Blackfriars Bridge in 1900

Blackfriars Bridge has a history, respectable, if not particularly interesting. It is the second bridge of this name, the former having been opened for foot-passengers in 1769.

Antiques from London on eBay

ANTIQUE ENGLISH GEORGIAN STERLING SILVER - PARKER & WAKELIN LONDON 1760-1776
6 Jan 2012 at 11:28am
US $35.00
End Date: Sunday Feb-05-2012 9:28:27 PST
Buy It Now for only: US $35.00
Buy it now | Add to watch list
A LANA OF LONDON STERLING SILVER 24 K GOLD CRAB BELT BUCKLE
31 Jan 2012 at 11:52am
US $475.00
End Date: Sunday Feb-05-2012 9:52:56 PST
Buy It Now for only: US $475.00
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Having been begun towards the close of Pitt's first Ministry, it was for a short time called after the great statesman.

Robert Mylne, a young Scotch engineer, was the architect, and almost for the first time in this country the semi-elliptical, instead of the traditional semi-circular arch was adopted.

Though built of Portland stone the workmanship was very faulty, and between 1833 and 1840, extensive repairs were necessary, and from time to time a good deal of patching-up was done, until at last it was determined to build a new bridge on the same site, which, in 1869, was opened by Queen Victoria.

It was designed by Mr. J. Cubitt, and is nearly the widest (80 feet) bridge in London; its length, including its approaches, is 1272 feet, and it has a gradient of 1 in 40 feet.

There are five arches - the centre one spanning 185 feet - an elaborate cornice, and a low parapet that rather detracts from its otherwise fine appearance.

From the third recess on the Surrey side of the bridge, looking west, there is a striking and prolonged view of the curved embankment on the Middlesex side, embracing Keyser's Hotel, the City of London School, and Zion House - the tower of the Record Office in Fetter Lane just showing behind it, and also the Law Courts tower - the Temple Gardens backed by the steeple of St. Clement's Church, the London School Board building and Mr. Astor's office adjoining, the Temple Steamboat Pier close by, Somerset House, Waterloo Bridge, the Savoy and Cecil Hotels beyond, St. Martin's Church steeple, Charing Cross station, and the National Liberal Club.

But east from the bridge, with the exception of a good outlook upon the upper part of St. Paul's Cathedral, unmitigated ugliness prevails, a labyrinth of lattice-worked iron railway-bridges shutting out all sight of the river down-stream.

Blackfriars completes the four bridges within the City boundary, all under the management of the Bridge House Estates Committee, which dated back to the twelfth century, when certain lands were bequeathed to keep London Bridge in repair.

These increased so much in value, and so well had these Bridge House Estates - as they were called - been developed, that before 1900 the Corporation was able to purchase Southwark Bridge, after spending a large sum in freeing it from the toll exacted by the private company who constructed it, to erect Blackfriars Bridge, and, finally, to build the Tower Bridge, at a cost of about a million and a quarter sterling.

And all this was accomplished, in the words of the Lord Mayor, "without cost to the ratepayers."

Next: Thames Bridges in 1900 London: Waterloo Bridge