New Town Telford was named after a Scotsman Thomas Telford, who became the Surveyor of Public Works for the county and made Shropshire his adopted home. He was known as the "Father of Civil Engineering," and his influence on the county and beyond can still be seen today. The architects and planners of the new town were faced with a daunting task. There were more than 5,000 acres of derelict wasteland containing spoil heaps and pit mounds, and more than 2,000 uncapped mine shafts, stagnant pools, and abandoned forges, furnaces, and other industrial buildings. This book reveals how the lovely town of today emerged from these unpromising beginnings. All the old photographs in this book were taken between 1890 and 1970. The vast changes that took place can be seen—and some rather surprising similarities too.
