Cumberland was born in
London,
England, and grew up in
Rathmines,
Dublin, where his father was employed at
Dublin Castle. His mother died there. The family returned to London in the mid-1830s, where he studied at
King's College School and apprenticed as a
civil engineer. Starting in 1843, he was employed with the engineering department of the
British Admiralty, working on the construction of
dry docks and fortifications. ) In 1845, Cumberland married Wilmot Mary Bramley, whose sisters had married prominent men in the city of
Toronto, and he came to that city with his wife in 1847. He worked there as a surveyor and as an engineer for the united counties of
York and
Peel. In partnership with architect
Thomas Ridout, he designed the
Cathedral Church of St. James and School, the York County Court House, and a post office. Later, with
William George Storm, Cumberland designed other important public buildings in Toronto. At the
University of Toronto, he designed
University College, the
Provincial Magnetic Observatory (1853–55) and the Director's Residence (1858; demolished in 1901), as well as major additions and reconstruction of the Centre Block (1856–59) of the
Osgoode Hall law courts. Cumberland designed residences for prominent people living in Toronto. He also designed the Queen Street Wesleyan Chapel (1856), which was demolished c. 1980. He built several public buildings in
Hamilton. During the 1850s, Cumberland became involved in railway management at the Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Railroad Union Company (later the
Northern Railway Company), as well as other railway and related companies of the time. From 1868, Cumberland served as a director of the Rama Timber Transport Company. As was common at the time, he used railway money to gain the support of Members of Parliament and to help elect candidates favourable to their cause. After Cumberland's death, the Northern Railway Company was absorbed by the
Grand Trunk Railway. He was also director of a number of banks and a member of the
Toronto Board of Education. Cumberland helped establish a new battalion in the local militia during the 1860s. He was a member of the senate of the University of Toronto. He was also a
freemason, becoming deputy grand master for the Toronto district. He died in Toronto in 1881. == Notable works ==