15th Jul, 2025 11:00
Photographs, Optical Toys & Science
Howlett, Robert, Captain Harrison, The Great Eastern
Robert HOWLETT (photographer), printed to the back 'The Great Eastern in the Stereoscope, photographed by special permission of the board of directors, Captain Harrison, Comander of the Ship ' and stamped 'The London Stereoscopic Company, 54 Cheapside' the image showing stereoscopic photograph of Captain Harrison against the rigging of the Great Eastern Steam Ship, overall card size 84 x 173mm. (images with arched top 76 x 71mm),
Condition: both images with good contrast, card corners bumped, paper to rear with fingermarks, light foxing, pencil marks for 'Nov 15 1859' and 'Photo by Robert Howlett No.23A'
A Steady Hand: Captain Harrison and the Great Eastern in Stereoscope
Among the many people involved in the story of the Great Eastern, the vast steamship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, one figure played a quiet but essential role: Captain William Harrison.
In a stereoscopic photograph taken in 1859 by the photographer Robert Howlett, we see Harrison standing against the rigging of the ship he was asked to command. Issued by the London Stereoscopic Company, the image is a rare and personal glimpse of the man who was responsible for guiding this complex new vessel through its earliest and most challenging days.
Captain of a New Kind of Ship
William Harrison was an experienced and respected mariner, chosen to take charge of the Great Eastern as she prepared for her maiden voyage. At the time, the ship was the largest in the world, longer than any before, and designed to carry passengers across oceans without the need to refuel.
While Brunel had overseen the design and construction, it fell to Harrison to operate the ship safely, manage her crew, and deal with the realities of life at sea aboard an entirely new kind of vessel. It was not an easy task. The Great Eastern faced mechanical problems, financial difficulties, and high expectations from the public and press.
Harrison brought calm professionalism to the role. He was not a man of showmanship, but of quiet authority — qualities that suited the job, and which are subtly reflected in the photograph.
Photographing a Working Ship
The photograph itself was taken by Robert Howlett, a young and talented photographer best known for his earlier image of Brunel in front of the ship’s massive launching chains. This time, Howlett turned his lens on the ship’s captain.
Produced in stereoscopic format, two side-by-side images designed to be viewed through a stereoscope, the photograph creates a three-dimensional effect that was popular in Victorian homes. The image shows Captain Harrison standing with hands clasped, looking relaxed but attentive. He is framed by the ship’s rigging, with enough background detail to suggest the scale and complexity of the vessel.
The card is stamped with the address of the London Stereoscopic Company, and on the back is written "Nov 15 1859" along with "Photo by Robert Howlett No. 23A" — possibly a reference to the date or a catalogue number in a series. Though the corners of the card are bumped and there is some foxing on the back, the photographs themselves retain excellent clarity and contrast.
An Untimely Loss
Just a few months after this photograph was likely taken, Captain Harrison was killed in a tragic accident. In January 1860, while returning from a test voyage, a small boat carrying Harrison and several others capsized near Hastings. He drowned, along with several crewmen. He was 48 years old.
His death came as a shock to those involved with the Great Eastern project, and it added to the challenges already facing the ship. Harrison’s calm leadership had helped bring a sense of order to the vessel’s early operations. Without him, the future of the ship became more uncertain.
A Moment Preserved
This stereoscopic portrait is more than just a technical achievement. It captures a working seaman at a time of change in maritime history, not a grand figure of legend, but a capable professional doing a difficult job. The image reminds us that behind every major engineering project are individuals, each with their own story.
Captain Harrison’s photograph allows us to look back, not only at the age of steam, but at the people who lived and worked in its shadow.
Robert HOWLETT (photographer), printed to the back 'The Great Eastern in the Stereoscope, photographed by special permission of the board of directors, Captain Harrison, Comander of the Ship ' and stamped 'The London Stereoscopic Company, 54 Cheapside' the image showing stereoscopic photograph of Captain Harrison against the rigging of the Great Eastern Steam Ship, overall card size 84 x 173mm. (images with arched top 76 x 71mm),
Condition: both images with good contrast, card corners bumped, paper to rear with fingermarks, light foxing, pencil marks for 'Nov 15 1859' and 'Photo by Robert Howlett No.23A'
A Steady Hand: Captain Harrison and the Great Eastern in Stereoscope
Among the many people involved in the story of the Great Eastern, the vast steamship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, one figure played a quiet but essential role: Captain William Harrison.
In a stereoscopic photograph taken in 1859 by the photographer Robert Howlett, we see Harrison standing against the rigging of the ship he was asked to command. Issued by the London Stereoscopic Company, the image is a rare and personal glimpse of the man who was responsible for guiding this complex new vessel through its earliest and most challenging days.
Captain of a New Kind of Ship
William Harrison was an experienced and respected mariner, chosen to take charge of the Great Eastern as she prepared for her maiden voyage. At the time, the ship was the largest in the world, longer than any before, and designed to carry passengers across oceans without the need to refuel.
While Brunel had overseen the design and construction, it fell to Harrison to operate the ship safely, manage her crew, and deal with the realities of life at sea aboard an entirely new kind of vessel. It was not an easy task. The Great Eastern faced mechanical problems, financial difficulties, and high expectations from the public and press.
Harrison brought calm professionalism to the role. He was not a man of showmanship, but of quiet authority — qualities that suited the job, and which are subtly reflected in the photograph.
Photographing a Working Ship
The photograph itself was taken by Robert Howlett, a young and talented photographer best known for his earlier image of Brunel in front of the ship’s massive launching chains. This time, Howlett turned his lens on the ship’s captain.
Produced in stereoscopic format, two side-by-side images designed to be viewed through a stereoscope, the photograph creates a three-dimensional effect that was popular in Victorian homes. The image shows Captain Harrison standing with hands clasped, looking relaxed but attentive. He is framed by the ship’s rigging, with enough background detail to suggest the scale and complexity of the vessel.
The card is stamped with the address of the London Stereoscopic Company, and on the back is written "Nov 15 1859" along with "Photo by Robert Howlett No. 23A" — possibly a reference to the date or a catalogue number in a series. Though the corners of the card are bumped and there is some foxing on the back, the photographs themselves retain excellent clarity and contrast.
An Untimely Loss
Just a few months after this photograph was likely taken, Captain Harrison was killed in a tragic accident. In January 1860, while returning from a test voyage, a small boat carrying Harrison and several others capsized near Hastings. He drowned, along with several crewmen. He was 48 years old.
His death came as a shock to those involved with the Great Eastern project, and it added to the challenges already facing the ship. Harrison’s calm leadership had helped bring a sense of order to the vessel’s early operations. Without him, the future of the ship became more uncertain.
A Moment Preserved
This stereoscopic portrait is more than just a technical achievement. It captures a working seaman at a time of change in maritime history, not a grand figure of legend, but a capable professional doing a difficult job. The image reminds us that behind every major engineering project are individuals, each with their own story.
Captain Harrison’s photograph allows us to look back, not only at the age of steam, but at the people who lived and worked in its shadow.
Auction: Photographs, Optical Toys & Science, 15th Jul, 2025
