The invention provides a gear pump bearing block and method of manufacturing gear pump bearing block. Bearing block includes bush formed of antifriction alloy, having a cylindrical portion providing bore adapted to receive bearing shaft of a gear of pump, and further having a flange portion extending radially outwardly at end of cylindrical portion to provide thrust face adapted to slidingly engage with side surface of gear. Bearing block also has backing layer covering radially outer surface of cylindrical portion and rear face of flange portion, backing layer being formed of relatively less dense alloy compared to antifriction alloy. Furthermore, there is an annular formation of one or more stiffening members, formation surrounding bore, the, or each, stiffening member being embedded in flange portion, and the, or each, stiffening member being formed of material having higher elastic modulus than antifriction alloy.