Magdalene Bridge, Garret Hostel Bridge and views from the River Cam c.1890.
Magdalene Bridge, Garret Hostel Bridge and views from the River Cam.1890.
These photographs are of a previously unpublished Victorian photograph album acquired at auction in Ely in 2026. It is one of a series documenting Cambridge and locations throughout Cambridgeshire.
You can the full album by clicking HERE.
Magdalene Bridge (Great Bridge), Cambridge. MBHPC-045
Photograph 045
Reference: MBHPC-045
Title: Magdalene Bridge (Great Bridge), Cambridge.
Identification: View looking towards Magdalene Bridge and Bridge Street from the River Cam.
Confidence: Confirmed (100%)
Location: Magdalene Bridge (formerly Great Bridge), Bridge Street, Cambridge.
Date: c.1880–1910
Photographer: Unknown.
Photographic process: Gelatin silver printing-out print (mounted in photograph album).
Description: View looking north-west along the River Cam towards Magdalene Bridge carrying Bridge Street across the river. Pleasure boats and punts occupy the foreground beneath the bridge, while riverside buildings line the quays. Bullen’s Boat Yard is visible at the right corner of the bridge, making this a characteristic Victorian/Edwardian view of Cambridge's historic riverside.
Notes: One of a sequence of River Cam photographs within the album documenting central Cambridge. The bridge was commonly known as Great Bridge before officially becoming Magdalene Bridge.
Garret Hostel Bridge, Cambridge. MBHPC-046
Photograph 046
Reference: MBHPC-046
Title: Garret Hostel Bridge, Cambridge.
Identification: View looking towards Garret Hostel Bridge.
Confidence: Confirmed (95%)
Location: Garret Hostel Bridge, River Cam, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England.
Date: c.1880–1910
Photographer: Unknown.
Photographic process: Gelatin silver printing-out print (mounted in photograph album).
Description: View along the River Cam towards Garret Hostel Bridge. Numerous punts occupy the river beneath mature willow trees, while the elegant iron footbridge spans the water in the distance. The composition captures the leisurely boating activity for which The Backs became famous during the Edwardian period.
Notes: Forms part of the album's extensive series of River Cam photographs. The bridge shown is the late nineteenth-century iron footbridge replacing the earlier timber crossing.
River Cam on The Backs with St John's College Chapel beyond. MBHPC-047
Photograph 047
Reference: MBHPC-047
Title: River Cam on The Backs with St John's College Chapel beyond.
Identification: View along the River Cam with St John's College Chapel visible above the trees.
Confidence: Confirmed (95%)
Location: The Backs, River Cam, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England.
Date: c.1880–1910
Photographer: Unknown.
Photographic process: Gelatin silver printing-out print (mounted in photograph album).
Description: View along the River Cam on The Backs with pleasure punts on the water beneath overhanging willow trees. Rising above the riverside trees in the distance is the lantern tower and pinnacles of St John's College Chapel, providing a distinctive architectural landmark within an otherwise picturesque river landscape.
Notes: This photograph complements the other River Cam views in the album and illustrates one of the most celebrated stretches of The Backs. The chapel is partially obscured by mature trees, emphasising the picturesque character of the riverside setting.
The photographs within the album
Magdalene Bridge, Garret Hostel Bridge and views from the River Cam.1890. MBHPC.
Part of the Michelle Bullivant Victorian Photograph Collection (MBHPC), comprising previously unpublished photographs from a Victorian album purchased at auction in Ely in 2026.
© Michelle Bullivant. Image from the Victorian Photograph Album Collection. Please contact the author before reproducing.
While I have identified many of the locations, some remain uncertain. If you recognise a place, can help identify a building, date a photograph, or have any other information to add, I would be delighted to hear from you.
Simply scroll to the bottom of this page and leave a comment in the box provided. Your knowledge could help solve some of these little historical mysteries and add to our understanding of Cambridgeshire's rich past.
If you have enjoyed exploring this collection and would like to support the work that I do to rescue, preserve and share local history collections such as this, you can do so by clicking your preferred donation button at the bottom of this page.
Every contribution, however small, helps me continue saving, researching and making these remarkable pieces of Cambridgeshire's history freely available for everyone to enjoy.