How to use Timeline

You can move up and down the timeline using the date bands: the bottom band moves you along centuries quickly and the middle bank moves along decades. Click on individual events to see more details and description.

Timeline of Scottish History

A timeline of events in Scottish History!. Scroll through a growing chronology of events and click on them for more details and links
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
1700
1710
1720
1730
1740
1750
1760
1770
1780
1790
1800
1810
1820
1830
1840
1850
1860
1870
1880
1890
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020
2030
2040
2050
2060
2070
2080
2090
2100
2110
2120
2130
2140
2150
2160
2170
2180
2190
2200
2210
2220
2230
2240
2250
2260
2270
2280
2290
2300
2310
2320
2330
2340
1201BC
1101BC
1001BC
901BC
801BC
701BC
601BC
501BC
401BC
301BC
201BC
101BC
1BC
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
1100
1200
1300
1400
1500
1600
1700
1800
1900
2000
2100
2200
2300
2400
2500
2600
2700
2800
2900
3000
3100
3200
3300
3400
3500
3600
3700
3800
3900
4000
4100
4200
4300
4400
4500
4600
4700
4800
4900
5000
5100

Thomas Telford Engineer

Thomas Telford / Engineer

  • Name  : Telford
  • Born  : 1757
  • Died  : 1834
  • Category  : Engineers
  • Finest Moment : Menai Bridge in Wales (1819-26)

Born 9 August 1757 near Westerkirk, Dumfries, the son of a shepherd. Telford was educated in the parish school, beginning his life with an education but no silver spoon. His first career was that of stonemason, and he worked in the Borders, as well as on Edinburgh's New Town. Lacking that silver spoon, he did the next best thing and acquired an influential patron, in this instance the MP William Pulteney.

One logical step up from making the building blocks of structures was making the actual structures, so Telford became a civil engineer. He superintended a large number of public works in the south of England, before being made Surveyor of Public Works for Salop in 1788. Five years later, in 1793, he put in charge of the Ellsmere Canal, as agent, architect and engineer. His design, and spectacular aqueducts at Chirk and Pont Cysylltau, sealed his reputation as a versatile and innovative civil engineer.

In 1801 the government appointed him in charge of a communications survey of Scotland. Following on from his masterful survey, and for 20 years after 1804, he constructed over 1450km (900 miles) of roads and 120 bridges in the Highlands of Scotland, in addition to which he built harbours and jetties for ferry and fishery use. As a useful aside he also built the Caledonian Canal.

In 1818 he became the first President of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He continued working to the end and died in London on 2 September 1834. Like his equally famous predecessor General Wade, he is buried in Westminster Abbey.

Print Email