Authorised form of name | Bruce; Robert (1626 - 1685); 2nd Earl of Elgin and 1st Earl of Ailesbury; nobleman and politician |
Dates | 1626 - 1685 |
Nationality | British |
Place of birth | Parish of St Bartholomew-the-Less, London, England, Europe |
Date of birth | c. March 1626 |
Place of death | Houghton Park, Ampthill, Bedfordshire, England, Europe |
Date of death | 20 October 1685 |
DatesAndPlaces | Burial: Maulden, Ampthill, Bedfordshire, England, Europe (26 October 1685) |
Activity | Career: Travelled in Italy (c. 1645) where he met John Evelyn (FRS 1663); Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire (1660-death), Huntingdonshire (1681-death), Cambridgeshire (1685-death); MP for Bedfordshire (1660-1661); Privy Councillor (1678); Custos Rotulorum for Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire (1681-death); Recorder of Bedford and Godmanchester (1684-death); Gentleman of the King's Bedchamber; Lord Chamberlain to James II (1685) Honours: Baron Bruce of Skelton, Viscount Bruce of Ampthill and Earl of Ailesbury 1664
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Membership category | Original Fellow |
Date of election | 20/05/1663 |
Age at election | 37 |
RSActivity | Royal Society roles: Council: 1669-1670; 1674-1675 |
Relationships | Parents: Thomas Bruce, 1st Earl of Elgin, and Anne Chichester; succeeded his father (1663) Married: Diana Gray [Grey] Father-in-law: Nicholas Bagenall (FRS 1664) Children: Thomas Bruce, 2nd Earl of Ailesbury; Lady Diana Bruce; fifteen others |
OtherInfo | Bruce was a staunch royalist supporter during the Civil War and raised monetary efforts in support of Charles II. After the Restoration, this loyality helped him secure a variety of appointments, such as joint Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire with the Earl of Cleveland. During his tenure as sole Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, he supported the anti-exclusionist cause in Bedfordshire in the times of the Exclusion Crisis. |
Source | Sources: Bulloch's Roll; DNB; GEC; Evelyn; Henning Notes: The election date is Bruce's election date into the Society after the grant of the second charter in April 1663. All Fellows admitted in a two-month window after this charter, until 22 June 1663, are considered Original Fellows. |
Virtual International Authority File | http://viaf.org/viaf/56963658 |
Code | NA6089 |
Archives associated with this Fellow
RefNo | Title | Date |
MS/390/41 | Bond of Robert Bruce, 1st Earl of Ailesbury, to the Treasurer of the Royal Society | 30 November 1674 |
L&P/8/147 | Letter, 'Of the sensitive quality of the tree Averrhoa carambola' from Robert Bruce to Joseph Banks | 23 November 1783 |