We Gave a Dam
The epic race to build the Thames Barrier
(Author) Rory O'GradyRory O’Grady worked on the Thames Barrier in London for five years as a young civil engineer. Since retirement, he has written three books on other subjects, and spent a year researching ‘We Gave a Dam’, making contact with a wide range of colleagues to amass this collection of unique stories, which give tribute to the many that worked on this amazing structure. A long battle was fought to win approval for the Thames Barrier, with construction finally starting in 1974.
The bold, revolutionary design required some of the best engineering brains to build it, and the most innovative fabricators and manufacturers of the time, to achieve the standards required of them. Inspiring leadership from the international consortium of contractors overcame industrial unrest, major technical problems and the extremes of nature, to make this masterpiece a reality. Triumphantly the Thames Barrier held back a major surge tide within a year of it becoming operational in 1982, and will continue protecting London from flooding for decades into the future.
Rory O'Grady
Rory O’Grady is a British author and retired civil engineer born in Doncaster, of Irish and Welsh heritage. After years working globally on infrastructure projects—including five years on the Thames Barrier—he retired in 2014 and has since written several meticulously researched non‑fiction books. His works include The Passionate Imperialists (2018), The Flight of the Arctic Fox (2021), and We Gave a Dam (2024), each grounded in history, personal connection, and storytelling.
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