The Duke of Bridgewater | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 21 May 1736 |
| Died | 8 March 1803 |
| Resting place | Church of St Peter and St Paul, Little Gaddesden, Hertfordshire 51°48′51″N 0°33′14″W / 51.81409°N 0.55380°W |
| Nationality | British |
| Other names | Francis Egerton, 3rd and last Duke of Bridgewater, Marquess of Brackley, Earl of Ellesmere, Baron Egerton. |
| Occupation | Canal builder |
| Known for | Bridgewater Canal |
| Title | Duke of Bridgewater |
| Predecessor | John Egerton, 2nd Duke of Bridgewater |
| Successor | title extinct |
| Political party | Whig |
| Parent(s) | Scroop Egerton, 1st Duke of Bridgewater Lady Rachael Russell |
Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater (21 May 1736 – 8 March 1803), known as Lord Francis Egerton until 1748, was a British nobleman from the Egerton family. He was the youngest son of the 1st Duke. He did not marry, and the dukedom expired with him, although the earldom was inherited by a cousin, Lieutenant-General John Egerton.
A pioneer of canal construction, he is famed as the "father of British inland navigation",[1] who commissioned the Bridgewater Canal—often said to be the first true canal in Britain, and the modern world. The canal was built for him by his agent John Gilbert with advice from James Brindley to service his coal mines at Worsley, in Lancashire.