Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 2nd Baronet

Bridgeman was the eldest son of Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 1st Baronet and his wife Mary Cave, daughter of Sir Thomas Cave, 1st Baronet.^[1][2] He was educated at Rugby School in Warwickshire and matriculated at Trinity College, Oxford on 10 November 1694, aged 15.^[3] He succeeded his father to the baronetcy on the latter's death in 1701^[1] He inherited the family estate at Bowood Park, Wiltshire, where a lease from the crown was renewed in 1702. On 15 April 1702, he married Susanna Dashwood, daughter of Sir Francis Dashwood, 1st Baronet, a wealthy City merchant. It was a financially advantageous match as Bridgeman acquired Wanstead, one of Dashwood's manors in Essex, as part of the marriage settlement. He used Wanstead as his main country residence for a while, but later sold it.^[4]

Bridgeman's father had a high reputation at Coventry At the 1705 English general election Bridgeman stood as a Whig for Coventry where there was a significant family electoral interest. He was defeated, but he and his partner petitioned and as a result, the election was declared void on 7 February 1707. After a second contest on 25 February 1707, he was returned as a Member of Parliament for Coventry. He was re-elected MP for Coventry at the 1708 British general election and saw off a petition by his opponents accusing him of bribery. He voted for the naturalization of the Palatines and for the impeachment of Dr Sacheverell. At the 1710, he was defeated at Coventry as a result of the Tory resurgence in the city.^[4]

After five years out of Parliament, Bridgeman was returned as MP for Calne at the 1715 British general election. In 1716, he was appointed Auditor General to George, Prince of Wales. He voted for the septennial bill, but in 1717 went into opposition with the Prince of Wales and voted against the Government on 4 June 1717 on Lord Cadogan and on the Peerage Bill. He lost his seat at the 1722 British general election but was returned as MP for Lostwithiel at a by-election on 25 February 1724. When the Prince of Wales succeeded to the throne in 1727, Bridgeman was appointed to the Board of Trade as a Lord of Trade, an office he held until 1738. At the 1727 British general election, he was returned unopposed at Calne and also at Blechingley and chose to sit chose to sit at Bletchingley. He changed seats again at the 1734 British general election when was returned as MP for Dunwich. On 10 March 1735 he seconded a petition from the Georgia Society for a grant-in-aid to the colony.^[4] He had started to build a new house at Bowood but he got deeply into debt and the Chancery Courts started with proceedings against him in 1737.^[5] In 1737, he was nominated as Governor of Barbados,^[6] a lucrative post, but with a high mortality rate.