The first bridge building here resulted from the efforts of the Spencer family which had acquired the manor house in Battersea, a surrounding estate and the rights for a ferry which, reportedly, was inconvenient and dangerous. The John Spencer who received the earldom in 1765 applied for parliamentary permission for the construction of a stone bridge which was authorised in 1766. The fine stone bridge envisaged at that time was not built because the Earl could not entice enough backers. Instead, finance and a wooden bridge were raised for use in 1771 with a multitude of spans (nineteen) of 15 to 32 ft width. The toll revenue barely exceeded the costs of upkeep arising in part from continuous damage when boats collide with the piers. After particularly severe damage in 1795, some of the narrow spans were replaced by two of 70+ ft each and over the years other improvements were made. But the problems, which included loss of life, continued and were increased as the revenue decreased when the new Chelsea and Albert bridges were built down-stream.

The present bridge joins Beaufort Street to Battersea Bridge Road. It was constructed by John Mowlem & Co., under the supervision of Sir Joseph William Bazalgette (1819-91), chief engineer of the Metropolitan Board of Works (MBW). It was opened 21/05/1890 by Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery (1847-1929) the then chair of the London County Council. The old bridge, referred to as 'the Old Chelsea Bridge', had been cleared away in November 1885 and it was the last of London's timber bridges to go. The MBW was created by the Metropolis Local Management Act of 1855 Its remit covered 117 square miles from Hampstead, to the north, Putney, to the west, Lewisham to the south and Plumstead to the east. That was also the area of the London County Council, created in 1888. The Board had, reportedly, never won great public support being denigrated as the 'Board of Perks' but had major accomplishments including: the construction of Thames embankments which made useful ground of stinking mud-banks; the building of the 80+ miles of sewage mains that still service London; and the replacement of several of the old major Thames bridges within the metropolis with the present ones.

O/S Co-ords:2699.7738
Source(s):

Chambers Biographical Dictionary

Thames Crossings. Bridges, Tunnels and Ferries

A History of London