The first steam-powered ships took to the water in the latter years of the 18th century, using paddles for propulsion and often still being fitted with sails. It was Richard Wright’s Experiment, a converted French lugger, that made the first trip on the open seas though, chugging from Leeds to Yarmouth in 1813.
However, the golden age of steamships was the Victorian era (approx 1820-1914), with one of the most famous being the SS Great Britain, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and launched in 1843. Fitted with screws for propulsion, cabins, kitchens, promenade deck and a sumptuous dining saloon, it was the first great luxury liner and sailed between Bristol and New York. She was also the first iron-hulled steamer to cross the Atlantic, in 1845, fielded a crew of 120 and could carry up to 360 passengers.
