SS Great Britain, Bristol, England

Brunel's SS Great Britain

The SS Great Britain

The SS Great Britain is a museum ship and former passenger steamship. She was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel for the Great Western Steamship Company's transatlantic service between Bristol and New York, and was the longest passenger ship in the world from 1845 to 1854. While other ships had been built of iron or equipped with a screw propeller, Great Britain was the first to combine these features in a large ocean-going ship. She was the first iron steamer to cross the Atlantic, which she did in 1845, in the time of 14 days.

 

The vessel has been called "The Most Haunted Ship in Great Britain", and is reportedly home to a number of ghosts. These include a former Captain, John Gray, who went missing on a voyage. Some have suggested he committed suicide due to depression, whereas others have suggested accidental death or even murder.

 

The apparitions of a woman and child in Victorian era clothing have been sighted in the family cabin located on the promenadde deck.

 

Audible phenomena include footsteps and piano music in the saloon.

 

Pictured left is the SS Great Britain in the dock courtesy of Matt Buck.

Great Western Dockyard,

Gas Ferry Road,

Bristol,

BS1 6TY.

 

For further information, please visit:

www.ssgreatbritain.org

 

The SS Great Britain appeared on the TV program, Most Haunted. It was featured in Series 11 (2009).

 

For further information, please read Haunted Britain by Richard Jones.

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Location

Visitor Information

Bristol Harbour is the harbour in the city of Bristol, England.

The harbour covers an area of 70 acres (28.3 ha). It has existed since the 13th century but was developed into its current form in the early 19th century by installing lock gates on a tidal stretch of the River Avon in the centre of the city and providing a tidal by-pass for the river.

It is often called the Floating Harbour as the water level remains constant and it is not affected by the state of the tide on the river.

Pictured left is a view of the SS Great Britain courtesy of Matt Buck. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.