Thomas Brassey

Thomas Brassey (born Nov. 7, 1805, Buerton, near Chester, Cheshire, Eng.—died Dec. 8, 1870, Hastings, Sussex) was an early British railway contractor who built railway lines all over the world.

Brassey began his career as a surveyor, afterward becoming a partner and finally sole manager of the business. In 1835 he constructed a section of the Grand Junction railway and later helped complete the London and Southampton line. In 1841–43, with W. Mackenzie, he built the Paris-Rouen railway, followed by lines in France, the Netherlands, Italy, Prussia, and Spain.

The Grand Trunk railway in Canada, with 1,100 miles (1,800 km) of track, was built (1853–59) by Brassey, Sir Samuel Morton Peto, and E.L. Betts. They also constructed the Crimean railway (1854). At one period, Brassey had work in hand in Europe, India, Australia, and South America, with a labour force estimated at 75,000. Coal, ironworks, and dockyards were among his other interests.

Thomas Brassey, 1st Earl Brassey (b. 1836—d. Feb. 23, 1918, London, Eng.), his oldest son, became a recognized authority on English naval affairs. Elected to Parliament as a Liberal, he became civil lord of the Admiralty (1880–83) under William E. Gladstone and then its parliamentary secretary (1884–85). He was president of the Institution of Naval Architects (1893–95). His other posts included service as governor of Victoria, Australia (1895–1900), and warden of the Cinque Ports (1908). He founded the Naval Annual (1886) and wrote The British Navy (1882–83). In 1886 he became a baron and in 1911 an earl.