SS Great Britain

Q: What does SS stand for in SS Great Britain?

SS before a ship name, like SS Great Britain, denotes the vessel as a steamship, that is powered by steam engines and not exclusively sail.

Q: Why is the SS Great Britain so famous?

The SS Great Britain is so famous because it was the largest passenger ship ever built at the time and the first large iron steamship to cross the Atlantic, which it did in May 1845.

Q: Why was the SS Great Britain sunk?

The SS Great Britain ran aground in Ireland by accident in 1846 and was wrecked off the Falkland Islands in 1886. The ship remained above the waterline but was sunk in 1936. It was raised again in 1970, towed to Bristol, and restored.

Q: What was innovative about the SS Great Britain?

The SS Great Britain had an innovative design because it combined a double iron hull with steam engines powering a propellor. It was also revolutionary because of its great size.

Mark Cartwright

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Definition

The SS Great Britain was a steam-powered ship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859) which sailed on its maiden voyage from Liverpool to New York in May 1845. It was the largest passenger ship in the world at the time and showed that giant metal steamships were faster and more energy-efficient than smaller wooden vessels.

More about: SS Great Britain

Timeline

19 Jul 1843
Isambard Kingdom Brunel's steamship SS Great Britain is officially launched at Bristol.
19 Jul 1843
The *SS Great Britain*, the most technologically advanced passenger steamship of its day, is launched from Bristol, England as the largest ocean-going vessel built up to that time with a steel hull and screw propeller, a length of 322 feet (98m) and a displacement of 3,400 tons, able to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 14 days. Scuttled in 1937, she was later raised and is now a tourist attraction in Bristol Harbour.
May 1845
The steamship SS Great Britain completes its maiden voyage from Liverpool to New York.
Sep 1846
The steamship SS Great Britain runs aground in Dundrum Bay on the northeast coast of Ireland.
Dec 1851
The Great Western Steamship Company sells the steamship SS Great Britain to Gibbs, Bright & Company.
1886
The SS Great Britain is wrecked off the Falkland Islands.
1970
The SS Great Britain is towed from the Falkland Islands to Bristol for restoration.