WARGRAVE Local History Society members were recently visited by Julia Freeman, who shared the story of her late husband Anthony Freeman and his family’s distinguished three-generation legacy in bridge engineering.
The Freeman family’s engineering prowess began with Anthony’s grandfather, Ralph Freeman, born in 1880.
After joining Douglas Fox and Partners in 1901, he made his mark designing the Victoria Falls bridge in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).
His crowning achievement came with the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which opened in 1932 after eight years of construction, his contributions to engineering earning him a knighthood in 1947.
The tradition continued with Anthony’s father, Ralph Freeman Jr., who earned acclaim for designing numerous landmark bridges, including the first Severn crossing, the Humber bridge, and both Bosphorus bridges in Turkey.
His wartime service designing temporary bridges for the army earned him an MBE, and his work for the Festival of Britain was recognized with a CBE.
Anthony Freeman, carrying on the family legacy, met his future wife Julia on the steps of Redland parish church while working on the Avonmouth bridge.
Their life together took them across the globe, from Hong Kong’s mass transit railway to Thailand’s Rama IX bridge, where Anthony blended modern engineering with traditional Thai architecture.
His career highlights included completing the long-delayed Hooghly bridge in Calcutta in just two years, a project that had previously languished for 27 years.
Anthony later founded his own company, 3F Engineering, honouring his family’s engineering heritage.
But Anthony’s dedication to his craft led to his untimely end in 1997, while overseeing safety procedures on Portugal’s Vasco da Gama bridge.
An accident left him with severe brain damage from which he never recovered, despite intensive medical care..
Julia’s presentation painted a portrait of a man passionate about his profession, who was never happier than when designing.
Her story not only highlighted the Freeman family’s significant contributions to global infrastructure, but also offered a personal glimpse into the life of a bridge engineer’s family, whose work took them to fascinating locations worldwide.
For information about Wargrave Local History Society, visit: wargravehistory.org.uk
