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General local history: Itchen Floating Bridge

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    • CommentAuthormig144
    • CommentTimeMar 23rd 2008
     
    Hello, I am Michelle Bloom. My maiden name is Griffiths. I'm here to explore family connections to the Willis Flemings. So far I have found none, but the search continues. The nearest we have come so far is the Itchen Floating Bridge.

    One of my Great Great Great Great Grandfathers was George Gladwyn. He was born in 1808 in Woodham Walter, Essex. He married Henrietta Sarah Curtis and, at the time of the census in 1861, he was a toll collector. He was living at Floating Bridge, River Itchen, St Mary Extra, South Stoneham, Hampshire.

    I am interested in learning more about the Floating Bridge and whether the Willis Flemings would have had any connection to this.
    • CommentAuthorHarry
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2008 edited
     
    I find it fascinating that your ancestor Mr Gladwyn was the toll collector for the Itchen Floating Bridge in 1861. Do you have any idea how long he lived and worked there?

    I know of no direct connections between George Gladwyn and the Fleming family, but there are plenty of interesting general links because of the river.

    The River Itchen crossed the Fleming Estate, firstly at Otterbourne, and then again from near Eastleigh to Wood Mill Bridge at South Stoneham, where the river becomes tidal. For centuries the Flemings owned the fishing rights or fishery for a long stretch of the Itchen, all the way from beyond Winchester to Itchen Ferry.

    Around the time that George Gladwyn was the toll collector in the early 1860s, in August 1862, Thomas Willis Fleming was a patron of the Itchen Regatta! Then in 1863, Queen Victoria and Albert visited the Flemings' property at South Stoneham to see the salmon at Wood Mill; they sailed from Osborne to the Itchen, and were then rowed in the State barge to South Stoneham - this must have made an impression on local people.

    Regarding connections between the Floating Bridge itself and the Willis Flemings: John Willis Fleming (ob.1844) was the Member of Parliament for Hampshire until 1832, and although not an MP in 1834 when the Parliamentary Act to allow the building of the Floating Bridge was passed, he was re-elected by the time the FB opened in 1835-6. It is very likely that he was involved with the FB in some capacity, and would certainly have had a view on it! We need to find out more ...

    As for finding out more about George Gladwyn, I really think it would be worth looking at local newspapers circa 1861 - he might well get a mention. (Also worth looking up the above events.) Also, I think the records of the Itchen Floating Bridge Company would be worth inspecting ...

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