Tale of a transatlantic pioneer
Bonnie Geordie, by Sophie McCallum
Bonnie Geordie explores the life and times of a Victorian tycoon who was many things: mining engineer, entrepreneur, politician – and at one early point, union leader and keen mining safety advocate.
Sir George Elliott rose from humble beginnings as a Gateshead pit boy to become the owner of a vast network of mines which provided steam coal to the British Admiralty at 'a time when ruling the waves was all important'. His aptitude led him to become deeply involved in the manufacture and laying of the first transatlantic cable.
This enjoyable new biography, written by the subject's fourth great granddaughter, has a selection of interesting colour images and a handy index.
Bonnie Geordie: The Life of Tycoon Sir George Elliott
By Sophie McCallum
Amberley, £22.99
ISBN: 978 13981 02316
Landing page cover image: An 1863 photograph from the book of USS Niagara,one of the cable-laying ships on the first attempt to lay the Transatlantic cable in 1857. (National Museum of the US Navy).
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