Thomas Brassey Blue Plaque Unveiling, Birkenhead 2019

Описание: A blue plaque was unveiled earlier for Mr Thomas Brassey outside the old Canada Works site where he once had his works. Born a farmer's son near Chester in 1805. After schooling he was apprenticed to land agent and surveyor in Birkenhead and spent time assisting Thomas Telford. Eventually Brassey opened up a brick and lime works in Birkenhead, and took over the managers role of Storeton Quarry. There he met George Stephenson who encouraged him to go into railway building. This venture became so successful that in a few years he had railway building contracts up and down the country and during the 1830's he had built 1/3 of the railways in this country. After a 8 year period in France during the 1840's he returned to Birkenhead and teamed up with Sir Moreton Peto and Edward Betts and opened up the Canada Works. His first contract was to construct the 540 mile Grand Trunk Railway in Canada which included the 2 mile bridge across the St Lawrence River. The bridge was designed by Robert Stephenson. Railway contracts soon followed in India, Australia, Austria, Poland, Russia and Denmark. At one time 1 in every 20 miles of railway in the world was constructed under Brassey's management. It was great to have Caroline, the Great Great Great Niece of Mr Brassey there today too.