John Bridges (Parliamentarian)

John Bridges (Parliamentarian) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1628 and 1648. He is primarily remembered for his staunch support of the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War.

Bridges was likely the John Bridges admitted to Gray's Inn in 1618. He was elected Member of Parliament for Haslemere in 1628 and sat until 1629 when King Charles I dissolved Parliament and began his period of personal rule.

In November 1640, Bridges was re-elected MP for Haslemere in the Long Parliament. He actively participated in the debates and committees of the Parliament, aligning himself with the more radical Puritan faction. He supported the Grand Remonstrance and the Militia Ordinance, key triggers leading to the English Civil War.

During the war, Bridges served in various capacities for the Parliamentarian army and government. His exact role and level of command are not definitively known. However, records indicate he was involved in the administration of seized Royalist estates and the raising of troops.

He continued to represent Haslemere until Pride's Purge in December 1648, when remaining moderate and Royalist-sympathizing members were forcibly excluded from the House of Commons by the New Model Army. After Pride's Purge, Bridges’ parliamentary career effectively ended. His subsequent life is not well documented.