Thomas Telford was a Scottish civil engineer. After establishing himself as an engineer of road and canal projects in Shropshire, he designed numerous infrastructure projects in his native Scotland, as well as harbours and tunnels. Such was his reputation as a prolific designer of highways and related bridges, he was dubbed the 'Colossus of Roads', and, reflecting his command of all types of civil engineering in the early 19th century, he was elected as the first president of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a post he held for 14 years until his death. The town of Telford in Shropshire was named after him.
Thomas Telford, Scottish architect and engineer, designed the Menai Suspension Bridge (died 1834)
On August 9, in the year 1757, Thomas Telford, Scottish architect and engineer, designed the Menai Suspension Bridge (died 1834). This event is recorded as a Notable Births event in the history of August 9, one of 411 recorded events on this date across all of history.
1 notable person is associated with this event, including Thomas Telford. Learn more below.
Key Facts
- This event took place on August 9, 1757 (AD era).
- It is categorised as a Notable Births event in recorded history.
- Referenced in 2 Wikipedia articles.
- 1 notable person is recorded as involved in or associated with this event.
- Wikipedia source last updated on 11 July 2026.
On This Date in History 411
This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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