Thomas Steers facts for kids
Thomas Steers was an important English engineer. He was born around 1672 in Kent and passed away in 1750. Many people consider him England's first major civil engineer. He built many canals and the world's first commercial wet dock in Liverpool. This dock was called the Old Dock. He also helped design other important structures like St. George's Church and a theatre in Liverpool.
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Early Life and Army Days
Thomas Steers was born in 1672, likely in Deptford or Rotherhithe. He probably had a very good education, as he was skilled in math. As a teenager, he joined the army. He was part of William of Orange's 4th Regiment of Foot. This group fought in the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. After that, he served in Europe against the French until 1697. During this time, he likely learned about hydraulics. This is the science of how water moves and how to control it. This skill helped him a lot later in life.
Around 1698 or 1699, he married Henrietta Maria Barber. Her father gave them a house in Rotherhithe. At that time, a large dock was being built nearby. Steers helped survey the completed docks in 1707. He seemed to work as a surveyor for the land owner. Records from that time describe him as a house-carpenter.
Building Big Projects
Designing Liverpool's Old Dock
In 1708, people started planning a new dock in Liverpool. Thomas Steers arrived in Liverpool in 1710 with his own ideas. His plan was to build the dock by taking land from the water, not just using existing land. His design was chosen. He oversaw the building of the dock with William Braddock. The dock opened for ships in 1715, even though it was not fully finished.
Later, in 1717, more work was approved. This included a tidal basin and three dry docks. These are places where ships can be repaired out of the water. The entire project was finished in 1721. From 1717, Steers also worked as the Dock Master. He was in charge of the dock's operations.
Making Rivers Easier to Use
While working on the Liverpool Docks, Steers also worked on other projects. In 1712, he surveyed the Irwell and Mersey rivers. He looked at the area from Warrington to Manchester. An Act of Parliament, which is a special law, was passed in 1721 for the Mersey and Irwell Navigation. This project made the rivers easier for boats to travel on. It included eight locks, which are like water elevators for boats. This work was finished around 1725. Steers is believed to have been the main engineer for this project.
He also surveyed the Douglas Navigation in 1712. This connected the Ribble estuary to Wigan. He was named as one of the people in charge of this project in 1720. He built a lock and a bridge and straightened part of the river. This navigation helped transport coal from Wigan to Liverpool.
Building the Newry Canal
One of his most important projects was the Newry Canal in Ireland. This was the first canal in the British Isles that went over a high point, connecting two different river systems. Steers was asked to be the engineer in 1729. He returned to the project in 1736 and supervised its construction until 1741.
The canal finally opened in 1742. It was about 19.4 miles (31.2 km) long and had 13 locks. It connected Newry to the sea and also linked to the Upper Bann River to reach Lough Neagh. The canal was built to move coal from the mines in Tyrone to Dublin. Steers used special ways to build some of the locks, but these had to be rebuilt later.
Other Important Work
Besides docks and canals, Steers worked on many other things. He helped start the Liverpool Waterworks in 1720. He also owned a business that made anchors near the Liverpool Docks. He was even a partner in a ship called the Dove, which traded between Liverpool and the West Indies.
Steers was also a talented architect. He helped design and build St. George's Church in Liverpool. He also designed "Seel's House," which was a famous building. He helped build houses for sailors who were poor in 1739. The next year, he opened the Old Ropery Theatre.
Steers was an important person in Liverpool. He became a Freeman of the town in 1713. This meant he had special rights as a citizen. He served on the town council and was even the mayor of Liverpool from 1739 to 1740. He also helped make Liverpool stronger during the Jacobite rising of 1745.
His Family
Thomas Steers was married twice. His first wife, Henrietta Maria, passed away in 1717. They had seven children, but four of them died when they were young. The other three children became sailors, but they also passed away by 1732. In 1719, he married Ann Tibington. She was a widow with a son. They had four children together, but two of them died as children. Thomas Steers passed away in 1750. His only surviving son, Spencer, continued his anchor-making business.
His Lasting Impact
Even though Thomas Steers made huge contributions to engineering, his death in 1750 went mostly unnoticed. However, other engineers recognized his talent. He built the world's first successful commercial dock and the first summit-level canal in the United Kingdom. He also trained his assistants well, and many of them became successful engineers themselves.
Steers understood that his work was important for the whole community. He was active in Liverpool's politics and trade. He knew that connecting the town to other areas was key for its success. His work helped Liverpool become one of the world's greatest ports. It also played a part in the start of the Industrial Revolution, which began soon after he died.
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