Peel Street Bridge (Bristol)
A lattice girder bridge across the River Frome in Bristol, connecting Peel Street in St. Philips with Wellington Road in St. Pauls. It is now only used as a footbridge.
Although lacking in grandeur, it is a representative of an increasingly rare species - wrought iron girder bridges with semi-circular upper chords (compression members). A somewhat similar form of construction may be seen on the retired girders of Stoodleigh Bridge in Devon.
1878: 'IMPROVEMENTS. The Council then sat as the Urban Sanitary-Anthority. .... The Clerk stated that the committee had accepted the tender of Messrs Andrew Handyside and Co., for the iron work of the new bridge to erected across the Frome at Peel Street.
A resolution was passed confirming the contract.'[1]
1878: 'A NEW BRIDGE OVER THE FROOM.-During the past week the new iron girder bridge which has been thrown across the river Froom midway between Wade-street and Ashley-road has been opened to the public. It connects Peel-street, Pennywell-road, with Monk-street, Newfoundland-road. It is 49 feet long and 25 feet broad, and has been constructed from designs furnished by Mr. F. Ashmead, the borough engineer. The works in connexion with it have been carried out under the supervision of Mr. F. Smith, clerk of the works to the Urban Sanitary Authority. The roadway and the footpaths have been laid by Messrs. C. Bradshaw and Sons.'[2]
Just 6 years later, in 1884, tenders were requested for painting (repainting?) the bridge.