradford, in the County of Shropshire. Both titles were in the Peerage of England. Lord Bradford was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Earl. He sat as a Whig Member of Parliament for

and served as

. In 1681 Lord Bradford married Mary Wilbraham, daughter of Sir Thomas Wilbraham, Bt, and Elizabeth Mytton. Through this marriage

Weston Park Weston Park is a country house in Weston-under-Lizard, Staffordshire, England, set in more than of park landscaped by Capability Brown. The park is located north-west of Wolverhampton, and east of Telford, close to the border with Shropshire ...

Staffordshire Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation ''Staffs''.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It borders Cheshire to the north-west, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, ...

came into the Newport family. Their eldest son, the third Earl, represented

Bishop's Castle Bishop's Castle is a market town in the south west of Shropshire, England. According to the 2011 Census it had a population of 1,893. Bishop's Castle is east of the Wales–England border, about north-west of Ludlow and about south-west of ...

and

in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

and was also

Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire This is a list of people who have served as lord lieutenant for Staffordshire. Since 1828, all lord lieutenants have also been custos rotulorum of Staffordshire. Lord Lieutenants of Staffordshire *Henry Stafford, 1st Baron Stafford 1559 * George ...

. He had no legitimate children and on his death the peerages passed to his younger brother, the fourth Earl. When he died in 1762 all the Newport titles became extinct. The family estates, including Weston Park, were inherited by his nephew, Sir Henry Bridgeman, 5th Baronet, of Great Lever (see below). The Hon. Thomas Newport, younger son of the first Earl, was created Baron Torrington in 1716.

Bridgeman creation

The Bridgeman family originally stems from

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

. One member of the family, John Bridgeman, grandson of Edward Bridgeman, served as

Bishop of Chester The Bishop of Chester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chester in the Province of York. The diocese extends across most of the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, including the Wirral Peninsula and has its see in the ...

from 1619 to 1652. His son, Orlando Bridgeman, was a prominent lawyer and politician. In 1660 he was created a

baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...

, of Great Lever in the County of Lancaster, in the Baronetage of England. His great-grandson, the fourth Baronet, represented

in Parliament. In 1719 he married Lady Anne Newport, daughter of

Richard Newport, 2nd Earl of Bradford Richard Newport, 2nd Earl of Bradford Privy Council of Great Britain, PC (3 September 1644 – 14 June 1723), styled The Honourable from 1651 to 1694 and subsequently Viscount Newport until 1708, was an England, English peer and British Whig P ...

. Their son, the fifth Baronet, was a Member of Parliament for

Ludlow Ludlow ( ) is a market town and civil parish in Shropshire (district), Shropshire, England. It is located south of Shrewsbury and north of Hereford, on the A49 road (Great Britain), A49 road which bypasses the town. The town is near the conf ...

and Wenlock for over forty years. In 1762 he succeeded through his mother to the Newport estates, including

, on the death of his uncle, the fourth Earl of Bradford (see above). After Bridgeman's retirement from the

in 1794, the Bradford title held by his mother's family was revived when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Bradford, of Bradford in the County of Shropshire. His son, the second Baron, represented

Wigan Wigan ( ) is a town in Greater Manchester, England. The town is midway between the two cities of Manchester, to the south-east, and Liverpool, to the south-west. It is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its ad ...

in Parliament. In 1815, the earldom of Bradford was revived when he was created Viscount Newport, in the County of Shropshire, and Earl of Bradford, in the County of Shropshire. His grandson, the third Earl, was a

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

politician and notably served as

Lord Steward of the Household The Lord Steward or Lord Steward of the Household is one of the three Great Officers of the Royal Households of the United Kingdom, Household of the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, British monarch. He is, by tradition, the first great officer of ...

and as

Master of the Horse Master of the Horse is an official position in several European nations. It was more common when most countries in Europe were monarchies, and is of varying prominence today. (ancient Rome) The original Master of the Horse () in the Roman Rep ...

. He was also

. His eldest son, the fourth Earl, represented

North Shropshire North Shropshire was a Non-metropolitan district, local government district in Shropshire, England from 1974 to 2009. The district council was based at Edinburgh House in Wem. Other settlements included the towns of Ellesmere, Shropshire, Elles ...

in Parliament as a

. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the fifth Earl. He was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the army and fought in the

Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic an ...

and in the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. Lord Bradford was also Private Secretary to both Prime Minister

Lord Salisbury Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (; 3 February 183022 August 1903), known as Lord Salisbury, was a British statesman and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United ...

and to Prime Minister

Arthur Balfour Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour (; 25 July 184819 March 1930) was a British statesman and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1902 to 1905. As Foreign Secretary ...

and held office as a Government Whip in the

House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...

from 1919 to 1924. The present holder of the titles is his grandson, the seventh Earl, who succeeded in 1981. Another member of the Bridgeman family was the

politician

William Bridgeman, 1st Viscount Bridgeman William Clive Bridgeman, 1st Viscount Bridgeman, PC, JP, DL (31 December 1864 – 14 August 1935) was a British Conservative politician and peer. He notably served as Home Secretary between 1922 and 1924. He was also an active cricketer. ...

. He was the son of Reverend the Hon. John Robert Orlando Bridgeman, third son of the second Earl of Bradford.

Family seats

The family seat is

. They also held

Castle Bromwich Hall Castle Bromwich Hall is a Jacobean mansion in the Castle Bromwich area of Solihull, England. It is a Grade I listed building. History The Hall was built between 1557 and 1585 by Sir Edward Devereux, 1st Baronet of Castle Bromwich, MP for ...

, a manor in

Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Staffordshire and Leicestershire to the north, Northamptonshire to the east, Ox ...

, along with the adjoining

Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens are situated adjacent to the west side of Castle Bromwich Hall, a Jacobean Mansion. They are in the old centre of Castle Bromwich, a large village in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull of the West Midlands Count ...

. The Hall is now a hotel, and its gardens have been restored by a Trust and are open to the public. Weston Park was held by the family until 1986. Gerald, the 6th Earl of Bradford, who had succeeded to the title in 1957, died in 1981, leaving the family with large death duties. After five years of negotiations with the Treasury, Weston Park was donated to the nation via a Foundation established in 1986. Since then, a G8 Summit Retreat was held at Weston Park in 1998 with the heads of State or Government present including US President Bill Clinton and Russian President Boris Yeltsin and, since 1999, the grounds of Weston Park have been used as one of the sites of the annual dual-site Virgin sponsored V Festival. While the family of the 7th Earl of Bradford has no remaining claim to Weston Park, much of the artwork (including works by van Dyck and others) remains privately held.

Earl of Bradford, first creation

Baron Newport (1642)

Richard Newport, 1st Baron Newport Richard Newport, 1st Baron Newport (7 May 1587 – 8 February 1651). was an England, English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons of England, House of Commons at various times between 1614 and 1629. He supported the Cavaliers ...

(1587–1651) * Francis Newport, 2nd Baron Newport (1620–1708) (created Viscount Newport in 1675)

Viscount Newport (1675)

* Francis Newport, 1st Viscount Newport (1620–1708) (created Earl of Bradford in 1694)

Earl of Bradford (1694)

Francis Newport, 1st Earl of Bradford Francis may refer to: People and characters *Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church (2013–2025) *Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Francis (surname) * Francis, a character played by YouTuber Boogie2 ...

(1620–1708) *

(1644–1723) *

Henry Newport, 3rd Earl of Bradford Henry Newport, 3rd Earl of Bradford (8 August 1683 – 25 December 1734) was an English peer and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1706 and 1722. Newport was the eldest son of Richard Newport, 2nd Earl of Bradford and hi ...

(1684–1734) *

Thomas Newport, 4th Earl of Bradford Thomas Newport, 4th Earl of Bradford (c. 1696 – 18 April 1762Doyle (1886), p. 208.), was an English peer and noble. Newport was the third son of Richard Newport, 2nd Earl of Bradford.Collins (1756), p. 158. His mother Mary was the third daug ...

(c. 1696 – 1762)

Title succession chart

Earl of Bradford, second creation

Bridgeman baronets, of Great Lever (1660)

* Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 1st Baronet (30 January 1606 – 25 June 1674), son of John Bridgeman, Bishop of Chester. *Sir John Bridgeman, 2nd Baronet (16 August 1631 – 24 August 1710). Bridgeman was the son of the

Lord Keeper of the Great Seal The Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England, and later of Great Britain, was formerly an officer of the English Crown charged with physical custody of the Great Seal of England. This position evolved into that of one of the Great Officers of ...

Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 1st Baronet, of Great Lever, and Judith Kynaston, and older brother of Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 1st Baronet, of Ridley, he was admitted to the

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practice as a barrister in England and Wa ...

in 1647 and called to the

Bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar ** Chocolate bar * Protein bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a laye ...

in 1654, though given his father's expression of regret in his will that none of his sons followed him into the legal profession, one must infer that he never practiced. John succeeded to his father's baronetcy on 25 June 1674. He was married to Mary Cradock, daughter of George Cradock of

Caverswall Castle Caverswall Castle is a privately owned early-17th-century English mansion built in a castellar style upon the foundations and within the walls of a 13th-century castle, in Caverswall, Staffordshire. It is a Grade I listed building. The castle i ...

. They had two children: Orlando Bridgeman, married Katherine Bridgeman, daughter of William Bridgeman; Sir John Bridgeman, 3rd Baronet. Bridgeman died, aged 79, in

Castle Bromwich Castle Bromwich () is a large suburban village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the West Midlands, England. It borders the rest of the borough to the south east, Sutton Coldfield to the east and north east, Shard E ...

, and was buried in

Aston Aston is an area of inner Birmingham, in the county of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Located immediately to the north-west of Birmingham city centre, Central Birmingham, Aston constitutes a wards of the United Kingdom, war ...

. *Sir John Bridgeman, 3rd Baronet (9 August 1667 – 21 July 1747). Bridgeman was the second son of Sir John Bridgeman, 2nd Baronet, and Mary Cradock, and was educated at

Oriel College, Oxford Oriel College () is Colleges of the University of Oxford, a constituent college of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. Located in Oriel Square, the college has the distinction of being the oldest royal foundation in Oxford (a title for ...

. In 1689, he was called to the

. On 24 January 1710, Bridgeman succeeded in his father's baronetcy. He married Ursula Matthews, daughter of Roger Matthews, in 1694. They had two children: Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 4th Baronet; Ursula Bridgeman, married Hugh Williams. Bridgeman died, aged 79, and was buried in

Llanyblodwel Llanyblodwel is a village and civil parish in Shropshire, England; the spelling "Llanyblodwell" was commonly used in the past, and the village was sometimes simply referred to as "Blodwel". The population of the civil parish at the United Kingd ...

. *

Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 4th Baronet Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 4th Baronet (2 July 1695 – 25 July 1764) was a British baronet and politician. Life Born in Blodwell in Shropshire, he was the oldest son of Sir John Bridgeman, 3rd Baronet and his wife Ursula, daughter of Roger Ma ...

(2 July 1695 – 25 July 1764). Married Lady Anne Newport, third daughter of the 2nd Earl of Bradford (of the first creation, see above). * Sir Henry Bridgeman, 5th Baronet (7 September 1725 – 5 June 1800) (created Baron Bradford in 1794).

Baron Bradford (1794)

Henry Bridgeman, 1st Baron Bradford Henry Bridgeman, 1st Baron Bradford (7 September 1725 – 5 June 1800),Doyle (1886), p. 208. known as Sir Henry Bridgeman, 5th Baronet, between 1764 and 1794, was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons for 46 years from 1748 to 1 ...

(1725–1800) * Orlando Bridgeman, 2nd Baron Bradford (1762–1825) (created Viscount Newport and Earl of Bradford in 1815)

Earl of Bradford (1815)

Title succession chart

Line of succession

* ''

(1725–1800)'' ** ''

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 Henry Bridgeman, 1st Baron Bradford, 1st ...

(1762–1825)'' *** '' George Augustus Frederick Henry Bridgeman, 2nd Earl of Bradford (1789–1865)'' **** '' Orlando George Charles Bridgeman, 3rd Earl of Bradford (1819–1898)'' ***** '' George Cecil Orlando Bridgeman, 4th Earl of Bradford (1845–1915)'' ****** ''

Orlando Bridgeman, 5th Earl of Bradford Lieutenant-Colonel Orlando Bridgeman, 5th Earl of Bradford, DL, JP (6 October 1873 – 21 March 1957), styled Viscount Newport from 1898 to 1915, was a British peer, Conservative politician and soldier. Background Bridgeman was the oldest ...

(1873–1957)'' ******* '' Gerald Michael Orlando Bridgeman, 6th Earl of Bradford (1911–1981)'' ******** Richard Thomas Orlando Bridgeman, 7th Earl of Bradford (born 1947) ********* (1) Alexander Michael Orlando Bridgeman, Viscount Newport (born 1980) ********** (2) ''Hon.'' Archibald Henry Orlando Bridgeman (born 2024) ********* (3) ''Hon.'' Henry Gerald Orlando Bridgeman (born 1982) ********* (4) ''Hon.'' Benjamin Thomas Orlando Bridgeman (born 1987) ******** (5) ''Hon.'' Charles Gerald Orlando Bridgeman (born 1954) ********* (6) James Edward Charles Bridgeman (born 1978) ********* (7) Robert Gerald Orlando Bridgeman (born 1983) ********* (8) Nicholas Francis Orlando Bridgeman (born 1991) ****** ''Lt.Col. Hon. Henry George Orlando Bridgeman (1882–1972)'' ******* ''Lt.Col. Peter Orlando Ronald Bridgeman (1933–2013)'' ******** (9) Mark George Orlando Bridgeman (born 1968) ********* (10) Ned Aidan Orlando Bridgeman (born c. 2000) ********* (11) Benedict Bridgeman (born 2005) ******* (12) John Henry Orlando Bridgeman (born 1938) ***** ''Brig.Gen. Hon. Francis Charles Bridgeman (1846–1917)'' ****** '' Reginald Francis Orlando Bridgeman (1884–1968)'' ******* (13) Henry Clive Orlando Bridgeman (born 1946) **** ''Rev. Hon. George Thomas Orlando Bridgeman (1823–1895)'' ***** ''Charles George Orlando Bridgeman (1852–1933)'' ****** ''Roger Orlando Bridgeman (1889–1975)'' ******* ''Richard Lynedoch Orlando Bridgeman (1931–1982)'' ******** (14) Leopold Orlando Bridgeman (born 1968) ******** (15) Constantine Orlando Bridgeman (born 1970) ********* (16) Hector Richard Orlando Bridgeman (born 2006) ********* (17) Orland Bridgeman (born 2008) **** ''Rev. Hon. John Robert Orlando Bridgeman (1831–1897)'' ***** ''

William Clive Bridgeman, 1st Viscount Bridgeman William Clive Bridgeman, 1st Viscount Bridgeman, PC, JP, DL (31 December 1864 – 14 August 1935) was a British Conservative politician and peer. He notably served as Home Secretary between 1922 and 1924. He was also an active cricketer. ...

(1864–1935)'' ****** ''Brig. Geoffrey John Orlando Bridgeman (1898–1974)'' ******* (18) Robin John Bridgeman, 3rd Viscount Bridgeman (born 1930) ******** (19) ''Hon.'' Luke Robinson Orlando Bridgeman (born 1971) ********* (20) Valentine Henry Ralph Orlando Bridgeman (born 1999) ********* (21) Felix Bridgeman (born 2002) ******** (22) ''Hon.'' Esmond Francis Ralph Bridgeman (born 1974) ******** (23) ''Hon.'' Orlando Henry Geoffrey Bridgeman (born 1983)

References

External links

*
Weston Park
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bradford Extinct earldoms in the Peerage of England Earldoms in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

Earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. In modern Britain, an earl is a member of the Peerages in the United Kingdom, peerage, ranking below a marquess and above a viscount. A feminine form of ''earl'' never developed; instead, ...

* Noble titles created in 1694 1694 establishments in England Noble titles created in 1815 1815 establishments in the United Kingdom

History of the title

Newport creation

Bridgeman creation

Family seats

Earl of Bradford, first creation

Baron Newport (1642)

Viscount Newport (1675)

Earl of Bradford (1694)

Title succession chart

Earl of Bradford, second creation

Bridgeman baronets, of Great Lever (1660)

Baron Bradford (1794)

Earl of Bradford (1815)

Title succession chart

Line of succession

See also

References

External links