Marc Isambard Brunel was born on this day, 25 April 1769. A prodigious inventor, he helped develop automation in the manufacturing process, and built the Thames Tunnel, which at the time was considered the Eighth Wonder of the World. His life, work and legacy has been overshadowed by that of his indefatigable son, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, but it’s fair to say that Isambard’s early life and career were guided, influenced and engineered by Marc, who was happy to lend a hand and in some cases, such as his help with designing the Clifton Bridge, let his son take the credit. Stories from his life wouldn’t seem out of place in a Charles Dickens novel; from an escape from revolutionary France, to time in a Debtor’s prison. If there was ever a biopic or (let’s hope!) miniseries based on the life and work of the Brunels, then the relationship between father and son would no doubt form the emotional core.

The Robert Howlett portrait of Isambard taken before the launch of the Great Eastern is one of the most well-known portraits of the Victorian era, but the appearance of his father is somewhat less familiar. To mark the Birthday of Marc, I reproduce two portraits of the other Brunel.

The above photograph is from the National Portrait Gallery collection. Whilst nowhere near as famous as the portraits of Isambard taken 12 years later it nevertheless gives a fascinating glimpse into the life of Marc Brunel. It was taken two years after the opening of the Thames Tunnel, the project that would eventually become his most enduring achievement.

The National Portrait Gallery website suggested that this was probably the only photograph of the sitter, however I was delighted to see the following image posted today on the SS Great Britain’s twitter feed. It looks very much like this was taken as part of the same photographic session. As a daguerreotypes, they were each unique images, as no negative would have existed to create additional prints.

Happy Birthday to Sir Marc Brunel, born #OnThisDay in 1769. 🎉

Here's a miniature daguerreotype portrait, by courtesy of Margaret Albury, great great granddaughter of Sir Marc Isambard Brunel. pic.twitter.com/xTvrZbvft1

— Brunel's SS Great Britain (@SSGreatBritain) April 25, 2020

During his life, he was also known as Isambard Brunel; the legacy of his son was such that Marc has retrospectively been referred to by his first name. I think that the above images help reclaim the identity of the original.