Thomas Telford

[Kevin Milkins]

Reading the Groat just now there is a bit about putting up a tribute on the entrance to Wick of Thomas Telford.
I lived in Bridgnorth in Shropshire for over 25 years and it is 10 miles from Telford.
Before I came to Wick over 2 years ago I wrongly assumed Thomas Telford was a local to Shropshire with many engernering feats in that area .
I hope this photo comes up as I am not good with photo bucket , but its the first iron bridge of its kind built by Telford about 230 years ago.
It was cast at a local foundry in Coalbrookdale near Broseley.
This was the birth place of industrial revalution.http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm196/kevinmilkins/07_24_0-1.jpg

[tootler]

Wonder why he never built anything that pretty up here - our many Telford bridges are all stone, stone, stone....

[Kevin Milkins]

http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm196/kevinmilkins/th_07_24_2.jpg

Here is another taken from underneath.
This guy sure knew his stuff.
How he acheived all that he did in his life time is hard to grasp

[percy toboggan]

I assumed he was a son of Salopia too Kevin.
As was my father, his father and his father too.
Are you saying he was a native of Caithness?
(I mean Telford, not mi Dad)

[Kevin Milkins]

I assumed he was a son of Salopia too Kevin.
As was my father, his father and his father too.
Are you saying he was a native of Caithness?
(I mean Telford, not mi Dad)

Hi Perce.
I am not to sure , but I think Telford is from the borders and his dad was a farm worker. I think he started his working life as a stone mason apprentice. I am sure some with more knowledge on the subject will put us right. I was down near your late dads home last week in Wem.

[percy toboggan]

Ahh Wem.
What a smashing name for a wee place.
I know it well - delivered to the High Street every week for about two years in the 90's.
I do so like Shropshire.

[Geo]

There is lots of info about Telford here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Telford

I watched a documentary about him a few years ago. His engineering achievements are incredible.

[Kevin Milkins]

Thanks for that link Geo.
I think I will now study the life and times of Thomas Telford.lol
When we were down south last week we drove by the Pontcylite Aqueduct and I wanted to pull over and take some photos but wife moaned as usual.
I watched a programme a bit ago with Fred Dibner on about this Telford acheivment.
I do wish wife would shut up some times.lol
The link also shows other places that I have spent a lot of time in IE St Mary's church in Bridgnorth.
It stills begs the question, how did this guy acheive so much in his liftime without phone, fax , email , transport links?