Thomas Bridges, 2nd Baron Bridges

Thomas Edward Bridges, 2nd Baron Bridges, GCMG (born 27 November 1927) is a British hereditary peer and retired diplomat.^[1]

Early life

Bridges was born on 27 November 1927 to Edward Bridges, the 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^[2] He was on leave of absence from March 2011 to May 2015.^[3] 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.^[4]

Personal life

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

• Hon. Mark Thomas Bridges CVO (b. 1954), Private Solicitor to the Queen^[5]
• Hon. Nicholas Edward Bridges (b. 1956), an architect
• Hon. Harriet Elizabeth Bridges

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).^[6] In the 1983 New Year Honours, Bridges was promoted within the same Order as a Knight Commander (KCMG).^[7] In the 1988 New Year Honours, Sir Thomas was promoted within the same Order as a Knight Grand Cross (GCMG).^[8]

Styles of address

• 1927-1957: Mr Thomas Bridges
• 1957-1969: The Honourable Thomas Bridges
• 1969-1975: The Right Honourable The Lord Bridges
• 1975-1983: The Right Honourable The Lord Bridges CMG
• 1983: The Right Honourable The Lord Bridges KCMG
• 1983-1987: His Excellency The Right Honourable The Lord Bridges KCMG
• 1987-1988: The Right Honourable The Lord Bridges KCMG
• 1988-: The Right Honourable The Lord Bridges GCMG

References

1. A & C Black (2012). "BRIDGES, 2nd Baron". Who's Who 2012, online edition. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2012-05-10.
2. "Lord Bridges". House of Lords website. UK parliament. 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-10.
3. "Ineligible members of the House of Lords". House of Lords website. UK parliament. 2013. Retrieved 2013-06-12.
4. "Four absent peers cease to be House of Lords members". BBC News. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
5. A & C Black (2012). "BRIDGES, Hon. Mark Thomas". Who's Who 2012, online edition. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2012-05-10.
6. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 46444. p. 4. 31 December 1974.
7. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 49212. p. 4. 30 December 1982.
8. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 51171. p. 3. 30 December 1987.