Country of registration:
Shipbuilder: William Patterson
Build location: Bristol
Build year: 1843
Built for: Great Western SS Co
SS Great Britain was built in drydock in 1843 by the Great Western SS Co., Bristol for their own company, she was a 3,270 gross ton ship, length 289ft x beam 50ft, clipper stem, one funnel, six masts (rigged for sail), iron construction, single screw and a speed of 9 knots. There was passenger accommodation for 360-1st class only. Floated on 19 July 1843, she sailed from Liverpool on her maiden voyage to New York on 26 July 1845 (arr.10 August, dep. 30 August). She arrived back at Liverpool on 15 September 1845. In 1846 she was fitted with bilge keels to minimise rolling, her six-bladed propellors replaced by four-bladed ones and her masts reduced to five. On 9 May 1846 she commenced her first voyage after alterations when she left Liverpool for New York. On 22 September 1846 she started on her fifth voyage but grounded in Dundrum Bay, Co Down, Ireland and was not salvaged until August 1847 when she was towed to Liverpool. In December 1850 she was sold to Gibbs, Bright & Co., reconditioned, fitted with new engines, two funnels athwartships, four masts and accommodation for 50-1st and 680-3rd class passengers. She started a single round voyage between Liverpool and New York on 1 May 1852 and on 18 August 1852 commenced sailings between Liverpool and Australia. On 28 July 1858 she made another single Liverpool - New York sailing and in February 1876 was laid up at Birkenhead at the conclusion of her 32nd round voyage to Australia.