James Brindley and the Duke of Bridgewater: Canal Visionaries

2015 | Biography

Disappointed in love, Francis Egerton, Third Duke of Bridgewater, (1736-1803) retreated to Lancashire and devoted himself to coal and canals. When his agent John Gilbert introduced him to the Staffordshire Schemer James Brindley (1716-1772), it marked the beginning of an alliance that was to change the face of the country. At first, Brindley's ingenuity and zeal chimed well with the Duke's ambitions. But at a time when the demands of rising commerce were increasingly coming to vie with the interests of the land-owning gentry, being a peer's protege was not always advantageous. Although the Duke put him on the path to fame, Brindley would work more amicably with canal promoters like Josiah Wedgwood who shared something of his background and outlook. Drawing upon primary sources such as letters, pamphlets and the long lost probate inventory of Brindley's estate, this book charts the course of Brindley's years of renown and dissects the dynamics of an uneasy business relationship in a fast-changing world.

Victoria Owens (Author)