Isambard Kingdom Brunel was born on 9 April 1806. Among his many other accomplishments, Brunel was the creator of transatlantic steamer service and, quite literally, the inventor of the ocean liner.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
In 1835 Brunel proposed, some say in jest, the idea of creating a transatlantic steamship service. Brunel’s comment, off-the-cuff or not, led to the construction of Great Western, a timber-built paddle steamer. In April 1838 Great Western steamed from Bristol to New York in 15 days and then maintained a regular service (a total of 45 roundtrips).
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