Maritime Gallery

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.
View of the starboard side of the Great Eastern, with the ship on land (the tide is out). A rope or chain runs from the bow of the ship out of shot on the right hand side of the image, with another dropping down onto the land from one of the anchor holes. A small boat or barge is visible, and next to that a ladder. Another boat or barge is just visible at the stern. The hull is intact up to the water line, and in substantial areas above that. In the middle of the ship, surrounded by scaffolding or the remains of the decks, is either the remains of the funnel or mast. Towards the stern there appears to be the remains of the paddle case. In the back ground behind the stern there are one or two ships, one of which appears to be a steamer. On the river behind the bow is another ship

© SS Great Britain Trust