SS Great Briton (to kill time while waiting for visa)
Aug 13th 2005, 10:25 am
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Cheltenham, UK.
Posts: 12
SS Great Britain (to kill time while waiting for visa)
Hi, I've been here before as I have a very long a slow application underway..
but thought I would re register to see whats happening in the world and bring this little Gem to light....
yesterday board and frustrated in the eternal visa wait I bundled the family up into the car and went down to Bristol, UK. seeing the rows of shops the same as any other town or city I followed my nose and the SS Great Britain signs.... passing by some shabby old warehouses and run down industrial area (I realise it was once great) you park up and wonder if your car will be there when you get back.... with an hour and a half before the exhibition shut I at first resented paying £20 for a family ticket until I suddenly realised the Aussie links as I approached the turn style.... what can I say an excellent exhibition and most impressive ship.... well worth a visit any day of the the week with some real added interest if you have an eemigration application underway.... (my car was fine bBTW
1852 - 1876 Emigrant Clipper
Under new owners Gibbs Bright and Co, the ship prospered, and her reputation was re-established. It was the height of the Australian gold rush and the company took full advantage of the increase in emigration to that country by rebuilding the ship for use as a fast and luxurious emigrant carrier, circumnavigating the globe.
A 300 foot-long deck house was added to the ship's upper deck and a new 500 h.p. Penn engine was fitted. The internal accommodation was rebuilt to accommodate 750 passengers in three classes and the ship now had a radically different external appearance, sitting lower in the water and featuring a much larger superstructure and twin funnels.
For her initial voyage, the SS Great Britain carried four masts two fore and aft and two square sails but she was then re-masted, to carry three masts and all square sails. Over the next 24 years and 32 voyages she was a frequent sight in Australian waters, as well as making stops in Cape Town, St Helena, and the occasional trip to New York. The ship averaged 60 days out and 60 days home & an extremely fast time for the 19th century and carried over 15,000 emigrants. In 1861 she carried the first ever English cricket team to tour Australia. Two years later, she again transported the English side, which was by then captained by E.M. Grace, brother of Dr. W.G. Grace........
well worth a look on line or a visit http://www.ssgreatbritain.org/index.php to pass the time of waiting for a visa...
enjoy, Aid.
edited, as I cant spell Britain!
but thought I would re register to see whats happening in the world and bring this little Gem to light....
yesterday board and frustrated in the eternal visa wait I bundled the family up into the car and went down to Bristol, UK. seeing the rows of shops the same as any other town or city I followed my nose and the SS Great Britain signs.... passing by some shabby old warehouses and run down industrial area (I realise it was once great) you park up and wonder if your car will be there when you get back.... with an hour and a half before the exhibition shut I at first resented paying £20 for a family ticket until I suddenly realised the Aussie links as I approached the turn style.... what can I say an excellent exhibition and most impressive ship.... well worth a visit any day of the the week with some real added interest if you have an eemigration application underway.... (my car was fine bBTW
1852 - 1876 Emigrant Clipper
Under new owners Gibbs Bright and Co, the ship prospered, and her reputation was re-established. It was the height of the Australian gold rush and the company took full advantage of the increase in emigration to that country by rebuilding the ship for use as a fast and luxurious emigrant carrier, circumnavigating the globe.
A 300 foot-long deck house was added to the ship's upper deck and a new 500 h.p. Penn engine was fitted. The internal accommodation was rebuilt to accommodate 750 passengers in three classes and the ship now had a radically different external appearance, sitting lower in the water and featuring a much larger superstructure and twin funnels.
For her initial voyage, the SS Great Britain carried four masts two fore and aft and two square sails but she was then re-masted, to carry three masts and all square sails. Over the next 24 years and 32 voyages she was a frequent sight in Australian waters, as well as making stops in Cape Town, St Helena, and the occasional trip to New York. The ship averaged 60 days out and 60 days home & an extremely fast time for the 19th century and carried over 15,000 emigrants. In 1861 she carried the first ever English cricket team to tour Australia. Two years later, she again transported the English side, which was by then captained by E.M. Grace, brother of Dr. W.G. Grace........
well worth a look on line or a visit http://www.ssgreatbritain.org/index.php to pass the time of waiting for a visa...
enjoy, Aid.
edited, as I cant spell Britain!
Last edited by Aid; Aug 13th 2005 at 11:32 am.
Aug 13th 2005, 10:31 am
#2
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 622
Re: SS Great Briton (to kill time while waiting for visa)
That is a very interesting piece. Thanks for sharing it. I shall read the rest whilst waiting for the cricket to start!
Aug 13th 2005, 10:37 am
#3
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,807
Re: SS Great Briton (to kill time while waiting for visa)
The Great Britain is an amazing ship - I first went over her back in about 1972, when she had not long been back in Bristol. Went back again 2 years ago with The Bloke, and they have done a really good job. The Bloke (an Aussie) found it fascinating, and even my sister's kids found plenty to keep them amused. Well worth a visit 
