Russian national anthem marks opening of Bow bridge (1915)

THE NEW WATERINGBURY BRIDGE.

OPENING CEREMONY.

INTERESTING DETAILS OF THE STRUCTURE.

The new Bow Bridge over the Medway at Wateringbury, replacing, at a cost of about £4,000, the old timber structure which had become so weather worn as to be unsafe, was formally opened on Thursday afternoon by Mr. George Marsham, senior Rochester Bridge Warden, and the event was naturally the

cause of much local rejoicing. The two sides of the river in a district which ranks high in agricultural importance, and possesses a considerable population, are once more linked up, and the new bridge, being both more convenient and more commodious for traffic than the old one, may confidently be expected to

enhance local prosperity. The new bridge is of Hennebique ferro concrete, and is of the trestle type, supported by 10 pairs of ferro concrete piles each 16 inches square, and driven down through the

bed of the river until the firm dark clay is reached. These piles were moulded on the banks, and when six or eight weeks old were slung up in to position and driven by a, pile driver with a 30 cwt. monkey, having a drop of 5ft. The piles for some feet penetrated the soft clay by their own weight, and each pile

weighs as much as an average sized steam roller. The piles were driven until the monkey failed to move them more than half an inch with ten blows, or less than 1-16th inch per blow, and this drove the piles on the average about 26 feet in to the river bed. It is worthy of note that no pile was destroyed or

damaged by this heavy driving, a fact, which speaks well of the careful work in their making. Constantant unremitting vigilance is re­quired in watching the exact placing of the steel bars and stirrups that form the skele­ton or framework for ferro-concrete, and after this is placed in the mould boxes the concrete, which has also to be carefully graded and mixed in exact proportions, is placed in the boxes and covers the steel work. The steel work is, of course, scientifically arranged , and is not the result of any rule-of- thumb work. No steel is wasted, and every bar is doing some work in the whole structure.

After the piles are driven in position the braces and decking are built on top of them, and this again requires great care to see that each main and secondary beam is properly supported and connected up by steelwork to the rest of the structure. The parapets are then built up, and these also are of ferro-concrete over the river itself, with iron rail­ings over the land portions. Two extra bays of ferro-concrete parapets are to be put in place of the iron railing. The final work is to lay the road material of tarmacadam and form the footpaths, erect the fences, an d make the approach roads. The southern approach road is of much easier gradient than the old one, and several feet higher over the river, thus making it better

for crossing in flood time. The river way is also much improved and enlarged . Each of the river arches has a span of 28ft. 6in., and is over 18ft. high in the centre from the river bed. The new bridge has a total length of 296ft. from end to end, and a width between parapets of 18ft. and a footway on the east side 3ft. wide. The bridge was designed for and tested with a moving load of 30 tons. The test was made with two large steam rollers, driven abreast over the bridge, and the contractors were allowed a deflection or sagging under this load of half an inch in the 30ft. spans. The actual deflection was a fraction over 1-16th of an inch . This was very satisfactory.

The bridge was erected from plans prepared by Mr. Rowland H. Halls, Civil Engineer, of Seveirg Chambers, High Street, Lewes, by the Yorkshire Hennebique Co., of Leeds (Mr. D. Jones, Managing Director), Mr. J. Welton being the foreman in charge of the work.

In spite of the rain, the opening ceremony was largely attended, among those present being the Rev. J. R. Leigh (Chairman of the Maidstone Rural Council), Mr. George Mar­sham , Colonel C. E. Warde, M .P., and Colonel Horton; Messrs. W. J. Hawes, J. Wood, J. Hanmer(?), W. E. Hartridge and J. Carrington Ley (members of the District Council), with Mr. Robert Hoar (clerk), Mr. Post (Deputy clerk), and Mr. Bushridge (surveyor); Messrs. G. Arnold (East Peckham ), A. Leney and T. Brocklebank (Wateringbury ); C. E. Fletcher (Yalding); Richard Treasure (representing the Yalding Overseers); H. C arey (Messrs. C hitten­

den and Simmons); R. H. Halls (the architect), J. S. E. de Vesian, M .Inst.C .E ., and D. Jones representing the contractors). Letters of apology for inability to be pre­sent were received from Colonel Cornwallis

(Chairman of the County Council), Lord Falmouth , Capt. Spender Clay, M .P., the Rev. G. M. Livett (Vicar of Wateringbury ), Mr.O. E. d ’Avigdor-Goldsmid, the Mayor of Maid­stone, Lord Arthur Butler, Mr. Norman (Chairman of Bridges and Roads Committee, Kent County Council), Mr. H. Monckton (Bridge Warden), Mr. E. L. Baker (Bridge Clerk, Rochester), Mr. J. Arkcoll (Chairman of Medway Lower Navigation Company), Mr. W. H. Bensted (Deputy Chairman), Mr. P . C. Tempest (S.E. Railway Engineer), the Rev. W. F. Cobb (Vicar of Nettlestead), Mr. H. White (Wateringbury), Mr. F. Pine (Medway Lower Navigation Company), Colonel Villiers (of Kenward, Yalding), Colonel H. M. A Warde (Chief Constable), Mr. Ralph Cook, Mr. Snowden (of the Local Government Board),and the Vicar of West Farleigh .

Addressing the gathering assembled on the Wateringbury side of the bridge, the Rev. J. R. Leigh said it was his happy task that after­noon to ask them to witness the opening of the new structure, which he hoped was one that would meet with general approval. It certainly was one which was a vast improvement on its predecessor, which was in noway a thing of beauty, nor was it one which sug­gested confidence to those whose fate it was to use it, either on the score of stability or on that of convenience. “My Council,” Mr. Leigh proceeded, “once had visions of a more ambitious scheme, which went a considerable way towards being realised, viz., of building a bridge, higher up the river, which was to span not only the river itself, but also the South Eastern Railway, and so do away with the inconvenience of the railway crossing. But this vaster enterprise, which many would have welcomed, had to be reluctantly abandoned, owing to reasons into which I need not enter; and we had to be content with this smaller venture. In the building of this new bridge we are indebted for monetary assistance to the Rochester Bridge Wardens (members of whose body we are glad, to welcome here this afternoon), the Road Board, the South Eastern Railway Company, and the Medway Navigation Company. And we of the Maidstone District Council wish to recognise our indebted­ness to those bodies for the welcome help which they have afforded (hear, hear). We also rejoice to think that after a short wait­ing period for further testing the Kent County Council will take the bridge over, so that the Maidstone Rural District Council will have no anxiety on the score of its maintenance (hear, hear). This new bridge has been built by The Yorkshire Hennebique Company, according to the plans and specifications and under the

direction of Mr. Halls, our engineer, and on behalf of my Council I have great pleasure in conveying a message of thanks to the con­tractors for their satisfactory completion of the work. They laboured under considerable difficulty, in that the outbreak of this deplor­able war materially hampered them in various

ways. We also thank Mr. Halls for the effi­ciency he has evinced and the watchful care he has exercised over the work in all its de­tails, and for the kindly courtesy he has always shown us under the varied criticisms which we have passed upon his proposals from time to time. We have had a longish pull and we have had the usual periods of passing differ­ences of opinion, but, thanks in a very large measure to the tactful controlling influence of our esteemed Clerk. Mr. Robert Hoar—one of the m ost even-tempered men I have ever met (applause) — we have done what Englishmen generally manage to do, viz., worried through, and this afternoon we are able to dedicate this new bridge to the use of the general public, in the hope that that public will find it to its liking ” (applause).

The speaker concluded by asking Mr. Marsham to open the bridge. Mr. G. Marsham , who was cordially received, said he considered it a great honour to have been asked to perform the ceremony that afternoon. Mr. Leigh had already explained the history of the new bridge. He (the speaker) need only say, therefore, that the old bridge was unsightly, as well as dangerous, a n d he thought he might offer them his hearty con­gratulations on the fact that they would see that old bridge no more, and that in the

new bridge they had one adequate for the traffic, and also by no means unpleasing to the eye or disfiguring to one of the pretty reaches of their dear old river Medway (applause). If my memory serves me aright,” Mr, Marsham went on, I think the first duties that I performed as a public man were those

of a member of the Maidstone Rural District Council (hear, hear), and I think at that time there was considerable agitation abroad with regard to the doing away with Bow bridge. I venture to think it is a matter for congratulation that on this occasion we are able to open this new bridge (hear, hear). I do not think I need expatiate on the very great advantage which this new bridge will be to the agriculturists and traders of this neighbourhood in getting their goods not only to this station , but to the various industrial

centres on each side of the river (hear, hear). This new bridge is also a link, as I may call it, between the Rural District Councils of Maidstone and Malling, thereby cementing a friendship and good feeling which, 1 know, has existed for some years between those two bodies, though, perhaps, it might have been

further cemented—may, I say, in Ferro-con­crete—had one of those bodies seen fit to make some small

contribution towards the cost of the bridge (hear, hear). I think I may say on my own responsibility that the time has not yet gone in which that, matter may still be considered; and no doubt the Chairman

of the Maidstone Rural District Council and Mr. Hoar would be very pleased to receive any contribution , how ever small (laughter and hear, hear). I also want to mention that this new bridge is part of a great scheme in which we all here and the people of this neighbourhood are deeply interested —viz., the

prevention of a portion of the Medway from becoming derelict. The Rochester Bridge Wardens, the Kent County Council, the Rural District Councils of Maidstone and Tonbridge, and the Urban District Councils of Maidstone and Tonbridge, have all agreed that it would be a sin to allow such a thing to occur. And they have supported that opinion by a liberal contribution from them selves (hear, h ear).I am proud to be a member of the Upper Con­servancy Board. As you all know , we have had to face unforeseen difficulties, and in consequence of those difficulties we have had a considerable amount of criticism . I have not

the slightest objection to criticism , but surely I may, on behalf of my colleagues on the Conservancy Board, take credit for the result which happened during the past winter—that notwithstanding a most extraordinary, if not unprecedented rainfall, the floods of this district were not so serious as formerly, which was partly due, I think I may fairly claim, to the works of the Conservancy Board, and also, as I am only too pleased to recognise, to the excellent arrangements made by our neighbours, the Lower Navigation Company (applause) I am glad to he able to state on this occasion that it is my hope that in the course of the next few days the whole navigation between Tonbridge and Maidstone will be open” (applause).

At the close of his speech Mr. Marsham severed the cord stretched across the bridge and formally declared the new structure open. Mr. Le Vesian, in the course of a few remarks said that although Ferro-concrete was a comparatively new material in this country, some 1,500 bridges of various spans had been built with it. He gave the result of the test which had been carried out that afternoon and said there was no need to fear that any engines — whether agricultural or military engines—would do the bridge any damage—as it had been well tried by two rollers proceeding abreast.

The company having moved across the bridge, Colonel Warde, on behalf of the inhabitants on both sides of the river, expressed gratitude to the Rural District Council for having provided that handsome bridge.

Personally, he was very thankful to them for the bridge, because it was now a quarter of a century ago that he very nearly became a widower owing to the crazy structure which formerly existed at that spot. On that particular occasion the river was in a rather dangerous spate and the current was flowing swiftly over the bridge. He and his wife arrived there on cobs and seeing the danger of crossing he was for turning back, but his wife, like all women, regardless of the consequences, said: “If that big man on that big horse can cross the bridge I can" (laughter). And he had very great difficulty in getting between her and the crazy rail which separated her from a watery grave. But they both managed to get over the bridge (applause). “ I feel sure,” Colonel Warde added, “that much water will, flow under this bridge before the inhabitants on either side of the river will forget the gratitude which is due from them, and which I now offer on their behalf, to the authorities who placed the bridge at their disposal’ (applause).

Mr. Leney, in seconding the motion, said that Colonel Burton some time ago very aptly described the old bridge as “a bridge of sigh ’s ” (laughter), and he (the speaker) did not think that anyone present would sigh for its departure. They owed much to the Bridge Wardens of Rochester not only for their generous help in erecting that bridge but for their help in erecting bridges also at Branbridges and Yalding and thus doing away with many dangerous places (hear, hear), it was due in great measure to Mr. George Marsham, the Senior Warden, that so much favour had been shown them (applause). The proposition was carried by acclamation.

Mr. Fletcher moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Marshall, remarking that he had known the old Bow Bridge for over 60 years, and notwithstanding old associations he could not express any regret at seeing its departure (hear, hear). He thought everyone present would agree with him that they owed Mr. Marsham a deep debt of gratitude for helping them to replace the old bridge by that new one (applause).

Colonel Borton, on seconding, said: We have waited for this bridge long and wearily, but at last we rejoice that once more the Men of Kent and Kentish Men can join hands, instead of having to shout at

each other across the Medway (laughter and applause). No one regrets the decease of the old wooden structure over which we have travelled in fear and trembling for so many years. No artist was ever found to perpetuate its unlovely features on canvas, and I am informed, that it was never even photographed. It lived unloved and died unregretted. Now, however, we give a cordial welcome to this new bridge, which will be a boon to generations yet unborn (applause). That it should be associated with Mr. Marsham is not to be wondered at, for there is no enterprise in Kent which has for its object the welfare of the people of Kent, with which he is not connected (applause). This is the second occasion upon which I have stood upon a bridge opened by Mr. George Marsham . Not many years ago he enabled us to get to Yalding station in safety over a fine stone bridge, instead of risking our lives on a crazy wooden structure, own brother to the late, though not lamented, Bow bridge. We all hope that Mr. Marsham may be spared to us for many years to come, that he may open many more bridges, and that he may long continue to set the example he has in the past to the Men of Kent and Kentish Men, of a life entirely devoted to the public ser­vice (applause). I personally thank Mr. Geo. Marsham most heartily for the good work he has done for us today. To be cut off from Wateringbury is to be denied one of the great pleasures of life, and I trust that our gallant, self-sacrificing, and unpaid spe­cial constables at Yalding and Wateringbury will see to it that no alien hand is permitted to tamper with our new Bow bridge. May it continue to span the Medway for many centuries to come (applause).

The resolution having been carried, Mr. Marsham briefly expressed his acknowledgments. At the close the Wateringbury Boy Scouts, led by Mr. E. A. Smith, sang “ God save the King” and the Russian National Anthem, while hearty cheers were given for Mr. Marsham, the Rural Council, and the new bridge

Photographs of the scene at the opening ceremony were taken by Mr. Herbert Wakeford, London Photographic Company, Broadway, Maidstone.

Extract from Kent Messenger of 21st August 1915

BOW BRIDGE, WATERINGBURY.

The Chairman reported the formal opening, by Mr. George Marsham, of the new Bow Bridge,

Wateringbury . The Clerk said there were certain gentlemen who had assisted the Council in regard

to the bridge, an d in this connection he should like, to mention Mr.Maybury (the Chief Engineer

of the Road Board; Mr. Killiek (formerly of the Road Board, and now County Surveyor for Hertford­

shire), Mr. Augustus Leney, Mr. W. F. Cobb, and Mr. E. L. Baker (Clerk of the Rochester Bridge,

Wardens). Mr. Hoar was asked to write a letter of thanks to each of these.

It was decided that the panel to be placed on the bridge should be inscribed as follows:

“This bridge, re-built by the Maidstone Rural District Council (the Rev. J. R. Leigh, Chair­

man), was opened by Geo. Marsham, Esq., the Senior Warden of Rochester Bridge, on the 22nd July,

1915. R, H. Halls, Engineer.”