1790: An Act was presented to Parliament to construct a bridge linking Selby and Barlby. The Act passed through Parliament without too many problems, though there were ongoing issues with Turnpike road.
It is not certain when construction of the bridge actually began, but it is thought to have started between 1791-1792. John Tomlinson is the first recorded toll collector and received a yearly salary of ₤36 (1794). It is thought that the bridge officially opened in 1794, though again, there is not official record. A group of approximately 25 individuals, grouped as the “Company of Proprietors”, were the original owners of the bridge up until the time they sold it to James Percy (1891).
The Percy family sold the bridge to the North Yorkshire County Council in May 1991. The County Council decided to remove tolls payments in September 1991.
Toll house and bridge gates (c. 1900).
A photo of the bridge taken from the Barlby side of the river (c. 1901).
A photo of the bridge taken from Ousegate (c. 1889).
An artistic representation of the bridge (c. 1830).
An advertisement by the Selby Horse Show, which pointed out the advantages of utilizing the Toll Bridge.
May 30, 1930 – oil tanker “Agility” was on its way to the A R D O L oil jetty when it dislodged the swing part of the bridge. This caused delays for several months while the bridge was repaired, inconveniencing both commercial vessels and travellers. As a result, throughout the summer of 1930, the only way to get over the River Ouse at Selby was by ferry for pedestrians. Road traffic had to be diverted by the Booth ferry or the Cawood bridges.
John Whitaker Ltd Hull (July 1969).
Selby Toll Bridge (1986).
Work being done to repair and re-deck the toll bridge (October 2010).
Images from Selby: The Industrial Past – Roland Chilvers.