1863: The Golden Lion Bridge

From the Swindon Advertiser, April 13th 1863

On Saturday afternoon last a public meeting held of the ratepayers of Old and New Swindon was held in the Town Hall, Old Swindon, (Mr W. Foote in the chair) for the purpose of considering what steps it was advisable to take to replace the present unsafe and inadequate bridge over the Wilts and Berks Canal by a new effective bridge.

The meeting which was well attended, was unanimous that something should at once be done in the matter, and a committee appointed to confer with the directors of the canal company on this matter, and to take such steps as they see fit.

This matter has been agitated for eight or nine years, and we do trust the gentlemen who were appointed to act as a committee will at once proceed to do all that is necessary towards making the bridge adequate to the requirements of the public and the great traffic constantly passing over this spot.