Promoting and Preserving Our Diving Heritage
Welcome to the
Historical Diving Society
Our members come from a wide range of backgrounds with a shared passion for exploring, preserving and recording our diving heritage. Our members are encouraged to meet and exchange information through our various functions and activities. Our specialist interest groups include film and book groups and we have an active ‘Working Equipment Group’ which maintains and demonstrates vintage diving equipment. We maintain close relations with our international Societies and enjoy regular exchange visits. The Society publishes a journal, magazine, facsimiles and newsletters and has an extensive reference library. We also have the only museum in the UK which is dedicated solely to diving.
The world’s first Historical Diving Society
Visits to historical diving sites in the UK and abroad
Museum and reference library
Working equipment displays
Annual conference
Artefact and data source for TV and film industry
Friendly, active special interest groups
Genealogical data base of helmet divers
Events
Annual Conference
Saturday 18 November 2023
Our Annual Social event - open to everyone (you do not need to be a member to attend!).
read moreJoin Us
Annual Conference
9.00am on Saturday 18th November 2023.
Our conference will be held at Subsea7 in Sutton on Saturday 18th November.
Full details can be found here
Annual General Meeting
10.00am on Sunday 19 November 2023.
Latest News
Another successful WEG event in Liverpool
On Saturday 12th August 2023, the Working Equipment Group were in Liverpool at the invitation of Hughes Subsea Services to dip their colleagues in Standard Dress. Our Working Equipment Group Officer, Ty Burton was assisted by other members of the HDS and staff from...
The Eagle Has Landed!
Thursday 10th August 2023.The Diving Museum, Stokes Bay, Gosport. We are excited to announce that after 2 years in the planning, and thanks to the generosity of Subsea7, the Subsea7 DSV Eagle diving bell finally found its way to the Diving Museum. It was delivered in...
Commemorating Cdr. Lionel ‘Buster’ Crabb
On 28 January 2023, on what would have been Commander Lionel 'Buster' Crabb's 114th Birthday, a small celebration was held at Durrants Cottage in Rowlands Castle where Crabb lived with for a short time with his wife Margaret in the last few years before his famous...
