Great Western ship

[Peggy]

Nothing is ever simple.

My G-GM said that she came to NY on the Great Eastern when she was 16. I learned that the ship made its last passenger crossing of the Atlantic before she was 5, and she was not on board. Now I believe that I've found her on a passenger list, Liverpool to NY, ship Great Western, Robert Cunningham, Master, arriving 16 Oct 1869. The little problem is that when I look up the "Great Western" I read that she was scrapped in 1856! It must be another ship with the same name, right?? (And if so, was there also another Great Eastern that carried passengers from England to NY? :eek: )

Any steamship fans here? :)

Peggy

[peter nicholl]

Hi Peggy
It could have been the Great Western, for although around 1865 she laid the first Trans-Atlantic cable, when she had finished and up until 1869 she reverted to passenger carrying. The other option would be the Great Britain, but by that time she was probably on the Australia run: she still exists and is in Dry Dock in Bristol, within sight of IKB's Clifton Suspension Bridge. BTW, I think that one of my lot worked on the Great Eastern as a Caulker.

Peter

[Peggy]

Hi Peter,

Unless all I've read is wrong, it was the Great Eastern that was laying the cable, and she never made any transatlantic passenger runs after that. (She'd made only 5 before.) But if there was another later Great Eastern on that run. . . . BTW, if one of your lot was on the Great Eastern on her last passenger run to NY, he may have run across "Jules Verne, Avocat." Spotting that name on the list compensated some for ruining my eyes looking in vain for G-GM. :)

This Robert Cunningham, Master, swore that his ship was the Great Western, that she arrived in NY on that date, and that the passengers listed were aboard. I believe him. <g> But if the famous Brunel Great Western was scrapped in 1856, what Great Western was this in 1869?

Thanks,

Peggy

[Peggy]

Thank you, Myth! That solves it.

|cheers|

Peggy

[peter nicholl]

Oooops, Sorry Peggy, too many late nights.|blush| Yes, I should have said Great Eastern. My source says that the Great Eastern did make several passenger runs between laying the Trans-Atlantic cable and 1869, but that's redundant information as Myth has sorted it out. BTW my Caulker was probably one of the 4000 strong workforce that built the Great Eastern on the Thames, not a crewman. He went from there to Woolwich and when that closed went down to Devonport.
Must remember my dear old Mum's advice: "more haste, less speed":D
Peter