Isambard Kingdom Brunel, famous English civil engineer. He was born on 9 April 1806 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England and christened on 1 November 1806 in Saint Mary's in Portsea, Hampshire. His parents were Marc Isambard Brunel and Sophia Kingdom. He married Mary Elizabeth Horsley on 5 July 1836 in Kensington, London. He died on 15 September 1859. The above information was easily found by searching the International Genealogy Index (IGI) at www.familysearch.org
In the 1841 census, Isambard was living at High Street, St Peter and St Paul in Somerset. He was 35 years of age and a civil engineer. He was not living with any other family members, although we know from above that he was already married at that time. Other people living in the same street included merchants, a surgeon and a solicitor, indicating that it was an affluent area. Further investigation showed Isambard's wife, Mary, in a hotel in Salt Hill, Buckinghamshire (now in Berkshire), with their son, Isambard, aged 4.
The 1851 census provides even more insights into the Brunel family. They were living at 17 and 18 Duke Street, Westminster St Margaret, Middlesex. Living in the home was Isambard, Mary, Lady Sophie (Isambard's mother) and their three children, Isambard (13 years), Henry Mark (8 years) and Florence Mary (3 years). They also had a governess, a butler, a kitchen maid, a lady's maid, two nurses, three housemaids, a housekeeper and a cook. Their next door neighbour was Thomas Greene who was a Member of Parliament.
Isambard died in 1859, and by searching death/burial indexes, we were able to find that he was buried on 20 September in All Souls Cemetery.
Vintage photomechanical print of the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, England, which was taken towards the end of the 19th century. This bridge was one of Brunel's famous designs. Photograph courtesy LOC (LC-DIG-ppmsc-08048).
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