Location 155
Location #155. The MacAndrew Bridge.
Map 3
- Address
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Area -
Kawarau River -
Description -
Location #155. The MacAndrew Bridge. Kawarau River, approximately 50m upstream of the present bridge (location 152)
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Still Standing -
No -
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Construction Details -
See general notes for contruction details. -
Location Type -
Other
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View Location on Map -
Interested Parties
The table below shows the groups of people that had an interest in this property, either as owners, residents, tenants or shareholders. Clicking on the 'Details' link will display a list of the individuals in the group along with any known historical information about them.
| Group | Date | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1896 - | Vincent County Council | Details |
Notes
The table below shows any historical notes about the location.
| Note | Date | Short Description | Note Text |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2131 | 1896 | Construction Details | The MacAndrew Bridge appears to be a reconstructed version of the Kawarau Bridge (for details of that bridge see location #153). A suspension dridge with 16 x one and a half inch (38mm) diameter wire rope cables, attached to one inch (25.4mm) diameter iron hangers which supported the iron truss superstructure and the deck beams, with a timber deck. The bridge had a span of 141 feet (42.9m), a deck width of 14 foot (4.3m) and was supported on two pairs of cut stone piers. Two of the original piers have been relocated on the corner of Cairnmuir and Bannockburn Roads and now form the supports for a sign welcoming visitors to Bannockburn (see location #514). |
| 2132 | 1896 | Notes on the design. | After the disasterous fire on the Kawarau Bridge (location #152) in January of 1896, the Vincent County Council had to act quickly to reconstruct a bridge at Bannockburn to restore communications. It appears that the county engineer, Mr Leslie Duncan MacGeorge designed a new bridge that could utilise many of the undamaged components of the old Kawarau Company's bridge which had escaped the fire. |
| 2133 | 1896 | Construction of the bridge. | In April, a contract was awarded to James Fowler of Mosgiel and his foundary and engineering company. The contract included the supply, fabrication and installation of the steelwork for the rebuilt Bannockburn Bridge. The iron was imported from Europe and then had to be inspected by the Public Works Department. This caused some delays, however the steelwork sections were then fabricated in Mosgiel and transported by train then wagon to Bannockburn. Jams Fowler moved to Bannockburn to supervise the work, and lived in dwelling #29. |
| 2134 | 1897 | Opening of the MacAndrew Bridge | On July 9 1897 the rebuilt Kawarau Bridge was officially reopened and renamed the MacAndrew Bridge after James MacAndrew, the Minister of Public Works in Dunedin. A deputation from the area had met with him to ask for his help in rebuilding local bridges after the 1878 flood. He had been instrumental in obtaining a £15,000 interest free loan from the government to rebuild the damaged bridges, including the Kawarau River bridge. The loan had also allowed for an immediate grant of £5,000 to begin the reconstruction work after the 1896 fire. The opening ceremony was attended by 1,200 visitors who traveled from Cromwell in 100 horse drawn vehicles. They were led by a Cobb & Co coach drawn by six bays and driven by coachman Adam McDonald. The coach carried the County Chairman, Mr R Shepherd and Councillors. The Chairman drove the coach for the final part of the journey. The opening ceremony consisted of a ceremonial procession across the bridge. A banquet with champagne and many speeches followed. Great credit was given to the member for Kawarau Riding, Mr William Parcell (1) who was chiefly responsible for the bridge reconstruction. A concert to mark the occasion was held in the Jubilee Hall in the evening. The hall was packed to capacity and struggled to cope with the large crowd attending. |
| 2135 | 1930 | Car versus horse accident on the bridge. | Mr John Scobie Ritchie of Cromwell was riding his horse across the MacAndrew Bridge when a car came down the hill in the opposite direction. There was not enough room for both the vehicle and the horse, so the horse tried to jump the car. Jack was thrown off, and the horse then landed on his back. With only cuts and bruises, Jack was taken to his home in Cromwell. He carried the horseshoe imprint on his back to his grave. (There was no mention of the fate of the horse). |
| 2136 | 1964 | The MacAndrew Bridge was replaced by a new steel and concrete bridge. | The MacAndrew Bridge served as the main communication link to Bannockburn until it was replaced by a new steel and concrete bridge in 1964. (see location #151) |
| 2137 | 1965 | Demolishion of the MacAndrew Bridge. | In March of 1965 a contract was awarded to a local Cromwell contractor to demolish the MacAndrew Bridge. |
| 2138 | 1986 | The only remaining parts of the old bridge were the piers. | The only parts of the MacAndrew Bridge that remained were the piers. These were soon to be demolished to make way for the Lake Dunstan lake shore requirements. The Bannockburn Recreational Reserve Committee and a number of local Bannockburn residents approached the Vincent County Council to see if they could save the piers. The group wanted to build an historically based 'Welcome' sign supported by two of the piers and the Cairnmuir / Bannockburn Road intersection. See location #514. |
Images
The table below shows a list of images related to the location. Click on 'View Image' to display more details about the image, and to view the image.
| Image Id | Source | Date | Short Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59 | Jeff Connelly - Cromwell | 1965 | Bannockburn Bridge (MacAndrew) | View Image |
| 60 | Jeff Connelly - Cromwell | 1965 | Bannockburn Bridge (MacAndrew) | View Image |
| 61 | Jeff Connelly - Cromwell | 1964 | Bannockburn Bridge | View Image |
| 75 | Jeff Connelly | 24 Aug 1942 | Molyneux Gold Dredge - moving upstream under the Bannockburn Bridge (MacAndrew) | View Image |
| 254 | Mr R Murray - Cromwell | 9 July 1897 | Bannockburn Bridge ( the MacAndrew Bridge ) - Opening Day. | View Image |
| 255 | Mrs D McLean - Kawarau Gorge | c1950 | The MacAndrew Bridge. | View Image |
| 350 | Mrs V Paterson, Bannockburn | c1900 | The MacAndrew Bridge - looking downstream. | View Image |
| 458 | Heart of the Desert - J C Parcell | c1897 | The MacAndrew Bridge - from a watercolour by Mr Alex Anderson. | View Image |
| 467 | Miss A Parcell Collection | c1901 | The Kawarau River and MacAndrew Bridge | View Image |
| 589 | Paul Crump - Bannockburn | Aug 1988 | Bannockburn Bridge (#152) under construction. | View Image |
| 627 | T Emmitt - Bannockburn | 9 Jul 1897 | The MacAndrew Bridge - looking downstream - open day. | View Image |
| 687 | Paul Crump - Bannockburn | c1900 | The MacAndrew Bridge - looking North | View Image |
| 730 | Mr F McNulty - Cromwell | c1920 | The MacAndrew Bridge looking south. | View Image |
| 731 | Mr F McNulty - Cromwell | c1920 | The MacAndrew Bridge - looking south | View Image |
| 1005 | Paul Crump - Bannockburn | 30 Nov 1964 | Bannockburn Bridge - location #151. Opening day: 30 Nov 1964. | View Image |
| 1076 | Otago Daily Times | 1965 | Bannockburn Bridge - location #155 (MacAndrew Bridge) during demolition, looking south. | View Image |
| 1078 | T C Emmitt - Bannockburn | 1964 | Bannockburn Bridges - looking south: | View Image |
| 1079 | Otago Daily Times | 23 nov 1964 | Bannockburn Bridges - looking north. | View Image |
| 1202 | Mrs D Norman, Roxburgh | 1910 | Postcard "Bannockburn Bridge" | View Image |
| 1901 | Mr Gordon Stewart - Bannockburn | 24 Aug 1942 | Molyneux Gold Dredge moving upstream passing under the MacAndrew Bridge. | View Image |