Welcome to issue 1(2019) of the Historical Diving Society Newsletter. 16 January 2019
Important new publication
The 2 volumes of Diving and Underwater Technology 1405-1830 are the outcome of over 40 years of research in archives and libraries around the world by the author, Nigel Phillips. From early archaeological evidence to the designs of 15th and 16th century military engineers, to the birth of natural philosophy and science and on into the industrial revolution the author traces the development of diving and underwater technology up to the introduction of the standard dress in the nineteenth century. Profusely illustrated and with detailed bibliographies of all the sources, this work is an essential addition to the libraries of divers of all persuasions.
Ordering details: via www.nigelphillips.com or by email to nigel@nigelphillips.com
Prices:
£150 including UK postage
£168 including postage within the EU
£182 including postage elsewhere
Museum News
It may be closed, but it has not been ‘all quiet’ on the Museum front.
Les Rutherford has been repairing (and practically rebuilding) most of the furniture in the museum which has been suffering from the effects of the damp.
Martyn Bellamy is trying to track down the people who have signed their names on the bricks in the museum arches, with some interesting results.
Kevin Casey is actively pursuing funding and submitting information to various consultants who are helping us with our applications.
Les, Kevin, John Bevan and Nigel Phillips are working on the bunker – liaising with the Council to determine the correct boundaries and maintaining the building itself.
Michael Barker has done a remarkable job in landscaping the grounds around the bunker. It is looking better than ever and we look forward to another stunning display of flowers in the spring.
Kevin Casey and Ann Bevan have been working with Two Blue Toucans to start the redesign of the Society’s website. It’s an ambitious project and will take some months to complete. We hope to include a members’ login section and a research hub.
Ann Bevan has been finalising the calendar for 2019.
Details of all the events are on the diving museum website: www.divingmuseum.co.uk.
Our annual favourites return in 2019 – In May we have an exhibition of contemporary art inspired by anything to do with ‘underwater’. It is always a popular event with a wide variety of pieces ranging from painting and photography to sculpture, textiles, glasswork and video. The artwork is always of a very high standard and most of them are for sale – a perfect opportunity to buy a minor masterpiece.
Two other annual favourites are our Movie ‘Fish and Clips’ Supper/Quiz night (designed and presented by Margaret Marks) and also our murder mystery play which was such a riotous success last year that we had to extend it to run for another day. This year we are hosting the play for three week days. If you didn’t make it to last year’s murder mystery play you can’t miss this one. It is truly enormous fun.
We also have 3 evening lectures by some extremely eminent speakers:
David Jones (plastics pollution expert) is giving us a talk on our ‘plastic oceans’ in June. You always think you have heard it all until you hear it from an expert. ‘How did we get here?’ and ‘What can we do?’ will be the focus of his talk. He is an active diver and underwater photographer so we can expect an amazing talk.
In July there are two impressive talks: ‘Exploring the Hidden Face of our deep Ocean Planet’ by Dr Jon Copley who gave us a talk on diving beneath the Antarctic ice with Blue Planet 2 last year. He is the first Brit to go to the deepest part of the ocean (our first Bathynaut) and an award-winning speaker who will talk about parts of the ocean most of us will never see. He is also launching his latest book on the deep ocean so there will be a chance to buy a copy and meet the author on the night.
His talk is followed a week later by ‘No Room for Error’ by Connor Roe, MBE who was one of the British cave divers who helped rescue the 13 young men who were trapped in a cave in Thailand last year. It will be an amazing behind-the-scenes story of one of the world’s most dramatic rescues.
Members get a discount to all the events and as space is limited, early booking is advisable.
Ticket prices for members are:
Plastic Pollution: Ticket price £7. Members’ price £5.
Exploring the Deep-Ocean: Ticket price £7; Members’ price £5.
No Room for Error: Ticket price £9; Members’ price £7
Fish & Clips quiz+supper: Ticket price £8; Members’ price £6
Death on the Line murder mystery+supper: Ticket price £10; Members’ price £6
If you would like to order tickets for any of these events, please contact Ann Bevan (shop@thehds.com) who will create an invoice for you so that you can pay for them online through the website.
(Picture: Reproduction of Lethbridge’s Barrel, by Martin Marks)
Rally in Stockholm
THE SWEDISH HISTORICAL DIVING SOCIETY (SDHF)
Invites you to an international diving event
24th – 26th of May 2019 at the Dyktankhuset in Stockholm
We will start with a barbeque on the Friday evening at 7 pm.
Saturday morning at 10 am The official opening will take place on the Saturday morning at 10.am and the weekend will celebrate the Society’s 40th anniversary.
It was that long ago that a group of people gathered with one goal – to save Dyktankhuset (pictured) and prevent it from being torn down – and that was the start of SDHF.
They succeeded and the 85 year-old building is still there and is now filled with interesting and precious objects from the long and thrilling history of diving.
Hans Örnhagen, one of the initiators, will tell us the story.
After the celebration you will have the opportunity to look at and take part in diving with a diverse range of classic diving equipment outside the house. You are most welcome to bring your own old gear!
During these three days there will be a large fair “Sverigedagarna” in the locality with lots of activities and there are many interesting museums in the area as well.
In the evening we will dine together!
On Sunday morning some lectures will be held, including on Anton Ludwig Fahnehjelm whose helmet you will find on our logo and Arne Zetterström, who was a brilliant inventor but died very young.
The event will end after a light lunch.
There is a limit of 60 participants so don´t hesitate. First come, first served.
• The fee for the event including the barbeque, Saturday´s ”birthday party” and dinner, the lectures and a light lunch on Sunday is 1 000 SEK. Drinks are available at your own expense.
• The fee for all Saturday is 600 SEK
• The fee for Sunday is 200 SEK
Please send your registration by 15th of April at the latest to Birgitta Forsén, birgittagforsen@gmail.com
Please pay the amount in SEK to Nordea Bank, Sweden
Swift: NDEASESS IBAN: SE 1095000099604244002517
Svensk Dykerihistorisk Förening, Djurgårdsvägen 36 B, 115 21 Stockholm
Please observe that the registration is not valid until your payment has arrived.
In Stockholm you will find lots of favourably priced hotels and hostels, but be sure to book in good time.
