Bedford, The Town Bridge 1921
Photo ref: 70434
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More about this scene

The present bridge was designed by the local architect John Wing. Its foundation stone was laid by the Marquess of Tavistock, the eldest son of the Duke of Bedford, in 1811. The costs proved high. By the time the bridge opened in November 1813, it was done without ceremony: the local MP, Samuel Whitbread, merely walked across to meet the Commissioners and shake hands. A further plaque records that it was opened free of tolls in 1835 - the debt by then had been paid off.

An extract from Bedford Photographic Memories.

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Bridges

Classic photographs of all sorts of bridges from The Francis Frith Collection, spanning modest streams, rivers and broad estuaries. They include footbridges, clapper bridges, pack-horse bridges, medieval arched bridges, toll bridges, decorative Palladian bridges, suspension bridges, bascule bridges, canal bridges, and railway bridges. Evocative and atmospheric, these stunning images show British engineering at its most innovative and graceful.

Bedford Photographic Memories

Bedford Photographic Memories

The photo 'Bedford, the Town Bridge 1921' appears in this book.

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A Selection of Memories from Bedford

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our website to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was, prompted by the photographs in our archive. Here are some from Bedford

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That view is still majestic, almost as much as my first days in the Lower School, as it was then, in 1950, when I moved up from the "Inky" as the prep. school was called. Everything was so well ordered, so old and really quite scary. There were so many rules to follow and the punishments could be quite severe if you transgressed.. Luckily, the worst I ever got was a detention. Others were not so lucky and could not sit comfortably for some while.
In the 50s in School holiday time, I and my cousins used to visit matinees in all three Cinemas. The Picturedrome (although it went by another rude name, informally, something to do with small biting insects), the Plaza and the Granada. All gone but not forgotten. The Wurlitzer from the Granada was saved and is now as far as I can find, being restored in Barnsley.
I was evacuated to Bedford in 1939 aged 7 and stayed first of all with a Mrs Drake ,the wife of a captain Drake who was in command of a ship called the Warspite. I remember it was off Goldington rd. by the school where all the evacuees were taken and sat around the central hall to be selected and billeted with various families. Mrs Drake had a housemaid and I remember the air raid sirens sounding at 11.00 am ...see more
My mother used to work at a factory called "proper pride" making lingerie does anyone remember it I think it was in mile road, it would be lovely to hear from anyone who knew it. My mother was called maria longo