THOMAS TELFORD Laughin Tam

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THOMAS TELFORDLaughin Tam

• 1757 to 1838

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• Thomas Telford, born in Westerkirk, Dumfries and
  Galloway, Scotland in 1757.
• Son of a shepherd as soon as he was old enough
  he worked as a hill shepherd in the summer and
  with cattle on the farm in winter.
• He earned 5 shillings a year plus his keep.
• At 14 he was apprenticed to a stonemason, working
  in Edinburgh until 1792.
• Moved to London where he was involved in building
  additions to Somerset House.
• 1794 he moved to Portsmouth and worked on the
  dockyard.
• 1787 he became surveyor of public works for
  Shropshire.

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• Telford now had a good reputation as an engineer.
  
• 1790 built bridge over the River Severn at
  Montford.

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• Then a canal linking the ironworks and collieries
  of Wrexham with Chester and Shrewsbury.
• This required an aqueduct over the River Dee, the
  Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

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• On finishing Ellesmere Canal Telford moved back
  to Scotland to build the Caledonian Canal.
• Other works by Telford include the Menai
  Suspension Bridge (1819-1826) and the Katherine's
  Docks (1824-1828) in London.

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• Telford was also an important road builder.
• He rebuilt the Shrewsbury to Holyhead road and
  the North Wales coast road between Chester and
  Bangor.
• During his life Telford built more than 1,000
  miles of road, including the main road between
  London and Holyhead.
• Thomas Telford died in 1834.

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• In 1801 the Government asked Thomas Telford to
  build over 920 miles of road and 120 bridges in
  the Highlands.
• During this period he also built many harbours
  and jetties in Scotland as well as the Caledonian
  Canal which was opened in 1822.
• He also worked abroad, designing the Gotha Canal
  for the King of Sweden.

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Achievements in Scotland

•     1788 Designs Ullapool for the British
  Fisheries Society.
•      1804-1824 Builds 920 miles of "Parliamentary
  Road" and 120 bridges across Scotland. These
  include-
• Bridges The River Don Bridge at Alford, Tongland
  Bridge, Dunkeld Bridge, Bonar Bridge,
  Craigellachie Bridge, Ballater Bridge, Roy Bridge
  and the Clachan or Atlantic Bridge to Seil.

Avoch Harbour
Bannochburn Bridge
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• Roads Carlisle to Glasgow, Carlisle to
  Portpatrick, Fort William to Arisaig, Perth to
  Inverness, Invergarry to Loch Hourn, Ardgour to
  Acharacle, Glen Shiel, Dingwall to Lochcarron and
  Shieldaig, Dingwall to Tongue, Dingwall to
  Dornoch, Wick and John OGroats, Carrbridge to
  Banff, Fort William to Kingussie, Kyleakin to
  Portree and Uig and the String Road across Arran.
  
• 1798-1825 Builds or improves Scottish harbours
  including those at Kirkwall, Wick, Portmahomack,
  Dingwall, Invergordon, Fortrose, Nairn, Burghead,
  Cullen, Banff, Fraserburgh, Peterhead, Aberdeen,
  Dundee, Leith, Tavvallich, Portree, Tobermory and
  Port Logan.
•       1803-1822 Builds the Caledonian Canal.
•       1816 Redesigns the Crinan Canal.
•       

Invergordon Harbour
Ullapool Road
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• 1823-1830 Builds 32 "Parliamentary Churches",
• 19 in the Highlands and 13 in the Islands.
• Most of these churches are still standing,
  including those at Tomintoul, Acharacle,
  Strontian, Plockton, Poolewe, Ullapool,
  Kinlochbervie, Iona and Strathy.
•       1829-1831 Builds Dean Bridge, Edinburgh.
•      1833-1836 Builds Glasgow Bridge at
  Broomielaw.

Ullapool church
Croick church
Strathconon church
Dean Bridge