# Michael Bruce (MP)

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British adventurer

For other people named Michael Bruce, see [Michael Bruce (disambiguation)](/source/Michael_Bruce_(disambiguation)).

Three defendants at the trial of parties to the escape from France of the Comte de Lavalette, Michael Bruce to the right, with [John Hely-Hutchinson, 2nd Earl of Donoughmore](/source/John_Hely-Hutchinson%2C_2nd_Earl_of_Donoughmore) (left), and [Robert Wilson](/source/Robert_Wilson_(British_Army_officer%2C_born_1777)) (centre).[1]

**Michael Bruce** (1787–1861) was a British adventurer, who gained the nickname "Lavelette Bruce" for his part in smuggling [Antoine Marie Chamans, comte de Lavalette](/source/Antoine_Marie_Chamans%2C_comte_de_Lavalette) out of France at the time of the [Bourbon Restoration](/source/Bourbon_Restoration_in_France). He is now largely remembered as a lover of [Lady Hester Stanhope](/source/Lady_Hester_Stanhope). He was a Member of Parliament in 1830–1.[2]

## Life

Born in [Bombay](/source/Bombay) where his father was a merchant, he was the son of [Patrick Craufurd Bruce](/source/Patrick_Craufurd_Bruce) and his wife Jane Smith, and was educated at [Eton College](/source/Eton_College). He matriculated at [St John's College, Cambridge](/source/St_John's_College%2C_Cambridge) in 1806. Later, in 1821, he was admitted to [Lincoln's Inn](/source/Lincoln's_Inn), and was [called to the bar](/source/Called_to_the_bar) in 1826.[2][3]

Bruce did not complete a degree at Cambridge, after a year or so beginning to travel in Europe. It was during his voyages in the Mediterranean and Near East that he encountered Lady Hester Stanhope, on [Malta](/source/Malta) in 1810. They lived together for three years, spent on trips that included [Damascus](/source/Damascus) and [Palmyra](/source/Palmyra). They parted in 1813.[2][4]

Moving to [Vienna](/source/Vienna) and then [Paris](/source/Paris), Bruce took part in the successful plot to smuggle the Comte de Lavalette out of France: he was a supporter of Napoleon condemned by the Bourbons. When Bruce was put on trial for this offence in 1816, he received a sentence of three months. His reputation, however, was not badly sullied, and [Lord Palmerston](/source/Lord_Palmerston), a college friend, acted as his [best man](/source/Best_man) two years later.[2]

Bruce then went in for Whig party politics, as a friend of [John Cam Hobhouse](/source/John_Cam_Hobhouse), but hampered by the collapse of his father's bank in 1816. In the end the [Marquess of Cleveland](/source/William_Vane%2C_1st_Duke_of_Cleveland), who had in recent years moved from the Whigs to supporting the Tory ministry, found him the seat of [Ilchester](/source/Ilchester_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) in 1830. His patron then switching to support for reform, Bruce made himself conspicuous for his reluctance to do the same. He was replaced by Cleveland for the [1831 general election](/source/1831_United_Kingdom_general_election), and left public life.[2]

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Hely Hutchinson, John I (1787-1851), of Palmerston House, Dublin, History of Parliament Online"](https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-1832/member/hely-hutchinson-john-1787-1851). *www.historyofparliamentonline.org*.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-HoP_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-HoP_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-HoP_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-HoP_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-HoP_2-4) ["Bruce, Michael (1787-1861), of 44 Upper Brook Street, Mdx. History of Parliament Online"](http://www.histparl.ac.uk/volume/1820-1832/member/bruce-michael-1787-1861). *www.histparl.ac.uk*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Bruce, Michael (BR805M)"](https://venn.lib.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/search-2018.pl?sur=&suro=w&fir=&firo=c&cit=&cito=c&c=all&z=all&tex=BR805M&sye=&eye=&col=all&maxcount=50). *A Cambridge Alumni Database*. University of Cambridge.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Lewis, Norman N. "Stanhope, Lady Hester Lucy". *[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography](/source/Dictionary_of_National_Biography#Oxford_Dictionary_of_National_Biography)* (online ed.). Oxford University Press. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1093/ref:odnb/26247](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fref%3Aodnb%2F26247). (Subscription, [Wikipedia Library](https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/partners/88/) access or [UK public library membership](https://www.oxforddnb.com/help/subscribe#public) required.)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND FAST WorldCat National United States Israel Other Yale LUX

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