Available online
Description
Thomas Telford is regarded as the father of civil engineering. But the Society of Civil Engineers had been founded before he had even joined the profession. We explore Telford's relationship with a... less known contemporary engineer called William Jessop and find that although Jessop was Telford's senior on key works in Telford's early career, Jessop has been lost from popular acclaim. When Telford wrote his autobiography he hardly mentioned Jessop. Did Telford's ego get the better of him or was he simply forgetful? We might never know. But that autobiography became the main source of future biography and built the Telford myth. In the last ten minutes of the programme Peter Evans talks to steeple jack and industrial historian Fred Dibnah about the difference between contemporary building methods, materials and those used during the industrial revolution.
Thomas Telford is regarded as the father of civil engineering. But the Society of Civil Engineers had been founded before he had even joined the profession. We explore Telford's relationship with a... less known contemporary engineer called William Jessop and find that although Jessop was Telford's senior on key works in Telford's early career, Jessop has been lost from popular acclaim. When Telford wrote his autobiography he hardly mentioned Jessop. Did Telford's ego get the better of him or was he simply forgetful? We might never know. But that autobiography became the main source of future biography and built the Telford myth. In the last ten minutes of the programme Peter Evans talks to steeple jack and industrial historian Fred Dibnah about the difference between contemporary building methods, materials and those used during the industrial revolution.
| Series: | Generals of the revolution; Series 2 |
|---|---|
| Episode | 3 |
| First transmission date: | 1994-02-20 |
| Published: | 1994 |
| Rights Statement: | Rights owned or controlled by The Open University |
| Restrictions on use: | This material can be used in accordance with The Open University conditions of use. A link to the conditions can be found at the bottom of all OUDA web pages. |
| Duration: | 00:28:00 |
| + Show more... | |
| Producer: | Cameron Balbirnie |
| Contributor: | Peter Evans |
| Publisher: | BBC Open University |
| Keyword(s): | Canals; Henry Palmer; John Rennie; John Smeaton; Pontcysyllte aqueduct; Society of Civil Engineers; Thomas Telford; William Jessop |
| Master spool number: | 93YT0170 |
| Production number: | T004_03 |
| Available to public: | no |
