Design for Blackfriars Bridge

As early as 1853, there were plans to pull down the old bridge at Blackfriars and to erect a new one in its place. Designs were invited from twelve engineers and submitted on 28 June 1861. The Bridge House Committee selected that of Thomas Page, and a general analysis of the designs was published in The Builder on 25 January 1862. The eventual engineer used was Joseph Cubitt possibly because Page's scheme had proved too costly.

George Rennie was the son of the architect John Rennie, for whom see note following lots 46 and 48.