SS Great Britain from ‘launch to re-launch’ An illustrated talk by Ian Caskie

SS Great Britain from ‘launch to re-launch’. An illustrated talk by Ian Caskie

Ian Caskie will tell the ship’s remarkable story from design through to her working life. Her incredible salvage, restoration, preservation and ‘re-launch’ and return to Bristol in 1970.

In building SS Great Britain, Brunel successfully combined and adapted the very best of cutting-edge technologies to create the world’s first translantic liner – a true wonder of the Victorian age. She was the first ocean-going steamship with an iron hull and the first driven by a propeller.

Ian Caskie was born and raised on Merseyside, where he spent many an hour watching the arrivals and departures at Liverpool’s busy Pier Head in the 1950s and 60s. This led to his lifelong passion for ships – especially ocean liners. He was a Primary Headteacher and School Improvement Adviser in Bristol for many years, and has been a Visitor Experience volunteer and tour guide with the SS Great Britain Trust since 2007.

Ian’s enthusiasm for his subject is clearly evidenced in his illustrated talk which tells the ship’s remarkable story from her original design through the different phases of her working life. It also describes life on board and her incredible salvage and return to Bristol in 1970, and finally her restoration, preservation and ‘re-launch’ as a multi-award winning museum of international renown.

Ian has delivered his very popular talk at the National Maritime Museum, Falmouth and to a large number of groups throughout the country, including Probus, Rotary, Inner Wheel, WI, National Trust, Arts Societies and U3A branches as well as various lecture societies.

Tickets are £5 each. You can buy them on the door or on this website by following the link below.

The talk starts at 7pm and the bar opens at 6.30pm.