Editing Chelsea Bridge (section)

== Victoria Bridge (Old Chelsea Bridge) ==

Engineer [[Thomas Page (engineer)|Thomas Page]] was appointed to build the bridge, and presented the commission with several potential designs, including a seven-span stone bridge, a five-span cast iron arch bridge, and a [[suspension bridge]].{{sfn|Matthews|2008|p=75}} The commission selected the suspension bridge design, and work began in 1851 on the new bridge, to be called the Victoria Bridge.{{sfn|Davenport|2006|p=69}}

=== Design and construction ===

[[File:ILN Chelsea Bridge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|alt=Suspension bridge crossing a wide river. A few buildings can be seen behind the bridge.|The first Chelsea Bridge as seen from Battersea in 1858, shortly after opening. The [[Victoria Tower]] of the [[Palace of Westminster]] is shown under construction in the background.]]

Page's design was typical of suspension bridges of the period, and consisted of a [[wrought iron]] [[deck (bridge)|deck]] and four {{convert|97|ft|m|adj=on}} cast iron towers supporting chains, which in turn supported the weight of the deck.{{sfn|Davenport|2006|p=69}}{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=132}} The towers rested on a pair of timber and cast iron [[pier (architecture)|piers]].{{sfn|Davenport|2006|p=69}} The towers passed through the deck, meaning that between the towers the road was {{convert|7|ft|m|spell=in}} narrower than on the rest of the bridge.{{sfn|Davenport|2006|p=69}} Although work had begun in 1851 delays in the closure of the Chelsea Waterworks, which only completed its relocation to Seething Wells in 1856, caused lengthy delays to the project,{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=131}} and the [[Edinburgh]]-made ironwork was only transported to the site in 1856.{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=132}}

[[File:Scuto Battersea BritMu252a.jpg|left|upright|thumb|alt=Golden shield dominated by three circular decorations. The larger central decoration has a large boss surrounded by a curlicue pattern. The smaller decorations above and below it are similar.|The [[Battersea Shield]]]]

Victoria Bridge was {{convert|703|ft|m}} long with a central span of {{convert|333|ft|m}},{{sfn|Davenport|2006|p=69}} and the roadway was {{convert|32|ft|m}} wide with a {{convert|7|ft|6|in|m|adj=on}} footpath on either side, making a total width of {{convert|47|ft|m}}.{{sfn|Davenport|2006|p=69}} Large lamps were set at the tops of the four towers, which were only to be lit when [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]] was spending the night in London.{{sfn|Pay|Lloyd|Waldegrave|2009|p=68}} The central span was inscribed with the date of construction and the words "Gloria Deo in Excelsis" ("Glory to God in the Highest").{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=132}} It took seven years to build, at a total cost of £90,000 (about £{{formatprice|{{Inflation|UK|90000|1858|r=-3}}|0}} in {{CURRENTYEAR}}).{{sfn|Matthews|2008|p=76}}{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}} The controversial tolls were collected from octagonal stone tollhouses at each end of the bridge.{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=132}}

As with the earlier construction of nearby Battersea Bridge,{{sfn|Roberts|2005|p=61}} during excavations workers found large quantities of [[Roman military personal equipment|Roman]] and [[Celtic warfare|Celtic]] weapons and skeletons in the riverbed, leading many historians to conclude that the area was the site of [[Julius Caesar]]'s crossing of the Thames during the 54 BC [[Caesar's invasions of Britain|invasion of Britain]].{{sfn|Matthews|2008|p=75}} The most significant item found was the [[Celt]]ic [[La Tène style]] bronze and enamel [[Battersea Shield]], one of the most important pieces of Celtic military equipment found in Britain, recovered from the riverbed during dredging for the piers.{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=131}}{{refn|group=n|As it shows no signs of battle damage, it is believed that the shield was cast into the river as a [[votive offering]] and was never used in battle. The shield is now on display in the [[British Museum]] while a replica is housed in the [[Museum of London]].}}

=== Opening ===

{{quote box|width=22em|salign=right|quote=A fairy structure, with its beautiful towers, gilded and painted to resemble light coloured bronze, and crowned with globular lamps, diffusing light all around.<ref>''Illustrated London News'', 28 September 1858, quoted in {{harvnb|Cookson|2006|p=132}}.</ref>|source=''[[Illustrated London News]]'', 25 September 1858}}

On 31 March 1858 Queen Victoria, accompanied by two of her daughters and ''en route'' to the formal opening of Battersea Park, crossed the new bridge and declared it officially open, naming it the Victoria Bridge;{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=132}} it was opened to the public three days later, on 3 April 1858.{{sfn|Matthews|2008|p=76}} The design met with great critical acclaim, particularly from the ''[[Illustrated London News]]''.{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=132}}

Shortly after its opening, concerns were raised about the bridge's safety. Following an inspection by [[John Hawkshaw]] and [[Edwin Clark (civil engineer)|Edwin Clark]] in 1861, an additional support chain was added on each side.{{sfn|Davenport|2006|p=69}} Despite the strengthening there were still concerns about its soundness, and a weight limit of 5 [[long ton|tons]] was imposed.{{sfn|Davenport|2006|p=69}} At the same time, the name was changed from Victoria Bridge to Chelsea Bridge, as the government was concerned about the reliability of suspension bridges and did not want a potential collapse to be associated with the Queen.{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=134}}

[[File:ILN Vauxhall, Victoria & Battersea bridges.jpg|left|thumb|alt=Perspective view of a wide river running through a green city, from upper left to lower right. Three bridges cross the river, which contains many small boats.|upright=1.5|Battersea (top), Victoria (centre) and Vauxhall (bottom) bridges, 1859]]

Although reasonably well used, it was unpopular with the public, who objected to being obliged to pay tolls to use it. On 4 July 1857, almost a year before the bridge's opening, a [[Demonstration (people)|demonstration]] against the tolls attracted 6,000 residents.{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=134}} Concerns were raised in Parliament that poorer industrial workers in Chelsea, which had no large parks of its own, would be unable to afford to use the new park in Battersea.{{sfn|Matthews|2008|p=76}} Bowing to public pressure, shortly after the bridge opened Parliament declared it free to use for pedestrians on Sundays, and in 1875 it was also made toll-free on public holidays.{{sfn|Matthews|2008|p=76}} Additionally, because the main lights were only turned on when Queen Victoria was staying in London, it was poorly used at night.{{sfn|Pay|Lloyd|Waldegrave|2009|p=68}} Despite this, the new Battersea Park was extremely popular, particularly the sporting facilities; on 9 January 1864 the park staged the world's first official game of [[association football]].{{sfn|Roberts|2005|p=114}}{{refn|group=n|An earlier unofficial match had been played under [[The Football Association|Football Association]] rules on 19 December 1863 in [[Mortlake]] between [[Barnes R.F.C.|Barnes Club]] and [[Richmond F.C.]], both of whom later went on to join the [[Rugby Football Union]].}}

=== Abolition of tolls ===
In 1873 the privately owned [[Albert Bridge, London|Albert Bridge]], between Chelsea and Battersea bridges, opened.{{sfn|Matthews|2008|p=72}} Although Albert Bridge was not as successful as intended at luring customers from Chelsea Bridge and soon found itself in serious financial difficulties,{{sfn|Roberts|2005|p=130}} it nonetheless caused a sharp drop in usage of Chelsea Bridge.{{sfn|Pay|Lloyd|Waldegrave|2009|p=70}} The [[Metropolis Toll Bridges Act 1877]] ([[40 & 41 Vict.]] c. xcix) was passed, which allowed the [[Metropolitan Board of Works]] (MBW) to buy all London bridges between [[Hammersmith Bridge|Hammersmith]] and [[Waterloo Bridge|Waterloo]] bridges and free them from tolls.{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=147}} Ownership of Chelsea Bridge was transferred to the MBW in 1877 at a cost of £75,000 (about £{{formatprice|{{Inflation|UK|75000|1873|r=-3}}|0}} in {{CURRENTYEAR}}),<ref name="Times Freeing" /> and on 24 May 1879 Chelsea Bridge, Battersea Bridge and Albert Bridge were declared toll free by the [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|Prince of Wales]] in a brief ceremony, after which a parade of [[Chelsea Pensioner]]s marched across the bridge to Battersea Park.{{sfn|Matthews|2008|p=76}}{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}{{sfn|Roberts|2005|p=113}}

{{quote box|width=22em|salign=right|quote=Its kiosques and gilt finials, its travesty of Gothic architecture in cast iron, its bad construction and its text of 'Gloria Deo in Excelsis' above the arch between the piers, are redolent of 1851, the year of the [[Great Exhibition]], the ''locus classicus'' of bad art, false enthusiasms and shams.{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=135}}|source=[[Reginald Blomfield]], 1921}}

By the early 20th century, Chelsea Bridge was in poor condition. It was unable to carry the increasing volume of traffic caused by the growth of London and the increasing usage of the [[automobile]]; between 1914 and 1929 use of the bridge almost doubled from 6,500 to 12,600 vehicles per day.{{sfn|Roberts|2005|p=114}} In addition, parts of its structure were beginning to work loose,{{sfn|Matthews|2008|p=76}} and in 1922 the gilded [[finial]]s on the towers had to be removed because of concerns that they would fall off.{{sfn|Roberts|2005|p=114}}{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=135}} Architectural opinion had turned heavily against Victorian styles and Chelsea Bridge was now deeply unpopular with architects; former President of the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]] [[Reginald Blomfield]] spoke vehemently against its design in 1921,{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=134}} and there were few people supporting the preservation of the old bridge.{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=135}} In 1926 the [[Royal Commission on Cross-river Traffic]] recommended that Chelsea Bridge be rebuilt or replaced.{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=135}}