James Brunlees 1816-1892

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James Brunlees 1816-1892 Born in Kelso on 5th January 1816, James Brunlees took a keen interest in it, giving attended the Parish School before transferring to Mr Scott’s frequent donations of books and, private school. There he excelled in arithmetic and basic on occasion, sums of money for measuring. He left school at the age of 12 to follow his essay prizes. father’s profession as a gardener and steward with a view to becoming a landscape gardener at Broomlands. However he The Channel Tunnel Railway had a natural taste for engineering work. Company was incorporated in 1872 and Brunlees once again Broomlands at that time was occupied by Mr Innes, agent worked with Sir John Hawkshaw, to the Duke of Roxburghe. Through Innes, Brunlees met planning a railway link between the civil engineer Alexander J. Adie, who was carrying England and France. The Company out work on the Roxburghe Estates. Brunlees picked up a folded in 1886, a full hundred years considerable knowledge of surveying, and was eventually before the tunnel became a reality. employed to make a survey of the estates. During this time However a deviation of no more he saved money to pay for classes at Edinburgh University, than a few inches was the result where he studied for several sessions. Mr Adie continued to when Brunlees along with Douglas employ James, and in 1838 engaged him in the construction Fox, the resident engineer started of the Bolton and Preston Railway. It was in Bolton he met work at Liverpool and Birkenhead Elizabeth Kirkman who became his wife. and met almost exactly in the middle to form The Mersey Tunnel. Brunlees moved on to construct a section of the Caledonian Railway from Beattock to Carstairs. He then moved to the Throughout his career, the design Stalybridge branch of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway of iron structures for tidal waters under Sir John Hawkshaw. In 1850 Brunlees set up his was a continuing theme. Brunlees own practice, becoming engineer to the Londonderry and was responsible for impressive Coleraine Railway in Ireland. This involved the construction examples of seaside piers, at of embankments under difficult conditions across Rosse’s Llandudno, New Brighton, Bay in the River Foyle. Brunlees’s success here helped him Southport, and Southend, the obtain the appointment as engineer to the Ulverston and Southend Pier, picture courtesy Southend-on-Sea Borough Council. longest pleasure pier in the world Lancaster Railway. at 1.33 miles. As engineer to the to fish and shoot. A skilful and successful angler, he had an Solway Junction Railway he designed an iron viaduct across His reputation had gained universal acclaim and Baron de outstanding record for catching salmon at Sprouston and the firth 1¼ miles long. Maua, principal concessionaire in Brazil, engaged him in the Hempseedford. In 1854 the police commissioners asked survey and construction of the San Paulo Railway in 1857. him to design new sewerage and water systems for the Brunlees became a Council member of the Institute of Civil On completion of this work the Emperor of Brazil presented town of Kelso and this he did for the cost of the outlay on Engineers in 1865 and President in 1882-3. Queen Victoria James Brunlees with the Order of the Rose. plans and specifications, declining payment for much of the awarded him a knighthood in 1886. Brunlees died at his work. The first drains were laid from Horsemarket along home, Argyle Lodge, Wimbledon on 2nd June 1892. Despite his international fame James Brunlees never forgot Shedden Park Road to the Tweed. For many years, James his native soil. He frequently returned to Kelso for holidays, Brunlees was President of Kelso’s Mechanics Institute and 13.

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