James Brindley (1716 – 30 September 1772) was an English engineer. He was born in Tunstead, Derbyshire, and lived much of his life in Leek, Staffordshire, becoming one of the most notable engineers of the 18th century.
The Coventry Canal Company was formed in 1768. James Brindley was commissioned to build the canal, and work started on it in December that year. Due to the high standards of construction demanded by Brindley, the canal company ran out of money by the time the canal had reached Atherstone in 1769, and Brindley was replaced by Thomas Yeoman.
Brindley was not illiterate, as some history books claim, but he had little formal education and preferred to work out his ideas in his head rather than on paper. Sometimes, he would retire to bed for days at a time to think an idea through.
Born in Thornsett, near Chapel-en-le-Frith, to James and Susannah Brindley, he was taught to read and write by his mother before being apprenticed to a millwright named Abraham Bennett near Macclesfield in 1733.
By 1742 he was able to set up his own business at Leek and, in 1752, he went North to tackle a tough engineering problem at the Wet Earth Colliery, between Salford and Bolton.
The mine had been flooded, and Brindley's job was to drain it so it could reopen. His solution was to use water to move the water - he built a long millrace, 800 yards of which were underground, and took it via a syphon under the River Irwell to a waterwheel which operated a pump to clear the mine.
This ingenious solution, and other works including developments at a Macclesfield mill and experiments with steam power - he called his device a "fire injon" - brought him to attention of the Duke of Bridgewater's chief of operations, John Gilbert.
Information about the sculpture:-
James Butler, who works from his studio at Radway in south Warwickshire was commissioned to undertake the £40,000 work by environmental and regeneration trust Groundwork Coventry.
It took him a year to complete the bronze Brindley statue, which is one and a quarter life size and weighs half a ton. It represents a new trend in statues, presenting figues at ground level without a plinth and in a natural pose. The statue depicts Brindley facing the bridge he designed.
Web site for James Butler, Sculptor:
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Web sites detailing the life of James Brindley:
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