Contact Artefacts please if you have any comments or more information regarding this record.	Menu Home Upfront Now Up Books Towns Structures People Firms Lexicon		Fyfe King Bridge (First) over Bashee River Willowvale district, Eastern Cape Rhodes MacPherson FOX SMITH: Engineer

Date: 1937 Client: United Transkeian Territories General Council Type: Bridge Status: Ruin   Click to view large map Coordinates: 32°09'19.70" S 28°47'52.93" E Alt: 35m

Damaged by flooding in May 1959. On the right are copies of an article describing the opening ceremony on 2 July 1937, published in the Transkeian Territorial News, Thursday 8 July 1937. Scanned copy of article provided by Robin Wood, grandson of Oscar Wood, then the Trader at Mpozolo Trading Station, in close proximity to the site of the bridge. Transcription of commemorative plaque unveiled during the opening ceremony: FYFE KING BRIDGE Built by the United Transkeian Territories General Council and opened by Robert Fyfe King Esq. Chief Magistrate of the Transkeian Territories 1936 R. M. Fox Smith B.Sc. A. M. Inst. C. E. Engineer Peter Nicol Foreman of Works This was a 12 span, slab type, reinforced concrete bridge, with a clearwater way extending over 262 feet (80 metres), and with a height above the water level of approximately 23 feet (7 metres). The total length including the approaches was about 400 feet (122 metres). Construction commenced in August 1936 and was completed in January 1937 at a cost of £3 500. The bridge was replaced by a new bridge built in 1960 a few hundred metres down stream. (Submitted by William MARTINSON) References: Thompson, Michael Charles. 2009. Traders and Trading Stations of the Central and Southern Transkei. KwaZulu-Natal: Brevitas. pg 185-186 Thompson, Mike. 2013. Traders and Trading Stations of the Central and Southern Transkei - 3rd Edition. KwaZulu-Natal: Brevitas. pg 335-336