Robert Tunstall of the family which had owned Kew ferries since the time of the Commonwealth obtained an Act of parliament in 1757 to build a bridge on the line of the Royal Ferry. This was stopped by bargemasters. Another Act was passed to build downstream on the line of the ferry which had been the first owned by the Tunstall family, associated with their limekiln business. It was built by John Barnard a master carpenter who had been involved with the building of Westminster bridge. He started work in April 1758 and the bridge was opened to the public on 04/06/1759. In fact the Dowager Princess of Wales (once Augusta of Saxe Gotha then widow of Frederick, eldest son of George II) and her son, later George III, crossed the bridge on 01/06/1779. Mr Tunstall was paid £200 and his workmen £40 by the Duchess for this privilege. George III subsequently opened the 2nd bridge. The bridge was very successful because it was then the only bridge between Putney and Kingston bridges. (Hammersmith bridge was opened in 1826.)

O/S Co-ords:1900.7781
Source(s):

This was a stone replacement for that opened in 1779 which had been closed for 2 years in 1774 because of damage by a barge to one of the uprights. It was: built by James Paine; funded by a £16,000 tontine ( a financing mechanism devised by Lorenzo Tontine); and the foundation stone laid 04/06/1783 by Michael Dicker Saunders. (Saunders and Paine were responsible for Walton bridge and Paine had already built Richmond bridge.) George III drove over 22/09/1789 leading a 'great concourse of carriages' over the new bridge and on to a banquet at the Star and Garter the a famed hotel on Richmond hill. The bridge was freed of tolls in February 1873.

O/S Co-ords:1900.7781
Source(s):

Thames Crossings. Bridges, Tunnels and Ferries