SS Great Eastern Robert Howlett

Stereoview showing the starboard of Brunel's marvel of construction in David Napier's Yard at Millwall.

The image is from an iconic group made by Robert Howlett during construction. It is a variant of a well-known image dated 12th November 1857, which shows a lone figure sitting near the hull. This view has 3 figures standing, looking towards the hull. Howlett's images, produced by the wet plate collodion process, were published in the Illustrated News, on June 16th 1858.

The Great Eastern was the largest ship built at the time, but was a financial disaster and was used as a cable layer for part of it's working life, before being scrapped in 1888.

Robert Howlett died in 1858, before the ship was completed and Brunel died a few days in to the Great Eastern's maiden voyage in 1859.