A COUPLE of weeks ago in Yesterday Once More we carried a photograph from The Press's archives showing crowds on Clifton Bridge on the day after it was officially opened, in October 1963, by the Lord Mayor of York, Alderman A Kirk.

That photograph prompted reader Ray Barker to contact The Press.

Ray was a joiner with York council in the 1960s – and he actually helped with the building of the bridge, including fitting wooden protection fenders to the legs of the bridge to stop boats ramming into them.

Ray, 73, who rose to become clerk of works at the council, then improvement grants officer, before retiring to set up his own joinery business, brought in some of the photographs we have today, which show the bridge in various phases of its construction.

Many feature his father-in-law, Mac Naylor, who was a labourer involved in the construction of the bridge.

At the time, a lot of people thought the bridge was a waste of money, Ray, from Tang Hall, said.

According to a report in the Yorkshire Evening Press dated October 25, 1963, there had been talk of building a permanent bridge at Clifton for 50 years. “The cost now: £230,000,” the report reads. “The cost if it had been built 50 years ago: about £35,000.”

That 50 years ago referred to plans put before the council in 1913. Those plans came to nothing. In 1932, they were revived, as part of a scheme for an outer ring road, but again nothing happened.

By 1955, some preliminary work began on a scheme for a bridge at Clifton, again with out any result. In 1957, a then Minister of Transport – unnamed in the 1963 Press report – threw a spanner in the works by saying that instead of building a bridge at Clifton, the city council should be building one at Fishergate.

Eventually, however, the bridge was built.

It had taken two years to complete, and required 4,000 tones of concrete and 50 tons of reinforcing steel.

It was supported by rubber-bearing pads – a new method of construction used in York for the first time, the Yorkshire Evening Press reported.

Even so, not everyone was impressed. “A lot of people thought it would never get used!” recalled Ray.

Nevertheless, there was a big crowd on opening day. Ray was there. “Hundreds of people, were there,” he said. “We had to get out of the road, into the grounds of the youth hostel.”

York Press: Ray Barker’s father-in-law Mac Naylor, right, on site with his dog
Ray Barker’s father-in-law Mac Naylor, right, on site with his dog

York Press: Mac standing on the finished bridge
Mac standing on the finished bridge

York Press: Mac, right, with Freddie, the constuction team’s lorry driver, and young visitors to the site
Mac, right, with Freddie, the constuction team’s lorry driver, and young visitors to the site

• We welcome contributions from readers to Yesterday Once More. However, we would ask you not to send in original old photographs, as we cannot guarantee that these will be returned. If you have old photographs or documents you would like to share with us, either send copies, phone Stephen Lewis on 01904 567263or email stephen.lewis@nqyne.co.uk