Brunel's Team

Brunel's Team

Brunel with team members and contractors watch efforts to launch the Great Eastern - November 1857.

Chris Haseltine very kindly offers the following information:

In George Emmerson's book (S.S. Great Eastern), Patrick Beaver's book (The Big Ship: Brunel's Great Eastern - A Pictorial History), and James Dugan's book (The Great Iron Ship), the man on the far left is listed as Scott Russell. Emmerson also says that this is the only picture where Russell and Brunel appeared together. Also, the man on the far right is referred to as Lord Derby by both Dugan and Beaver.

So, from the left we have: Scott Russell, Wm.. Jacomb (IKB chief assistant), Brunel himself, Lord Derby.

The Learning Organisation

Did these guys ever read a book on Team Development? They had no E-Mail, computer-aided design or project planning support systems. They had no management development programmes to attend. They did not have to worry about ISO 9000 certification or the implications of the Health and Safety at Work Act. But they did have to worry about

winning the Great Eastern contract
exceeding their budget
running out of funds for project completion
making a loss and company liquidation
the law of property (getting access to the unfinished ship when a dispute arises with the shipyard contractor)
having to satisfy the shareholders
public relations and the media - the launch turns into a media event
personal stress - smoking and overwork are seriously affecting Brunel's health
the unethical behaviour of individuals within the team e.g. Russell allegedly moving Great Eastern money into his own pet projects.

Out-sourcing in 1857

Isambard had problems with one contractor in particular.

The Great Eastern Company, contrary to Brunel's wishes appointed John Scott Russell as second contract engineer. he build the ship at his boatyard at Millwall, Isle of Dogs. Brunel was furious about this forced association. He had an extremely low opinion of Russell's expertise and unethical behaviour. To be required to collaborate with Russell was almost too much to bear. Brunel had been already been vilified by the press whilst Russell took credit for work that Isambard had done!

Russell, it is alleged, managed his side of the project extremely badly, soaking up funds in other parts of his business before much of the work on the Great Eastern was completed. He moonlighted on other contracts using Great Eastern equipment and funds. Towards the end of the project when Russell's mal- or mis-practice was uncovered, Brunel was denied access to drawings and equipment stored in Russell's yard office. Isambard worked unstintingly to rescue the mess that the Russell fiasco had plunged the Great Eastern project into.