The Liverpool Eagle Line of Packets (also known as the Liverpool & Australian Navigation Company) turned its attention to Australia in 1852.
Their two well known sailing ships GREAT BRITAIN and ROYAL CHARTER made many voyages to Australia . It is unfortunate that all we have of this famous line is part of a broken coffee cup and a piece of a dish . The dish from the Great Britain Steam Ship is interesting in that it contains the word saloon under the emblem. The owners obviously named all the ships crockery in respect to their location on board the ship. The piece of cup may have been used on either ship but most likely from the Royal Charter seeing the Great Britain had its own branded crockery.
The ROYAL CHARTER was wrecked on the English coast during one of the worst storms in history in 1859, whilst on a return voyage from Melbourne. Lots of the travellers on board were carrying gold from the Australian goldfields. Many lives were lost along with all the dreams of striking it rich.
The GREAT BRITAIN would have to be one of the most interesting ships in history. She was the first ship made with an iron hull and is said to be the first true Ocean Liner. In 1886 she was damaged in the Falkland Islands and was abandoned. Almost one hundred years later the English government decided that she was a unique maritime relic and so, spent a fortune to have her rusting hulk refloated and towed back to her home of England.
Today the Great Britain survives and has been converted into a floating museum.
Ref : North Star to Southern Cross by John Maber.
