GREAT BRITAIN (1830) / ELEONORA

Identification & Site Information

• Vessel Name: GREAT BRITAIN
• Also Known As: ELEONORA (after 1845 Conversion)
• Year of Build: 1830
• Built at: Prescott, Ontario
• Vessel Type: Steamer (converted to Barque in 1845)
• Hull Materials: Wood
• Builder: Brown & Bell
• Original Owner: Jon Hamilton, St. Catharines, Ontario
• Power & Propulsion
  • Number of Masts: 1 (as a Steamer; likely increased after Barque Conversion)
  • Propulsion: Sidewheel Steamer (prior to Conversion)
  • Boilers: 2
• Specifications Length: 147 ft (44.8 m) Beam: 23 ft (7 m) Depth: 12 ft (3.7 m)
• Tonnage (Gross): 700 tons
• Final Location: Burlington Beach, Hamilton, Ontario, Lake Ontario
• Date of Loss: April 18, 1848
• Cause: Foundered during a gale
• Final Cargo: None (likely operating as a cargo vessel or empty at the time)
• Owner at Time of Loss: E.G. Merrick

Vessel Type

Originally launched as a Sidewheel Steamer, the GREAT BRITAIN was later converted to a Barque named ELEONORA in 1845. This shift reflected the evolution of shipping technology and the increasing demand for cargo vessels in the timber trade.

Description & History

Launched on October 16, 1830, in Prescott, Ontario, the GREAT BRITAIN was the largest Steamer built on the Great Lakes since the FRONTENAC in 1816. Designed as a mail Steamer, she served critical routes on Lake Ontario, facilitating communication and transportation during a time when steam navigation was still a developing technology.

Key Historical Events:

• 1832 (May 16): Demonstrated her towing capability by pulling 15 schooners and a Durham boat upstream from Prescott to Kingston, Ontario, showcasing the power of steam in maritime logistics.
• 1834 (Oct 1): Suffered a broken crank during a storm, resulting in serious damage—a sign of the mechanical challenges faced by early steamers.
• 1836 (Oct 5): Further mechanical issues occurred with a broken shaft, grounding the vessel again.
• 1838: Played a role in the Patriot War, serving as a government vessel after a fire at the Kingston Wharf damaged her. She was later fitted out for military purposes during the conflict.
• 1839 (Aug): Collided with the Steamer UNITED STATES near Oswego, New York, adding to her record of operational incidents.
• 1840: Operated on the Oswego–Lewiston route before being chartered to the Royal Navy as a storage hulk at the Kingston Dockyard.
• 1840 (Sep 25): Sustained serious engine damage near Oswego, prompting her eventual retirement from active steam service.
• 1841: The Canadian government converted her to a store ship, while her engines were sold to Tate.

Conversion and Renaming:

In 1845, she was converted to a Barque and renamed ELEONORA, with her engines repurposed for the vessel NORTH AMERICAN, which entered the timber trade. The ELEONORA was then owned by James McKenzie, reflecting a shift from passenger and mail services to bulk cargo operations.

Final Voyage and Loss (1848)

By 1848, the vessel was owned by E.G. Merrick. On April 18, 1848, while navigating near Burlington Beach in Hamilton, Ontario, the ELEONORA (formerly GREAT BRITAIN) encountered a severe gale. The storm proved too much for the aging wooden vessel, and she Foundered, becoming a total wreck.

No cargo was reported at the time of loss, and there are no specific details regarding casualties, suggesting that the crew may have survived.

Located By & Date Found

No modern records indicate that the wreck has been formally located, though it may lie near Burlington Beach in Lake Ontario. Given the wreck’s age and the dynamic shoreline conditions, any remains would likely be heavily degraded or buried under sediment.

Notices & Advisories

Wreck Location: Near Burlington Beach, Hamilton, Ontario

Navigational Hazards: None currently reported, though wreckage could still exist in the area beneath lakebed sediments.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum
• Ralph Roberts Collection (historical imagery and documentation)

Conclusion

The GREAT BRITAIN, launched in 1830, was a pioneering Sidewheel Steamer on Lake Ontario, marking a significant advancement in steam-powered navigation. After serving as a mail Steamer, military support vessel, and later a cargo Barque named ELEONORA, the ship met its end in 1848 during a gale near Burlington Beach, Hamilton. Despite a history marked by mechanical failures, collisions, and conversions, the vessel remains an important part of Great Lakes maritime history, symbolizing the transition from early steam power to traditional sail and bulk freight operations.