A Man of Resolve: Richard Henry Brunton: Civil engineer at work in 19th Century Great Britain, Japan and Ireland

The unique biography of an individual playing various pioneering roles in civil engineering, in the late nineteenth century, but with a social conscience. A long and eventful career which embraced everything from lighthouse design and construction in Japan to theatre architecture and ornamentation in Ireland.

A fascinating, well-illustrated and internationally researched biography of Richard Henry Brunton, a talented civil engineer in the nineteenth century and a proud representative of his profession in a rapidly changing world. Brunton was born in Muchalls, Aberdeenshire and initially worked on railway line development. He then came to prominence as Chief Engineer to the Japanese Government when the country was forced to ”open up”. As well as eventually supervising the building of 26 Western-style tower lighthouses along with various other navigational initiatives, he additionally established a groundbreaking staff training and technical complex for this move. Furthermore, he also took a lead in town planning of the chief trading settlement of Yokohama, and in other matters too.

Returning to the United Kingdom, Brunton eventually became manager of a large petrochemical plant in the central ‘belt’ of Scotland, getting involved as well with working man’s’ broader education and then, moving back south, took over an architectural ornaments business in London. The company won prizes and worked at home and around the globe. Unfortunately, although extensive, the work was over-stressful and he over-dipped into its income to the extent he was declared personally bankrupt. However, one of his theatrical clients, based in Ireland, approached him to become their architect and there he created three gems of theatre design, two of which, in the cities of Dublin and Cork, still successfully function.

• | Author: Dr. Geoff Goolnik
• | Publisher: Troubador Publishing
• | Publication Date: Apr 28, 2025
• | Number of Pages:
• | Language:
• | Binding: Paperback / softback
• | ISBN-13: 9781805144885
• | ISBN-10: 180514488X