About
Scottish civil engineer and architect known for his construction of canals, bridges, and roads in the U.K. He was the first President of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
Before Fame
He was apprenticed to a stonemason at the age of fourteen and worked in Edinburgh until he moved to London.
Trivia
He became a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1821.
Family Life
His father, John Telford, was a shepherd who died shortly after he was born. He was raised by his mother, Janet.
Associated With
Rudolf Virchow was also a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
