Engineer. Isambard Brunel, a 19th-century English civil engineer, is considered a giant in his field and a prolific developer in the Industrial Revolution. Born the son of Sir Marc Isambard Brunel, he began his career as a designer and builder of bridges, subsequently becoming chief engineer of the Great Western Railway, for which he constructed a series of innovative bridges, tunnels and viaducts. His three masterpieces are however his steamships: the "Great Western" launched in 1838, the first steamship on regular Atlantic service, which made the crossing in 15 days; the "Great Britain", launched in 1843, the first propeller screw vessel; and the "Great Eastern" launched in 1858, largest of all but never a commercial success. The many problems of the construction and launch, including fatalities, became a stressful ordeal. Added to the fact he was a heavy smoker and suffered from pending kidney failure, the stress of this ordeal caused a paralytic attack or stroke from which Brunel eventually died, as had his father over the stress of the Thames Tunnel. During the Crimean War, he built pre-fabricated module hospitals for Florence Nightingale, and these module hospitals are still being used in the 21st century. He was elected in 1830 a Fellow to the Royal Society. In 2002, he placed second only to Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the public poll held by BBC for the "100 Greatest Britons". To honor him, there are several statues of him in Great Britain.
Engineer. Isambard Brunel, a 19th-century English civil engineer, is considered a giant in his field and a prolific developer in the Industrial Revolution. Born the son of Sir Marc Isambard Brunel, he began his career as a designer and builder of bridges, subsequently becoming chief engineer of the Great Western Railway, for which he constructed a series of innovative bridges, tunnels and viaducts. His three masterpieces are however his steamships: the "Great Western" launched in 1838, the first steamship on regular Atlantic service, which made the crossing in 15 days; the "Great Britain", launched in 1843, the first propeller screw vessel; and the "Great Eastern" launched in 1858, largest of all but never a commercial success. The many problems of the construction and launch, including fatalities, became a stressful ordeal. Added to the fact he was a heavy smoker and suffered from pending kidney failure, the stress of this ordeal caused a paralytic attack or stroke from which Brunel eventually died, as had his father over the stress of the Thames Tunnel. During the Crimean War, he built pre-fabricated module hospitals for Florence Nightingale, and these module hospitals are still being used in the 21st century. He was elected in 1830 a Fellow to the Royal Society. In 2002, he placed second only to Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the public poll held by BBC for the "100 Greatest Britons". To honor him, there are several statues of him in Great Britain.
Bio by: Linda Davis
Gravesite Details
Buried alongside parents, wife and children.
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