Dundas followed his father in having an interest in Grangemouth and in the Forth and Clyde Canal, under construction from 1768 to 1790, and he would have been aware of the 1789 trials on the canal of Patrick Miller of Dalswinton's double-hulledpaddle boat powered with a steam engine fitted by William Symington. In 1800 Dundas, as Governor of the Forth and Clyde Canal Company, engaged Symington to design a steam tug on the lines of a failed attempt by Captain John Schank for the Bridgewater Canal. At a meeting of the canal company's directors on 5 June 1800 Dundas "produced a model of a boat by Captain Schank to be worked by a steam engine by Mr Symington",[citation needed] and it was agreed this should be immediately put in hand.
The boat was built to Symington's design. It had successful trials on the River Carron in June 1801 and further trials towing sloops from the river Forth up the Carron and thence along the Forth and Clyde Canal. The other proprietors of the canal were concerned about wave damage to the canal banks, and the Committee decided that the boat would "by no means answer the purpose".[citation needed]
Symington had proposals for an improved boat which were presented in the form of a model, shown to Lord Dundas, of the boat which would become famous as the Charlotte Dundas, named in honour of one of his Lordship's daughters. One account states that Lord Dundas had advised Symington to prepare the model and bring it to his Lordship in London, where Symington was introduced to the Duke of Bridgewater who was enthusiastic enough to immediately order eight boats of similar construction for his canal. Unfortunately, the Duke of Bridgewater died a few days before the first sailing, and nothing came of this order.
Lord Dundas and some of his relatives and friends were on board for the first sailing of the boat on the canal in 1803, but despite the success of the Charlotte Dundas fears of erosion of the banks prevailed, and the trials were ended leaving Symington out-of-pocket.
Familyedit
Sir Thomas Dundas, 2nd Baronet married Lady Charlotte FitzWilliam, the daughter of William FitzWilliam, 3rd Earl FitzWilliam, on 24 May 1764 and they had 14 children:
thomas, dundas, baron, dundas, thomas, laurence, dundas, baron, dundas, february, 1741, june, 1820, scottish, politician, peer, british, house, commons, from, 1763, 1794, when, raised, peerage, great, britain, baron, dundas, responsible, commissioning, charlot. Thomas Laurence Dundas 1st Baron Dundas FRS 16 February 1741 14 June 1820 was a Scottish politician and peer who sat in the British House of Commons from 1763 to 1794 when he was raised to the peerage of Great Britain as Baron Dundas He was responsible for commissioning the Charlotte Dundas the world s first practical steamboat The Right HonourableThe Lord DundasFRSMember of Parliamentfor Richmond Yorkshire In office 1763 1768Preceded byThe Earl of Ancram Sir Ralph MilbankeSucceeded byAlexander Wedderburn William MeekeMember of Parliamentfor StirlingshireIn office 1768 1794Preceded byJames CampbellSucceeded byRobert GrahamPersonal detailsBorn16 February 1741Great BritainDied14 June 1820 aged 79 Great BritainSpouseLady Charlotte FitzWilliam m 1764 Children14EducationSt Andrews University Contents 1 Biography 2 Charlotte Dundas 3 Family 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksBiography edit nbsp Lord Dundas nbsp Marske HallDundas was the only son of Sir Lawrence Dundas 1st Baronet the Nabob of the North and Margaret Bruce 1716 1802 Following education at Eton and St Andrews University he did the Grand Tour then became Member of Parliament for Richmond 1763 1768 then for Stirlingshire 1768 1794 He was elevated to the peerage as Baron Dundas of Aske in August 1794 and was also Lord Lieutenant and Vice Admiral of Orkney and Shetland Councillor of state to the Prince of Wales later George IV President of the Society of Scottish Antiquaries and Colonel of the North York Militia He acquired Marske Hall in North Yorkshire in 1762 after the death of Sir William Lowther 3rd Baronet He succeeded his father as 2nd Baronet in 1781 inheriting Aske Hall also in North Yorkshire Dundas also inherited a slave plantation in Grenada from his father 1 Charlotte Dundas editDundas followed his father in having an interest in Grangemouth and in the Forth and Clyde Canal under construction from 1768 to 1790 and he would have been aware of the 1789 trials on the canal of Patrick Miller of Dalswinton s double hulled paddle boat powered with a steam engine fitted by William Symington In 1800 Dundas as Governor of the Forth and Clyde Canal Company engaged Symington to design a steam tug on the lines of a failed attempt by Captain John Schank for the Bridgewater Canal At a meeting of the canal company s directors on 5 June 1800 Dundas produced a model of a boat by Captain Schank to be worked by a steam engine by Mr Symington citation needed and it was agreed this should be immediately put in hand The boat was built to Symington s design It had successful trials on the River Carron in June 1801 and further trials towing sloops from the river Forth up the Carron and thence along the Forth and Clyde Canal The other proprietors of the canal were concerned about wave damage to the canal banks and the Committee decided that the boat would by no means answer the purpose citation needed Symington had proposals for an improved boat which were presented in the form of a model shown to Lord Dundas of the boat which would become famous as the Charlotte Dundas named in honour of one of his Lordship s daughters One account states that Lord Dundas had advised Symington to prepare the model and bring it to his Lordship in London where Symington was introduced to the Duke of Bridgewater who was enthusiastic enough to immediately order eight boats of similar construction for his canal Unfortunately the Duke of Bridgewater died a few days before the first sailing and nothing came of this order Lord Dundas and some of his relatives and friends were on board for the first sailing of the boat on the canal in 1803 but despite the success of the Charlotte Dundas fears of erosion of the banks prevailed and the trials were ended leaving Symington out of pocket Family editSir Thomas Dundas 2nd Baronet married Lady Charlotte FitzWilliam the daughter of William FitzWilliam 3rd Earl FitzWilliam on 24 May 1764 and they had 14 children Lawrence Dundas 1st Earl of Zetland 1766 1839 Anne Dundas 1767 Thomas Dundas born 1768 died young Lt Col William Lawrence Dundas 18 May 1770 1796 died in Santo Domingo Charles Lawrence Dundas 18 July 1771 25 January 1810 married Lady Caroline Beauclerk daughter of Aubrey Beauclerk 5th Duke of St Albans Margaret Dundas 9 November 1772 8 May 1852 married Archibald Spiers Charlotte Dundas 18 June 1774 5 January 1855 married Rev William Wharton Thomas Lawrence Dundas 12 October 1775 17 March 1848 Frances Laura Dundas 24 May 1777 27 November 1844 married Robert Chaloner R Adm George Heneage Lawrence Dundas 1778 1834 Maj Gen Sir Robert Lawrence Dundas 27 July 1780 23 November 1844 Dorothy Dundas August 1785 December 1790 Mary Dundas 30 May 1787 1 November 1830 married Charles FitzWilliam 5th Earl FitzWilliam Isabella Dundas 25 February 1790 6 December 1887 married John Charles RamsdenSee also editSteamboat Paddle steamerReferences edit https www ucl ac uk lbs person view 2146660919External links editWilliam Symington William Symington inventor of steam navigation Individual Record Dundas Thomas Zetland EstatesParliament of Great BritainPreceded byThe Earl of AncramSir Ralph Milbanke Member of Parliament for Richmond Yorkshire 1763 1768 With Sir Ralph Milbanke Succeeded byAlexander WedderburnSir Lawrence DundasPreceded byJames Campbell Member of Parliament for Stirlingshire1768 1794 Succeeded byRobert GrahamHonorary titlesNew office Lord Lieutenant of Orkney and Shetland1794 1820 VacantTitle next held byThe Lord DundasPreceded bySir Lawrence Dundas Vice Admiral of Orkney and Shetland1781 1820 VacantTitle next held byJames Allan MaconochiePeerage of Great BritainNew creation Baron Dundas1794 1820 Succeeded byLawrence DundasBaronetage of Great BritainPreceded byLawrence Dundas Baronet of Kerse 1781 1820 Succeeded byLawrence Dundas Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas Dundas 1st Baron Dundas amp oldid 1216929463, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
