S.S. Newcastle City, A Nineteenth Century Timecapsule

This presentation will describe the historical background research and field search operations, which led to the discovery and subsequent exploration in the Atlantic Ocean of the wreck of the transitional steamship S.S. Newcastle City. The wreck was positively identified on the second expedition to the site. Methodology used in the exploration and documentation of the site will be discussed as well as methods used in the identification process.

The SS Newcastle City was lost on a voyage from England to New York in 1887. Built at a time when steam was replacing sail as a means of propulsion, and iron and steel was replacing wood for hull construction the Newcastle City represented a narrow period of time in the history of oceangoing cargo ship development. The Newcastle City was one of the first five ships built for the Furness Withy Steamship Company. Furness Withy later became one of the largest shipping companies in the world and is still in existence today.

The wrecks discovery in 2008 opened a complete and extraordinary window into a very narrow period of maritime history. This is the story of that discovery and subsequent exploration.