Isambard Kingdom Brunel: The Genius of the Industrial Revolution

[@Biographics]

Check out Brilliant: brilliant.org/biographics

[@registeelix]

Can you do your biography?

[@josephbischoff2469]

Can you please do a Biographic on Archduke Charles of Austria-Teschen?

[@registeelix]

@@josephbischoff2469 That's a good one too.

[@ivanfranco770]

DO GONZOLO GUERRERO!

[@Friggle_Dee]

White Refugees? Don't hear about them too much anymore do we?

[@brianartillery]

Brunel is amongst the greatest humans who have ever lived. Not only was he a great engineer, he was a great human being, too. He was not afraid to get his hands dirty, or even to risk his own life on a project. It's known that he actually listened to his workmen, however important they were. For me, I've always thought he was, although Victorian, a very cool bloke. Yes, he's a hero of mine. First encountered going on holiday to Cornwall, and seeing his name on the incredible Royal Albert Bridge over the Tamar, at Saltash, and asking my mum who he was. Fascinated with him for most of my childhood, thereafter. Good video, Simon.

[@SiVlog1989]

Jeremy Clarkson made the case for IK Brunel. "... So by this list (mentioned before this line) Brunel built modern Britain. And Britain built the world, so Brunel built the modern world," Brunel did get my vote in the Great Britons list, he still has a massive visual presence, especially when travelling along the Great Western Main Line from London Paddington. His feats of engineering are everywhere

[@Suprahampton]

I loved Clarksons passion when he made his Brunel video

[@clintstewart5545]

britain build the world LOL

[@SiVlog1989]

@@clintstewart5545 there was some hyperbole behind what he said. In truth, most of the building he was referring to was in India

[@PortugalZeroworldcup]

James watt and George Stephenson too

[@SiVlog1989]

@@PortugalZeroworldcup in the case of Brunel, because of his Great Western Railway going from London to Bristol (initially), it led to an overhaul of how the nation told the time. Prior to the Railway from London arriving, Bristol was 11 minutes behind Greenwich (the legacy of which is on the clock of Bristol's Corn Exchange, which has two minute hands, one for Bristol time and one for British time), so the Railway contributed to Britain becoming the first nation to adopt a standard time zone

[@markkarasik2211]

It’s amazing that I learn so much more of history here than I ever got back in school! I never heard of this civilization advancing engineer. Truly ahead of his time!

[@altareggo]

Friends, family, inheritances, suck up to the warden, selling every last thing you own.... lots of ways!! Heartily agree with you that as a pretty lousy concept overall, however, it was pretty nuts.

[@tasinal-hassan8268]

He sure was advanced foe his time. He built the tunnel in such a way that the sun shone light through it on his birthday.

[@sweetmeme1987]

Forget about all the inventions and engineering, the commitment this man had to his photograph pose is what really inspires me. Great video as usual, I really hope you do one on Imelda Macros.

[@todddougherty9492]

Omnia Khalid, Real Muggin right there. Just straight pimp. OG dude. I can hear him as he looks at the camera to pose... “See my hat? You can’t see my hat. You ain’t here yet. “

[@sonofangron2969]

Just finished my MA at the university named after him. Walked by his statue every day. He certainly earned his fame and renown...

[@archstanton6102]

A long time ago I scored a rugby try against your 2nd team for Reading Uni. Congrats on passing your Ma.

[@darlac10155]

My 2nd Great Uncle, Captain Clooney was employed on the SS Great Eastern as a young man. He later had his own (Successful Ship building Company) in which he built Ships to serve the Gulf & Atlantic Ocean and was highly praised for his workmanship. Many years later he was presented with a piece of the Cable as a Souvenir which he Cherished the rest of his Life. He has an Island & a Street named in his Honor in Cajun Country. I talked to a relative that inherited it and he said he might donate it to the museum in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

[@kristinebenson6921]

I think my great grandfather was a passenger on the Great Eastern London to Adelaide. Have you any knowledge of a passenger list?

[@clivetucker7070]

Hi Simon, I'm delighted to see you make a video about this man, a true great in my humble opinion. His 'epic' middle name was actually quite a common thing in Victorian Britain, and indeed into the early 20th Century - children would often be baptised with their mother's maiden name, or even their grandmother's maiden name as their middle name, to preserve their memory in the family.

[@UATU.]

Had to click immediately just based on this guy’s epic name.

[@berylgilligan9287]

Allison his name is brilliant

[@frankcooke1692]

If he was Kanye West's son you'd just be like "...ugh".

[@jimmyp9105]

Sounds like a Harry Potter charecter

[@boota8881]

@@berylgilligan9287 who is named brilliant?

[@craigmonnox9326]

Same here

[@BrainsApplied]

*You know you made it when "Kingdom" is your middle name.*

[@scaparapadoobedoooo3170]

Kingdom is my first name and I have a pot to piss in but no window to throw it out of.

[@PaulRudd1941]

@@scaparapadoobedoooo3170 that is an amazing saying I might use it some day.

[@joshglover2370]

Right!? I love it! I'm changing mine ASAP! 😀

[@UnchainedAmerica]

Its his mother's maiden name.

[@martinwooder4174]

Funny walked over the Clifton suspension bridge yesterday

[@gamerzss]

Say hi to Funny from me :)

[@fcukugimmeausername]

I drove over that once or twice when I visited Bristol in 2016 :)

[@jamesfracasse8178]

Is it breath taken vista's from up there?

[@bikejoede]

A true genius! Unfortunately quite unknown outside Britain like here in Germany.

[@marcpeterson1092]

I am an American. I never heard of him, either.

[@TkKirklandReal]

He is known. They just don't wanna give him credit due to the fact that England doesn't have control of the main source of information anymore people will go under the radar. But he is most certainly known...especially by those who steal his work and those who pretend they don't know it.

[@lokischeissmessiah5749]

So which figures do Germans associate with the industrial revolution?

[@PortugalZeroworldcup]

Hence we have to be taught proper history 🇺🇲🇨🇵🇬🇧🇨🇦🇦🇺🇮🇹

[@PortugalZeroworldcup]

​@@lokischeissmessiah5749probably willem Röntgen, Karl Benz, ignaz Schwinn, August Schoenborn, Peter Henlein Some German people I know

[@jimmyp9105]

Those he had many many failures, those failures was a means to further progress. Daring to build a tunnel under Thames to building the largest ships that no thought possible. Where he failed, he gave future generations the means and inspiration to further build and improve on new and old ideas.

[@gotterdammerung6088]

Yeah dose was doose reawwy was

[@KarlHodgkinson-h2k]

The industrial revolution started in a small village called Calverton in Nottinghamshire William Lee

[@buckledcranium]

Would you consider doing a follow up episode on Isambard's father Marc Brunel?

[@edgelord8337]

Nobody expects the industrial revolution,

[@insertname1014]

edge lord Get the comfy cushions.

[@mordyrsvideodumpster5097]

and it's consequences

[@ThomasTrue]

When Brunel designed the GWR he really did throw away the rule book and start from scratch. He built the GWR to a broad gauge of 7 foot 1/4 inch between rails, which allowed for greater stability and faster running. And of course wider carriages. Had this become the Standard gauge instead of George Stephenson's 4 foot 8 1/2 inch, the railways of Britain, and most of the world, would be vastly superior today. As to the atmospheric railway, the principle was sound, it was just the materials which failed. If such a line was built today with modern materials impervious to corrosion and rats, it would be wholly successful.

[@Zonkotron]

I wholly agree on broad gauge. I disagree on the pneumatic railways. Pneumatics have an archilles heel routed in their fluid and thermodynamics. They will, like all compressed air power delivery, be always horribly inefficient. Even without any leakage at all. When going to the trouble of creating that much infrastructure, you may as well go electric. Brunel was -.however - too early to have a shot at this. When he died electricity was in the laboratory phase and roughly 20 years away from usefulness at high power delivery and 40 from universal commercial adoption...

[@ehrldawg]

Watching this vid was time well spent !!

[@jackdunne1462]

Dear Simon, plz make a bio about Werhner Von Braun. I’d love to see it in quarantine.

[@--enyo--]

Jack Dunne Best wishes! I hope you’re doing okay.

[@stephenwoods4118]

"Once the Rockets are up, who cares where they come down? That's not my department ", says Werhner Von Braun -- Tom Lehrer

[@crazybrit-nasafan]

I second that suggestion, though head over to the'Vintage space' channel on youtube. Amy Shira-Teitel does great info on everything spaceflight history.

[@diltzm]

@@stephenwoods4118 Call him a Nazi, he won't even frown "Ha, Nazi, Schmazi" says Wernher von Braun

[@EthelredHardrede-nz8yv]

@@stephenwoods4118 They killed more people, mostly enslaved Jews, making and launching the rockets, then the rockets killed in London. Ethelred Hardrede

[@stevenpdxedu]

Thank you Simon, fascinating as always.

[@anttrails9554]

Great insight as always. Love it

[@jeanatwood1421]

Ive always wondered how anyone got out of debtor's prison. They had to pay off their debt to get out and yet were not allowed to work to earn the money to do so. How did they get out?

[@Usammityduzntafraidofanythin]

Prostitution.

[@crazybrit-nasafan]

IF I remember from high school history (and that was MANY years ago) the person in debt was imprisoned for a set term and after the sentence was over his debt was considered paid. Please correct me if I am wrong though.

[@AttyDouro22]

It varied from country to country, indeed sometimes region to region. In some instances the manual labour paid the debt, in others they were expected to get outside help for paying it. Sometimes they'd serve a sentence then upon release be expected to pay the full debt instantly

[@jaysonfoor6498]

From what learned they had to beg for money or preform work within the prison. Prisoners where required to pay for their stay at the prison. Prisons went state run they where privet companies. The warden made his money off the prisoners.

[@Usammityduzntafraidofanythin]

@@jaysonfoor6498 Ancap prison, in other words

[@bertmeinders6758]

Thank you for emphasising his very high standard of personal morality. It's also worth noting that at the conclusion of each project he arranged a banquet for the workers, and not just for the directors.

[@shayd1984triton]

Do you have an episode on Cornelius Vanderbilt?

[@kevinrwhooley9439]

Hey Simon, for Geographics you should do Newgrange next. It's a massive Neolithic structure in Ireland that's older than the Pyramids (the oldest one being the Pyramid of Djoser at 2600 bc)and Stonehenge(3000bc) being built in 3200 bc. It has a door with a roof box above it that perfectly aligns with the sun on the Winter solstice and a roof so well made that it's still waterproof to this day. Archaeologists are baffled on how these people were able to build such a sophisticated structure before the advent of writing and the crane and how advanced their knowledge of the cosmos and the exact alignment of the sun was. Shows how skilled my ancestors were in construction techniques,lapidary design, mathematical calculations and astronomical observation. And for April fools day you should do a video on Nat Tate and for pride month you should do Judy Garland. Anyway great video, as always. Keep up the good work.

[@altareggo]

GREAT idea!! Its 100% certain that Ancient Aliens and rejects from the Lost Continent of Atlantis weren't involved, lol. It will be fascinating to hear the latest ideas regarding how this wonderful thing was built.

[@kevinrwhooley9439]

altareggo altareggo yeah, several times when I posted a comment saying that Newgrange is older than the pyramids I got some tin-foil wearing conspiracy theorist claiming that the pyramids are actually 10 thousand years old. I looked into this notion and it's mostly believed by the kind of guys who believe in Atlantis and ancient aliens. One moron even claimed that archaeology was a pseudoscience. Yes, because the respected branch of scholarly endeavours is entirely based on flimsy pseudoscience and Atlantis and ancient aliens are not.

[@altareggo]

@@kevinrwhooley9439 lol. Common sense is one of the rarest substances in existence!!

[@kevinrwhooley9439]

altareggo Your lips to Gods ears.

[@toddkurzbard]

You failed to mention that, on her trials, an explosion rocked the GREAT EASTERN, blowing off one of her funnels and damaging the ship. When informed of the catastrophe, the already ailing Brunel, finally couldn't take any more, and it was his end. Incidentally, the GREAT EASTERN's originally intended name was LEVIATHAN; after the prolonged difficulties of the launch (which had been repeatedly unsuccessful, only finally succeeding upon an exceedingly high tide one day), the efforts over time to launch her bankrupted the original company, and the new company decided NOT to send her to India, but across the Atlantic. That story is a tale itself (which included a mid-Atlantic "hurricane" that she BARELY survived and basically killed the ship's reputation even more, and her ending as essentially a 'giant billboard'). That photo of Brunel in front of the chains you show often, is in fact him at the original intended launch of the LEVIATHAN\GREAT EASTERN which turned into such a disaster.

[@jeross1951]

I love the Biographics series. Thank you so much for all of them!! Keep up the good work, Simon.

[@AlanCanon2222]

I'm from Kentucky (home of Nathan B. Stubblefield, early near-field wireless voice transmission pioneer, thank you very much!) and although Americans have invented some pretty cool things (working moon landers, okay, go USA!) anyone who ever cared about engineering in their life has to stand in awe of British Victorian engineering. I've only been to England once in my life, and have only stood inside one Kingdom Brunel object, but that object was Paddington Station, made of a million prefabricated iron lattice components and a hundred thousand panes of frosted glass. When it opened, it must have seemed the most futuristic, forward thinking monument to human transportation ever imagined. Like Space Station V in "2001: a Space Odyssey" a century later. I only got to visit England once but I visited the Porthcurno Telgraph Museum in Cornwall, Oxford, Cambridge, Bletchley Park, the Science Museum, and Paddington Station. If anyone British reads these words, may I just say, I "get you." The British mind never stops producing the simultaneously beautiful and practical. Thanks.

[@peterjames5682]

It is inspirational: pushing technology further. Respect to America

[@AlanCanon2222]

@@peterjames5682 "One day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back." There is so much to see, but I think if I ever get to return, the strong temptation will be just to go back and find every spot I visited before.

[@Turinnn1]

Simons videos are among the few I can listen to when my family can overhear them. Exept Business Blaze... I'll keep that to myself.

[@terenceconnors9627]

Found this one thanks to your Megaprojects video on the SS Great Eastern. Keep up the good work, mate.

[@Janeair41....]

Saw a biography documentary on this magnificent intellectual. And he's truly a engineering explorer, and genius.

[@omarroache1367]

Great one

[@jamesdowling9759]

I’ve been waiting for you to do this video!

[@melaniepalker9998]

Kudos to the writers on this one, great w Simon's delivery!

[@simonrancourt7834]

You DO NOT disappoint.

[@ethanramos4441]

“If we must have heroes and whereinto make them, there is no way so brilliant as a war with the wrong, no hero so fit to be sung, as he gained bloodless VICTORY of truth and mercy” Isambard Kingdom Brunel

[@choughed3072]

Great timing, just finished watching a time team episode on the great eastern. 👍

[@AL_THOMAS]

Brilliant video about a brilliant man. How on earth this only has 75,000 views is beyond me.

[@lo-fj1pc]

Can you please do Sitting Bull

[@timbrewin9241]

Also involved in the design of th Crystal Palace for the Great Exhibition of 1851, and the design and manufacture of field hospitals for the Crimean War in 1854.

[@RollingThunderModels]

3:43 your answer to that question is as simplistic as the question itself. Both claims: "No refugees ever contributed something to society" and "Thanks to refugees we got the industrial revolution" are way to simplified for the modern discussion surrounding immigration and refugees. I do like this channel a lot but please leave your political statements out of these great videos.

[@Audunforgard]

I first heard the name of Isambard Brunel mentioned in a song called "Rain, Steam, Speed" by the band The Men They`Couldn Hang when I was a teenager and thought, what a marvelously weird name.... Now that I can put it in further context--- That Isambard was a real unique piece of work!

[@ignitionfrn2223]

2:43 - I'm stealing that meme !!!

[@registeelix]

Can't wait for Simon's biography!

[@cuddlepaws4423]

Don't you mean beardography?

[@ottoillian8795]

Was the Great eastern used to the first traansatlantic telegraph cable ?

[@gravesclayton3604]

Yes, primarily because it was the only ship in existence that could carry the entire cable in essentially one length, coiled in the hull. Sadly, Brunel did did not live to see this amazing accomplishment himself.

[@mrsanity]

As a child of Bristol, I'm very familiar with his numerous works in the area. Just trying to imagine the gorge without the bridge is odd to me.

[@simonrancourt7834]

The Great Eastern inspired Jules Verne's novel "Une Ville Flottante" (A Floating City). The Bristol bridge was featured in an episode of the CBC series "Murdoch Mysteries" titled "The Murdoch Identify" (Season 3, episode 1).

[@kristinebenson6921]

Re Great Eastern which travelled to Australia with 4000 passengers. Is there a passengerlist? My great grandfather emigrated to Adelaide.

[@onkarkitekt]

Distracted by the lamp in the back that looks like A Rokit KRK 20 😏 Great content on the man who changed Britain

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank you

[@leightonmoreland]

The Elon Musk of his day? I'd like to point out Brunel actual got his hands dirty with design, produced over a hundred bridges both large and small, surveyed hundreds of miles of railway, designed ships that would not be exceeded in size for 30 years. Musk has some SEC violations, perpetually failed production goals, and a tunneling company that has yet to move any appreciable quantity of dirt but made a glorified weed burner they called a flamethrower. I'd also like to point out that Musk's hyperloop is just stealing brunel's idea for an atmospheric railway (not one of his better ideas but points for originality). Truly great engineers are the ones that make things happen

[@cv4809]

There are people who think that elon is gonna take us to Mars lol

[@leightonmoreland]

C V he might but it’ll only because he hired somebody to do it!

[@ShrimplyPibblesJr]

Someone please explain the gigantic chains behind him in the picture.

[@simonrancourt7834]

Please do a video on the building of the Canadian Pacific railway through the Rockies.

[@elainebmack]

What have refugees contribute to societies, one hell of a lot! I'm glad you said this. We all need to hear it.

[@sarahbaker7054]

Loved this episode, espically as Bristol is my home city 👍👍

[@themducksgottavote7983]

Man, that's a beautiful beard. It kinda reminds me of the Kids In The Hall skit; something something "The beard stays! You go!" Love love love love love

[@kaneda317]

Can you do a video on Arfa Karim please?

[@kphizzle9569]

I can literally see that bridge from where I'm sitting that's awesome

[@abditeshome8155]

Many Thanks🙏 for all your work and your team! KOFI ANNAN !! Please

[@steveN111333]

The name alone is epic ! To match his achievements !

[@Kafue]

Brilliant! As usual.

[@hourbee5535]

I read the title as 'islamabad kingdom brunei'

[@ottoillian8795]

I meant to ask was the Great Eastern was to lay the first transatlantic telegraph cable?

[@ofthecaribbean]

3:44; to be fair Simon, he was a European. Someone from a similar cultural and ethnic background. And he was an actual refugee, not some money hungry economic leech. To quote the meme, there sure were alot of scientists and doctors on those ships

[@golith41]

God I thought I was the only sane one left on the planet

[@toriladybird511]

Proud Portsmouth girl here nodding away!

[@timwilcox5158]

Thanks Simon, IKB is my absolute hero,

[@raleighburner1589]

What about Stephenson

[@ronfroehlich4697]

That refugee remark was astoundingly stupid and breathtakingly insensitive to the lower class people being negatively affected by the mass importation of third world labor.

[@scoe5908]

'A refugee from another European country contributed to Britain, therefore you must accept these people from Africa and the Middle East who you have little in common with. As an added bonus, many will hate you.'

[@aidanpysher2764]

For any Prog Rock fans here, I recommend listening to The Underfall Yard by Big Big Train. The entire 23 minute song is in reference to Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

[@dekkard]

3:34 - A Frenchman coming to England. You really want to compare this to Afghans or Syrians coming to Europe? 🤔

[@camrendavis6650]

Could you do a video on Osceola?

[@ShadowKingRPG]

16:54 Hey it's my hometown! The capital of Devon, pretty cool seeing an old picture of Exeter which I believe is still in city hall (the grey building on the left with the pillars outside). The city hall hasn't changed much in all these years =D

[@vcpr1933]

bladee reference

[@samuelbarber6177]

He got perhaps the greatest honour one could ever receive. A shopping centre named after him in Swindon.

[@CPUAlexis]

Simon, if you cultivate the moustache in the right way, you can grow a really badass WW1 moustache.

[@alexburt6995]

You should do one on Joseph Bazalgette.

[@thespectre717]

We actually have a statue of him here in Swindon

[@Alexanderthe_Ok]

Now we need a video on the guy who did set up the transatlantic steamer line: Samuel Cunard.

[@worldwideroach]

I’m surprised there was no mention of the guy responsible for the automated riveting machines used on the SS Great Eastern, Charles Babbage.

[@elainebmack]

Speaking of great engineers, would you do the story of John Roebling and the Brooklyn Bridge?

[@freddyroschmannporta689]

Hello, greetings from Chile, thank you for sharing this link., I work in my study on industrialization of the 19th century and I cover naval matters with characters such as coles, reed, hnos lairds, napiers and others., I would like to know if you have any mail to make them related questions, greetings and thanks.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:40 - Chapter 1 - Like Father, Like son 5:00 - Chapter 2 - Birth of an engineer 8:25 - Mid roll ads 9:50 - Chapter 3 - The age of steam 12:50 - Chapter 4 - The race for the atlantic 16:15 - Chapter 5 - Westward expansion 19:35 - Chapter 6 - The last dream

[@evocatimedia]

Please… DON’T ever compare the genius Brunel to E. Musk. Show respect for Brunel.

[@samuelbarber6177]

“What have refugees ever contributed to society? Maybe the Industrial Revolution.” I’m going to use that one day.

[@josephbischoff2469]

How about doing Frederick the Great?

[@jamiedalton2623]

If but a few of his competitors and descentors had been better placed to be his collaborators, or better willing, his legacy would be even even more magnificent . He was the ultimate visionary against bureaucracy of his time, and I salute him. We still suffer the same bureaucracy today. Joseph bazalgette is another of note that faced similar nonsense in the time of his need

[@timetraveltvniles7650]

I think we should all wear top hats like Brunel.

[@briandoss9232]

Dude was the freaking Victorian Rick Sanchez.

[@thesaltysith5915]

You’re making Keemstar’s beard sweat in anxious envy, mate.

[@michaelweech6432]

Isambard Kingdom Brunel (lived in the Victorian era, as implied by his appearance) was never seen without his Cuban cigar.

[@cassandraralph5906]

What an epic man, with an epic name, and who designed epic projects!

[@johnmaguire3328]

I am obviously a history buff (because I love your channels) and my all-time favorite author is David McCullough. Have you thought about doing a Biographics on him? His works have been the best reads of my life, Morning's on Horseback, Truman, The Path Between the Seas, The Great Bridge and more. I deeply admire him and would love to know more about him. Thanks & Regards, John

[@TheHoagie13]

I live in the Twin Cities, South Saint Paul, Minnesota. I'm less than 2mi from The Mississippi River, Whistler!!! I indeed DO see steamer-paddle boats plenty...

[@chalkiememe4183]

Can you do something on Marie Stopes.

[@andremetzler1715]

Thank you for the fascinating information about a great Victorian icon. Unfortunately not as well known outside of the UK.

[@droydi]

These music snippets are fine, but please do the mastering properly. Dont allow degradation of production quality. Keep up the good work.

[@stevenjlovelace]

15:55 "Titanic failure" I see what you did there.

[@jamesfracasse8178]

A forwarning of what was to come in 50 years time.

[@shebbs1]

The difference was the Great Eastern was innivative, the Titanic was just built to a price and operated by morons.

[@rolingk267]

Could you do Enver Hoxha?

[@LeePenn2492]

The Can Do Attitude. And Simon why you using KM ?? Its MILES PER HOUR IN UK

[@Doochos]

Maybe because it's for the vast majority of the world that uses metric?

[@EveTheGuardian]

I don't know if this is already in the pipeline, but as an American, I'd love to learn more about Henry the 8th. They don't teach much about him or any of the monarchs in Britain, Scotland, etc

[@elton1981]

Henry Viii and Hitler is basically all of High School history in the UK

[@EveTheGuardian]

@@elton1981 don't get me wrong, they're in there here, but Hitler is basically self-explanatory at this point and the only thing I learned about Henry viii is he had a ton of wives

[@--enyo--]

Could you do an episode on Joseph Bazalgette? Or a Geographics on the London sewers.