Great Western Steamship Enterprise Established
Investors formed a company to pursue the construction of a large ocean going steamship for the Bristol route.
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Great Western Steamship Company Biography and Timeline
Follow Great Western Steamship Company through 17 dated historical records for Great Britain.
Great Western Steamship Company, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
17Distinct records
1 of 1Page
1835–1847Years on this page
1835
1837
Great Western Engines Installed
The ship received substantial marine steam machinery needed for regular ocean crossings.
1838
Great Western First Sea Trials Undertaken
Early trials tested the steamship's machinery and handling before the crossing to New York.
Great Western Atlantic Passenger Service Launched
The steamship departed Bristol on the voyage that established an important regular transatlantic steam service.
Great Western Arrival Demonstrates Ocean Steam
The vessel reached New York after a successful Atlantic passage proving that a large steamship could carry paying passengers.
Great Western Returns Across Atlantic
The steamship completed the return journey and demonstrated the practicality of repeated ocean steam crossings.
Great Western Coal Endurance Demonstrated
The ship's design showed how a large hull could carry sufficient coal for sustained Atlantic steam navigation.
1839
Great Western Regular Atlantic Crossings Continue
The large paddle steamer continued passenger and mail voyages between Britain and North America.
Great Western Bristol New York Route Consolidated
Commercial experience with repeat journeys strengthened the case for scheduled transatlantic steamship services.
1840
Great Western Ocean Passenger Accommodation Improved
The vessel offered passengers the amenities of a purpose built long distance steamship rather than a converted coastal craft.
1841
Great Western Atlantic Schedule Maintained
The vessel continued its transatlantic service despite growing commercial competition among ocean steamships.
1842
Great Western Faces Steamship Competition
Rival steamship operators increased pressure on the commercial economics of the Bristol transatlantic enterprise.
1843
Great Western Ocean Trade Continues
The vessel remained an experienced Atlantic steamship while investors pursued larger and more advanced successors.
1844
Great Western Operates With Paddle Propulsion
The ship continued using paddle wheels while the marine industry increasingly considered screw propulsion for new vessels.
1845
Great Western Shares Company With Great Britain
The enterprise's paddle steamer operated during the period when Brunel's iron screw steamship Great Britain entered Atlantic service.
1846
Great Western Company Financial Pressures Increase
The operator faced severe commercial difficulties amid high costs and competition in transatlantic steam navigation.
1847
Great Western Atlantic Service Ends
The vessel's first phase of transatlantic commercial operation ended as the original steamship company declined.
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.