Cinderloo Bridge petition launched over naming of new Telford landmark

Cinderloo 1821, a community group set up to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the little known historical event, said naming the bridge after the uprising would celebrate the people who made great sacrifices to make Telford the place it is today.

Telford & Wrekin Council announced earlier this week that the final name selection will be done as part of a public vote.

More than 200 schools pupils from across the borough chose the people they felt should be commemorated.

But the Cinderloo Bridge was not one of the options.

Pete Jackson, spokesman for Cinderloo 1821, said: "The project has generated a lot of local interest and we believe the naming of the bridge provides a great opportunity to mark Telford’s industrial history as well as celebrating the people in the past who made great sacrifices to make Telford the place it is today.

"We are encouraging our supporters to promote the petition calling on Telford & Wrekin Council to reconsider their decision and will be continuing our campaign to promote social justice and a forgotten part of Telford's heritage.”

The petition was launched as part of a 'History on Foot' walk, taking in scenes that would have been important in 1821.

The uprising saw about 3,000 men and women travel from all corners of what is now Telford in protest of a cut in wages at nearby collieries.

Many of those marching were injured or even killed during a clash with the Shropshire Yeomanry, near to where the Forge retail park stands today.

Name options for the new bridge include Captain Webb, the first recorded person to swim the English Channel who was born in Dawley and Katherine Harley, president of the Shropshire branch of suffragists.

Others include Sir Gordon Richards’ Crossing (Jockey Bridge) considered the world’s greatest ever jockey from Donnington Wood, and Wolves legend Billy Wright, the first footballer in the world to earn 100 international caps, born at Belmont Road in Ironbridge.

Finally, the Silver Swallow also made the shortlist for a pupil’s reference to the bridge’s design and colour.

The new footbridge, funded by a Department of Transport grant that the Council bid for and won, opened to pedestrians in November 2018 and in time for Telford’s 50th birthday celebrations. It has also won three awards at West Midlands’ Institution of Civil Engineers Awards in May 2019.

Visit telford.gov.uk/footbridgevote to cast a vote. Voting closes on August 30.