William Bragge
Encyclopedia
William Bragge, F.S.A., F.G.S., (31 May 1823 – 6 June 1884) was a civil engineer
, antiquarian, and author. He established a museum and art gallery. He was notable in his day for collecting a library containing the entire literature on tobacco
. The collection contained tobacco information in all its forms, almost all languages, with pamphlets, engravings, and other publications filling 17 large volumes. In the English language
, the two oldest bibliographies
on books are Bragge's original and revised volumes on tobacco.
. His father, Thomas Perry Bragge, was a jeweller. His brother, Joseph, was six years younger. Bragge studied mechanics and mathematics in Birmingham, practical engineering with two firms in Birmingham, and trained as an engineer and railway surveyor.
to Holyhead
railroad line.
With a recommendation from Sir Charles Fox
, Bragge, representing Edward T. Belhouse & Co. of Manchester
, was sent to Brazil
where he worked on the project to light Rio de Janeiro
with gas, as well as surveying the first railway in Brazil. For his fine work, Bragge received distinctions from the emperor Don Pedro, including the Order of the Rose
. Bragge built the first line that was hauled by the locomotive, La Porteña, on the Ferrocarril Oeste de Buenos Aires
. In addition, he built gas and waterworks for the city of Buenos Aires
. He was a founder of Argentina's Primitiva de Gas Company.
Bragge returned to England in 1858 and, in Sheffield
from 1858–1872, was a managing director of John Brown & Company
. In 1870, he became Master Cutler
of Sheffield. He established an armour-plate manufactory in Sheffield as well.
In 1872, Bragge went to Paris and was unsuccessful in developing a sewage system for Société des Engrais. Upon his return to Birmingham in 1876, he established a watch-making factory.
His memberships include:
.
Bragge donated his collected items to the Birmingham Free Library, including his 1500 volume Cervantes collection in 1873 and study of tobacco collection. The fire of 1879 destroyed many of the items. He collected gems and precious stones from all over Europe, as well as 13,000 pipes, hundreds of types of tobacco, and snuff-boxes. In 1880, Bragge published a revised bibliography on the subject of tobacco, Bibliotheca nicotiana, amounting to 248 quarto
pages.
His descendents include a daughter, Mrs. W.H. Haywood, who presented to the Birmingham Central Reference Library, Language and Literature Department, a marble profile medallion portrait of her father at age 42, sculpted by Edward William Wyon in 1865. He had two sons, Charles Bragge (b. Chester, Cheshire), and Frank Bragge (b. Sheffield).
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
, antiquarian, and author. He established a museum and art gallery. He was notable in his day for collecting a library containing the entire literature on tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
. The collection contained tobacco information in all its forms, almost all languages, with pamphlets, engravings, and other publications filling 17 large volumes. In the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, the two oldest bibliographies
Bibliography
Bibliography , as a practice, is the academic study of books as physical, cultural objects; in this sense, it is also known as bibliology...
on books are Bragge's original and revised volumes on tobacco.
Early life
Bragge was born in BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. His father, Thomas Perry Bragge, was a jeweller. His brother, Joseph, was six years younger. Bragge studied mechanics and mathematics in Birmingham, practical engineering with two firms in Birmingham, and trained as an engineer and railway surveyor.
Career
He began his career in 1845 as a civil engineer and began railway surveying, first as an assistant engineer, later as Chief Mechanical Engineer with the Birkenhead Railway for a portion of the ChesterChester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
to Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
railroad line.
With a recommendation from Sir Charles Fox
Sir Charles Fox
Sir Charles Fox was an English civil engineer and contractor. His work focused on railways, railway stations and bridges.-Biography:...
, Bragge, representing Edward T. Belhouse & Co. of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, was sent to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
where he worked on the project to light Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
with gas, as well as surveying the first railway in Brazil. For his fine work, Bragge received distinctions from the emperor Don Pedro, including the Order of the Rose
Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis
The Ancient and Mystical Order Rosæ Crucis , also called Rosicrucian Order, is a philosophical and humanist worldwide fraternal organization. Members are known as students...
. Bragge built the first line that was hauled by the locomotive, La Porteña, on the Ferrocarril Oeste de Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires Western Railway
The Buenos Aires Western Railway was one of the Big Four broad gauge British-owned companies that built and operated railway networks in Argentina...
. In addition, he built gas and waterworks for the city of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. He was a founder of Argentina's Primitiva de Gas Company.
Bragge returned to England in 1858 and, in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
from 1858–1872, was a managing director of John Brown & Company
John Brown & Company
John Brown and Company of Clydebank was a pre-eminent Scottish marine engineering and shipbuilding firm, responsible for building many notable and world-famous ships, such as the , the , the , the , the , and the...
. In 1870, he became Master Cutler
Master Cutler
The Master Cutler is the head of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire established in 1624. Their role is to act as an ambassador of industry in Sheffield, England. The Master Cutler is elected by the freemen of the company on the first Monday of September of each year and the position taken in the...
of Sheffield. He established an armour-plate manufactory in Sheffield as well.
In 1872, Bragge went to Paris and was unsuccessful in developing a sewage system for Société des Engrais. Upon his return to Birmingham in 1876, he established a watch-making factory.
His memberships include:
- Free Libraries Committee
- School of Art
- Fellow, Society of Antiquaries
- Fellow, Anthropological Society
- Fellow, Royal Geographical Society
Antiquarian
In addition to South America, Bragge's travels took him to Russia and Bragge was a frequent visitor to Spain where he developed an interest in its literature, including that of Miguel de CervantesMiguel de Cervantes
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was a Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright. His magnum opus, Don Quixote, considered the first modern novel, is a classic of Western literature, and is regarded amongst the best works of fiction ever written...
.
Bragge donated his collected items to the Birmingham Free Library, including his 1500 volume Cervantes collection in 1873 and study of tobacco collection. The fire of 1879 destroyed many of the items. He collected gems and precious stones from all over Europe, as well as 13,000 pipes, hundreds of types of tobacco, and snuff-boxes. In 1880, Bragge published a revised bibliography on the subject of tobacco, Bibliotheca nicotiana, amounting to 248 quarto
Quarto
Quarto could refer to:* Quarto, a size or format of a book in which four leaves of a book are created from a standard size sheet of paper* For specific information about quarto texts of William Shakespeare's works, see:...
pages.
Later years
Bragge lived for a time on Shirle Hill, Birmingham. His wife, a sister of Rev. George Beddow, preceded him in death Bragge was blind for a period before his death at Clarendon House, Handsworth, Birmingham.His descendents include a daughter, Mrs. W.H. Haywood, who presented to the Birmingham Central Reference Library, Language and Literature Department, a marble profile medallion portrait of her father at age 42, sculpted by Edward William Wyon in 1865. He had two sons, Charles Bragge (b. Chester, Cheshire), and Frank Bragge (b. Sheffield).