It was a century ago when the Prince of Wales arrived in Norwich and unlocked a gate with a golden key…the “new” Carrow Bridge was officially opened.
But will it ever be lifted again? Now there are controversial plans to welded it shut to save money.
In June of 1923 the people of Norwich and Norfolk gathered in force to welcome the Prince, later King Edward VIII, when he visited a decorated city where the roads where lined with thousands of men, women and children.
As he walked along Carrow Road the National Anthem was played by the Norwich branch of the British Legion…and the people cheered.
The second Carrow Bridge had been built as part of a scheme to provide work for the unemployed with Colman’s and Boulton & Paul contributing towards the £42,000 it cost to build.
The stone for the first one had been laid by Mayor Thomas Back in August 1810. This was further down-stream and ran through the former Colman’s works and up into Carrow Hill.
Bridges were big business in the days when they charged a toll to pass…and in the 1830s the council was talking about Norwich becoming a port for larger ships so the fixed bridge was replaced by a lifting one.
As the river and the roads got busier it was decided a new bridge was needed. Work was delayed by the First World War but eventually an agreement was reached with all those involved and eventually it was agreed to build a new bridge further upstream.
Colman’s contributed £10,000 while Boulton & Paul, further up river, handed over £5,000. The bridge was designed by the brilliant city engineer Arthur Collins. Work began in 1920 giving many unemployed people much needed work.
The bridge stands next to the 14th century boom towers, one of which used to be a prison, which were built by Richard Spynk.
Chains or booms were stretched across the river at night to stop troublemakers getting into the city and boats from sneaking off without paying their dues.
The new bridge was a great asset to those using both the then busy river and the Riverside which was then lined with factories and warehouses.
Today the factories and the large vessels have gone and the debate over the future of the bridge continues.
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