Glasgow 's Bridges
A Piece of Glasgow 's Masonic history
THE GLASGOW BRIDGE, better known as the Broomielaw or Jamaica Street Bridge, is the second bridge built to give communication between Jamaica Street and Bridge Street. The foundation stone of the first bridge was laid by George Murdoch, Lord Provost and Grand Master Mason, on 29th September, 1768, and was opened for traffic in 1772. It was built by Mr. John Adam from the designs of Mr. William Wylie, architect of the Blackfriars Bridge, London, and cost nearly £9,000. It had seven arches, was 500 feet long and thirty wide within its parapets. The ascents and descents were woful, and it was pitiful to see the horses yoked to their carts trying to gain or leave the bridge: it was really cruelty to animals. Becoming too limited for the commerce of the City, the Bridge Trustees resolved to build a new one, in every way suitable for the fast-growing necessities of that time. This new bridge, now known as Glasgow Bridge, was designed by Telford, and built by Messrs. John Gibb & Son, at a cost of £34,000. The foundation-stone was laid with great masonic pomp by James Ewing, LL.D., F.R.S., Lord Provost, and one of the members of Parliament for the city, on 3rd September, 1833; it was opened for traffic in 1830. Built of sandstone, with granite facings, its total length is 560 feet, and sixty feet wide. It consists of seven handsome arches, and at the time of erection was one of the widest bridges in the kingdom. Ere long it will be one of the bridges of the past. For a considerable time doubts having been expressed as to its stability, the Trustees therefore decided to erect a new one, and as a preparatory step they have erected a wooden accommodation bridge to the east, opened for traffic in March, 1894. This is the first bridge in Glasgow lighted by electricity.
The wooden bridge at South Portland Street was erected to accommodate the traffic while Broomielaw Bridge was being rebuilt. It was retained for passenger traffic only, and was found to be a great convenience to the growing residential population on the south side. Ultimately this wooden bridge becoming unsafe it was removed in 1846, and the present elegant, airy, and useful Suspension Bridge was opened in 1853; and in 1871 it was thoroughly renovated and repaired at a cost of about £6,000.
THE VICTORIA BRIDGE, erected at foot of Stockwell, formerly known as the Bishop's Bridge, and still more recently as Stockwell Bridge, is the third bridge that has been built at or near this site. A bridge was erected in 1285, connecting Bridgend, now known as Gorbals, with Fisher-gate, now known as Stockwell. The second bridge was built in 1345, in the reign of King David, son of Robert the Bruce, by Bishop Rae, aided by Lady Lochow, who paid the expense of one of the arches. This bridge did service for nearly 500 years, and was the only one on the Clyde below Bothwell till the erection of the Broomielaw Bridge in 1768. The bridge built by Bishop Rae consisted of eight arches; its width was only twelve feet between the parapets, and its length 415 feet. In 1671 the south arch gave way on 7th July, the day of the Glasgow Fair, no one being injured. It was duly repaired, and the bridge continued the same till 1777. when an addition of ten feet was made to its breadth. In 1821 it was further improved by Thomas Telford, by the addition of a footpath, supported on iron framings, giving to the whole a width of thirty-four feet between the railings. By the deepening of the river the foundations were gradually undermined: an Act to rebuild was obtained in 1845 and, as a preparatory step, a wooden accommodation bridge was erected at a cost of £3,149 5s. 6d. It was opened in 1847 for traffic, when an iron paling was placed across the old stone bridge, which was used for foot passengers only till taken down in 1850. On the 9th April, 1851, the foundation-stone of the present handsome Victoria Bridge was laid by the Duke of Athole, Grand Master of Scotland, with full masonic honours. The bridge was opened for traffic on 1st January, 1854, at a cost of fully £50,000.
HUTCHESONTOWN BRIDGE. - The present Albert Bridge is the fourth bridge that has been built at this point. The first bridge was built of stone in 1794, the foundation-stone being laid by Gilbert Scott, Esq., Lord Provost. It was all but complete when, early on the 18th November, 1795, during a flood in the river, two of the arches were swept away: in the afternoon the remaining three arches shared the same fate. Thus, in the space of a few hours, the bridge which had occupied nearly a year and a-half in building, was demolished. In 1803 a timber bridge was erected, from a design by Mr. Peter Nicholson. Its outline was one grand sweep of 340 feet, having eight supports and breakwaters. It cost £1,200. This bridge soon proved inadequate for the traffic, and it was replaced by a stone bridge from the design of Mr. Robert Stevenson. On the 18th of August, 1829, its foundation-stone was laid by Robert Dalglish, Esq., Preceptor of Hutchesons' Hospital. It was purchased by the Bridge Trustees in 1845 for £20,000. After it had served its day it was closed on the 20th June, 1868, and taken down. On its site was erected the present graceful yet substantial structure known as the Albert Bridge, the foundation stone being laid on 3rd June, 1870, by the Earl of Dalhousie, Grand Master Mason of Scotland, and it was opened for traffic on 21st June, 1871, and cost about £50,000. Messrs. Bell and Miller were the architects and engineers.
THE GLASGOW BRIDGE, better known as the Broomielaw or Jamaica Street Bridge, is the second bridge built to give communication between Jamaica Street and Bridge Street. The foundation stone of the first bridge was laid by George Murdoch, Lord Provost and Grand Master Mason, on 29th September, 1768, and was opened for traffic in 1772. It was built by Mr. John Adam from the designs of Mr. William Wylie, architect of the Blackfriars Bridge, London, and cost nearly £9,000. It had seven arches, was 500 feet long and thirty wide within its parapets. The ascents and descents were woful, and it was pitiful to see the horses yoked to their carts trying to gain or leave the bridge: it was really cruelty to animals. Becoming too limited for the commerce of the City, the Bridge Trustees resolved to build a new one, in every way suitable for the fast-growing necessities of that time. This new bridge, now known as Glasgow Bridge, was designed by Telford, and built by Messrs. John Gibb & Son, at a cost of £34,000. The foundation-stone was laid with great masonic pomp by James Ewing, LL.D., F.R.S., Lord Provost, and one of the members of Parliament for the city, on 3rd September, 1833; it was opened for traffic in 1830. Built of sandstone, with granite facings, its total length is 560 feet, and sixty feet wide. It consists of seven handsome arches, and at the time of erection was one of the widest bridges in the kingdom. Ere long it will be one of the bridges of the past. For a considerable time doubts having been expressed as to its stability, the Trustees therefore decided to erect a new one, and as a preparatory step they have erected a wooden accommodation bridge to the east, opened for traffic in March, 1894. This is the first bridge in Glasgow lighted by electricity.
The wooden bridge at South Portland Street was erected to accommodate the traffic while Broomielaw Bridge was being rebuilt. It was retained for passenger traffic only, and was found to be a great convenience to the growing residential population on the south side. Ultimately this wooden bridge becoming unsafe it was removed in 1846, and the present elegant, airy, and useful Suspension Bridge was opened in 1853; and in 1871 it was thoroughly renovated and repaired at a cost of about £6,000.
THE VICTORIA BRIDGE, erected at foot of Stockwell, formerly known as the Bishop's Bridge, and still more recently as Stockwell Bridge, is the third bridge that has been built at or near this site. A bridge was erected in 1285, connecting Bridgend, now known as Gorbals, with Fisher-gate, now known as Stockwell. The second bridge was built in 1345, in the reign of King David, son of Robert the Bruce, by Bishop Rae, aided by Lady Lochow, who paid the expense of one of the arches. This bridge did service for nearly 500 years, and was the only one on the Clyde below Bothwell till the erection of the Broomielaw Bridge in 1768. The bridge built by Bishop Rae consisted of eight arches; its width was only twelve feet between the parapets, and its length 415 feet. In 1671 the south arch gave way on 7th July, the day of the Glasgow Fair, no one being injured. It was duly repaired, and the bridge continued the same till 1777. when an addition of ten feet was made to its breadth. In 1821 it was further improved by Thomas Telford, by the addition of a footpath, supported on iron framings, giving to the whole a width of thirty-four feet between the railings. By the deepening of the river the foundations were gradually undermined: an Act to rebuild was obtained in 1845 and, as a preparatory step, a wooden accommodation bridge was erected at a cost of £3,149 5s. 6d. It was opened in 1847 for traffic, when an iron paling was placed across the old stone bridge, which was used for foot passengers only till taken down in 1850. On the 9th April, 1851, the foundation-stone of the present handsome Victoria Bridge was laid by the Duke of Athole, Grand Master of Scotland, with full masonic honours. The bridge was opened for traffic on 1st January, 1854, at a cost of fully £50,000.
HUTCHESONTOWN BRIDGE. - The present Albert Bridge is the fourth bridge that has been built at this point. The first bridge was built of stone in 1794, the foundation-stone being laid by Gilbert Scott, Esq., Lord Provost. It was all but complete when, early on the 18th November, 1795, during a flood in the river, two of the arches were swept away: in the afternoon the remaining three arches shared the same fate. Thus, in the space of a few hours, the bridge which had occupied nearly a year and a-half in building, was demolished. In 1803 a timber bridge was erected, from a design by Mr. Peter Nicholson. Its outline was one grand sweep of 340 feet, having eight supports and breakwaters. It cost £1,200. This bridge soon proved inadequate for the traffic, and it was replaced by a stone bridge from the design of Mr. Robert Stevenson. On the 18th of August, 1829, its foundation-stone was laid by Robert Dalglish, Esq., Preceptor of Hutchesons' Hospital. It was purchased by the Bridge Trustees in 1845 for £20,000. After it had served its day it was closed on the 20th June, 1868, and taken down. On its site was erected the present graceful yet substantial structure known as the Albert Bridge, the foundation stone being laid on 3rd June, 1870, by the Earl of Dalhousie, Grand Master Mason of Scotland, and it was opened for traffic on 21st June, 1871, and cost about £50,000. Messrs. Bell and Miller were the architects and engineers.