The official opening of Skeldergate Bridge on March 10, 1881, was obviously a major occasion. Just look at the crowds in our first photograph today - a veritable river of people lapping around the entrance to the bridge. The river was actually in flood on the great day (so nothing unusual there, then) but that wasn't enough to put the dampeners on a regatta that had been planned to mark the opening.

The bridge had been designed in a 'Gothic Revival' style by civil engineer George Gordon Page, and built between 1878 and 1881. The small arch at the east end of the bridge (ie the St George's Field side) had a section that opened to allow tall masted ships through to the quays on either side of the river between Skeldergate and Ouse Bridges. This lifting section was powered by machinery in the 'motor house' (today a café), which also served as a toll house and accommodation for the toll keeper and his family.

Skeldergate Bridge was formally declared free of tolls on April 1, 1914. And no, that wasn't an April Fool. Various of the city's 'great and good' gathered together for the occasion - including the town clerk, Percy Spalding, the Lord Mayor, Councillor H. Rhodes-Brown and the Sheriff, Mr Newbald Kay.

The bridge no longer opens today but, together with the attached tollhouse, it is a Grade II listed building.

We dug out these images of the bridge and of the River Ouse from Explore York's new-look digital archive. We particularly love the grey horses in the foreground of photo number 1. They're pulling a fire-tender: quite why, we're not sure...

Our photos today show:

1. The crowd at the official opening of Skeldergate Bridge on March 10, 1881. The river was in flood. The grey horses in the foreground are pulling a fire tender

2. This is probably the regatta held for the opening of Skeldergate Bridge in 1881. In the background it is just possible to see the right-hand span of the bridge raised to allow the passage of taller boats

3. The ‘freeing of Skeldergate Bridge from tolls’, April 1, 1914. The man in the white wig is the town clerk, Percy Spalding. Also pictured are the Lord Mayor, Councillor H. Rhodes-Brown and the Sheriff, Mr Newbald Kay. The photographer was Arthur Finney, the city librarian

4. A boat moored on the River Ouse at Clementhorpe, looking towards Skeldergate Bridge, in the 1880s

5. Barges moored on the River Ouse near Skeldergate Bridge in the 1940s

6. Another barge moored on the River Ouse near Skeldergate Bridge in the 1940s. In the background, behind the trees, you can just see the public swimming baths on St George's Fields

7. The River Ouse in the 1870s. This was taken before Skeldergate Bridge was actually built, but we have included it because it is such a wonderful photograph. The River Ouse was a major navigation route and the number of boats in this picture illustrates its importance to the life of the city. On the left is T. Varey and Sons, the agricultural merchants and ham and bacon factors. They occupied premises at 17 Skeldergate. The large building on the left behind Ouse Bridge was, at the time, occupied by Varvill and Sons who were saw and tool manufacturers. They had a foundry by the river on the site currently occupied by York Rowing Club.

Stephen Lewis

All the photos on these pages, and thousands more, are held on Explore York’s redesigned digital archive of historic images. You can browse it at images.exploreyork.org.uk/