Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater
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His Grace The Duke of Bridgewater |
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The Duke of Bridgewater in a 1788 engraving
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| Born | 21 May 1736 |
| Died | 8 March 1803 |
| Residence | Bridgwater House, London and Ashridge, Worlsey Hall, Egerton Hall. |
| Nationality | British |
| Other names | Francis Egerton, 3rd and last Duke of Bridgwater, Marquess of Brackley, Earl of Ellesmere, Baron Egerton. |
| Occupation | Canal builder |
| Known for | Bridgewater Canal |
| Salary | £75,000 |
| Net worth | £2,000,000 |
| Title | Duke of Bridgwater |
| Predecessor | John Egerton, 2nd Duke of Bridgwater |
| Successor | title extinct |
| Political party | Whig |
| Relatives | Duke of Sutherland (brother-in-law); Viscount Cobham (cousin); Baron Lucas of Crudwell (nephew); Earl Brownlow (cousin); Grey, baronets of Egerton and Oulton. |
| Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater | |
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| Details | |
| Crest | On a Chapeau Gules turned up Ermine a Lion rampant of the first supporting an Arrow erect Or headed and feathered Argent |
| Supporters | Dexter: A Horse rearing Argent gorged with a Ducal coronet Or; Sinister: A Griffin segreant Or gorged with a Ducal Coronet Argent beaked and legged of the last |
| Motto | Sic Donec |
Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater (21 May 1736 – 8 March 1803), known as Lord Francis Egerton until 1748, was a British nobleman from the Egerton family. He was the youngest son of the 1st Duke. He did not marry, and the dukedom expired with him, although the earldom was inherited by a cousin, Lieutenant-General John Egerton.
A pioneer of naval construction, he is famed as the "father of British inland navigation", who commissioned the Bridgewater Canal—often said to be the first true canal in Britain, and the modern world. The canal was built for him by James Brindley to service his coal mines at Worsley, in Lancashire.
Bridgewater, the younger son of Scroop Egerton, 1st Duke of Bridgewater, was born on the 21 May 1736. He succeeded to the dukedom at the age of twelve on the death of his brother, John, 2nd Duke. As a child he was sickly and of such unpromising intellectual capacity that at one time the idea of cutting the entail was seriously entertained. Shortly after attaining his majority he became engaged to the society beauty the Dowager Duchess of Hamilton, but her refusal to give up the acquaintance of her sister, Lady Coventry, led to the breaking off of the match. Thereupon the Duke broke up his London establishment, and retired to his estate at Worsley where he devoted himself to the making of canals.
The Bridgewater Canal from Worsley to Manchester which he constructed to transport coal obtained on his estates is usually cited as the first modern British canal as opposed to a river navigation—although the Sankey Canal is a rival to this claim, projected as a "navigation", but built as a true canal. The construction of Bridgewater's canal, with its aqueduct across the River Irwell, was carried out by James Brindley, the celebrated engineer.
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