Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, the 'Canal Duke', inherited his title at the age of 11. After a broken engagement to Elizabeth Gunning, he devoted himself to his vast estates, especially Worsley, which were rich in coal. The Duke and his agent in Worsley, John Gilbert, determined to build a canal from Worsley to Manchester and Salford to convey coal to these expanding markets. James Brindley was engaged as engineer for the project. The first Bridgewater Canal Act was passed in 1759, and the canal reached Manchester in 1764. The canal was extended to Runcorn in 1776, linking Manchester with the Mersey estuary. The Duke died in 1803 and is buried at Little Gaddesden, near Ashridge in Hertfordshire.
From the guide to the Duke of Bridgewater Archive, 1737-1939, (University of Salford)
