John McAdam

by

Joyce Hemsley

John Loudon McAdam
British Engineer
Highways. Inventor
of Tarmac for road
surfaces.
Born 1756 in Ayr
Died 1836 in Moffat,
Dumfries & Galloway.

Youngest son of ten
children...second
son of Baron of
Waterhead.
In 1770, he moved to
New York - made his
fortune, and moved
back to England 1783.
Lived in Bristol, became
General Surveyor for the
British Corporation,
concerned with scientific
road preservation.

John McAdam introduced
a new system, using
broken granite chippings;
road surfaces were well-
cambered, so as to allow
drainage of rainwater
through roadside drains.
In London, the system
was started in 1824...
broken cobbles of granite
used successfully, giving
Europe the best streets
of all time. Thomas Telford,
whose name can well be
linked with McAdam's, went
even further, suggesting
small stones on large stones.
But worldwide success of
Macadam road-making came
"fast and furious", tar
being added; hence
Tar Macadem. The Moffatt
motorway is the result of
combined ops by McAdam
and Telford, two very
brilliant engineers.

All road surfaces today
owe much to McAdam's
granite and limestone
chippings and the world
is most thankful.

We honour his name and
a gravestone bearing his
details stands in the
local Church.

NEXT?
Why don't you look at Scottish Jean
by: Francis Duggan
from: Wonthaggi, Victoria, Australia

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