Which engineer designed the 1858 ocean liner SS Great Eastern?

Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed the 1858 ocean liner SS Great Eastern. The ship was one of Brunel’s most ambitious projects and was far larger than any vessel built before it.

Great Eastern was constructed at the Millwall Iron Works in London for the Eastern Steam Navigation Company. Its design combined paddle wheels, a screw propeller and sails, reflecting the engineering uncertainty of long-distance steam navigation in the mid-19th century. The ship’s double iron hull was also a major advance in maritime construction.

Commercial difficulties prevented Great Eastern from becoming a successful passenger liner. After its original company failed, the vessel was used for excursions, cable-laying and other roles. It later helped lay transatlantic telegraph cables, a function for which its exceptional size and stability were valuable. Brunel died in 1859, shortly after the ship’s launch and before its later cable-laying work.