Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater

Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, (* May 21, 1736, † March 8, 1803 ), until 1748 known as Lord Francis Egerton, was a British nobleman.

Egerton was the younger son of Scroop Egerton, 1st Duke of Bridgewater. He died unmarried and childless. The title of Duke of Bridgewater went out with it, while the older titles Earl of Bridgewater passed to his cousin John Egerton. He was buried in Little Gaddesden.

Francis Egerton is known as the founder of the British inland waterways, and as Commissioner of the Bridgewater Canal, which was built for him by James Brindley in order to produce a navigable waterway to its coal mines in Worsley ( Lancashire ). The channel is considered the first navigable canal of the modern era. Later Egerton was then build a canal from Liverpool to Manchester. Among his most unusual structures may be the underground boat lift in the form of an inclined elevator inside the coal mine of Worsley. Here boats with a capacity of up to twelve tons could enter directly into the pit from the Bridgewater Canal and are loaded there. This construction was described in detail by Francis Henry Egerton, 8th Earl of Bridgewater, in his book Description du Plan Incline basement. All this brought Francis Egerton nicknamed channel a Duke.

Egerton was considered one of the richest men of his time in the Kingdom of Great Britain. His fortune to have amounted to more than £ 2 million. He demolished including the family seat Ashridge Park. Before he could begin with the construction, died Egerton. On the site now houses a 33 m high tower, the Bridgewater Monument, which has been built in his memory.