117 



THOMAS TELFORD, F.R.S., L. and E., &c. 



Born August 9, 1757. Died September 2, 1834. 



The life of Thomas Telford adds another striking instance to 

 those on record of men who, from the force of natural talent, un- 

 aided save by uprightness and persevering industry, have raised 

 themselves from the low estate in which they were born, and taken 

 their stand among the master-spirits of their age. Telford was 

 born in the parish of Westerkirk, in the pastoral district of Esk- 

 dale in Dumfriesshire. His father, who followed the occupation 

 of a shepherd, died while his son was yet an infant, and the orphan 

 boy was thus left to the care of his mother, whose maiden name 

 was Janet Jackson, and for whom her son always cherished an 

 affectionate regard, being in the habit, in after life, of writing letters 

 to her in printed characters, in order that she might be able to read 

 them without assistance. 



Young Telford received the rudiments of education at the parish 

 school of Westerkirk, and during the summer season was employed 

 by his uncle as a shepherd boy. This occupation left him abundant 

 leisure, of which he made diligent use in studying the books fur- 

 nished by his village friends. At the age of fourteen he was appren- 

 ticed to a stone mason in the neighbouring town of Langholm, and 

 for several years was employed, chiefly in his native district, in the 

 construction of plain bridges, farm buildings, simple village churches 

 and manses, and other works of a similar nature, such as are usually 

 performed by a country mason in a district where there is little 

 occasion for the higher departments of his art. 



These operations afforded, however, good opportunities for obtain- 

 ing practical knowledge, and Telford himself has expressed his 

 sense of the value of this humble training, observing, that "as there 

 is not sufficient employment to produce a division of labour in 

 building, the young practitioner is under the necessity of making 

 himself acquainted with every detail in procuring, preparing, and 

 employing every kind of material, whether it be the produce of the 

 forest, the quarry, or the forge ; and this necessity, although un- 

 favourable to the dexterity of the individual workman, who earns 

 his livelihood by expertness in one operation, is of singular advan- 

 tage to the future architect and engineer, whose professional excel- 

 lence must rest on the adaptation of materials, and a confirmed 

 habit of discrimination and judicious superintendance." 



When Telford had completed his apprenticeship as a stonemason, 

 he remained for some time at Langholm working as a journeyman, 

 his wages being eighteenpence per diem.* The first bridge masonry 



* Snailes's ' Lives of the Engineers.' London, 1861. 



