Date/Time
Date(s) - Monday 14 September 2026
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location
Duke Street Church
Categories No Categories
250 years — of the United States and of Richmond Bridge
It is not only the United States’ Declaration of Independence that is marking its 250th anniversary this year. Richmond Bridge is also celebrating its semiquincentennial — as Mark Lucas, RLHS membership secretary, told a combined audience of the RLHS and the Richmond Society on 14 September.
In a delightfully entertaining talk at Duke Street Church, Mark recounted the history of the bridge, telling the story behind the construction of the town’s most recognisable structure, which looks as elegant today as it did in 1776. He also discussed the subsequent developments, notably the abolition of tolls to cross the bridge in 1859 and its widening in the late 1930s.
Using the latest Artificial Intelligence technology he conducted a ventriloquised “conversation” with David Garrick, the famous actor and one of the commissioners selected to oversee construction.
The evening began when Dr Simon Targett, RLHS chair, paid tribute to the many volunteers who help run the Society’s activities (and without whom the Society wouldn’t be able to function) and welcomed a special guest: the Mayor of Richmond, Councillor Nancy Baldwin. After the talk, the Mayor gave a lovely speech and generously thanked the two societies for their contribution to the Richmond community. The formal proceedings ended when J R May, representing the Richmond Society, closed the meeting.
The evening finished with some lively conversation over drinks in the Duke Street Church downstairs bar and with a wonderful “Blue Boards” display of historical artefacts on Richmond Bridge from Keith Mulberry’s extensive local history collection (Keith’s Blue Boards displays have become a popular fixture of RLHS events).
It all made for a cracking start to the new season of talks.
Photographs by Zhijing Zhang and Lizzie Danckwerts
A recording of Mark’s talk is available to view on our YouTube channel.