With Market Place (now known as Victoria Square) being a central hub for trading in 1860's, it was necessary to have a reliable bridge to service the transport needs. To give an indication of what was happening, a traffic census from one day in 1862 recorded:
- 10 drays pulled by 58 bullocks
- 51 horse drays pulled by 60 horses
- 36 carts with 51 horses
- 199 saddle horses
- 204 sheep
- 20 cattle
- 1 donkey cart
- 1000 pedestrians
The city council (formed in 1862) supervised the building of the bridge. Stone work began in early 1864 and the six cast iron girders and the decorative iron railings arrived in Lyttleton in July 1864. Some repairs had to be made to three of the girders after they were damaged in transit. The bridge was opened with the smashing of a bottle of champagne on the decking later in September.
The bridge was wide enough for two carts to pass, however there was no area for pedestrians to walk safely across. In 1872 it was agreed that the carriageway be widened and wooden footpaths be added to the sides. This work was completed in June 1875. The original railings were moved to sit outside the new footpaths so it looked as if it had always been built this way.
In 1880, tracks were laid across the bridge so the new Kitson steam train could run through Victoria Square on its route from Cathedral Square to St Albans (the Papanui Line).
In June 1901, the Duke of Cornwall and York (later King George V) visited Christchurch as part of the city's 50th jubilee celebrations. The bridge was decorated with a very impressive tunnel of arches, lit up with 300 red and orange lamps which were powered by a hidden electric generator.
In 1989, Victoria Square underwent a significant revamp, including the bridge. A central section of the roadway was removed so that the original cast iron girders, including the repairs made in 1864, could be seen. Aluminium balustrades were cast to match the original ones and put up to provide protection around the new central void. It was decided that the bridge be renamed to the Hamish Hay Bridge in recognition of the serving mayor's long service to Christchurch, particularly his role in the establishment of the now iconic town hall.
Source: Victoria Square, Cradle of Christchurch by Geoffrey W. Rice.