INDUSTRIES 



ornament to the river, and an immense 

 improvement upon the old one of 1789. 

 That was of stone and brick, but it became 

 unfit for modern usage. The next bridge 

 is at Hammersmith, on the suspension prin- 

 ciple, opened in 1827. It has served its pur- 

 pose, and is highly attractive in appearance ; 

 but it is destined to make room for a heavier 

 structure, in view of modern needs. Fulham 

 Bridge is a very fine modern one, suitable to 

 the needs of an immense traffic. It was com- 

 pleted in 1885, replacing one of quaint-look- 

 ing appearance which dated from 1729. At 

 Wandsworth an iron lattice bridge was opened 

 in 1873. Battersea Bridge is one of the best 

 and handsomest on the river, raised in place 

 of an old wooden structure dating back two 

 centuries and a half. Below this are two 

 handsome suspension bridges, which were 

 rendered necessary by the extension of London 

 suburbs on this side. 



The new Vauxhall Bridge, opened in 1906, 

 represents all that is complete in modern bridge- 

 building, being spacious, elegant, and substan- 

 tial, yet less expensive than its predecessor, 

 which cost nearly 300,000. This older 

 bridge had lasted only from the year 1816. 

 The suspension bridge at Lambeth was opened 

 in 1862, but is already considered defective as 

 far as concerns the upper works. The splen- 

 did iron bridge at Westminster was opened in 

 18602 after a long period of obstruction of 

 the water-way by its half-ruined predecessor 

 of 1750. This latter had been injured at the 

 foundations through the increased scour of 

 the river caused chiefly by the demolition of 

 old London Bridge. Near Charing Cross a 

 suspension-bridge was raised in 1842, named 

 after Hungerford Market, which has since 

 been superseded by a railway bridge with 

 accompanying footway. Waterloo Bridge is 

 still in some respects one of the finest in the 

 world, and was built some two years after the 

 date of the celebrated battle. 



The remaining bridges are in London 

 proper. The Blackfriars Bridge of 1760 was 

 an excellent work ; but it suffered like its 

 neighbour from the stronger scour of recent 

 years. Its successor was finished in 1869, 

 and has lately been widened to provide tram- 

 way accommodation. Southwark Bridge was 

 built 1813- 1 g. 9 The new London Bridge 

 is slightly to the west of the site of a 

 wooden structure of Saxon times, which 

 had several successors. The first stone was 

 laid in 1825. Half a million pounds were 



9 A scheme is on foot for rebuilding Southwark 

 Bridge or improving its gradients and approaches ; 

 abo for building a new bridge near St. Paul's. 



expended on the work, which was finished in 

 1831 and opened in state by William IV. 

 The congestion of traffic was relieved in 1 904 

 by widening the bridge to allow of four lines 

 of vehicles, the centre being reserved for light 

 carts and passenger conveyances. Finally, 

 the Tower Bridge, one of the great triumphs 

 of modern engineering, was completed in 1894. 

 The natural water supply of Middlesex is 

 copious. Some parts of the county are better 

 served than others. Until the invention of 

 artesian wells, there was both difficulty and ex- 

 pense in reaching water, because of the thick 

 deposit of clay beneath the surface. The 

 numerous springs which rise from northern 

 declivities supply every district of the county. 

 When these rivulets failed from drought, it was 

 formerly of great concern to have deep wells 

 for occasional supply. But well-sinking was 

 a serious affair in the London Clay. There 

 is record of a well at Paddington, where the 

 workmen had to go to a depth of 300 ft. 

 before reaching water. Another well at 

 Holloway, dug early in the igth century, 

 required an excavation of 172 ft. It is matter 

 of wonder that a system of storage was never 

 resorted to. At Ruislip, and at the head 

 waters of the Brent, near Hendon, are large 

 reservoirs which were provided for the wants 

 of the Canal Company. Similar constructions, 

 for domestic and other purposes, might have 

 been of immense utility in some districts. 

 Doubtless the question of initial expense hin- 

 dered resort to this sort of economy. 



In selecting for detailed treatment the more 

 prominent industries, due weight has been 

 given to the following among other con- 

 siderations : (i) The importance of the in- 

 dustry from its national character ; (2) its 

 historical interest ; (3) its first appearance in 

 this country ; and (4) its being principally 

 carried on in Middlesex. But a number of 

 trades, some of which merit more attention, 

 must for lack of room be allowed only a 

 cursory notice in this introduction. 



It may be convenient to turn our attention 

 in the first place to the trades of East London 

 and Hackney, where the proportion of the 

 population engaged in manufacturing industries 

 is exceptionally large. It shows a percentage 

 of 39'95, whilst that of all London is 28^38, 

 and that of the whole of England 30*7. Out 

 of this army of workers we shall treat here 

 principally of those engaged in home occupa- 

 tions. 



Tailoring is one of the chief industries, and 

 is carried on in some 900 workshops of Jewish 

 contractors, and by home workers both for 

 West End and City firms. 'The Jewish 



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