William Harrison (sea captain)
British merchant navy officer, born 1812
William Harrison (October 1812 in Maryport, Cumberland – 21 January 1860) was a British merchant navy officer. He was the son of a master in the merchant navy.
Early career
Harrison was bound an apprentice to Mr. Porter, a shipowner of Liverpool, and went to sea in October 1825. On the expiration of his articles, he obtained the command of a vessel, and served in the East and West Indies, and on the coast of South America. In the course of the numerous disagreements among the rival powers on the American coast, he was more than once in action, and acquitted himself with credit. In 1834, he transferred his services to Barton, Erlam, & Higgonson, and for them took charge of vessels on the Barbadoes line.
From 1842 to 31 December 1855, he was connected with the Cunard Line of packets trading between Liverpool and America. During that period, he crossed the Atlantic upwards of one hundred and eighty times, and was one of the most popular of the commanders on that route.
The Great Eastern
In January 1856, he was selected by the directors of the Eastern Steam Navigation Company out of two hundred competitors to take the command of the Great Leviathan, then building at Millwall in the Thames.
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