BRASSEY

Thomas ( son of John Bra ey of Buerton, Aldford, Cheshire, farmer ). b. Buerton 7 Nov. 1805; land surveyor at Birken head 1826; railway contractor in London 1836; made line from Paris to Rouen 1841–3 and from Rouen to Havre 1843–5; contractor for Great Northern railway 1847–51, railways in Italy 1850–3, Grand Trunk railway of Canada 1852–9 and railways in Australia 1859–63; established with E. T. Betts and M. Peto Canada works at Birken head 1853. d. Hastings 8 Dec. 1870. Life by Arthur Helps 1872, portrait ; J. Devey’s Life of Joseph Locke (1862) 145–54; Work and wages practically illustrated , by T. Bra ey, M.P. 1872 . Note. —He laid out £78,000,000 of other people’s money and upon that outlay retained £2,500,000 being as nearly as po ible three per cent.; he had in his employ at one time upwards of 30,000 men on railways in Europe; his will was proved in London 7 Feb. 1871, personalty being sworn under £3,200,000.