BRASSEY, Thomas, an eminent English railway contractor, a man remarkable for his character and abilities as well as for the vast extent and singular success of his undertakings, was born at Baerton, near Chester, November 7, 1805. He was the son of a landed proprietor, of ancient family, and received an ordinary commercial education at a Chester school. He began his professional career at the age of sixteen as apprentice to Mr Lawton, a surveyor, and on the completion of his term became the partner of his master. Soon after his marriage his master died, and he assumed the sole management of the business. In the local surveys to which he devoted his attention during his early years he acquired the knowledge and practical experience which were the necessaryfoundation of his great reputation. His first engagement as railway contractor was entered upon in 1835, when, on the invitation of the distinguished engineer Joseph Locke, he undertook the execution of a portion of the Grand Junction Railway. Soon after Mr Locke entrusted him with the completion of the London and Southampton Railway, a task which involved contracts to the amount of £4,000,000 sterling and the employment of a body of 3000 men. At the same time he was engaged on portions of several other lines in the north of England and in Scotland. In conjunction with his partner, Mr W. Mackenzie, Brassey undertook, in 1840, the construction of the railway from Paris to Rouen, of which Mr Locke was engineer. He subsequently carried out the extension of the same line. A few years later he was engaged with his partner on five other French lines, and on his own account on the same number of lines in England, Wales, and Scotland. “At this time,” says The Builder, “the industrial army set in motion and controlled by ...