Stanley Ferry Bridge - Stanley Ferry, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 42.180 W 001° 27.842
30U E 601393 N 5951572
This replacement road bridge over the river Calder was opened by the then Prime Minister, Harold Wilson O.B.E. F.R.S. M.P.
Waymark Code: WM17EDV
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/06/2023
Views: 3
There is a plaque on the railings of the bridge at the side of the road.
STANLEY FERRY BRIDGE
this bridge was opened on 5th June 1971 by
RT. HON HAROLD WILSON O.B.E. F.R.S. M.P.
to replace the original wooden toll bridge
constructed in 1878
joint commitee
Chairman - Councillor K H Steeples J.P.
Clerk - A Warden Esq
| Councillor Mrs M Sylvester C.B.E. | : | Councillor Mrs J E Bridgewater |
| Councillor S Hall | : | Councillor E R Morrell J.P. |
| Councillor J A MacKinnon M.A. | : | Councillor J H G Rae |
| Councillor A P Ripley C.C. | : | H W Senior Esq - Engineer & Surveyor |
| R E James Esq - Clerk | : | |
| A M Fish Esq - Engineer & Surveyor | : | |
| | : | |
| Consulting Engineers | : | Contractors |
| White-Young & Partners | : | Henry Boot Construction Ltd |
The wooden bridge that this new bridge replaced had become unstable and had to be closed in December 1969.
Harold Wilson
"James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, PC, FRS, FSS (11 March 1916 – 24 May 1995) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from October 1964 to June 1970, and again from March 1974 to April 1976. He was the Leader of the Labour Party from 1963 to 1976, and was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1945 to 1983. Wilson is the only Labour leader to have formed administrations following four general elections."
link
When Harold Wilson opened the bridge it was a year since he had been Prime Minister, but during his time as Prime Minister the Labour government had funded an expansion of road building in the UK, and so he was probably asked to open the bridge because of his links with road building.