William James
(1771-1837)
lawyer, surveyor, land agent, transport visionary, proprietor of the Stratford Canal, promoter of the Stratford-Moreton Tramway, instigator of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, and Father of the Railway System
Died aged c. 66
Wikidata WikipediaWilliam James (13 June 1771 – 10 March 1837) was an English lawyer, surveyor, land agent and pioneer promoter of rail transport. According to his obituary "He was the original projector of the Liverpool & Manchester and other railways, and may with truth be considered as the father of the railway system, as he surveyed numerous lines at his own expense at a time when such an innovation was generally ridiculed."
DbPedia
Commemorated on 1 plaque
William James. Born Henley-in-Arden 13 June 1771 died Bodmin 10 March 1837 Lawyer, surveyor, land agent, and transport visionary, proprietor of the Stratford Canal, promoter of the Stratford-Moreton Tramway and instigator of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. 'Father of the Railway System'
Yew Tree House, High Street, Henley-in-Arden, United Kingdom where they was born (1771)