Issue 42 summer 24 web - Flipbook - Page 4
Fascinating photos reveal Grimsby’s
link with an uncrowned king
Inheriting the British throne from his father in January 1936, Edward VIII was soon embroiled in
scandal over his relationship with a married American woman, Wallis Simpson.
Later that year, Edward abdicated the British throne and
his brother, King George VI was crowned.
Today, it can be difficult to track down traces of the
uncrowned king’s short reign. No coins bearing Edward’s
portrait were ever entered into circulation, and whilst there
are a small number of post boxes and stamps still in
existence, few towns have links to the abdicated monarch.
Before Edward ascended to the throne however, he did
manage to visit a number of towns across Britain, and left
his mark on some of those places, including in Grimsby.
The town’s iconic Corporation Road Bridge was opened
in July 1928 by Edward, then the Prince of Wales, after
its construction, completed in 1925 by Sir William Arrol
& Co., Glasgow.
Photographs from the town's archives, and submitted by
local residents, depict the day that the royal visitor opened
the bridge. At the Western entrance to the bridge, an
inscription on one of the plinths records its opening.
Photos and footage from the time shows crowds of people
surrounding the bridge as His Majesty the Prince of Wales
mounted ladders to inspect the control room.
The bridge cost £60,000 – more than £3m in today’s
money. Today, it is the focus of a historic restoration,
expected to breathe new life into the structure.
Councillor Stewart Swinburn, portfolio holder for
environment and transport at North East Lincolnshire
Council, said: “In Grimsby we are very lucky to be
custodians of such a wonderful piece of history, and that’s
why we’re pressing ahead with its restoration.
“Restoring something that’s almost 100 years old, and has
been battered by tides almost every day since it’s construction, is a huge job, and inevitably comes with challenges,
but we have to remember that the bridge is a piece of
history. This bridge was opened by a man who became
King of Britain and an Empire before abdicating so he
could marry the woman he loved, and that piece of history
belongs to our town.We’re determined to save this piece
of history for future generations to enjoy.”
Today, a commemorative plaque remains on one of the
North-East plinths of the bridge to mark the occasion.
Below, Corporation Bridge Opening: Visit of the Prince of Wales
to Grimsby, July 19th 1928. Presentation of the scissors to cut the
ribbon to open the new Corporation Bridge.
