A VICE-ADMIRAL in the British Navy and captain of the SS Great Western and SS Great Britain, James Hosken led ground-breaking voyages during his life at sea.

Now, a Chard family have tracked their ancestry back to the man who stood at the helm of two of Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s revolutionary steamships.

Phillip Hosken delved into the family’s history to confirm the ties along with the team from SS Great Britain in Bristol.

Mr Hosken said: “A volunteer on and off with the SS Great Britain ship at Bristol visited the Guildhall with the story and a film show.

“My nan spoke to him about James Hosken and with his help it has been confirmed that my grandad is his great great grandson.

“We wrote to Bristol with the little information we had and the office there has sent so much information back and now Chard Library is getting in two books that have been written about him.”

James Hosken joined the Royal Navy in February 1808 before working up to lieutenant of the bomb vessel Aetna, serving in the Mediterranean.

He left the Navy in October 1832 to become a merchant captain. It was here that he was put in charge of SS Great Western for around 30 return Atlantic voyages from Liverpool or Avonmouth to New York.

SS Great Western was the first steamship purpose-built for crossing the Atlantic, and the first unit of Brunel’s Great Western Steamship Company.

In 1844 he was made captain of the SS Great Britain, the first iron-hulled screw steamship and at that time the largest ship afloat.

In 1851, Hosken returned to service in the navy and in 1879 was appointed to the rank of vice-admiral. He died in Ilfracombe in 1885.

Phillip’s grandad worked as a trawler man and following national service was in the army for 12 years.

Phillip added: “Four generations including my son were invited to visit the SS Great Britain. Sadly grandad cannot go with owing to his health but will at last know his history.

“Brunel and James were very good friends by the old station there are streets named after him (Great Western Road and Brunel Court) and we have also seen in other places.

“Thank you to those people who have helped in Chard to give us needed information to make this possible.”

Nick Booth, curator at SS Great Britain, said: "We are delighted that the Hoskens were able to make a new discovery about their family background.

"The Brunel Institute exists in part to help with historical and family research, and I think it is fair to say it is a highlight of our job.

"We are currently working on an Arts Council funded project with the aim to make all passenger and crews lists for the SS Great Britain available online, so we hope to continue to make more exciting historical discoveries in the future."