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Great Western Dry dock was built in1839 of pennant rubble and brick. It is bow-ended and brick based, with a curved section to the entrance. It has stepped sides and iron caisson single-leaf dock gate. It was built for the construction of Brunel’s SS Great Britain, launched from the dock in 1843.

The SS Great Western was designed by IK Brunel and built by shipbuilder William Paterson at a shipyard on Wapping Wharf from 1836. He then became responsible for building the SS Great Britain at Great Western Dockyard.

PBAN5237 Copy of a negative of W Patterson taken from Centenary of the Great Western

Johann Jacob Weber 1803 to 1880.PNG — Picture by Johann Jacob Weber 1803 to 1880

PBAN6136 Print of the SS Great Britain at sea after 1852

Launch Bristol City 24August 1899 RW — Launch of SS Bristol City 24 August 1899 – Reece Winstone

Great Western dockyard early 1900s — Great Western Dockyard early 1900s. Occupied by Wickham and Norris, Timber Merchants

Steamship House 1942-factory-after-bombing — Steamship House Great Western Dockyard Bombed 1942

Great Western Dry Dock c1968 Martin Bodman — Great Western Dry Dock c 1968 – Martin Bodman

The SS Great Britain made its 87-day journey back to Bristol in 1970

Source: Guardian 18th April 2020

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The BBC News Report from 1970:When thousands watched Brunel’s great ship return to Bristol

The BBC News Report from 1970:
When thousands watched Brunel’s great ship return to Bristol