Glasgow Bridge used to be known as Broomielaw Bridge, and is also called the Jamaica Bridge, because Jamaica Street runs into it on the city centre side of the river. Designed by the firm of Blyth and Westland, and built 1894-9, this Category B listed bridge replaced an earlier bridge designed by Thomas Telford — his last bridge, completed in 1835 — which had now become inadequate, and had been weakened by the deepening of the river and harbour (see "Glasgow Bridge"). But it was still "perhaps the most beautiful of all Telford's bridges ... a fitting crown to his creative life" (Sir Alexander Gibb, qtd. in "Glasgow Bridge"). So Blyth and Westland were obliged by public reaction to retain its lines, to the point where, despite its greater width for road traffic, convenience for shipping, and solidity, the new Glasgow Bridge was "a virtual replica" of Telford's (Williamson et al. 623).
A "seven-arched masonry bridge, with granite facing, part of which came from the old bridge" (Hume 219), the bridge is right next to the Caledonian Railway Bridge into Glasgow Central Station. Contributing photographer Colin Price explains that this is why he took it "at a strong angle." The transverse arches are clearly seen in his photograph.
Photograph by Colin Price, with commentary and formatting by Jacqueline Banerjee. You may use the image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or to the Victorian Web in a print document. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]
Related Material
Bibliography
"Glasgow Bridge". Grace's Guide. Web. 9 September 2019.
Hume, J. R. The Industrial Archeology of Glasgow. Glasgow and London: Blackie, 1974.
Williamson, Elizabeth, Ann Riches and Macolm Higgs. Glasgow. The Buildings of Scotland series. London: Penguin, 1990.
Created 9 September 2019