ff ield ▁and ▁the ▁York shire ▁coal fields , ▁from ▁ 1 8 2 5 ▁to ▁ 1 8 5 3 . ▁William ▁was ▁born ▁at ▁Lake ▁Lock , ▁Stanley , ▁West ▁York shire ▁ ▁and ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁engineer ▁of ▁the ▁company ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 2 , ▁on ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁his ▁father ▁at ▁a ▁period ▁when ▁the ▁ ▁company ▁was ▁generating ▁up ▁to ▁ 1 5 0 % ▁divid ends ▁to ▁its ▁share hold ers . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 9 ▁he ▁married ▁Maria ▁Wilson ▁with ▁whom ▁he ▁had ▁two ▁daughters ▁and ▁a ▁son . ▁ ▁Canal ▁Engine er ▁and ▁In vent or ▁During ▁his ▁time ▁as ▁engineer ▁he ▁o vers aw ▁the ▁re building ▁of ▁the ▁navigation ▁with ▁all ▁the ▁lo cks ▁being ▁length ened ▁to ▁co pe ▁with ▁increased ▁t onn ages , ▁an ▁unusual ▁event ▁in ▁British ▁canal ▁history , ▁and ▁p aving ▁the ▁way ▁for ▁future ▁increases ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century . ▁ ▁As ▁early ▁as ▁ 1 8 5 2 ▁he ▁proposed ▁that ▁steam ▁boats ▁be ▁introduced ▁on ▁the ▁navigation ▁as ▁cargo - car ry ing ▁t ugs ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 7 ▁he ▁introduced ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁such ▁t ugs . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 0 s ▁he ▁proposed ▁and ▁super vised ▁the ▁expansion ▁of ▁the ▁ship ▁lock ▁at ▁Go ole ▁and ▁pat ented ▁a ▁scheme ▁for ▁compart ment ▁boats ▁commonly ▁known ▁as ▁Tom ▁P ud d ings . ▁This ▁improved ▁the