He received a knighthood from the British Government and was made an officer of France's Legion of Honour in recognition of his services to construction.

Bruce was a Presbyterian and committed himself to spreading the church in England and to improving public education, to which end he gave his time and money generously.

Bruce presented an account of his time there to the Institution of Civil Engineers, for which he received a Telford Medal in 1851.

Upon his return to England, Bruce established a consulting engineering practice in Westminster, in 1888 taking Robert White as a partner.

His efforts to improve public education were largely carried out by representing Marylebone as a member of the School Board for London between 1882 and 1885.

Bruce died at his home in St John's Wood on 25 August 1908 and was buried in a family vault on the eastern side of Highgate Cemetery, situated almost opposite the grave of Karl Marx.