Edit Sir William Arrol
Sir William Arrol, the man behind the Dalmarnock Iron Works in 1887.
On his death, in February 1913, he was hailed as having revolutionised the science of bridge-building.
His idea was to build the structure on land then roll it out, span by span, into the area to be bridged.
His masterpiece was the Forth rail bridge. He'd spent thousands on preparatory work for the project, to a design by the same man who was responsible for the original Tay Bridge.
But when that bridge collapsed in 1879, killing 90 people and sending a 'thrill of horror over the world', the Forth plans were re-thought.
In 1883 Arrol, working to fresh designs, embarked on a project that would become known for a while as the eighth wonder of the world.
Some 60,000 tons of steel and nearly £3million went into the making of the bridge, which was completed in 1889 and opened by the Prince of Wales the following year.
Mr Arrol was awarded a knighthood for his efforts.
His other achievements included the steel work for London's Tower Bridge, the Wear Bridge in Sunderland, and several bridges over the Nile.
He built the gigantic slipway gantry at the Belfast shipyard of Harland and Wolff, beneath which the Titanic was constructed.
His London company built the Battersea and Bankside power stations - the latter is today the home of the Tate Modern gallery.
He was a considerate employer and in later life found time to become an MP for South Ayrshire.
When he died his Dalmarnock premises were said to be the UK's biggest girder construction works,
occupying some 20 acres and employing between 4000 and 5000 men.
Not a bad achievement for a man of humble stock and little schooling whose first job had been as a bobbin-maker in the Coats factory.
On his death, in February 1913, he was hailed as having revolutionised the science of bridge-building.
His idea was to build the structure on land then roll it out, span by span, into the area to be bridged.
His masterpiece was the Forth rail bridge. He'd spent thousands on preparatory work for the project, to a design by the same man who was responsible for the original Tay Bridge.
But when that bridge collapsed in 1879, killing 90 people and sending a 'thrill of horror over the world', the Forth plans were re-thought.
In 1883 Arrol, working to fresh designs, embarked on a project that would become known for a while as the eighth wonder of the world.
Some 60,000 tons of steel and nearly £3million went into the making of the bridge, which was completed in 1889 and opened by the Prince of Wales the following year.
Mr Arrol was awarded a knighthood for his efforts.
His other achievements included the steel work for London's Tower Bridge, the Wear Bridge in Sunderland, and several bridges over the Nile.
He built the gigantic slipway gantry at the Belfast shipyard of Harland and Wolff, beneath which the Titanic was constructed.
His London company built the Battersea and Bankside power stations - the latter is today the home of the Tate Modern gallery.
He was a considerate employer and in later life found time to become an MP for South Ayrshire.
When he died his Dalmarnock premises were said to be the UK's biggest girder construction works,
occupying some 20 acres and employing between 4000 and 5000 men.
Not a bad achievement for a man of humble stock and little schooling whose first job had been as a bobbin-maker in the Coats factory.
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