Isambard Kingdom Brunel to design Brunel Manor and its gardens to be his country home. He never saw the house or gardens finished, as he died before it was completed. Brunel, a heavy smoker, who had been diagnosed with Bright's disease (nephritis), suffered a stroke on 5 September 1859, just before the "Great Eastern" made her first voyage to New York. He died ten days later at the age of 53 and was buried, like his father, in Kensal Green Cemetery in London. He left behind his wife Mary and three children: Isambard Brunel Junior (1837–1902), Henry Marc Brunel (1842–1903) and Florence Mary
Sam FM (Swindon) awarded the licence, it was renamed as Brunel FM after Isambard Kingdom Brunel, chief engineer of the railway which had converted Swindon from a small village to a large town. Brunel was also the previous name for AM station Classic Gold Radio (now DAB station Gold) when Wiltshire Radio / GWR-FM (now Heart Wiltshire) launched on FM. However, Brunel FM and Brunel Radio / Brunel Classic Gold did not have any connection other than their name and studio location. Brunel FM launched at 10am on 2 September 2006, and remained under control of The Local Radio Company until its sale