Mancpedia

Longford Bridge

Longford Bridge is a bridge in Stretford, Trafford. It carries Chester Road over the Bridgewater Canal, between Stretford's town centre (to the south) and Gorse Hill (to the north).

History

The original Longford Bridge, which was slightly south of the current location (towards Stretford town centre), carried Chester Road over Longford Brook. It's not clear when this was built, but it was prior to the mid-1700s.

An Act of Parliament from 1759 permitted the Duke of Bridgewater to extend the Bridgewater Canal "to or near Longford Bridge". In 1760, a new bridge (the modern-day Longford Bridge) was built to carry Chester Road over the new canal extension.[1]

In 1761, the canal extension was filled with water and thus began operation. At this point in time, Longford Bridge was quite long compared to modern-day as it carried Chester Road over both Longford Brook and then the Bridgewater Canal. This can be seen on 1800s maps.

Between the late 1800s and the early 1900s, Chester Road featured tramways which went over Longford Bridge.

In 1913 the bridge was reconstructed so it could be made wider, with multiple lanes in both directions. For years prior to the reconstruction the bridge was considered dangerous as numerous accidents had taken place on the narrow lanes.[2] By August 1913, steady progress had been made on the reconstruction, and it was estimated to be completed by early 1914, at a cost of £3,000.[3] The work widened the bridge from being 35 feet wide to being 50 feet wide. It was estimated at the time (in 1913) that about 20,000 vehicles crossed the bridge every week.[1]

In the early 1900s Davyhulme Road East was built and Longford Brook was put into a culvert, meaning a bridge was no longer necessary to cross it. At some point in the years since then, Chester Road and Davyhulme Road East have become flatter and no longer resemble a bridge, leaving only the northerly Bridgewater Canal crossing as seen today.

Incidents

On 26th August 1913, the body of a 68-year-old Mrs Jones, resident of the nearby Ashover Street, was pulled from the Bridgewater Canal at Longford Bridge. It was believed Mrs Jones had been deceased in the water for around five days.[4]

On 18th March 1968, a two-year-old boy, Kevin Cadman of Gorse Street, was drowning in the Bridgewater Canal by Longford Bridge. A 42-year-old police constable, Bill Ashworth of Kenwood Road, was patrolling on a horse over Longford Bridge when he spotted the boy in distress. He immediately jumped off the horse and jumped from Longford Bridge into the canal, and proceeded to save the boy's life. The constable was later awarded the Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society medal and certificate. The Mayor of Stretford, William Matthews, presented the award and described the constable's heroism as a very courageous action.[5][6]

Sources

  1. Manchester Evening News, 14th August 1913, Page 6. ↩ ↩
  2. Manchester Evening News, 14th June 1913, Page 6. ↩
  3. Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser, 15th August 1913, Page 6. ↩
  4. The Knutsford Division Guardian for Knutsford, Wilmslow and Alderley Edge, etc., 29th August 1913, Page 7. ↩
  5. Manchester Evening News, 18th March 1968, Page 1. ↩
  6. Manchester Evening News, 30th October 1968, Page 13. ↩