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| Title: Date of the Day - Science and Industry | |
| Generalhistory > General > General Discussion | Go to subcategory： |
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MarkUK
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Date Posted：2026-01-01 08:42:52Copy HTML 1 January 1781 - The World's First Iron Bridge Opened. In 1776 a proposal to construct a wholly metal bridge across the Severn Gorge between the Shropshire villages of Benthall and Madeley was put before Parliament. The necessary Act was passed with the the work for the design going to Thomas Pritchard and the actual casting and construction to Abraham Darby of the Coalbrookdale Ironworks, Shropshire. Work began in 1777 and although the river was spanned as early as July 1779 the bridge was not formally opened to traffic until New Year's Day 1781. It is 100 ft long weighing 378 tons. Such was the fame of the construction that the town that grew up around the two villages was renamed Ironbridge. Closed to road traffic in 1934 it remains in use for pedestrians.
You're playing chess with Fate and Fate's winning.
Arnold Bennett
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majorshrapnel
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#926
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Re：Date of the Day - Science and Industry Date Posted：2026-08-23 06:10:37Copy HTML A legend if ever there was one |
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MarkUK
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#927
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Re：Date of the Day - Science and Industry Date Posted：2026-08-24 07:58:04Copy HTML 24 August 1690 - The foundation of Calcutta. The sprawling city that served as the capital of British India for 140 years was founded by an official and soldier of the English East India Company Job Charnock. The company had established a trading post in Bengal, which they named Hughli after the river on which it stood, as early as 1650. But an attack by the Nawab of Bengal in 1686 forced the evacuation of Hughli and a relocation to a disease infested swamp at Kalikata. Here Charnock was twice forced to abandon the site and take to company ships before peace was restored and he could formally begin the construction of a new company site - Calcutta in August 1690. The name Charnock will be more familiar to Art through one of Job's Lancashire ancestors Richard?
You're playing chess with Fate and Fate's winning.
Arnold Bennett
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MarkUK
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#928
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Re：Date of the Day - Science and Industry Date Posted：2026-08-25 07:56:33Copy HTML 25 August 1867 - Michael Faraday died. English scientist, the son of a blacksmith and largely self taught. His early career was in chemistry but from the 1830s he concentrated on magnetism and electricity leading to discoveries in the field of electromagnetism. These led to the invention of the dynamo and transformer.
You're playing chess with Fate and Fate's winning.
Arnold Bennett
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majorshrapnel
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#929
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Re：Date of the Day - Science and Industry Date Posted：2026-08-25 11:17:13Copy HTML 25 August 1867 - Michael Faraday died. English scientist, the son of a blacksmith and largely self taught. His early career was in chemistry but from the 1830s he concentrated on magnetism and electricity leading to discoveries in the field of electromagnetism. These led to the invention of the dynamo and transformer.
On leaving school he was apprenticed to a bookbinder and so got the chance to read many books, including scientific works. He applied to Humphrey Davy for an apprenticeship but was repeatedly refused until his persistence paid off and Humphrey hired him. This was his introduction to other scientists and he voraciously devoured everything they wrote on paper. He became the man who seriously introduced electromagnetic induction, ie the electric motor. Where would the world be without Faraday? Yet a man who remains unknown to the overwhelming majority of the population here. |
