Who was Thomas Telford?
Civil Engineer.
Date and Place of Birth:
9th August 1757, Crooks Cottage, Bentpath, Westerkirk,
Eskdale, Dumfriesshire, Scotland.
Family Background:
Only Child. His father was a shepherd who died
months after his birth and he was cared for by his mother.
Education:
Westerkirk Parish School. Apprenticed to a stonemason.
Chronology/Biography of
Thomas Telford:
Telford had a healthy country childhood and was
known locally as "Laughing Tam". He spent much of his
time with relatives herding sheep.
1773: Sent to be
an apprentice stonemason at Lochmaben. He remained only a few months
as the mason treated him badly and he ran away back to his mother
at Crooks Cottage. He was then sent to be apprenticed to Andrew
Thomson a stonemason in Langholm. Is introduced to Miss Pasley in
the town who lets him read her large library of books. His favourites
were "Paradise Lost" by John Milton
and the works of Robert Burns. His apprenticeship
over he went on to help build some of the new buildings in the town.
He was also employed on building the bridge over the River Esk between
the old and the new town.
1780: Work being
slack in Eskdale he went to Edinburgh seeking employment and worked
on the New Town.
1782: Leaves Edinburgh
for Eskdale to say goodbye to his mother and friends and sets out
for London on horseback, as a favour to Sir James Johnstone who
needed it delivered to the capital. Miss Pasley had given him letters
of introduction to relative's of hers living in London and he eventually
got a job with Sir WIlliam Chambers the architect of Somerset House
who needed stonemasons. Miss Pasley's brother in London also furnished
him with a letter to another famous architect Robert Adam.
1783: Decides to
set up in business on his own with a partner Mr Hatton.
1784: Publishes
his first poetical musings called "Eskdale" in the "Poetical
Museum". Moves on to Portsmouth where he works on a house for
the Commissioner of the Portsmouth Dockyard.
1787: Is made the
Surveyor of Shropshire by Mr Pulteney, the Member of Parliament
for Shrewsbury where he worked on roads, bridges, jails and the
renovation of the castle.
1790: Builds a masonry
arch over the River Severn at Montford which establishes his national
reputation.
1793: Builds an
aquaduct at Pont-Cysyllte on the Ellesmere Canal, the whole of which
was finished in 1805.
1801: He was commissioned
by the Government to write a report on the public works of Scotland.
1803: Began constructing
the Caledonian Canal from Loch Ness to Fort William, finished in
1823. He also completed more than 1,000 miles of road including
the road from London to Holyhead. He also worked on churches, houses,
harbours and many other types of works.
1819: Designed the
Menai Straits suspension bridge for the London-Holyhead road, finished
in 1826.
1824: Designed St.
Katherine's Docks in London.
Marriage:
Never married.
Places of Interest:
DUMFRIESSHIRE:
Telford Library, Langholm.
WALES:
Menai Straits Bridge, Angelssey
Date and Place of Death:
2nd September 1834, Westminster, London, England.
Age at Death:
77.
Site of Grave:
Westminster Abbey, London.
Westminster Abbey, London
(© Anthony Blagg)
