19th July 1843: The ship SS Great Britain designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel launched in Bristol

**Scott Allsop** (0:00)
On the 19th of July 1843, the ship SS Great Britain, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, was launched. Welcome to HistoryPod.
SS Great Britain represented a major advance in shipbuilding and marine engineering. Combining an iron hull with screw propeller propulsion, SS Great Britain was the largest ship afloat at the time of its launch, and introduced technologies that would influence oceangoing ships for the remainder of the 19th century. Construction began in Bristol in 1839 and required new engineering techniques. Measuring almost 100 metres in length and displacing around 3,400 tonnes, she was by far the largest iron ship yet built. Launching such a large vessel therefore presented difficulties. On the 19th July 1843, thousands of spectators gathered to witness the ceremony, but the ship became stuck partway down the slipway. It took several weeks of repeated attempts, assisted by tides, hydraulic jacks and winches, before the vessel finally floated free on the 26th July.
Following fitting out and sea trials, SS Great Britain entered transatlantic service in 1845, carrying passengers between Britain and North America. The ship was later adapted for carrying emigrants to Australia, and subsequently served as a troop ship and cargo vessel, with her long working life demonstrating the durability of iron-hulled construction. SS Great Britain's successful combination of an iron-hull, screw propulsion and large-scale steam power was soon adopted by shipbuilders around the world. These innovations accelerated the tradition from wooden sailing ships to steam-powered vessels, transforming international trade and passenger travel. Today, the restored SS Great Britain is preserved in Bristol as one of the most important surviving engineering achievements of the Victorian era.