Ss Great Eastern Collection

Isambard Kingdom Brunel Standing Before the Launching Chains of the Great Eastern, 1857, printed 1863-64

ISAMBARD KINGDOM BRUNEL (1806-1859). English engineer. Brunel before the Great Eastern steamships braking drum chains, which lowered the ship from the slip for launching: photograph, 1857

Launch of SS Great Eastern, 1857
Album of photographs relating to the construction of SS Great Eastern. Black & white photograph, features IK Brunel, Henry Wakefield, J. Scott Russell and Lord Derby

The launch of the SS Great Eastern in 1858
3083201 The launch of the SS Great Eastern in 1858.; Private Collection; (add.info.: From The Century Edition of Cassell's History of England, published c. 1900).

Captain William Harrison, Commander of the "Great Eastern" Steam-ship, 1858. Creator: Unknown
Captain William Harrison, Commander of the "Great Eastern" Steam-ship, 1858. Engraving from a portrait taken by Mr

The Arrival of the "Great Eastern" at New York - from a sketch taken on the Jersey side by E. Hall, 1860. A correspondent of the Times aboard Brunel's steamship wrote

Progress of the Great Ship, building at Millwall, for the Eastern Steam Navigation Company, 1856. Creator: Unknown
Progress of the Great Ship, building at Millwall, for the Eastern Steam Navigation Company, 1856. Scene by the River Thames in London: Brunel's SS Great Eastern, an iron sail-powered

Photograph: Scrapping of the SS Great Eastern, c1889-1890
Gelatine dry plate glass negative photographs showing the scrapping of the SS Great Eastern in 1889-1890 at Rock Ferry on the River Mersey, by Henry Bath and Son

The Great Eastern - Named The Leviathan
Coloured print showing the Great Eastern at sea with smaller vessels in the foreground. Titled: The Great Eastern - Named The Leviathan, 3 November 1857

Great Eastern, London Illustrated News, 16 January 1858
Newspaper sheet from the London Illustrated News of 16 January 1858. Full page engraving titled The Progress of Steam Navigation

Isambard Kingdom Brunel sketch: Cross-section of a steamship with paddle wheels, possibly the Great Eastern, c1854
Sketch by IK Brunel. Cross-section of a steamship with paddle wheels, possibly the Great Eastern. Also a plan of the shape of the ship; details of the engine; and a cross section. c1854

SS Great Eastern, lower sectional plan
Large scale colour engraved sectional plan of the SS Great Eastern, lower sectional plan. Scale 1/8 to 1 foot. Print shows, in colour

Longitudinal cross section of SS Great Eastern, Leviathan, Steamship, 19th Century
Vintage illustration of Longitudinal cross section of SS Great Eastern, Leviathan, Steamship 19th Century. An iron sailing steamship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and built by J

The Great Eastern, 1860: The Vessel leaving Southampton on her First Voyage, June 17, (1901). The SS Great Eastern was an iron sailing steamship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel with John Scott

Vaisseau a vapeur, steamship the Great Eastern
Coloured print showing the Great Eastern at sea with smaller vessels surrounding her. View of the starboard side. Titled: Vaisseau a vapeur the Great Eastern

The Great Eastern
Coloured print showing the Great Eastern at sea with smaller vessels surrounding her. View from the aft starboard side, some sails set and smoke coming from funnels

SS Great Eastern in unnamed harbour
Photograph of the SS Great Eastern moored in unnamed harbour. Building in foreground, vessels in midground and the Great Eastern in the background

SS Great Eastern, spar deck
Large scale colour engraved sectional plans of SS Great Eastern, spar deck. Scale 1/8 to 1 foot. Print shows the Great Eastern from above looking down on her top deck

SS Great Eastern, longitudinal section
Large scale colour engraved sectional plans of SS Great Eastern, longitudinal section. Scale 1/8 to 1 foot. Print shows a profile cross-section of the Great Eastern giving the viewer a look at

Isambard Kingdom Brunel newspaper obituary, 1859
Newspaper cutting of the obituary for I.K. Brunel, published in the Illustrated London News. This clipping features an engraving of I. K

The transatlantic telegraph cable unwinding unit aboard the S. S
2619109 The transatlantic telegraph cable unwinding unit aboard the S.S. Great Eastern, 1865, from Les Merveilles de la Science, published c.1870 (engraving) by French School

Les Derniers Jours Du Great-Eastern (engraving)
2789066 Les Derniers Jours Du Great-Eastern (engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Les Derniers Jours Du Great-Eastern)

The Great Eastern, pub. C. 1859 (hand coloured engraving)
2909724 The Great Eastern, pub. C. 1859 (hand coloured engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: designed by Isamabard Kingdom Brunel (1806 - 18590)

The Great Eastern Polka, composed by Charles Coote Junior, sheet music cover (litho)
6030607 The Great Eastern Polka, composed by Charles Coote Junior, sheet music cover (litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Great Eastern Polka)

Le Great Eastern Entrant Dans Le Port De New-York (engraving)
2789299 Le Great Eastern Entrant Dans Le Port De New-York (engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Le Great Eastern Entrant Dans Le Port De New-York)

A £1 share certificate issued by The Great Ship Company Limited (engraving)
733813 A £ 1 share certificate issued by The Great Ship Company Limited (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Portrait of Isambard Kingdom Brunel by the launching chains of the SS Great Eastern
2636890 Portrait of Isambard Kingdom Brunel by the launching chains of the SS Great Eastern, 1857 (photo) by Howlett, Robert (1831-58); Private Collection; (add.info)

The progress of science in the Victorian era (photogravure)
6030874 The progress of science in the Victorian era (photogravure) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The progress of science in the Victorian era)

SS Great Eastern (Leviathan), iron sailing steamship
Vintage illustration of SS Great Eastern, 1850s, 19th Century. SS Great Eastern was an iron sailing steamship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel

The Atlantic Telegraph, [1866]. Creator: Robert Charles Dudley
The Atlantic Telegraph, [1866]

Men at Work Beside the Launching Chains of the Great Eastern, November 18
Men at Work Beside the Launching Chains of the " Great Eastern", November 18, 1857

The Atlantic Telegraph Cable Fleet Assembled at Berehaven (Southwest Coast of Ireland): Ships, the Great Eastern, H.M.S. Terrible, the Alby, the Medway and the William Cory, 1866

Telegraph Cable Fleet at Sea, 1865, 1865-66. Creator: Robert Charles Dudley
Telegraph Cable Fleet at Sea, 1865, 1865-66

View Looking Aft from the Port Paddle-box on the Deck of the Great Eastern... 1865-66
View Looking Aft from the Port Paddle-box on the Deck of the Great Eastern: Showing the Trough for the Cable, etc. 1865-66

In the Bows of the Great Eastern: The Cable Broken and Lost, Preparing to Grapple, August 2nd, 1865, 1865

Coiling the Cable in the After-tank on Board the Great Eastern at Sheerness: Visit of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales on May 23rd, 1865, 1865-66

The Old Frigate Iris with Her Freight of Cable Alongside the Great Eastern at Sheerness: The Cable Passed from the Hulk to the Great Eastern, 1865

Splicing the Cable (after the First Accident) on Board the Great Eastern, July 25th, 1865, 1865-66

Forward Deck of the Great Eastern Cleared for the First Attempt to Grapple... 1865-66
Forward Deck of the Great Eastern Cleared for the First Attempt to Grapple for the Lost Cable, August 11th, 1865, 1865-66

The Forge on Deck, Night of August 9th: Preparing the Iron Plating for Capstan, 1865-66

The Paying-out Machinery in the Stern of the Great Eastern, 1865

Getting Out One of the Large Buoys for Launching, August 2nd, 1865, 1865

Interior of One of the Tanks on Board the Great Eastern: The Cable Passing Out, 1865-66

Launching the Buoy from the Bow of the Great Eastern on August 8th, 1865, 1865-66

Getting Out One of the Great Buoys: The Deck of the Great Eastern Looking From the Forecastle, 1865-66

View of the Interior of One of the Tanks on Board the Great Eastern, 1865-66

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The SS Great Eastern, a monumental feat of engineering, stands as a testament to the brilliance of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. In 1857, amidst great anticipation and excitement, Brunel stood before the launching chains of this magnificent vessel. As an English engineer renowned for his innovative designs, he had poured his heart and soul into creating this marvel. With its launch in 1857, the SS Great Eastern became a symbol of progress and ingenuity. This colossal steamship was like no other; it dwarfed all others with its sheer size and power. The London Illustrated News captured this historic moment beautifully in their depiction of the grand event. Named "The Leviathan, " the Great Eastern embarked on her maiden voyage from Southampton on June 17th, 1860. Crowds gathered to witness this spectacle as she set sail towards new horizons. It was a sight that left people awestruck - a true testament to human achievement. However, time took its toll on this mighty vessel. By the late 19th century, photographs showed her being scrapped piece by piece - a bittersweet end for such an iconic ship. Yet even in her demise, she remained etched in history as one of Brunel's greatest creations. A longitudinal cross-section sketch reveals the intricate inner workings of the Great Eastern - paddle wheels churning tirelessly beneath decks filled with passengers seeking adventure or fortune across vast oceans. This steamship truly embodied progress during an era defined by innovation and exploration. Isambard Kingdom Brunel's vision lives on through sketches like these; they offer glimpses into his genius mind at work designing vessels that pushed boundaries and defied expectations. Today we remember the SS Great Eastern not only for its remarkable size but also for what it represented – ambition realized against all odds.