Elgin Bridge, Singapore
Copyright © Timothy Tye.
Elgin Bridge
Elgin Bridge is a bridge for vehicles that spans across the Singapore River. The present bridge was completed in 1929 and was named after the Governor-General of India, James Bruce, the 8th Earl of Elgin (1862–1863). There has been a crossing at this site since 1819, the year Raffles landed in Singapore. As it was the first bridge (at that time) across the Singapore River, the roads leading to it were named North Bridge Road and South Bridge Road accordingly. The bridge served as a link between the Chinese community which settled on the southern side of the Singapore River to the Indian merchants of High Street on the northern side, and was once the only place where one could walk across the Singapore River.
After the initial foot bridge of 1819, a wooden drawbridge was erected at this site in 1822, and was officially named Presentment Bridge. It was also known as Jackson Bridge after Lieutenant Philip Jackson who built the bridge. The locals nicknamed it Monkey Bridge because it was extremely narrow and required some agility to cross it.
The drawbridge was demolished in 1843, and wooden footbridge was erected in its place, designed by John Turnbull Thomson.
In 1862, the wooden foot bridge was replaced by an iron verson and named then renamed Elgin Bridge, after James Bruce. That iron bridge was also subsequently demolished in 1925 and replaced by a new concrete bridge which is still standing today, and kept its old name. The present Elgin Bridge was opened to traffic by the Governor of the Straits Settlements Sir Hugh Clifford on 30 May 1929.
Elgin Bridge is decorated with elegant cast iron lamps designed by Italian sculptor Cavalari Rudolfo Nolli. His signature is inscribed beneath the lamps. Bronze plaques, each with a lion standing in front of a royal palm tree engraved on it, can also be found below the lamps.
Elgin Bridge is known as thih tiau kio in the local Hokkien dialect, meaning "iron suspension bridge".
