Richard Bridgeman, 7th Earl of Bradford

For the English attorney and writer (c. 1761 – 1820), see Richard Bridgman.

The Right Honourable

The Earl of Bradford
Tenure30 August 1981 – present
Other titlesViscount Newport
Born (1947-10-03) 3 October 1947
Spouse(s)
Joanne Miller
​
​
(m. 1979; div. 2006)​
Dr Penelope Law
​
​
(m. 2008; div. 2021)​
Issue
  • Alexander Bridgeman, Viscount Newport
  • The Hon. Henry Bridgeman
  • The Hon. Benjamin Bridgeman
  • Lady Alicia Bridgeman
HeirAlexander Bridgeman
ParentsGerald Bridgeman, 6th Earl of Bradford
Mary Willoughby Montgomery

Richard Thomas Orlando Bridgeman, 7th Earl of Bradford (born 3 October 1947), styled Viscount Newport from 1957 to 1981, is a British peer and businessman.

Background and education

Bradford is the son of Gerald Bridgeman, 6th Earl of Bradford, and Mary Willoughby Montgomery. He was educated at St Ronan's School in Hawkhurst, Kent; Harrow School, just outside London; and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1969 and a Master of Arts in 1973. He succeeded to his father's title in 1981.

Career

In 1979, Bradford opened Porters English Restaurant in Covent Garden, London. He later opened the Covent Garden Grill next door. In January 2015, the restaurants closed as the landlord would not extend the lease and Bradford moved his business to Hertfordshire, where he opened Porters Restaurant in Berkhamsted.[1] The restaurant closed on 30 September 2018.

From 1986 to 1999, he was the chairman of Weston Park Enterprises. Because the 6th Earl left the family with large death duties, Bradford gifted his home Weston Park and 1,000 acres to the nation in 1986, with the support of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, to the Weston Park Foundation.[2]

Bradford stood for the UK Independence Party (UKIP) at the 2001 general election in the constituency of Stafford. He received 2,315 votes (5.2%), losing to David Kidney, but achieving the fourth-best result for UKIP.[3] He stood for UKIP again at the 2004 European Parliament election for West Midlands in 2004, coming eighth; seven candidates were elected.[4] In May 2012, he stood unsuccessfully for UKIP in a by-election in the Hyde Park ward of Westminster City Council, with the support of the celebrity nightclub-owner Peter Stringfellow.[5]

Lord Bradford is an active campaigner against the sale of false titles of nobility.[6][7][8] Bradford has alleged that he has been subjected to an online smear campaign in retaliation for his campaign, with unfavourable reviews being posted on TripAdvisor and the appearance of fraudulent review websites.[9]

Family

On 15 September 1979, he married Joanne Elizabeth Miller, elder daughter of Benjamin Miller, a Mayfair bookmaker. They divorced in 2006. They have four children:

  • Alexander Michael Orlando Bridgeman, Viscount Newport (born 6 September 1980), current steward of the Bradford Estates, who married Eliza Liepina on 18 May 2022;
  • the Honourable Henry Gerald Orlando Bridgeman (born 18 April 1982), who married Lucinda Bodie on 27 May 2014;
  • the Honourable Benjamin Thomas Orlando Bridgeman (born 7 February 1987); and
  • Lady Alicia Rose Bridgeman, who married Philip Warrilow-Wilson in September 2018.

On 30 August 2008, he married Dr Penelope Ann Law, a consultant obstetrician and author of the book Expecting a Baby? (One Born Every Minute).

Works

  • My Private Parts and The Stuffed Parrot (1984)
  • The Eccentric Cookbook (1985)
  • Stately Secrets (1994)
  • Porters English Cookery Bible – Ancient and Modern, with Carol Wilson (2004)
  • Porters Seasonal Celebrations Cookbook, with Carol Wilson (2007)

Notes

  1. ^ Dinkovski, Noli. "Covent Garden's Porters to relocate to Berkhamsted". bighospitality.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  2. ^ Weston Park Foundation
  3. ^ "2001 General Election Results" (PDF). UK House of Commons. 7 June 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2009. Retrieved 4 April 2007. p. 98, "Richard Bradford"
  4. ^ "West Midlands' Euro candidates". BBC News. 14 May 2004. Retrieved 3 April 2007.
  5. ^ "Peter Stringfellow backs Ukip in London council by-election". BBC News. 12 April 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  6. ^ Cramb, Auslan (11 December 2004). "How to lord it over your friends for only £29.99". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  7. ^ Connor, Alan (20 March 2006). "Paying for the privilege". BBC News. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  8. ^ "Notts Lordship site provokes anger". This is Nottingham. 25 March 2009. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  9. ^ Rayner, Gordon (18 January 2016). "Earl targeted by TripAdvisor smears as part of sinister online campaign against him". The Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
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