Happy 145th birthday Windsor Bridge

145 years ago (20 August 1874) Windsor Bridge over the Hawkesbury River was officially opened. The Hawkesbury district celebrated in great style with about 7000 attendees and the day was observed as a holiday.

Opening of Windsor Bridge taken by Thomas Boston
Courtesy State Library of NSW

Some officials arrived on the 11am train from Sydney with many local visitors and representatives, congregating near the Council offices ready for the procession.  These included the local clergy, politicians, plus Mayor John McQuade and the aldermen of Windsor Council. The Windsor Volunteer Band led the procession and the Volunteers, Fire Brigade, the local masonic lodges with their banners “proceeded along Macquarie Street to Dight Street, and thence through George Street to the bridge.”  The Richmond Volunteer Band led the students from the local Public and Catholic schools also participated in the parade which numbered about 600. The procession marched “across the bridge and doubling back” and the official ceremony then began with the Hon. John Sutherland, Minister for Works giving a speech where “he complimented the people upon having such a fine structure, and on the importance of the work.” He particularly mentioned, “why a low-level bridge was erected in place of a high-level structure” and named the structure Windsor Bridge. The crowd applauded and the band played the National Anthem. The children then headed to Miller’s paddock in Macquarie Street where they were given refreshments of cakes and lollies and entertained with a Punch and Judy show and other entertainment.

It was reported that “Windsor was gaily decorated with flags flying from nearly all the houses in the principal streets; and on the bridge were festoons, floral arches, and the flags of all nations.”

Detail of official ceremony and flags on Windsor Bridge by Thomas Boston Courtesy State Library of NSW

Above the bridge hundreds assembled and a bullock roasted, a time-honoured Hawkesbury tradition. There was also a formal lunch for the officials in the Windsor School of Arts where good food was eaten and lots of speeches and toasts were given.  John Sutherland proposed "Success to the Windsor Bridge” and added that “he hoped that it would last longer than the youngest child who had passed over it that day.” To end the festivities, a ball was held in the evening in the old military barracks. 

A bridge over the Hawkesbury River at Windsor was suggested for many years and became a reality when in 1864 a public meeting was held and a decision made to approach the Government. It took many more years for funding to be approved and the construction more than 2 years. The total cost was £10,283.

Courtesy Illustrated Sydney News 19 September 1874  

All of the technical details about the construction of Windsor Bridge are available in this post

One tragedy that took place during construction when 10 year old, Humphrey Albert Douglass, who was working on the bridge, lost his footing and fell into the river and drowned.

Happy 145th birthday Windsor Bridge - still standing proudly crossing the majestic Hawkesbury River, but for how much longer?

140th celebrations in 2014 by Michelle Nichols

Many accounts appeared in the newspapers of the day, including:

• OPENING OF THE WINDSOR BRIDGE. (1874, August 21). Evening News p. 2 from 
• OPENING OE THE BRIDGE AT WINDSOR. (1874, September 19). Illustrated Sydney News & NSW Agriculturalist & Grazier 
• OPENING OF WINDSOR BRIDGE (1874, August 22). Australian Town & Country Journal, p. 9. 
• OPENING OF THE WINDSOR BRIDGE. (1874, August 22).  The Empire p. 4. 
• OPENING OF THE BRIDGE AT WINDSOR. (1874, August 22). The Sydney Morning Herald p. 7.  
• NEW BRIDGE OVER THE HAWKESBURY AT WINDSOR. (1874, August 22). Australian Town & Country Journal p. 20. 

Windsor's McQuade Bridge

There are several things in Windsor named after the McQuade family including McQuade Park and McQuade Avenue but did you realise there were plans to call the bridge across the Hawkesbury River  at Windsor, McQuade Bridge?

Windsor Bridge
Photo: Michelle Nichols

 

In 1871 local government was established in the Hawkesbury when the Windsor Borough Council began. The newly established council named the reserve, Windsor Park, however this was rescinded in 1874 by John McQuade, the Mayor.

John Michael McQuade was born about 1826 and was the son of convict Michael McQuade and his wife, Sarah Conolly. McQuade was elected as one of the first councillors and served two terms as Mayor, first in 1872 and then in 1874. After he rescinded the decision to to name the reserve, Windsor Park, he then used his casting vote to rename it McQuade Park. 

A sign “was erected with McQuade Park painted in gold letters.” It was vandalised on more than once and “was smeared with tar and had to be repainted.” On 6 March 1878, When William Walker was serving as Mayor, all of the previous resolutions relating to the naming of the park were rescinded and the name Windsor Park was given. This however was futile was as the name was in the common use and it has remained unofficially McQuade Park.

In June 1874 a letter to the editor of the Australian, Windsor, Richmond & Hawkesbury Advertiser newspaper, published in Windsor, was printed. The writer was anonymous, using the non-de-plume 'Sagittarius' informed readers that friends of Mr. McQuade were trying to have the new bridge in Windsor called the McQuade Bridge. It goes on to state:

To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Surely it is sufficient, and more than sufficient, to have the park called after that individual, but pray do not tamely submit to having the new bridge burlesqued in this way. Whatever has McQuade done for the district to entitle his name to be appended to your public buildings in any way? Whatever has he or his ancestry or descendants ever done to deserve any distinction—any public recognition whatever? Have they added to the moral stamina of the district? Have they added to its respectability? Have they increased its intelligence? What have they done? If so name the bridge 'McQuade' it is a pretty name! These are most important questions, and to my mind not to be trifled with. I therefore trust that some influence will be used, to prevent the name of the new bridge from being prostituted by any other name than that of the ' Windsor' or ' Hawkesbury' bridge. I do think I would be a grave mistake to name the bridge after McQuade. The bridge crossing the Macquarie at Bathurst, is named after the Governor of the day, ' Denison.'

Other bridges are named after the townships in which they are built, and I know of none in the colony where they are named after a comparatively obscure individual. Call it 'Robinson Gap' or the 'Devils Causeway' ; but do not, pray do not give a name that will puzzle future generations, and perhaps in their minds give rise to Tipperary ideas or Donnybrook notions.

Should the bridge be called McQuade what will those say who come after us? Who was McQuade? Where did he come from?  Where has he gone to? Are his sons living? If not what were they when in the flesh? All these ideas will burst upon the innocent minds of future generations, and it will be well if a Gosper, a Primrose or a Moses should be alive to answer them. Much better if a Dean should then exist, to whip their recreant imaginations beyond the McQuade folly.

The plan never came to fruition and the structure was named, and remains, the Windsor Bridge. It was officially opened on the 20 August 1874 and still stands proudly crossing the majestic Hawkesbury River.

McQuade died 19 August 1891 aged 65 and is buried in the Windsor Catholic Cemetery.

 McQuade's headstone in Windsor Catholic Cemetery.
Photo: Michelle Nichols

Windsor Bridge tragedy

An unfortunate workplace tragedy took place in Windsor 140 years ago. The incident occurred when a young boy who was working on the Windsor Bridge inadvertently fell into the river and drowned in 1874. Humphrey Albert Douglass, who was almost ten years old, was employed working on the bridge being built over the Hawkesbury River at Windsor. The boy was “walking along the foot board of one of the large punts, when he fell into the water” on 21 January 1874. Before he could be pulled from the water he unfortunately drowned. Humphrey was the son of James and Mary Douglass.

An inquest was held the following day at the Sir John Young Hotel in Windsor. James Douglas gave the following evidence, which was reported in the newspaper Australian, Windsor, Richmond, & Hawkesbury Advertiser 24 January 1874:

James Douglas stated that he was a carpenter, and the father of the deceased, he saw him last alive on Wednesday morning at 7 o'clock; he was engaged on the Windsor Bridge works; when witness went home to his dinner he heard that his son was drowned, he went to the bridge immediately and was there some time before the body was found; he saw it taken out of the water; the body was dead and was that of his own son; deceased was ten years old.

The verdict “accidentally drowned while at work at the Windsor Bridge” was returned by the Coroner Mr. J. B. Johnston and a jury. The accident was witnessed by another boy who was pulling the punt which was being used for the traffic across the river. Not many people are aware of the tragic death of this young boy, a sad reminder of how fragile life was. Humphrey was buried at St. Matthews Church of England, Windsor.

Windsor Bridge, 1879. Government Printing Office, State Library of NSW

1874 technical details of the Windsor Bridge

The Windsor Bridge over the Hawkesbury River was officially opened on the 20 August 1874. The town celebrated in great style with about 7000 attendees and the day was observed as a general holiday. The Australian Town & Country Journal published the interesting sketch below, as well as an informative article about the construction of the newly opened Windsor Bridge on the 22 August 1874.

The New Bridge over the Hawkesbury at Windsor. Australian Town & Country Journal, 22 August 1874, p. 20. 

 The article, retrieved from Trove, is reprinted in full below:

This want of a bridge over the Hawkesbury River at Windsor has been felt for many years. In 1864, [politician James Augustine Cunneen 1826-1899] presented a petition from the inhabitants of the district for the erection of a bridge at Windsor, but it was not until June, 1871, that the Legislative Assembly voted the necessary funds for the construction of a low level bridge.

There was much diversity of opinion as to the advisability of constructing a low level bridge at the site proposed, as the floods rise there to a height of more than 50 feet above low water. The Commissioner and Engineer for Roads was however, instructed by the Government to prepare designs for a low level bridge, and to invite tenders for its construction. Mr. Andrew Turnbull's tender was accepted in December 1871 and the work began on the 15 January 1872.

According to the original design, the total length of the bridge was to be 406 feet, composed of eight main spans of 44 feet each, and of two approaches 32 feet and 22 feet respectively. The abutments were to be of timber; and the nine intermediate piers of cast iron cylinders and screw piles braced with strong wrought iron beams. The screw piles and cylinders to be sunk to the rock, and lewised thereto by heavy wrought iron bolts, previous to being filled up with cement concrete.

In October 1872, three of the iron piers had been sunk 4 feet into the rock to the depth of 25 feet below river bed; each column was lewised with four inch bolt and filled up with strong cement and concrete, supporting a ring of 9-inch radiating bricks; enclosing a cone of concrete to the top of the pier. From the nature of the strata found in sinking those piers, it became doubtful whether screw piles could be used, as the bed of the river to the rock consisted of drift timber, silt, and boulders deposited by floods.

A test screw-pile, 2 foot 6 inches in diameter, was, however, put down in the middle of the stream; but the rock could not be reached, owing to the difficulty of removing the drift timber. Mr. Bennett, the Commissioner and Engineer for Roads, then decided to give up the screw-piles and to use cylinders for all the piers.

Many freshes and several heavy floods retarded operations; and the sinking of all the piers could not be completed until December, 1873. Although a few feet only of the iron columns appear above water, the cylinders reach to an average depth of 40 feet below summer level. By the use of the sand-pump and air-lochs, boulders, drift-wood, and logs, several feet in thickness, were removed at considerable depths, and each pillar firmly bedded and lewised four feet into the solid rock. The bracing beams were also fixed below water by divers, before the erection of the superstructure.

The extraordinary floods at Windsor which reach to a height of 51 foot above low water, or 36 feet above the decks of the bridge, made it necessary to have the superstructure unusually strong; and much ingenuity is shown in tho design for securely fastening it to the piers. The deck is 21 feet 6 inches wide; and is composed of planks five inches thick, securely fixed to five ironbark girders 17 and 18 inches by 16 inches and 44 feet long, strongly bolted to corbels and capsilla firmly secured to-the iron piers. The whole of the timber is ironbark, which has little buoyancy under water, and the girders are fine specimens of our colonial wood.

All the joints are covered with iron fish-plates, bolted with inch bolts, and it is evident from the massive fastenings throughout, and the great strength of the structure in every detail, that the engineer has taken every precaution to prevent the floods from making a breach in any part of the bridge. The handrail is also ingeniously contrived to protect it from the large quantity of drift timber brought down by the floods. The foot of every rail post swings on a stout bolt secured to the girders, and the top is jointed to a two-inch wrought iron pipe, provided with sockets and collars at every 44 feet; the total length being held in place by two iron couplings in such a manner that one man can lower the whole alongside the girders in ten minutes.

The amount of Messrs. Turnbull and Dixon's contract was £8287; but an additional expenditure of about £2000 was rendered necessary by the substitution of cylinders for screw piles in the piers, and by the addition of two spans to the bridge to prevent future encroachment on the approaches. It was observed that moderate floods bring large deposits of sand and drift; but that heavy floods scour the river bed to a considerable extent.

The total length of the bridge as completed is 480 feet. The abutment on the Windsor side is built of iron backed with masonry in cement; and that on the opposite bank is protected by sheet piling reaching below summer level. A new cutting has also been made on the Wilberforce side for the approach, which is covered with ironstone gravel. The number of cast-iron cylinders used in the piers is 130. They are six feet long, and 3 feet 6 inches in diameter, and their weight exceeds 150 tons. They were cast at the Mort's Dock and Engineering Works at Balmain; and are another instance of the facility afforded for such works by colonial establishments.

The inhabitants of the district may well be pleased at the completion of this fine bridge; and it will be satisfactory for them to know that it has been ascertained by the officers of the Department of Roads and Bridges, in reference to the traffic and the disastrous floods of the Hawkesbury River, that, while the deck of the Windsor bridge is free from flood, the Richmond bridge is covered with three feet eight inches of water, and that the Windsor bridge is crossable twenty-two hours after the stoppage of the traffic at the Richmond bridge.

Great credit is due to the contractors, Messrs, Turnbull and Dixon, for their energy and perseverance in carrying out, without any accident, such an important and difficult work, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner and Engineer for Roads.

More about the official opening of the bridge will follow.