A bronze medal presented to guests at the royal opening of Tower Bridge in 1894 has been brought to a WeBuyVintage roadshow in Gilwern, Monmouthshire.
The medal was brought in by a member of the public and identified by WeBuyVintage specialist Tamara Harvey. It has been valued at £300-£700.
Only 450 examples of the bronze medal are believed to have been struck for invited guests at the opening ceremony. This one has survived with its original deep-blue-lined leather presentation box.
Designed by artist Frank Bowcher (1864–1938) and issued by the Corporation of the City of London, the 76–77mm medal features Queen Victoria alongside Albert Edward, the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, and Princess Alexandra. The reverse shows the newly completed Tower Bridge with its bascules raised as a steamship passes beneath, and the inscription “Tower Bridge opened 30th June 1894.”
Tamara Harvey said: “You really never know what is going to come through the door at one of our roadshows. We see everything from family heirlooms and forgotten antiques, to genuinely remarkable pieces of history, but this Tower Bridge medal was something special. To discover that it is one of only around 450 issued for guests at the original opening ceremony makes it an incredibly exciting find, particularly as it has survived with its original presentation box.”
Tower Bridge was officially opened on 30 June 1894 in a ceremony presided over by the Prince of Wales on behalf of Queen Victoria. The royal party included Princess Alexandra and their son, the future King George V.
During the ceremony the Prince of Wales operated a commemorative lever that raised the bascules for the first time, and a procession of vessels led by the Harbour Master’s cutter Daisy sailed beneath the bridge.
The City of London Corporation also held a celebration for the 1,200 workmen who had helped build the bridge, and their wives. The workers were given commemorative pipes and tobacco, and their wives received boxes of sweetmeats.
