Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Architect with the Board of Public Works, Dublin. Charles Henry Brien, a son of Charles(1) and Emily (née White), of Dublin, was born in 1832 and christened at the church of St Michael the Archangel, Dublin, on 4 June 1833. He entered the employment of the Board of Works as a third class clerk on 18 December 1846.(2) He remained in this position until at least 1863 but had moved to the Secretary's Department by 1874. At a meeting of civil servants in October 1875, he was presented with a testimonial in recognition of his efforts to improve the condition of workers in the service.(3) By 1883 he no longer appears on the list of the Board's staff in the directories.

Brien was the author of several papers on architectural and geological matters read to the RIAI, AAI and Civil Service Literary Society. He appears to have died in 1899, survived by his widow, Victoria, and at least one son and daughter.(4)

AAI: present at inaugural meeting, 13 October 1872;(5) auditor, 1873; committee member, 1874-1875, 1876-77.(6)
RIAI: student, 14 December 1864;(7) appointed assistant secretary after resignation of JOHN JOSEPH LYONS  JOHN JOSEPH LYONS in January 1865(8) and held post until 1874; associate, <=1868;(9) not on list of members for 1898.
RSAI: elected member 1890;(10) name removed from roll, 1896.(11)
Civil Service Literary Society: elected committee member 1869;(12) auditor, 1874.
Royal Geological Society of Ireland: elected fellow, 14 February 1868.(13)

Addresses: 54 South Richmond Street, <=1863 until >=1890; 4 Palmerston Pk, Rathmines, <=1896-1899.

See BIBLIOGRAPHY. BIBLIOGRAPHY.



References

All information in this entry not otherwise attributed is from Thom's and Post Office directories.

(1) A tallow-chandler named Charles Brien is recorded at 6 High Street, Dublin, in Pettigrew & Oulton's Dublin Almanac for 1841.
(2) OPW records (Jones file B150).
(3) IB 17, 1 Nov 1875, 307.
(4) In the Post Office Dublin Directory for 1900 only a Mrs Brien and a C. Arthur Brien are recorded as occupying 4 Palmerston Park.  In the 1901 census Victoria Brien is described as a widow, living with her son, Charles A., and her daughter, Marjory.
(5) IB 14, 15 Oct 1872, 280.
(6) IB 18, 1 Dec 1876, 339.
(7) RIAI Council minutes, 7 Dec 1864, and General Meeting minutes, 14 Dec 1864.
(8) RIAI Council minutes, 25 Jan 1865, and General Meeting minutes, 25 Jan 1865.
(9) IB 10, 1 Jun 1868, 134.
(10) JRSAI 24 (1894), list of members.
(11) JRSAI 26 (1896), 88.
(12) IB 11, 15 Sep 1869, 216.
(13) IB 10, 15 Feb 1868, 47.


Author Title Date Details
Brien, Charles Henry 'The distribution of Granite in Ireland' 1866 DB 8, 15 Mar 1866, 69; RIAI Sessional Papers 1863-4 to 1869-70, 40-43. (Paper read to RIAI, 1 Feb 1866.)
Brien, Charles Henry 'The Civil Service' 1867 IB 9, 1 Jun 1867,131. (Paper read to Civil Service Literary Society, 13 May 1867.)
Brien, Charles Henry 'Some relations of architecture to the physical sciences' 1867 IB 9, 15 Jun 1867, 145; RIAI Sessional Papers 1863-4 to 1869-70, 25-30. (Paper read to RIAI Association of Architectural Study, 3 Jun 1867.)
Brien, Charles Henry 'The history of architecture as a department of popular study' 1868 IB 10, 1,15 Jun 1866, 134-135,147-149. (Paper read to Civil Service Literary Society, 22 May 1868.)
Brien, Charles Henry 'Scientific theories of harmony & contrast as applied to furniture & dress' 1868 IB 11, 1 Jan 1869, 6. (Paper read to Civil Service Literary Society, 14 Dec 1868.)
Brien, Charles Henry Co-operation in the Civil Service 1873 Dublin: Irish Builder, 1873. (Reviewed in IB 15, 15 Jul 1873, 193.)
Brien, Charles Henry 'Coloured decoration' 1873 IB 15, 1,15 Mar 1873, 70,83; B 31, 15 Mar 1873, 200. (Paper read to AAI, 27 Feb 1873.)
Brien, Charles Henry 'Technical education' 1874 IB 32, 1 May 1874, 402. (Paper read to AAI, 23 Apr 1874.)
Brien, Charles Henry 'Two Cathedrals - Canterbury and Amiens' 1876 IB 18, 1 May 1876, 130. (Paper read to AAI, 27 Apr 1876.)
Brien, Charles Henry 'The National Monuments of Ireland' 1877 IB 19, 15 May,1 Jun 1877, 140,157. (Paper read to AAI, 3 May 1877.)