Background
Hazledine grew up in a rural setting and was trained as a millwright.
Hazledine grew up in a rural setting and was trained as a millwright.
Hazledine"s expertise in manufacturing and testing large iron castings was critical to the success of these pioneering projects. Through a family connection, he took a senior position in a local forge and later set up in business with a partner. In their time, these were among the most important centres of iron-bridge building expertise in Britain.
He served as Mayor of Shrewsbury for 1835-1836.
Three brothers of William Hazledine were the founders in about 1792 of Hazledine and Company, an ironworks in Bridgnorth, Shropshire. Hazledine"s legacy is a range of spectacular structures including:
Ditherington Flax Mill, Shrewsbury (1797)
Chirk Aqueduct, Froncysyllte, (1799)
Bonar Bridge, Scotland (1811–1812)
Craigellachie Bridge, Scotland (1812–1814)
Menai Suspension Bridge (1819–1826)
Mythe Bridge, Tewkesbury (1823–1826)
Aldford Iron Bridge, Eaton Hall, Cheshire (1824)
Conwy Suspension Bridge (1824–1826)
Cleveland Bridge, Bath (1826)
Stretton Aqueduct, Staffordshire (1832-1833)
In Coleham, "Hazeldine (sic) Crescent" and "Hazledine Court" were named for him, as were "Hazledine Way", part of Shrewsbury"s later 20th century inner ring road, linking Reabrook housing estate to Meole Brace.