Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Francis Pettit Smith, Great Britain, and SS Archimedes brass plaque

This brass commemorative plaque records: Francis Pettit Smith 1808-74 was born here Inventor of the Screw Propellor In 1886 Francis Pettit Smith patented the screw propellor which was used in the S. S. Archimedes in 1839. Its immediate success prompted designers to use it in more important ships, such as the Great Britain built in dry dock at Bristol (1843) (3270 tons) constructed entirely of iron and designed by I. K. Brunel whose intention originally was to make her a paddle steamer, but he fitted screw machinery. Later H. M. Navy was immensely grateful to the Screw Propellor which offered increased manoeuvreability and was less vulnerable in warfare

Francis Pettit Smith invented the screw propeller, first used on the SS Archimedes in 1839, significantly enhancing ship maneuverability and durability; Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a renowned engineer, designed the SS Great Britain (1843), the first iron-hulled, screw-driven ocean-going ship, revolutionizing naval architecture.