The Brunels: Father & Son written by Anthony Burton and published by
Pen & Sword Books - £25 - Hardback - Pages 232
Isambard Kingdom Brunel has always been regarded as one of Britain’s great heroes
and an engineering genius. His father Marc Brunel has not received the same degree
of adulation, but this book will show just how important a part Marc played in his son’s
works and will also look at his own great achievements. Marc Brunel arrived in Britain
as a refugee from revolutionary France, after a short time working in America. He was
a pioneer of mass production technology when he invented machines for making blocks
for sailing ships. He had other inventions to his name, but his greatest achievement was
in constructing the very first tunnel under the Thames. Isambard spent his early years
working for and with his father, who not only encouraged him but throughout his career,
he was also able to offer practical help. The famous viaduct that carried the Great
Western Railway over the Thames at Maidenhead, for example, was based on an earlier
design of Marc’s. Isambard’s greatest achievements were in revolutionising the shipping
industry, where he was able to draw on his father’s experience when he served n the
navy. The book not only looks at the successes of two great engineers but also their
failures. Primarily, however, it is a celebration of two extraordinary men and their amazing
achievements.
I remember reading last year in a book about the work and accomplishments of Isambard’s father Marc and thinking this fella seems interesting, I should read more about him. Then with life, I ended up forgetting and never got around to it until I got the chance to review this book of man and boy. Both were clearly intelligent men with minds needing to let that intelligence and skill out into the open. These two men are known for some of the world's important constructions or inventions from building the first tunnel under the Thames, a number of bridges, and technological advances in construction and were heavily influential in the development in the railways. This of course was during a period of the industrial revolution when Britain was concentrating on advancement in industry and society.
This was a fascinating read in which we learned how a family worked its way up from adversity to become people of influence and industrial leaders, and how Isambard was a real chip off the old block. The book was an interesting read and I would fully recommend it to others if you’re interested in the industrial world and how it came about in Britain.
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