Location: Falls area, West Belfast
Established: c. 1890s
Etymology: Likely named after Thomas Brassey, 19th-century railway magnate
Theme: Industrial pioneers / Victorian establishment
Brassey Street is a small residential street situated off Roden Street, linking to Selby Street in the Falls area of West Belfast. It first appears in Belfast records in the mid-1890s, as part of the city’s westward expansion during a period of intense urban and industrial growth. Housing in this area was primarily constructed for working-class families employed in local mills, foundries, and linen warehouses.
The street features in the 1901 and 1911 census returns and was listed in directories from the early 20th century, confirming its role in Belfast’s densely built-up labouring districts.
Brassey Street almost certainly takes its name from the Brassey family, most likely Thomas Brassey (1805–1870) – one of the most prominent railway builders of the Victorian era. At the height of his career, Brassey was responsible for constructing over 6,500 km of railway worldwide – about one in every 20 miles of rail on the planet at that time. He was celebrated as a symbol of engineering achievement and industrial modernity.
His son, Thomas Brassey, 1st Earl Brassey, was also a prominent figure in British public life and served as Governor of Victoria (Australia) from 1895–1900 – around the same time the street was likely laid out.
While Belfast Corporation records from this period do not always document naming decisions in detail, it is widely believed that Brassey Street was named in tribute to this iconic engineer or his influential family, reflecting Belfast’s admiration for industrial advancement and progress.
Brassey Street fits a wider naming convention common in late 19th-century West Belfast, where streets were often named after:
Military figures and campaigns – e.g. Raglan Street, Buller Street, Sevastopol Street
Imperial cities – e.g. Odessa Street, Bombay Street, Ceylon Street
Royalty and aristocracy – e.g. Balmoral Street, Windsor Street, Roden Street
The choice of "Brassey" aligns with this trend, evoking the prestige of the British Empire, industrial innovation, and the Victorian establishment. In this context, the name stood as a quiet tribute to one of the great engineers of the 19th century, and to the spirit of enterprise that shaped Belfast’s own industrial success.
Northern Ireland Place-Name Project
Belfast Street Directories (1896–1943)
1901 & 1911 Census of Ireland
Biographies of Thomas Brassey and the Brassey family
Street name patterns in the Falls area