Old illustrations of the first and second Blackfriars Bridge are on the walls of the underpass beneath the bridge.
The illustrations are from the Guildhall Library
The bridge itself was photographed in 2023
Click for a larger image And on the same day
Click for a larger image The first figure shows various sketches for the first bridge (a bridge designed by Robert Mylne):
To the Right Hon.Slinglsby Bethell Esq. Lord Mayor. To the Rt. Worshipful Court of Aldermen & Common Council of ye City of London’.
These Designs for Building a Bridge with Stone to Cross the River Thames From Blackfryers, London to Southwark in Surry’
Is most Humbly Inscrib’d by your Hon most Obedient Humble Servant Edward Oakley
Click for a larger image The resulting design of the first bridge (called here "the new bridge"), by Robert Mylne II:
A View of. Mr. Mylne’s degant Design of a NEW BRIDGE.to be built frome Black Fryers to the opposite Shore. approved by the Committee in Common Council, 1760.
Click for a larger image And in the next picture you can see how the picture fits into the underground passage itself
Click for a larger image Illustration of the first bridge under construction
A VIEW OF PART OF THE INTENDED BRIDGE AT BLACKFRIARS LONDON
IN AUGUST MDCCLXIII
BY ROBERT MYLNE ARCHITECT
ENGRAVED BY PIRANESI AT ROME
Click for a larger image Another illustration of the first bridge during its construction (already in 1766)
PART OF THE BRIDGE AT BLACKFRIARS AS IT WAS IN JULY 1766
Published by John Boydell, Cheapside
Click for a larger image and to the enlarged image
Click for a larger image A view of the new bridge (which would be officially opened only 6 years later, in 1869), and the train station that was built nearby
THE LONDON, CHATHAM AND DOVER RAILWAY STATION AT BLACKFRIARS
Illustrated London News 26th December 1863
Click for a larger image and to the enlarged image
Click for a larger image An illustration of the old bridge from 1797, in the background you can see St. Paul’s Cathedral
BLACK FRIARS BRIDGE
Thomas. Malton 1797
Click for a larger image An illustration of the new bridge from 1869, the view is the same as the previous image, with St. Paul’s Cathedral behind the bridge
BLACKFRIARS NEW BRIDGE
Illustrated London News 6th November 1869
Click for a larger image The opening of the new bridge by Queen Victoria in 1869
HER MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA OPENING BLACKFRIARS NEW BRIDGE
Illustrated London News 13th November 1869
HISTORIC IMAGES OF THE BRIDGES FROM THE COLLECTION AT GUILDHALL LIBRARY
Click for a larger image and to the enlarged image
Click for a larger image And finally a text appears about the opening of this Underpass in 1995
THE BLACKFRIARS BRIDGE PEDESTRIAN UNDERPASS WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED ON THE 11TH OCTOBER 1995 BY:
THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORD MAYOR OF LONDON, SIR CHRISTOPHER WALFORD
AND
THE WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR OF SOUTHWARK, COUNCILLOR AUBYN GRALIAM
Click for a larger image (Before the series of illustrations, the installers name appears: Printed for T. Kitchin at the Star, Holborn Hill)
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