Brassey Family

of Cheshire, England & Queensland, Australia


by Pam Cooper © 1998

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The surname Brassey is relatively uncommon and most, if not all, branches of that family can be traced to a village called Bulkeley near Malpas in Cheshire, England.



The pedigree of the family of Bresey, or Brassey, is entered in the Heralds' Visitation of Cheshire, A.D., 1613, and the descent from Thomas Bresey, with whom the Visitation entry ends, has been continued and officially registered in the College of Arms.
Burke, A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain, 12th Edition, London, 1914, p.?



One family member of note was Thomas Brassey (1805-1870). He trained as a land surveyor, eventually branching out into railway construction. In time he became a renowned railway engineer, constructing railway lines throughout the world.
His biographer wrote:

Mr. Brassey was born November 7, 1805, at Buerton, in the parish of Aldford, in Cheshire. He was the son of John and Elizabeth Brassey of that parish. His family was an ancient one, his ancestors having come over with William the Conqueror. For nearly six centuries they resided at Bulkeley near Malpas, in Cheshire, where they possessed a small landed property of three or four hundred acres, which is still in the family ... The time when they moved to Buerton is uncertain; but they must have resided there for more than two centuries, as is proved by certain documents which are dated in the year 1663.
(Helps, Life and Labours of Mr. Brassey, 2nd Edition, London, 1872, pp.20,21)
 tbrassey.jpg
Thomas Brassey
from Life and Labours of Mr. Brassey



It was through Thomas Brassey's railway projects, that a branch of the Brassey family was established in Australia. In 1865, Thomas Brassey, in conjunction with Messrs Peto & Betts, constructed the first railway line to be built in what was then the new state of Queensland. It seems to have been as a result of this project that one Richard Brassey also settled in Queensland.


Richard Brassey was born on 15 February 1832 at the village of Little Sutton in Cheshire, the son of George Betton Brassey and his wife, Mary (formerly Carr). George Betton Brassey was a first cousin to Thomas Brassey, the railway engineer. George's wife, Mary Carr, was from the neighbouring village of Coddington. Their marriage occurred at Aldford on 30 May 1831 and they seem to have moved to Little Sutton soon after that. There, George Brassey worked as a gamekeeper. What became of the family over ensuing years is unknown. Mary (Carr) Brassey was deceased by the time of the 1881 census, by which time George had remarried a woman by the name of Ann. The census listed George as a retired farmer, living at Bridge Road, Farndon.


It seems that as a young man, George and Mary's son, Richard, left Cheshire and made his way to London. Probably through the influence of Thomas Brassey, he gained employment in the railways, firstly working as an engine fitter and eventually becoming a mechanical engineer. At 24 years of age, he married a young widow, Sarah Ann Firman (formerly Walker). The wedding took place on 31 May 1857 at Trinity Church in Lambeth.


Born on 14 August 1829, Sarah was the daughter of Robert & Harriott Walker. Robert Walker was a farrier and the family lived in the areas of Bermondsey and Newington.


Following their marriage, Richard and Sarah Brassey made their home at 6 Knight's Place, Wandsworth Road, Lambeth - a location south of the Thames, not far from Bermondsey, and in close proximity to Nine Elms Railway Station. By 1861, they had moved a few streets to 32 Durham Street - still in Lambeth. Three children were born in England, Elizabeth Jane (17 November 1858), George Thomas (21 April 1861) and Richard Robert (15 February 1863-9 November 1864).


Soon after this, the Brasseys must have decided to try their luck in Queensland. It was probably through the patronage of his illustrious relative, Thomas Brassey, that Richard took up an appointment with Peto, Brassey & Betts in Queensland.


No Queensland immigration records for the family have been found, indicating that they must have arranged their own passages. Information later given confirms that they immigrated directly to Queensland in 1866. It seems most likely that they travelled on a ship carrying railway equipment and, in this way, escaped the usual immigration records. Family stories hint that their two surviving children, Elizabeth (then eight years) and George (five years) may have initially remained in England in order to obtain an education, but this has not been confirmed.


Following their arrival in Queensland, Richard took charge of the ballast train on the second section of the railway then being constructed by Peto, Brassey & Betts between Ipswich and Toowoomba. In early December 1867, the family moved to Ipswich where Richard worked for Messrs Ballard & Fountain driving a pile driving engine. Following this, he was employed in March 1868 by the contractors of the Warwick railway line, again taking charge of the ballast train.


Sarah must have accompanied her husband as the railway track slowly snaked its way towards Warwick. Late in 1869, the line had reached Allora, and it was there that the couple's youngest child, Ernest Emmanuel Brassey, was born on 10 November.


Over the next years, Richard continued to be involved in railway work which took him to a variety of locations in South-East Queensland. He drove trains on the Maryborough-Gympie line for seven years from 1881 and later drove the Ipswich-Dugandan train for twelve years. He also found time to select a farm at what was then Teviotville (now Coulson) near the town of Boonah. This became the family's base for many years. There, the Brasseys were involved in Congregational Church activities, holding services in their home until a church building could be erected. Their daughter, Elizabeth, became the local school teacher, holding private classes at a charge of sixpence per pupil per week.


rbrassey.jpg sbrassey.jpg
Richard Brassey
Sarah (Walker) Brassey



Richard continued to be an engine driver - a term used for train drivers at that time - until his retirement from the railways in 1902. Exactly when the Brasseys disposed of their Teviotville farm is unknown, but at some stage they relocated to Ipswich where they lived in various locations. In 1906, Richard rejoined the railways, obtaining a position as watchman at the Ipswich Railway Workshops. He held that position until December 1913, when he was 81 years of age.


Sarah Brassey died on 20 February 1913, at Flint Street, North Ipswich. Richard Brassey survived her by a year, passing away at Ipswich on 9 May 1913, aged 82 years. A comprehensive account of his railway career was featured in the Queensland Times, confirming his relationship to Thomas Brassey, the railway engineer and to Sir Thomas Brassey, a one time Governor of the Australian state of Victoria.


Richard and Sarah Brassey are buried together in Ipswich Cemetery, along with several of their descendants. Their grave is marked by a tall monument - at last inspection unfortunately marked by graffiti.


DESCENDANTS OF RICHARD & SARAH BRASSEY
  1. Elizabeth Jane Brassey
    born 17 November 1858, Lambeth, Surrey
    died 8 November 1910, Trinity, Goomeri, Qld
    married 30 September 1880, Ipswich Qld
    Thomas Maudsley
    born 30 November 1852, Halton with Aughton, Lancashire
    died 7 April 1924, Goodna, Qld

    1.1 Richard Brassey Maudsley (1881-1972)
    1.2 Agnes Maudsley (1883-1966)
    1.3 George Booker Maudsley (1885-1976)
    1.4 Thomas Born Maudsley (1887-1931)
    1.5 Ernest Rodger Maudsley (1890-1972)
    1.6 William Josiah Maudsley (1891-1968)
    1.7 Henry Gordon Maudsley (1893-1967)
    1.8 John Booker Harling Maudsley (1896-1955)
    1.9 Ivy Brassey Maudsley (1901-1987)
     
  2. George Thomas Brassey
    born 21 April 1861, Lambeth, Surrey
    died 28 September 1941, Ipswich, Qld
    married 12 November 1881, Teviotville, Qld
    Elizabeth Ann Palmer
    born 9 February 1861, Qld
    died 1 June 1940, Ipswich, Qld

    2.1 Sarah Ann Maud Brassey (1882-1964)
    2.2 George Thomas Brassey (1884-1908)
    2.3 Ethel Norma Brassey (1885-1940)
    2.4 Arthur Richard Brassey (1887-?)
    2.5 Ernest Emanuel Brassey (1889-1916)

  3. Richard Robert Brassey
    born 15 February 1863, Lambeth, Surrey
    died 9 November 1864, Lambeth, Surrey
     
  4. Ernest Emmanuel Brassey
    born 10 November 1869, Allora, Qld
    died 10 December 1951, Ipswich, Qld
    married (i) 19 September 1891, Brisbane, Qld
    Charlotte Silverthorne
    born 1870, Qld
    died 21 April 1894, Qld
    married (ii) 29 October 1896, Fassifern District, Qld
    Emma Auguste Stenzel
    born 14 June 1872, Fassifern District, Qld
    died 9 July 1958, Qld

    4.1 Lillian May Brassey (1893-1893)
    4.2 Gladys May Brassey (1897-1972)
    4.3 Lillian Eleanor Brassey (1899-1977)
    4.4 Richard Ernest Brassey (1901-1985)
    4.5 Victor Charles Brassey (1904-1973)
    4.6 Violet Grace Brassey (1906- )
    4.7 Myrtle Eileen Brassey (1908-1992)
    4.8 Frank Gordon Brassey (1910-?)


Locate the Australian places mentioned on this page?

Locate the English places mentioned on this page?


Learn more about Malpas, Cheshire, by visiting The Malpas Home Page

 
SOURCES


A. Helps, Life and Labours of Mr. Brassey: 1805-1870, Second Edition, London, Bell & Daldy, 1872.
B. Burke, A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain, 12th Edition, London, Harrison & Sons, 1914.
"Early Days of Coulson: Cradle of Fassifern Dairying: School Celebrates Diamond Jubilee", Queensland Times, 4 Oct 1941.
"The Late Mrs. R. Brassey", Queensland Times, 21 February 1913.
"Obituary: Mr. Richard Brassey", Queensland Times, 11 May 1914.
1861 Census, Lambeth Surrey, (LDS film 0542622, Piece No.156, Folio 151.
Marriage, George Brassey & Mary Carr, 30 May 1831, Parish of Aldford, Cheshire.
Baptism, Richard Brassey, 25 March 1832, Parish of Eastham, Cheshire.
Baptism, Sarah Ann Walker, 6 September 1829, Parish of St John Horselydown, Surrey.
Marriage Certificate, Richard Brassey & Sarah Ann Walker, 31 May 1857, Trinity Church Lambeth.
Birth Certificate, Elizabeth Jane Brassey, 17 November 1858, 6 Knight's Place, Wandsworth Road, Lambeth (Sub-district Kennington).
Birth Certificate, Ernest Emmanuel Brassey, 10 November 1869, Allora, Qld.


This page first produced on 15 August 1998.



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