'The Opening Ceremony of the Tower Bridge', c1894. Tower Bridge over the River Thames in London was officially opened on 30 June 1894 by the then Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII), and the Princess of Wales (Alexandra of Denmark). The procession of ships passing through included the Trinity House yacht 'Irene', the gunboat HMS 'Landrail', the 'Bismarck' and the 'Clacton Bell'. Construction of the bridge was begun in 1881 to designs by Sir Horace Jones - the central section could be raised to allow the passage of ships to and from the busy wharves of London.