Brindley was one of history’s great engineers, responsible for eight waterways including the first of the industrial age – the Bridgewater Canal. Despite his legacy, his name doesn’t have the same recognition as Brunel or Telford.
He worked on the building of the Bridgewater Canal, which was regarded as the first modern British canal, and which triggered an explosion of canal-building. In a sense, Brindley created a template for the narrow canal system when he chose to build narrow locks on the Trent & Mersey Canal.Brindley pioneered many of the engineering features that became common on Britain’s canals. Some of his prototype bridge designs, in brick and stone, have a homely charm about them. Others reflect the Georgian craftsman’s love of silhouettes and flowing lines.
Brindley Place in Birmingham, at the heart of the canal network, is named after James Brindley. There is also a statue of him at Coventry Canal Basin.
It's just 3 months until we depart for the UK via a short stopover in Spain.
More soon,
The Skipper.
Worthy of mention is Brindley's obituary published in the "Chester Courant" on 1 December 1772, in the form of an epitaph:
ReplyDeleteJAMES BRINDLEY lies amongst these Rocks,
He made Canals, Bridges, and Locks,
To convey Water; he made Tunnels
for Barges, Boats, and Air-Vessels;
He erected several Banks,
Mills, Pumps, Machines, with Wheels and Cranks;
He was famous t'invent Engines,
Calculated for working Mines;
He knew Water, its Weight and Strength,
Turn'd Brooks, made Soughs to a great Length;
While he used the Miners' Blast,
He stopp'd Currents from running too fast;
There ne'er was paid such Attention
As he did to Navigation.
But while busy with Pit or Well,
His Spirits sunk below Level;
And, when too late, his Doctor found,
Water sent him to the Ground.
Not great poetry, but amusing! Ironically, he died as a result of a drenching in a sudden rain storm and caught a chill, resulting in other complications. He was buried only 9 days after the completion of the Birmingham Canal.
Thanks Anne for this excellent contribution to our adventure and for providing the first comment to the blog.
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