Background
Thurlow was the younger son of Edward Thomas Hovell-Thurlow, 3rd Baron Thurlow and a great-grandson of The Right Reverend Thomas Thurlow, Bishop of Durham from 1787 to 1791.
Thurlow was the younger son of Edward Thomas Hovell-Thurlow, 3rd Baron Thurlow and a great-grandson of The Right Reverend Thomas Thurlow, Bishop of Durham from 1787 to 1791.
Lord Chancellor Edward Thurlow, 1st Baron Thurlow was his great-great-uncle. Thurlow assumed in 1873 by Royal licence his wife"s maiden name of Bruce, and one year later the surname of Cumming as well. Six years later, in 1880, Lord Thurlow was appointed a Government Whip in the Liberal administration of William Ewart Gladstone.
He held this post until 1885, when the Liberals fell from power.
When Gladstone returned to power in February 1886, he made Thurlow Paymaster-General, which he remained until the Liberals again lost power in August of that year. The same year he was also admitted to the Privy Council.
Royal Society.