Brook Bridges d.1717

Brook BRIDGES, 3rd bart 1733-1791

Biographical Note

Brook Bridges, son of the man of the same name who was Auditor of the Imprest at the Treasury (d.1717), entered the Middle Temple in 1713; he appears to have followed his father's career. He inherited the estate of Goodnestone Park, Kent in 1717 and was made a baronet the following year; he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1726.

The baronetcy passed down successive generations of the family, all christened Brook through to the 5th baronet (1801-75), who became Baron FitzWalter in 1868. The 2nd baronet died in 1733, not long after his father; the 3rd, 1733-91, was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge, and by travelling in Europe. He was MP for Kent 1763-74, and undertook various building and landscaping work at Goodnestone.

Books

A series of 18th-century armorial bookplates, some anonymous, was made for members of this family. Franks 3704 and 3705 (anonymous) could be associated with the 1st baronet, or his father; 3689 ("Brooke Bridges") seems likely to have been used by the 1st baronet, before 1718, or possibly by his son. 3688, a late 18th century plate, might have been used by the 3rd baronet, or (perhaps more likely, as there is no title) by his son the 4th bart (1767-1829), before 1791? There was, presumably, a family library at Goodnestone which was augmented down the generations.

Sources

• Bridges baronets, Wikipedia.
• Sir Brooke Bridges, The Royal Society.
• History of Parliament.
• History of Goodnestone.
• Gambier Howe, E. R. J. Franks bequest: catalogue of British and American book plates bequeathed to the ... British Museum. London, 1903.