Background
In 1842 he married Marianne Margaret Clifton (d 1891), daughter of Sir Juckes Granville Juckes-Clifton, 8th Baronet of Clifton Hall, Nottingham.
In 1842 he married Marianne Margaret Clifton (d 1891), daughter of Sir Juckes Granville Juckes-Clifton, 8th Baronet of Clifton Hall, Nottingham.
He held the office of High Sheriff of County Londonderry in 1846. Bruce was elected to the House of Commons at an unopposed by-election in 1862, following the death of the Conservative Member of Parliament John Boyd. He was re-elected unopposed at the general elections in 1865 and 1868, but was defeated at the 1874 general election by the Liberal candidate Daniel Taylor.
He defeated Taylor (by 222 votes to 193) at the 1880 general election, and held the seat until the borough of Coleraine lost its separate parliamentary representation at the 1885 general election.
He was Lord Lieutenant of County Londonderry from 1877 to 1907, and was sworn of the Privy Council of Ireland in 1889.
18th United Kingdom Parliament. 19th United Kingdom Parliament. 20th United Kingdom Parliament.
22nd United Kingdom Parliament]
He was Member of Parliament for Coleraine from 1862 to 1874, and from 1880 to 1885.