Reference by Tancred, Arrol & Co., 1889

Category

Museums & Galleries Item

Item no

34222

Title

Reference by Tancred, Arrol & Co., 1889

Description

A handwritten reference for blacksmith Charles Ireland from his employer George Irvine, Foreman at the engineering firm Tancred, Arrol & Co., dated 9th December 1889. The reference attests to Ireland's good character and recommends him to any firm 'in want of a good all round man'. The letter is printed on the the Tancred, Arrol & Co. letterhead with the 'Forth Bridge Works' at the top right.

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1889

Type

Document

Location

Queensferry Museum

Charles Ireland worked as blacksmith on the Forth Rail Bridge construction, based at the bridge tower built on the island of Inch Garvie. This section of bridge is known as the Inchgarvie Cantilever.

The island of Inch Garvie, situated directly under the bridge, was a convenient site for the construction works' main office and workers' accommodation.

Before the current rail bridge was built, a previous bridge was begun, with foundations for a tower set on Inch Garvie. Some of these bricks can still be seen on the island. Following the Tay Bridge Disaster in 1879 in which 70 people were killed, this bridge construction project was abandonned for the current bridge works, begun in 1883. In order to allay the fears of the public in the wake of this catastrophe the structure of this cantilever bridge was designed to be both visually impressive and enormously strong.

The Forth Rail Bridge was constructed between 1883 and 1890 and was designed by Sir John Fowler and Sir Benjamin Baker. The contract for the construction of the bridge was awarded to Tancred, Arrol & Co by the Forth Bridge Company. It took seven years to build and at the height of the works, 4600 men were employed.

The bridge stretches 1.5 miles across the Firth of Forth between South and North Queensferry and its three towers are over 100m high. The bridge was opened on the 4th of March 1890 by the then Prince of Wales, later Edward VII.

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Related subjects

People > Agriculture and fisheries > Blacksmiths

Places > Edinburgh areas > South Queensferry

Places > Edinburgh Landmarks > Forth Rail Bridge

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh