Geoffrey Phillips in his book 'Thames Crossings' records it thus:

On the Saturday evening, while the crowds gathered in the streets, the leading citizens of Westminster and their guests had feasted at the Bear Inn until, at half an hour after midnight, the crash of cannon had announced the arrival of the long awaited moment. With military bands playing and guns firing, the Lord Mayor and the Bridge Commissioners had walked in procession to the centre arch of the bridge and there, with speeches and singing of 'God Save the King', declared open the first stone bridge to be built over the Thames in London for 500 years. Then, by special dispensation, Sunday 18th November 1750 had been given over to festivity, with sideshows and amusements of all kinds filling every open space. For that day, and a short while afterwards, the splendid new bridge stood in all its glory, beautiful when the sunlight gleamed on its white Portland and pale-green Purbeck stone. Behind that moment lay twelve years of laborious creation; ahead lay a century of struggle and disappointment.'

O/S Co-ords:3047.7965
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Chelsea