Sir William Arrol (1839–1913)
Sir William Arrol (1839 – 1913) was born in Houston, Renfrewshire and was a Scottish civil engineer and bridge builder
He started to work in a cotton mill at the age of only 9 years. He started training as a blacksmith by 13, and went on to learn mechanics and hydraulics at night school. In 1863 he joined a company of bridge manufacturers in Glasgow, but by 1872 had established his own business, the Dalmarnock Iron Works, in the east end of the city.
In the late 1870's he went on to found Sir William Arrol & Co., a leading international civil engineering business.
His company, Sir William Arrol & Co., was also contracted to construct a large Gantry (known as the Arrol Gantry) for the construction of three new super-liners, one of which was called the Titanic
Sir William Arrol & Co., continued in business after his death (1913) until 1969 when it was acquired by Clarke Chapman.
Important works by Sir William Arrol:
Tower Bridge in London, Tay Bridge, Dundee, Forth Bridge, South Queensferry, Severn Bridge, Nile Bridge in Egypt and the Hawkesbury Bridge in Australia.
