News / Bristol Arena
Arena bridge named after famous engineer
Bristol’s newest bridge has been named to honour a Victorian builder and entrepreneur in a competition won by the Knowle & Totterdown Local History Society.
Brock’s Bridge honours William Brock (1830-1907), an entrepreneur and builder in Victorian Bristol whose family lived in Totterdown overlooking the arena site.
Brock started a successful business next to Temple Meads, very close to where the bridge stands today stretching from Cattle Market Road to Arena Island.
Bridges were close to Brock’s heart and he was involved in the construction of St Philips Bridge, the renovated Bristol Bridge and Bedminster Bridge. He built stations at Taunton and Weston-super-Mare, and also built the Swiss House in Leigh Woods.
Members of the Knowle & Totterdown Local History Society include two of William Brock’s great-great grandchildren, who were at the naming event to celebrate his life.
Jan and Shirley Packer said: “Our grandma used to point out local landmarks built by her grandfather as far back as we can remember. We are so pleased that our history group can now tell the story and are very proud that William Brock’s work is recognised in such a special way.”
Bristol mayor George Ferguson, who helped unveil a plaque next to the bridge, said: “William Brock was a major local employer, engineer and entrepreneur, buried at Arnos Vale cemetery, making it particularly appropriate that a major landmark infrastructure project in the Enterprise Zone should be named after him.
“In Bristol’s Year of Learning 2016 it gives a welcome opportunity to rediscover a substantial Bristol figure as a result of this bridge.”
The bridge was funded by the Homes & Communities Agency, the Government’s housing, land and regeneration agency. It is approximately 63 metres long and 18 metres wide, made of around 137 individual pieces of steel weighing a total of 820 tonnes, and will be open to cars, pedestrians and bikes with 3.5 metres of pedestrian and bike lanes on either side.