Makers of British History in the 18th C

Thomas Telford“Colossus of Roads”

1757 - 1834

This is a short PowerPoint presentation by Victor T.C. Middleton, on the remarkable life and significance of Thomas Telford – Civil Engineer. Telford’s contributions are set In the context of the transport/industrial/and technological revolutions of the 18th Century.

The slides were used as a basis for a talk given to U3A on October 21st 2014In the Coronation Hall, Ulverston.

The sources on Telford are vast because of the significance of the man in his time and his legacy, which lives on. Those who seek further information may find it helpful to start with:

S. Smiles; 1861; The Life of Thomas Telford: Civil Engineer; Updated 2011L.T.C. Rolt; 1958; Thomas Telford; Peter Smith; 1972; Waterways Heritage; for Museum & Art Gallery, Luton

Telford around 1797

Turnpike Roads in the 18th century

Context of transport in England pre 1700

Transport pre 1700

• Rich rode and poor walked - goods by cart or pack horse…………

• Roman Roads linking key Forts and early canals – but largely left to decay for centuries

• 16th C focus on rivers and navigation improvements

• 1663 First Turnpike Act; Commercial Turnpike Trusts established in 1706 - Toll roads (but 50 years on for major impact – road engineering by blind John Metcalfe)

The industrial revolution was full on energy, enterprise and hard graft – but not pretty

Industrial Revolution

• 1709 - Abraham Darby (1) - Iron works at• 1761 - Bridgewater Canal• 1764 - Arkwright’s Spinning Jenny• 1774 - James Watt - rotary steam engine• 1771 - World’s first factory established• 1770s - London Stock Exchange created

Industrial Revolution impossible without affordable means of moving goods for trade, raw materials and finished goods - and for making urbanisation and factory production possible for domestic and international markets

•Coal •Iron•Textiles•Agricultural supplies•Manufactured goods

Also impossible without pioneering designer/engineers whose vision, skill, energy, determination and enterprisewould drive projects through to conclusion.

“The men who built our bridges, docks, lighthouses, canals and railways were mostly country bred boys who were originally hands-on craftsmen and self taught in the science, technology and arts of their projects. They laid the foundations of what became the civil engineering profession” (Rennie was the exception)

Brindley, Smeaton, Jessop, Metcalf and Telford

Canals and Rivers in England and Wales

“ The opening up of the internal communications of a country is undoubtedly the first and most important element of its growth in commerce and civilisation.”

Richard Cobden (1804 – 1865)

Telford’s Early Days

• Son of a shepherd in Eskdale, Dumfries – Langholm• Orphaned in year he was born • Learned the basic 3 R’s at a Parish School• Apprenticed at 14 to a stone mason where he first• learned the intricacies of masonry and craftsmanship • Including work on his first bridge• Known as ‘Laughing Tam’ for his good humour. Found • Early supporter/patron in a Miss Pasley

Edinburgh New Town

Achievements and some Key Dates

1780 - (aged 23 employed as mason in Edinburgh1782 - to London and work on Somerset House1784 - Superintendent of Port Admiral’s House in Portsmouth (designed by Samuel Wyatt)1786 - (aged 29) Surveyor of Public Works for the County of Salop. Designing and constructing

bridges, roads, public buildings – project management1793- (aged 35) Invited to be sole agent, architect and

engineer for the Ellesmere Canal

Telford the remarkable man

•Humble origins, little formal education

•Totally dedicated; honest and upright; trusted and respected

•Methodical, nothing to chance, an excellent judge of character

•‘Laughing Tam’

•A scholar by instinct and practice - and a poet

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct over the River Dee

PontyCysyllte Aqueduct 1795-1803

• 1500 ft embankment into valley of the Dee

• Masonry piers supporting 19 arches across the river and valley - over 1000 ft long

• Cast iron trough for the canal 127 ft above the river

Chirk Aqueduct 1801 with rail way bridge behind

Some Key Achievements – still standing and operational

1803 – Pont-Cysylltau and Chirk aqueducts

1803 – Roads and bridges in Lowlands and Highlandsof Scotland (1200 bridges over next two decades)

1804 – 1822 Caledonian Canal (Rennie and Watt)

1810 - Gotha Canal in Sweden (55 miles)

1814 – Dundee Harbour

Craigellachie Bridge - Highlands.

Suspension Bridge over the Menai Straight

Menai Straights Suspension Bridge - 1825

• Largest structure of its type ever attempted – to Link Holyhead, Birmingham and London

• Months of methodical experimentation using latest iron techniques – all supervised by Telford (only reference to sleepless nights)

• 7 masonry arches; two massive piers 153 ft high; 16 chains to suspend the roadway

• One chain was 570 ft long weighing 23.5 tons

Suspension Bridge at Conway Castle

Canals and Rivers in England and Wales

More lasting achievements

1816 - Design of Carlisle to Glasgow Road1818 - Grand Trunk Canal Sections1822 - (1804) Caledonian Canal (Rennie and Watt)1824 - Harecastle Tunnel (16’ high and 14’ broad) 3,926 ft long1826 - Birmingham and Liverpool Junction 1827 - St Katherines Dock London1834 - Design to improve docks at Dover

St Katherine’s Dock, London

Dover Harbour – a modern view

Telford’s Philosophy

“We do not consider anything to be impossible. Impossibilities exist chiefly in the prejudices of mankind , to which some are slaves and from which few are able to emancipate themselves and enter on the path of truth.” (Bridge over the Danube)

He admired commercial enterprise and its activity, energy andintelligence. “But I hold that the aim and end of all ought notto be a bag of money, but something far higher and far better.”

A tribute from Robert Southey -Poet Laureate and close friend

“ Telford’s is a happy life; everywhere making roads, building bridges, forming canals andcreating harbours – works of sure, solid, permanent utility; everywhere employing a great number of persons, selecting the mostmeritorious, and putting them forward in the world in his own way.”

Telford’s Influential Legacy lives on

• Designed and built to last!• Pivotal role in a national transport system• Pioneered and developed the engineering

design and project management techniques• International figure• First President; Institution of Civil Engineers• Influence on Victorian Red Brick universities?