The bridge was opened on 20th June 1887 by Alderman Joseph Richardson, named the Victoria Bridge after the Queen as that day was the 50th anniversary of her reign.
The other plaque records that the Stockton Bridge Act was passed on the 18th July 1881 and the bridge was a joint effort between the Stockton Corporation and the South Stockton Local Board
Despite the huge amount of local industry it was actually built by Whitaker Brothers of Leeds, something reflected in the lamps that were cast by John Butler at the Stanningley Ironworks near Leeds.
Another interesting observation is that parts of the bridge still carry damage from the Second World War bombing of Stockton.
Victoria Bridge, Stockton
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The remains of the original bridge can be seen on the Stockton side of the river next to the car park for the Bingo and Casino
Bet Göring wished his Luftwaffe could have done half the damage to the town as the town planners managed a few decades later…
The damage is on the Thornaby side of the bridge, near the welcome to Thornaby-on-Tees sign. The bridge was hit on the night of 25/26 August 1940, a man travelling to work from Stockton to Thornaby was killed when the HE bomb hit the bridge.
Do you have any more info on this I’ve always wanted to find out more of this story my dad told me about it as a boy