Edward Bridgeman (born after 1588 – 1646) was an English politician who sat 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 ...

between 1625 and 1629. Believed to have been born after 1588, Bridgeman was the fourth son of Thomas Bridgeman of Greenway,

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 ...

History of Parliament Online article. and grandson of

Edward Bridgeman Edward Bridgeman was Sheriff of Exeter, Devon, in 1563. He is the ancestor of the Bridgeman baronets, the Earls of Bradford and the Viscounts Bridgeman. He had at least two sons, Thomas and Michael. His daughter Anastryce Bridgeman (c. 1540– ...

. Bridgeman moved to

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 ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...

, when his older brother

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

, later

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 ...

, became Rector of the parish in 1616. He was a law student, listed as a member of

Gray's Inn The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister in England and Wale ...

in 1624, and became a Justice of the Peace (JP) for the county of Lancaster in 1628, although he was a poor attender at quarter sessions and there was an attempt to remove him from the bench in 1638 after a serious brawl. In 1625, he was elected Member of Parliament for

. He was elected MP for

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

in 1626. In 1628 he was elected MP for Wigan again and sat until 1629 when

King Charles King Charles may refer to: Kings A number of kings of Albania, Alençon, Anjou, Austria, Bohemia, Croatia, England, France, Holy Roman Empire, Hungary, Ireland, Jerusalem, Naples, Navarre, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Sardinia, Scotland, Sicily, S ...

decided to rule without parliament for eleven years.William Duncombe Pink, Alfred B. Beaven ''The parliamentary representation of Lancashire, (county and borough), 1258-1885, with biographical and genealogical notices of the members, &c.'' (1889)
/ref> Bridgeman was twice married. His married firstly, on 30 June 1627, Elenor, daughter of Sir Richard Brooke of Little Sankey,

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Merseyside to the north-west, Greater Manchester to the north-east, Derbyshire to the east, Staffordshire to the south-east, and Shrop ...

, but the marriage was childless and she died in 1638. He remarried to Anne, daughter of Sir Hugh Chamberlaine of

Chester Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...

; with her he had one daughter and also acquired a house at Sankey Bridge,

Warrington Warrington () is an industrial town in the Borough of Warrington, borough of the same name in Cheshire, England. The town sits on the banks of the River Mersey and was Historic counties of England, historically part of Lancashire. It is east o ...

. Bridgeman supported the Royalist cause at the outbreak of the

English Civil War The English Civil War or Great Rebellion was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Cavaliers, Royalists and Roundhead, Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of th ...

, as result of which his house was captured by

Roundhead Roundheads were the supporters of the Parliament of England during the English Civil War (1642–1651). Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I of England and his supporters, known as the Cavaliers or Royalists, who ...

troops in 1643 and he was fined £100 as a Royalist 'delinquent'. He died a prisoner of parliament while being escorted to London in 1646. He left his widow, who remarried and lived until 1685, and his only daughter who married Sir John Edgeworth. Bridgeman was uncle of

Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 1st Baronet, of Great Lever Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 1st Baronet (30 January 1606 – 25 June 1674) was an English law#Common law, English common law jurist, lawyer, and politician who sat in the House of Commons of England, House of Commons from 1640 to 1642. He supp ...

who was ancestor of the Earls of Bradford.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bridgeman, Edward 1645 deaths Members of Gray's Inn

Members of the Parliament of England (pre-1707) for Liverpool English MPs 1625 English MPs 1626 English MPs 1628–1629 Year of birth uncertain