Watercolour artist, sketcher and civil engineer, was born on 18 August 1828 near Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ireland. Initially trained as a field surveyor and draughtsman in 1842-44 under his father, a surveyor on the Title Commutation Survey in England. In October 1844 Brady was employed by Charles B. Vignoles, who was a president of the Institute of Civil Engineers. Brady worked on railway surveys in Kent and Lincolnshire, then on the construction of the ‘Little’ North Western Railway from Skipton to Lancaster, with its branch lines that included extensive docks at the seaport, and two large masonry viaducts. Brady served as Assistant Engineer with Resident Engineer Richard Smallman and Engineer John Watson, both members Institute of Civil Engineers. He emigrated to Melbourne in 1850 completing several watercolours during the voyage. Shortly afterwards Brady moved to Sydney there to become a draughtsman and assistant engineer with the newly formed Sydney Railway Company. He resigned at the beginning of 1851 and left for Melbourne where he carried out surveys and prepared drawings for the Yan Yean water supply scheme under the city surveyor and architect, James Blackburn. Two of Brady’s watercolour sketches, Bonney, a Port Phillip Black (1850) and Melbourne from the Yarra 1851 (Mitchell Library), were drawn during in time in Melbourne.
Brady returned to Sydney as assistant engineer with the railway company at the end of July 1851 and worked on the Sydney-Parramatta and Sydney-Mittagong lines. He resigned in 1857 and returned to Victoria where he was engineer to the Sandhurst (Bendigo) Waterworks (1858-63). He worked on both water supply schemes and railway projects for Victoria, then went to Queensland where he became engineer to the Brisbane Board of Water Works and manager in charge of constructing the Brisbane-Dalby railway line. Back at Victoria in 1869 Brady continued to be involved in major civil engineering works, especially as engineer to the new Melbourne Harbour Trust (1877-91). He died on 8 July 1908 at his home, Allawah, Staniland Grove, Elsternwick. At Sydney in 1854 he had married Adelaide Sarah, the daughter of Henry Keck, governor of Darlinghurst Gaol; they had seven (surviving) children.
- Writers:
- Staff Writer
Gavanp
- Date written:
- 1992
- Last updated:
- 2025
