Project Gutenberg 2003-10-01 Public domain in the USA. 105 Allen, Grant 1848 1899 Allen, Charles Grant Blairfindie Biographies of Working Men Thomas Telford, stonemason -- George Stephenson, engine-man -- John Gibson, sculptor -- William Herschel, bandsman -- Jean François Millet, painter -- James Garfield, canal boy -- Thomas Edward, shoemaker. Produced by Charles Aldarondo. HTML version by Al Haines. "Biographies of Working Men" by Grant Allen is a collection of biographical sketches written in the late 19th century. The work chronicles the lives of notable individuals from humble beginnings who rose to prominence through their hard work and determination. The first chapter focuses on Thomas Telford, a stonemason who became a celebrated engineer, showcasing the theme of perseverance and the transformative power of education and ambition. At the start of the text, the author describes the desolate and rugged landscape of Eskdale, Scotland, where Thomas Telford was born into a poor family. Following the death of his father, Telford's mother worked tirelessly to support him, instilling in him both a strong work ethic and an appreciation for learning. Despite his harsh upbringing, Telford demonstrated a passion for engineering from a young age. The narrative unfolds his early life, detailing his education, his apprenticeship as a stonemason, and the influence of literature and early work experiences that shaped his future success as a pioneering figure in British civil engineering, ultimately working on significant projects like the holyhead Road and the Menai Suspension Bridge. Through this portrayal, the opening portion sets a tone of inspiration and hope for readers, highlighting the potential for greatness that lies within individuals, regardless of their origins. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 58.8 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read. en Labor -- Biography Biography -- 19th century Working class -- Biography CT HD Text Category: Biographies 308592 2025-07-02T11:20:10.204595 text/html 302124 2020-12-28T02:43:49 text/html 193750 2025-07-02T11:20:16.700564 application/epub+zip 196044 2025-07-02T11:20:13.030576 application/epub+zip 176791 2025-07-02T11:20:11.937569 application/epub+zip 361557 2025-07-02T11:20:19.406498 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 348113 2025-07-02T11:20:16.048513 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 303573 2022-09-02T15:09:06.294726 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 296188 2025-07-02T11:20:09.851623 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 296042 2020-12-28T02:43:49 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 19743 2025-07-02T11:20:19.528508 application/rdf+xml 14387 2025-07-02T11:20:12.425525 image/jpeg 3886 2025-07-02T11:20:12.179519 image/jpeg 114996 2020-12-28T02:43:49 application/octet-stream application/zip 113448 2020-12-28T02:43:49 application/octet-stream application/zip 190879 2025-07-02T11:20:10.230607 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia