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Home , Augustus Siebe, Diving helmet, HMS Royal George (1756), Louis Boutan, Robert Davis (inventor), Siebe Gorman

18 The International Journal of History The International Journal of Diving History 19

Fig. 1. Some key persons from the firm of .

1a. (Christian) An Updated Short History of the British Diving Apparatus (1788-1872). Company founder. Manufacturers, Siebe Gorman and Heinke 1b. William Augustus Gorman (formerly O’Gorman; 1834-1904). by Michael Burchett, HDS, and Robert Burchett, HDS. Joint partner with Henry H. Siebe (1830-1885) at Siebe & Gorman (later Siebe Gorman & Co.). PART 1. THE SIEBE GORMAN COMPANY 1c. Sir Robert Henry Davis Introduction 1a. 1b. 1c. (1870-1965). Managing Director This account endeavours to produce a short, updated history of the Siebe Gorman and Heinke of Siebe Gorman & Co. manufacturing companies using past and present sources of literature. It does not attempt to include every aspect of the two company histories, but concentrates on key events with an emphasis on 1d. Henry Albert Fleuss the manufacture of diving apparatus. However, an understanding of their histories is not complete (1851-1933). Designer of the first without some knowledge of the social history and values of the period. Victorian and Edwardian practical ‘self-contained society engendered moral values such as hard work, thrift, obedience and loyalty within a class-ridden apparatus’. system, in which poverty, harsh working conditions and basic education were normal for the working 1e. Professor classes. With intelligence and application, people could ‘better themselves’ and gain respect in an age of (1860-1936). Diving physiologist innovation, when Britain led the industrial world. who produced the first naval The businesses of Augustus Siebe and ‘Siebe, Gorman’ (in one form or another) survived for over 170 ‘ Dive Tables’. years (1819-1999). Yet throughout their long history, there were only a few key individuals involved in 1f. Capt. G.C.C. Damant RN owning and running them. They include Christian ‘Augustus’ Siebe, Henry Herapath Siebe, William who helped J.S. Haldane with deep Augustus O’Gorman, Robert Henry Davis (Fig. 1) and to a lesser extent, Albert Vickers. The family diving experiments and was the firm of ‘Heinke’ was founded at about the same time as ‘A. Siebe’. In common with Augustus Siebe, the 1d. 1e. 1f. first Inspector of Diving. founder, Gotthilf Frederick Heinke, was also an immigrant. Frederick Heinke moulded his company into a ‘family firm’ but later family rifts jeopardized the company’s future. There was always competition between the two manufacturing companies, but Heinke was mostly over-shadowed by its much larger practical, working products. He traded under the name of Augustus Siebe (A. Siebe) and chose to drop rival. Eventually the Heinke Company was taken over by Siebe, Gorman & Co. Ltd. after over 100 his first name. In 1819 he married Susannah Gliddon (1796-1856) from Sherwell in Devon. Apart years of trading as a manufacturer of diving apparatus. from the development and manufacturing of diving apparatus, (for which he is most remembered) he also produced a breech-loading firearm (1819), paper-making machinery, measuring machinery, a screw The Company: ‘A. Siebe’ (1819-1870) tap for thread cutting (for which he was awarded the Vulcan medal in 1823), a patented rotary water- The early development and manufacture of ‘standard’ diving apparatus is inextricably linked to the pump (1828) and improved refrigeration machinery (1850). company of Siebe Gorman. The company arose from the pioneering exploits of the gifted engineer, In 1828, Siebe moved to new premises at 5 Denmark Street, , which he initially rented, Christian Augustus Siebe (1788-1872). He was born in Saxony, educated in and apprenticed to a before purchasing the leasehold in 1831 (Fig. 2a). He lived ‘over the shop’ and worked at this address brass founder. In 1812 he fought as an Artillery Lieutenant at the Battle of Leipzig against the invading for the rest of his life. He raised several children there, including one daughter, and in due course French and narrowly escaped death. In 1816 (following Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo in 1815), some of his sons worked in the family business. Unfortunately, by 1868 Augustus Siebe was forced Siebe emigrated to , and settled in London. He quickly obtained successive employment as a to retire because of old age and failing health. He had already out-lived four of his sons, and the only watchmaker, gunmaker and instrument maker. For business reasons, he applied for, and was granted, one remaining (his second son, Henry Herapath Siebe, 1830-1887) still survived. In 1870, Augustus British citizenship in 1856, some 46 years after he entered the country. decided to bequeath his business jointly and equally to his son Henry, and his son-in-law, William In 1819, Christian Augustus (Fig. 1a) started his own business as a manufacturing engineer at 145 Augustus Gorman (formerly O’Gorman, 1834-1904), an Irish sea captain who had married Mary High Holborn (London), and his mechanical gifts enabled him to turn theoretical problems into Siebe (1830-1869), his daughter. In time, they also raised a daughter and son (Augustus Gorman) who worked in the company for a short period. 20 The International Journal of Diving History The International Journal of Diving History 21

Fig 2. Company premises. Fig 3. Development of the ‘standard’ diving dress apparatus.

Fig. 2a. Premises at Five Fig. 2b. Old works in Mason Street, , London (later re-named Boniface Denmark Street, , Street. 1876-1941). London (1828-1870).

Augustus Siebe had bought the freehold of 5 Denmark Street, Soho in 1868. By the following year he had retired ‘upstairs’ and handed over the business to the new partnership of Henry H. Siebe and William A. Gorman. In 1870 the business started trading under the new name of ‘Siebe & Gorman’. Augustus Siebe died of bronchitis at his 5 Denmark Street home on 15th April 1872 (aged 84) and was buried at the West Norwood Cemetery. Fig. 3a. Charles Deane’s Fig. 3b. Deane’s Fig. 3c. Augustus Siebe’s first Fig. 3d. The improved ‘smoke ’ (1823), ‘’ and the ‘Closed’ dress diving apparatus ‘standard’ 12-bolt diving Development of the Diving Dress which was adapted for ‘Open’ dress diving with 12 equally spaced dress apparatus with Augustus Siebe had manufactured several of Charles Anthony Deane’s (1796-1848) patented (1823) diving trials. apparatus (1832). thumb-screws and a wide modified seals, , corselet (circa1840). fittings separate bonnet smoke and bellows (Fig. 3a) for used in a Deptford shipyard. Over the next two years, Charles and narrow corselet. Deane and his brother John (1800-1884) developed an ‘Open’ diving helmet, by modifying Charles’ After about 1870, this patented smoke helmet. In 1830, they contacted Augustus Siebe again with their idea of commissioning basic design remains an improved, ‘Open Helmet Diving Dress’ with attached canvas jacket and a more powerful forced air relatively unchanged. pump for diving use (Fig. 3b). These were made for the Deane brothers and proved useful for shallow water work, even though needed to remain in an upright working position to prevent flooding Deane brothers, George Edwards and Charles Pasley. Small modifications and improvements were of the dress. In 1838, George Edwards (1804-1893), a Lowestoft harbour engineer, altruistically gave subsequently made to valves and communication systems, but the basic ‘Standard’ diving dress with the Siebe his ideas for design improvements to the Deane brothers ‘Open’ diving dress apparatus. By 12 bolt helmet remained relatively unchanged from 1870, until its slow decline from the mid-1950s clamping the diving dress to the helmet using a loose flange arrangement, the ‘Open’ diving dress (Fig. 3d). It is interesting to note that the serial production numbers of ‘standard’ dress helmets had could be converted into a flexible ‘Closed’ diving dress. Wrist ties were later replaced with proper already reached the half way stage about the middle of the 1920s. rubber wrist seals. This would allow the diver to remain dry and work in any position. In 1839, Siebe manufactured the first ‘Closed’ diving dress, using 12 equally spaced bolts to clamp the full dress to ‘Siebe & Gorman’ (1870-1879) the breastplate (Fig. 3c). From 1840 to 1844 Colonel Charles Pasley and his team of In 1876 the firm of ‘Siebe & Gorman’ moved their business operation to a new premises at 17 Mason used this ‘Closed’ diving dress with great success to clear the wreck of HMS Royal George in , Street, Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth, London (later re-named Boniface Street by London County off (Fig. 4). Colonel Pasley suggested a further improvement of allowing the helmet’s Council). It was a former cork making factory, but it had 8,000sq.ft. of space which would allow for ‘bonnet’ and breastplate to be separated using an ‘interrupted thread’. Thus the basic ‘Standard’ Diving rapid company expansion. It eventually employed 30 men and included a non-ferrous foundry and Dress with a 12 bolt helmet was realised by Siebe, with major suggestions and design inputs from the blacksmith’s and coppersmith’s shops. The company traded from this address for the next 10 years. 22 The International Journal of Diving History The International Journal of Diving History 23

shareholders. They were looking for new innovations which would expand their marine engineering and armaments empire. Albert Vickers (Chairman of Vickers Ltd.) took over the firm in 1904, a severe disappointment to the ambitions of . However, because of his extensive experience, Davis was made Managing Director. The take-over changed Davis’s business outlook, and he filed many subsequent patents in his own name, which would be out of the control of the new company. The new company now traded as ‘Siebe, Gorman & Co. Ltd’.

‘Siebe, Gorman & Co. Ltd.’ (1904-1999) The Period: 1904 to 1918 The new company quickly expanded operations to include a separate machine shop, blacksmiths, fitter’s shop, coppersmith’s, diving dress shop, hose shop and rubber works (Figs. 5a-5d). From 1905 until the beginning of WW1 the business forged ahead, and apart from diving apparatus, the company started developing and manufacturing breathing apparatus for aircraft, and tunnelling. Self-contained breathing apparatus originally came about through the early pioneering work (around 1876) of British inventor Henry A. Fleuss (1851-1933). Fleuss collaborated with Siebe & Gorman, and in 1878, a practicable, self-contained, closed-circuit breathing apparatus was developed. It was based Fig. 4. Royal Engineer divers in ‘Closed’ on the regenerative principle, using compressed and a chemical CO2 adsorbent. Around 1905, dress diving apparatus, salvaging guns Siebe Gorman used the basic self-contained breathing apparatus design to develop and manufacture from the wreck of the Royal George (1840 to 1844). the ‘Proto’ (1907) and later the ‘Salvus’ breathing apparatus, together with the ‘Novita’ resuscitation apparatus, which was used worldwide in ‘irrepressible atmospheres’. The Fleuss invention also enabled Davis to later develop successful self-contained underwater breathing apparatus for use in submarine ‘Siebe, Gorman & Co.’ (1880-1904) escape (‘Davis Submerged Escape Apparatus’, known as D.S.E.A.), and other breathing apparatus for In 1880, the company name was changed to ‘Siebe Gorman & Co.’, and it continued trading under un-tethered underwater operations, which proved especially useful during World War 2. this new name for the next 24 years. The company address is given as 187 Westminster Bridge Road, In August 1905, the Admiralty set up the first ‘ Committee’ with the aim of improving London, SE. (later S.E.1 after 1917); and 6 Mason Street, Lambeth, London. In January 1882, a the Navy Dive Tables and to increase safe working depths for divers. The key figure in this effort was young 11 year-old-boy, Robert Henry Davis (1870-1965), the son of Robert Davis (1841-1899) and Professor John Scott Haldane (1860-1936) who was tasked with the research (Fig. Ellen Davis (née Bohannon, 1848-1936, from Dublin), joined the company as an office boy. Born in 1e). With the influential political backing of his brother, Richard Burden Haldane (appointed Liberal Croydon, R. H. Davis was the eldest of 10 children who came from a relatively poor background. He Minister for War in 1904), Professor Haldane was able to re-organise RN diving and research, which was an intelligent youngster and by the time he left Addington Street Board School, he could read and had not changed much in decades. His first ‘Decompression Dive Tables’ were adopted by the RN in write well. The young Robert Davis was to have a profound and long lasting effect on the company over 1907 and allowed divers to safely dive to 30 fathoms (180ft.). Siebe Gorman was approached to develop the next 82 years. Robert Davis worked hard, and his efforts and initiative were soon recognised by the better diving apparatus for this purpose. Therefore, a fruitful research and development liaison between partners. Henry Siebe died in 1887 aged 57, leaving the remaining partner, William Gorman in sole the Admiralty and Siebe Gorman was initiated, and lasted until the 1940s. Demands for all types of ownership of the company. Henry Siebe is remembered for his book ‘Conquest of the Sea (published in Siebe Gorman equipment soared during both World Wars. One essential product they manufactured 1874), detailing the advances and development of man’s exploration of the sea. were gas masks which protected soldiers from gas attacks during trench warfare, and later for the civilian In 1894 at the age of 24, Robert Davis was promoted to General Manager of Siebe Gorman & home population during WW2. Co. He worked tirelessly towards the promotion of the company, and was left increasingly in charge of The Inter-war Period: 1919-1938 it following the death of William Gorman’s second wife in 1875. In September 1900, Davis married Following WW1, and the ‘Great Depression’, world manufacturing output slumped. With the disposal Irish born Margaret Tyrell and they lived happily together until her death in 1952. Robert and of stocked gear by the Admiralty and Disposal Boards, there was little reason for Siebe Gorman to Margaret Davis raised a number of children (including four sons and two daughters). Their first son, make new equipment. Their share price fell sharply, but R.H. Davis had a far sighted optimism for Robert William Gorman Davis (born 1901), trained as an engineer and later joined the company and the company that was somewhat contrary to the Vickers view. Davis eventually made a deal with the succeeded his father as Managing Director in 1952, when the company ‘went public’. Vickers board, and in 1924 obtained control of the company from them by majority share. The new It had been Robert Davis’s hope, that Henry Siebe would eventually make him one of the partners, board included Robert Davis, R.W. Gorman Davis (eldest son) and another son, W. Eric Davis. He however, when William Augustus O’Gorman suddenly died on 4th February 1904, aged 69 years appointed one of his sons as General Manager, and ploughed back all possible profits into the company (buried at Claygate Church in Surrey), the disposal of the old company brought about the formation for future developments. Two more sons of Robert Davis (Harry Davis and R.J. Peter Davis) also joined of a new private company, ‘Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd.’ which had the Vickers family as majority the company later. 24 The International Journal of Diving History The International Journal of Diving History 25

Fig. 5. Some workshops at the ‘Neptune’ Works site at Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth, London S.E.

Fig. 7. Key underwater apparatus developed by Siebe Gorman. Fig. 5a. Coppersmiths workshop for bonnet Fig. 5b. Helmet fitting and repair workshop. Fig. 7a. (Far left) and corselet shaping. Diver entering the Davis Submerged Decompression Chamber (D.S.D.C.).

Fig. 7b. (Left) Deep Sea Observation Chamber with air regenerating apparatus, tank and compressed air cylinders.

During the inter-war years, Davis developed and manufactured a number of key inventions. They Fig. 5c. Submarine escape suit Fig. 5d. Electrical fitting shop and store. included the ‘Deep Sea Observation Chamber’ (Fig. 7b), the self-contained underwater breathing apparatus shop and store. apparatus for use in submarine escape or ‘Davis Submerged Escape Apparatus’ (Figs. 6a-6d), and the ‘Davis Submersible Decompression Chamber’ or D.S.D.C. (Fig. 7a). In 1929, both systems were Fig. 6. Davis Submerged Escape Apparatus (D.S.E.A.). trialled by the and subsequently adopted. The D.S.D.C. was instrumental in leading the way for future advances in deep diving operations. In 1931, Davis also patented a deck mounted recompression chamber with a small lock-out bell that could be raised under and attached to the main chamber. It was the first ‘transfer under pressure’ system, and pre-empted the modern saturation systems by a generation. In 1930, the Admiralty set up the second ‘Deep Diving Committee’ to investigate deep diving possibilities using the D.S.D.C. Robert H. Davis was included in the new committee, and he appointed Captain Guybon C.C. Damant (Fig. 1f) to improve upon Haldane’s 1907 Dive Tables. The aim was to produce safe Dive Tables to a diving depth of 300ft. (50 fathoms). By 1932, RN divers were able to reach 344ft. using compressed air, and the new RN tables were set at a maximum safe limit of 300ft. for normal diving operations. Robert Davis often indulged himself in his passion for research and development. Experiments were carried out in various tanks, chambers and laboratories. They included Fig. 6a. Davis Fig. 6b. More recent Fig. 6c. D.S.E.A. check Fig. 6d. Escaping from a submarine gun mixed gas investigations using helium and oxygen () and nitrogen and oxygen () to help ‘portable version of D.S.E.A. vane extended to slow tower using the D.S.E.A. reduce decompression times and reduce the effects of ‘’. High altitude suits were also escape training an ascent to the surface. developed by Siebe Gorman and used in two fixed wing altitude records (1936: 49,967ft. and 1937: chamber’. 53,937ft. respectively). Davis also became involved with the import and manufacture of the ‘Drinker 26 The International Journal of Diving History The International Journal of Diving History 27

The War Period: 1939-1945 By the outbreak of war in 1939, demands for Siebe Gorman apparatus had once again soared to new levels and production needed to be greatly increased. The new factory at was still not ready, so manufacturing continued around the old ‘Westminster Road Bridge’ works. However, bombing in September and October 1940 destroyed the Old Kent Road’s ‘Devonshire Grove’ sites which produced instruments, gas-masks and aircraft oxygen equipment. Then an air raid in May 1941 completely destroyed the main ‘Lambeth’ site in Westminster Bridge Road which produced the diving apparatus. Unfortunately, most of the company accounts and records (including the earliest records of Alexander Siebe) were also destroyed in the raid (a real loss for today’s’ historians). The company quickly transferred its operations to ‘’, Chessington which allowed production to continue throughout the war. During the war period, Siebe Gorman manufactured a wide range of military and civilian equipment for land, air and sea use. With foresight, Davis had also equipped his new factory Fig. 8. The new Surrey with modern experimental diving chambers. factory and headquarters. In 1942, the Admiralty took over the Siebe Gorman Diving Department for the war effort. It was named the ‘Admiralty Experimental Diving Unit’ (or A.E.D.U.) and it was under the command of Fig. 8a. (Above) the first ‘Superintendant of Diving’, Lt. Cdr. W.O. Shelford RN. The AEDU’s remit was to develop Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd. ’Neptune’ Works at new for underwater operations, which eventually included the ‘human torpedo’ Chessington in Surrey crews or charioteers; (Figs. 9a-9c), midget submarines (X-craft), the ‘Mine Recovery Parties’ (Fig. 9d) (photo circa 1946). and the later ‘P’-Parties (Fig. 9e) that carried out post war mine clearance tasks. Siebe Gorman was ideally placed to manufacture this new equipment for the Admiralty. Examples included the ‘Sladen’ Fig. 8b. Part of the suit (Fig. 9b) with system, and the ‘’ suit (Fig. 9f) with ‘Underwater Swimming museum at their Breathing Apparatus’ (U.W.S.B.A.). The Dunlop Rubber Company developed the ‘frogman’ suit Chessington headquarters. with collaboration from Siebe Gorman, and this suit allowed a diver to swim freely in a horizontal position with the aid of fins. Under the advisory capacity of Professor J.B.S. Haldane (son of the late J.S. Haldane), the AEDU also conducted physiological research programmes, including the effects of pure oxygen on divers. Robert Davis assisted as best he could and at the end of the War the AEDU Respirator’ (or Iron Lung), which was a mechanical respirator used in the treatment of infantile paralysis was transferred to HMS Vernon at Portsmouth. Later post-war naval experimentation pushed diving associated with acute poliomyelitis. He improved the design with great success and it was used into the to ever greater depths. On the 12th October 1956, boatswain George Wookey RN, reached a depth of 1950s until polio declined through mass vaccination programmes. 600ft using Siebe Gorman apparatus, and it still remains the deep diving record for the ‘standard’ dress In 1932 Robert Davis was knighted by King George V, principally for the invention of the D.S.E.A. diving apparatus (Fig. 10). Over the years, the company had won many awards and accolades, and by 1938 the company had received 22 major prizes and 12 gold exhibition medals. The majority of the ‘Siebe Medals’ are now held by the Science Museum. By 1930, Davis had finally cleared Siebe Gorman of all debts and other dues. The Siebe Gorman product range was now becoming immense with diving, safety, medical, armed and general engineering contracts coming in. The company desperately needed to expand from the sprawling collection of workshops based around the Westminster Bridge Road site. With the development of new industrial practices and the use of electricity to power machinery, Davis was looking for a new, out-of- town site for his future manufacturing vision. He finally bought a six acre plot in ‘Tolworth’, Surrey in 1938. Plans were drawn up by Hal Williams & Co., architects in the bold modernist style of the thirties, and the building contract was awarded to Frank Parker & Co. It comprised 15,000 sq.ft. of factory space, with 2,000 sq.ft. of spare ground for later development. Davis also acquired an additional un-used American factory (15,000 sq.ft.) in nearby Oakcroft Road. The newly built factory was given Fig. 10. Boatswain George Wookey RN (1922-2007) the grand address: ‘Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd.,’Neptune’ Works, Davis Road, Chessington, Surrey’ (Fig. being dressed for his record-breaking dive to 600 8a). The company slogan became “Everything for Safety Everywhere, On Land, Submerged, and in the feet on 12th October 1956, using Siebe Gorman Air”. The new headquarters even included a museum (Fig. 8b). ‘standard’ dress diving apparatus. 28 The International Journal of Diving History The International Journal of Diving History 29

Fig. 9. Different diving apparatus developed or produced by Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd. The Post-war Years: 1946-1960 Production of Siebe Gorman diving apparatus peaked around 1950 and the company employed about 2000 people at this time. Although there was no post-war depression in the UK, post-war austerity stifled investment and innovation, and many companies stagnated by continuing to produce the same types of products. The Siebe Gorman company also fell into a slow decline as technological advances took place in America and by the early 1960’s employment and production at the firm had halved. In 1951 Robert Davis was awarded an honorary degree from Birmingham University in acknowledgement of his past achievements. However, now 80 years of age, Davis’s style of business management was becoming increasingly Fig. 11. The Cousteau-Gagnan ‘Self-Contained outdated. In 1952 Siebe Gorman became a Underwater Breathing Apparatus’ (S.C.U.B.A.) Fig. 9a. Suit worn Fig. 9b. ‘Human Torpedo’ Charioteer Fig. 9c. ‘Human Torpedo’ crew in action public company for the first time, but this manufactured under licence by by ‘Human Torpedo’ being dressed in the ‘Sladen’ suit (nick- aboard the Mk II Chariot (circa 1944). did not halt the firm’s decline, and the ageing Siebe Gorman & Co., Ltd. (circa 1954). crew using enlarged named: the ‘Clammy Death’). Sir Robert Davis was unwilling to entirely version of the hand over the company reins. Around 1943, D.S.E.A. Davis had also passed up the opportunity to exclusively manufacture Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s aqualung apparatus and demand . By the early to mid-1950s, ‘Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus’ (or S.C.U.B.A.) was being developed and manufactured in France and the USA, but the earlier exclusive initiative had been missed by Siebe Gorman. In the mid to late 1950s the company did diversify into diving suits for commercial and recreational underwater swimming, and around 1954 started making scuba equipment under licence using the ‘Cousteau-Gagnan’ patents (Fig. 11). Around 1952, Marconi and Siebe Gorman collaborated to produce an ‘Underwater Television System’ (Fig. 12) which was used with some success, but again further development was not pushed through. From the mid 1950s onwards, ‘standard’ diving dress production was in gradual decline as new civilian, commercial Fig. 9d. RN Port Fig. 9e. Diver in non-magnetic Fig. 9f. Diver wearing the Dunlop and equipment developed to Clearance ‘P-party’ diver ‘Mine Recovery Suit’, whose ‘Frogman’s’ with ‘Under replace it. By the late 1960s and early 1970s who’s task was to locate task was to render the Water Swimming Breathing diving apparatus radically changed to meet the Fig. 12. The Marconi-Siebe Gorman ‘Underwater mines (circa 1945). mines safe (1945). Apparatus’ (U.W.S.B.A) (circa 1945). demands of marine oil and gas exploration in the Television System’ with prismatic lens (circa 1952). 30 The International Journal of Diving History The International Journal of Diving History 31

North Sea. Some using ‘standard’ diving apparatus did continue until the late 1980s. At Portsmouth, the last working dock dive using ‘standard’ dress took place on January 21st 1990. It was not until 1989 that the MOD announced the withdrawal of ‘standard’ diving dress from military service. This was 10 to 14 years after Siebe Gorman had ceased production of their ‘standard’ apparatus, so the MOD must have had a good stock of spare diving apparatus. In 1959, Siebe Gorman was taken over by the Fairey Group, and it was envisaged that new impetus would be injected into the ailing company, which would allow it to change and flourish. Instead, Sir Robert Davis was appointed Life President and he continued to influence the firm. Consequently nothing really changed until his death in 1965.

1961-1974 Around 1961, Siebe Gorman took over the other famous British diving manufacture of C.E. Heinke, and began to manufacture some Heinke products under a combined trade name of ‘Siebe Heinke’. During the 1960s, ‘Collins and Chambers Ltd.’ of ‘197/9 Mare Street, London, E8 3QF’ , was the main retail outlet for the Siebe Heinke scuba products and some ‘standard’ apparatus. There was a level of Fig. 13. Trade catalogue out-sourcing for component parts and finished products by Siebe Gorman, and it continued to repair showing selection of Heinke and recondition older diving apparatus. Around 1966 the company decided to drop the Heinke name, diving apparatus and by 1970 it had disappeared altogether from their products. All equipment was once again produced under the Siebe Gorman name. On March 29th 1965, Sir Robert Davis died at his home, ’San Toi’ In 1999, ‘Siebe plc’ acquired Esscor, and in that same year ‘BTR plc’ and Siebe (briefly ‘BTR Siebe’) in Epsom, aged 94. Around this time the future of Siebe Gorman was uncertain. The stores and merged to create ‘Invensys’. The Siebe Gorman Company (Malaysia) is now independently owned product range were huge, but still out-dated in many areas, and the old established company needed to (2011) and is not part of Invensys. The copyright to the Siebe Gorman trademark and logo has been modernise its business practices. About 1963, a new Managing Director with business experience (Mr. purchased from Invensys by the Siebe Gorman Company. E. Barry Stephens) was appointed to turn the company around. The in-house Diving Department was The Siebe Gorman (diving apparatus) company has therefore traded as: A. Siebe (1819-1870), Siebe & kept. It was initially run by Captain W.O. Shelford RN (Retd.), and afterwards by Commander Philip Gorman (1870-1879), Siebe, Gorman & Co. (1880-1904) and Siebe, Gorman & Co. Ltd. (1904-1998). White RN. In the early 1970s the company was still producing military diving equipment including NEMBA and COBRA mixed-gas breathing sets for various navies. PART II. THE ‘HEINKE’ COMPANY The family firm of ‘Heinke’ started at about the same time as ‘A. Siebe’. Heinke was less well known 1975-1999 and never developed a “close collaborative relationship” with the Royal Navy. Heinke did manufacture By the early 1970s, the ‘Neptune Works’ at Chessington was no longer suitable for the purpose of the some diving apparatus for the Navy, but nowhere near the quantity that their great rival provided. company, and generous financial relocation incentives were on offer from the government. Therefore in Consequently, although Heinke was the other major British diving apparatus manufacture and 1975, Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd. moved to a new factory site at Cwmbran in . The new address submarine engineers, they were always eclipsed by the firm of ‘Siebe & Gorman’ (later Siebe, Gorman was given as: ‘Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd., Avondale Way, Cwmbran, Gwent, NP4 4 1TS’. By this time, & Co.). By comparison, Heinke published less company literature and manufactured a smaller production of diving apparatus had declined, and the move coincided with the loss of many of the older, product range. However the Heinke firm was innovative and manufactured quality diving apparatus traditional craft skills. The company now concentrated on fire fighting breathing apparatus and escape for commercial purposes and also supplied diving apparatus to various governments around the world equipment. Component parts and products were often out-sourced to other specialist companies for including Britain (Fig.13). manufacture. Between 1985 and 1998, ‘Siebe plc’, as it was now known, embarked on a new expansion The ‘Heinke’ Company roots can be traced back to one man, Gotthilf Frederick Heinke (1786- programme through financial acquisitions. A number of firms were acquired including CompAir, 1871), who was an immigrant coppersmith from Prussia. He started his own ironmongery business in The Foxboro Company (industrial automation), Ticonex, APV plc (vessel manufacturer), Eurotherm, 1818 and he had a workshop at ‘103 Great Portland Street’ in London. In 1839 he opened a second Wonderware and SimSci. In 1998 Allen Yurko took over from Sir Barry Stephens, and Lord Colin shop at ‘3 Old Jewry’. Around 1858, postal re-numbering changed the ‘Great Portland Street’ address Marshall was appointed chairman of ‘Siebe plc’. to ‘79 Great Portland Street’. For business reasons, he applied for and was granted British citizenship In 1998 the Cwmbran plant was closed during company restructuring by ‘Siebe plc’, and production of in 1858. His first wife, Sarah, eventually bore three sons and two daughters. The sons were ‘John’ breathing apparatus was transferred elsewhere. In 1999, Siebe Gorman was sold to an Iranian business man as William Heinke (1816-1870), Charles ‘Edwin’ Heinke (1818-1869), and Gotthilf ‘Henry’ Heinke a going concern, and the company was renamed ‘Air Master Technology Limited’ (AMTec). In 2000 ‘AMTec’ (1820-1899). The daughters were Elizabeth Rozina Heinke and Sarah Juliana Heinke. In 1840 ‘John’ relocated to Swindon in Wiltshire, but in the following year the company ceased trading. The Siebe William married Louisa Margaret Leathart and they had two sons, ‘Frederick’ William Heinke (1851- Gorman trade name was then used by a factory in Malaysia, making fire fighting equipment, breathing 1883; who would later cause a rift among the family firms, and Edwin ‘Harry’ Alfred Heinke (born apparatus and parts for civilian and military use, including an industrial breathing set and a . 1858) who later became a publisher. 32 The International Journal of Diving History The International Journal of Diving History 33

Fig. 14. Early Heinke helmets. and started a different diving apparatus company with a new partner, John Davis AICE. The new company was named ‘Heinke & Davis’ of 176 Great Portland Street, London W. To help establish the new firm’s credibility, ‘Heinke & Davis’ published an annotated booklet based on the previous papers of ‘John’ W. Heinke. It was entitled “A History of Diving from the Earliest Times to the Present Date” and was published in 1871. About this time Heinke & Davis moved to new premises at 2 Brabant Court, Philpot Lane, London. For the next nine years they were in direct competition with the old family company of ‘C.E.Heinke’ Submarine Engineers which was also struggling to survive. Fig. 14a. The earlier James helmet Fig. 14b. Heinke helmet with Fig. 14c. Heinke helmet with However by January 1879 ‘Heinke & Davis’ (circa 1825) was a useful pattern for the cast bronze corselet (1907). adjustable ‘pepper-pot’ exhaust valves was bankrupt and further attempts by the two evolution of some later helmet designs. on bonnet and corselet (1900). partners to restart diving apparatus manufacture failed. ‘Frederick’ W. Heinke eventually died of By 1844 G.F. Heinke’s second son, Charles ‘Edwin’ Heinke, was steering the family firm towards fever in Canada in 1883. submarine engineering and the manufacture of diving apparatus. Around 1844, Edwin produced Gotthilf ‘Henry’ Heinke, the only surviving the firm’s first diving helmet and worked to improve upon the helmet designs of Siebe. The Heinke son of founder G.F. Heinke, managed to save the Company was always striving to be innovative and to compete with the larger company. One noticeable main family business under a new trading name difference that many Heinke helmets have is their square pattern and cast bronze (‘gunmetal’) of ‘C.E. Heinke & Co.’ Submarine Engineers breastplate, instead of a beaten copper one, that was introduced in 1845 (Fig. 14b). This square pattern (1871-1922). Henry Heinke brought in a new corselet became popular in the pearl industry as it enabled a diver to bend forwards more easily to pick Fig. 15. Heinke postcard of the 1924 partner, William Robert Foster (of ‘Foster and up pearl shells from the seabed. This corselet shape and the slightly ‘forward-down facing’ windows British Empire Exhibition, London. Williams’, who were diving dress and air hose (lights or ports) of the Heinke bonnet became known as the ‘pearler’ style helmet. It was copied by many other manufacturers including Siebe Gorman. Another Heinke innovation was the use of an adjustable “pepper-pot” exhaust valve for improved, rapid buoyancy control (Fig. 14c). The Heinke shop foreman and engineer James Holman was responsible for many of the design improvements and he later became one of the four Heinke Company partners. Around this period the firm traded as ‘C.E. Heinke’ Submarine Engineers’ (1844-1871). The firm exhibited at various exhibitions including the ‘Great Exhibition’ (1851) at London’s Crystal Palace, Exhibitions (1855 and 1900), Earl’s Court Exhibition, London (1905), British Empire Exhibition (1924) (Fig. 15), and Wembley Exhibition (1925). The firm won many prizes including ‘first class’ medals. The Company continued to exhibit at many later exhibitions and won more prizes). Both William and his brother Edwin were eventually elected as Associates of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Another branch of the diverse Heinke family businesses was the firm of ‘Heinke Brothers’ (1863- 1867) which traded as ’Submarine Engineers’ to the Royal Navy, Royal Engineers, Indian and other foreign governments (Fig. 16). Their firm’s address is given as 78-79 Gt. Portland Street, London W. The family firms were all in difficulties following the sudden deaths of ‘Edwin’ Heinke (in 1869, aged 51) and Brother ‘John’ W. Heinke (in 1870, aged 54). Their father and Company founder, Fig. 16. Gotthilf ‘Frederick’ Heinke also died a year later in April 1871, aged 85. Personal rifts then caused Heinke Brothers’ divisions in the family allegiances. Soon after the deaths of Edwin and John, young ‘Frederick’ William journal advert Heinke (son of ‘John’ W. Heinke) left the family firm of ‘Heinke Brothers’ (which was later dissolved) (1863). 34 The International Journal of Diving History The International Journal of Diving History 35

Company diversified with the manufacture of scuba equipment (Fig.18), but this was not enough to halt the firm’s decline. About 1961 ‘C.E. Heinke & Co. Ltd.’ was incorporated into ‘Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd’. For a few years (circa 1961-1967) some products were sold under a combined ‘Siebe-Heinke’ name. However, around 1967-68 this linked name was dropped with a return to the ‘Siebe Gorman’ maker’s name. Unfortunately much of the Heinke historical company records were lost during the bombing Blitz of WW2. Whatever was left of the Heinke Company archives was then systematically burnt by the remaining company director prior to the Siebe Gorman take-over. The Heinke Company had therefore traded as ‘C.E. Heinke’ Submarine Engineers from1844 to1871. During this period the firm had a few different trading names within the family group, including ‘Heinke Brothers’ Submarine Engineers (1863-1867). From 1871-1922, they traded as ‘C.E. Heinke & Co.’ Submarine Engineers, and then from 1922-1961, as ‘C.E. Heinke & Co. Ltd.’ Submarine Engineers, before being acquired by ‘Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd’.

(Note: Much of the factual information within this section was sourced from ‘Another Whitstable Trade’ by John Bevan).

REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING Bevan, John, 1996. The Infernal Diver. Submex Ltd., London. 314 pages. Bevan, John, 2009. Another Whitstable Trade. Submex Ltd., England. 436 pages. British Admiralty, 1956. Royal Navy Diving Manual. Manual for Divers: ‘BR. 155C’ (1956). C.E. Heinke & Co., circa 1900. Diving Apparatus, Dresses and Hose. 4th ed. C.E. Heinke & Co., 79 Great Portland Street, London W. 60 pages. Corbin, Thomas, W., 1913. The Romance of Submarine Engineering. Published by Sealey, Service & Co. Ltd., London. 316 pages. Davis, Robert H., 1955. Deep Diving and Submarine Operations. 6th ed. Parts I & II. Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd. Fig. 17. Diver Michael Mohrhardt in Heinke Fig. 18. Trade pamphlet (circa 1959/60) showing London. The Saint Catherine Press, London. 693 pages. ‘standard’ diving apparatus (South Africa). Heinke scuba equipment. Davis, Robert H., 1957. ‘A Brief Personal Record of the firm of Siebe Gorman & Co. 1819-1957’. De Montfort Press. Leicester. 220 pages. suppliers). ‘Foster and Williams’ had worked from premises at 87 Grange Road, Bermondsey, London Davis, Robert H., 1959. ‘A Few Recollections of an old Lambeth Factory and its Vicinity, including some Odd Notes’. since 1852. However by 1884, failing health forced Henry Heinke to retire at the age of 64, and he De Montfort Press, Leicester. 151 pages. sold the company to Robert Fox (his brother-in-law) and William Foster. Henry eventually died in Deane, C. A., 1835. Submarine Researches. Monograph No.2, the Historical Diving Society, London, 2001. 1899, aged 79. When William Foster eventually died, his company shares were bought by three new Published by Kitzinger, London. 24 pages and 18 plates. partners, F.H. Sprang (who held shares in ‘Foster and Williams’), J.H. Blake and Holman. Their active De Latil, Pierre & Jean Rivoire. 1956. Man and the Underwater World. Published by Jerrold’s, London. 400 pages. involvement and experience contributed towards future successes of C.E. Heinke & Co. and this helped Heinke, J.W. & Davis, W.G., 1871. A History of Diving. ‘From The Earliest Times To The Present Date’. 3rd ed. to strengthen the firm. Robert Fox died in 1902 and his shares were bought by the three remaining Printed by Waterlow and Sons, Great Winchester Street, London, E.C. 48 printed pages. (Address: Heinke and partners. The ‘Foster and Williams’ company was then incorporated into C.E. Heinke & Co. and the Davis, 2 Brabant Court, Philpot Lane, (London). Blue cloth covered board with gold titling). remaining ‘Foster and Williams’ partner, Edwin C. Lacey, joined the Board of Directors. When the lease Historical Diving Times (UK) ‘back issues’ No. 11, Oct. 1994, pp.16-19; No. 15, April 1966 pp. 16-19). Newsletter on Gt. Portland St. expired in 1904, production shifted to the previous Foster and Williams premises at of the Historical Diving Society (UK). ‘87, 88 and 89 Grange Road, Bermondsey, London SE’. In 1905, an extra 10,000 sq.ft. of factory and Lyons, Leon G., 1988. Helmets of the Deep. Published by L.G. Lyons, Florida, USA. 370 pages. workshop space was added. By 1914 the four company partners were still listed as F.H. Sprang, J.H. Marx, Robert F., 1968. ‘They Dared The Deep’ A History of Diving. Published by Pelham Books Ltd., London. 158 pp. Blake, J. Holman and E.C. Lacey. Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd., 1905. Illustrated Catalogue of Diving Apparatus. Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd., Offices & In 1922 ‘C.E. Heinke & Co.’ became a public company and traded as ‘C.E. Heinke & Co. Ltd.’ Warehouse – 187, Westminster Bridge Road. Works – ‘Neptune’ Works, Boniface Street, Lambeth, London, Submarine Engineers (1922-1961).The new company flourished until the early 1950s producing S.E. 110 pages. ‘standard’ diving apparatus (Fig. 17). However like so many other companies, it stagnated through Siebe Gorman & Co., Ltd., circa 1957-1960. ‘Chessington’ Catalogue ‘D5’. ‘Diving Apparatus and other Submarine lack of innovation and investment during the austere post-war period. By the mid to late 1950s the Appliances’. Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd. 94 pages. 36 The International Journal of Diving History The International Journal of Diving History 37

Siebe Gorman & Co., Ltd., 1946. ‘A Record of War and Peace’ (1819-1946). Siebe Gorman & Company Limited, ‘Neptune’ Works, Davis Road, Tolworth, Surrey. 35 pages. Siebe, Henry, H., 1874. The Conquest of the Sea. Published by Chatto & Windus, Piccadilly, London. 299 pages. Norton, Trevor, 1999. Stars Beneath The Sea. Published by Century, London. 282 pages. Young, Desmond, 1963. The Man in the Helmet. 1st ed. Cassell. London. 224 pages. Underwater Exposure – FIGURE REFERENCE SOURCES Early Photography Beneath the Waves 1a. Portrait (1857), Science Museum, London. Cormac F. Lowth, Ireland. 1b. Strand Magazine, 1895. 1c. Photo by Dr. P. Johnson. 1d, 1e, 1f, 4, 6, 7, 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9f, 10, 11 and 12. Davis, Robert H., 1955. Deep Diving and Submarine Introduction Operations. 6th ed. Parts I & II. Siebe Gorman & Co., Ltd. London. Not so long ago taking photographs underwater seemed to be a black art, that was only practised by 2a & 2b. A Brief Personal Record of the Firm of Siebe Gorman & Co., 1819-1957. R. H. Davis, 1957. wealthy aficionados who could afford the prohibitively expensive cameras and housings and sometimes 3a. Photo: Science Museum, London; Illustration: Deane’s patent spec. have their investment wiped out at a stroke by disastrous flooding. Usually due to the failure of any one 3b. Photo: Musee Joseph Vaylet; Illustration: Submarine Researches by Charles A. Deane. of an extravagant number of rubber seals, it was only the rugged and durable nature of some underwater 3c. Photo: Science Museum, London; Illustration: Capt. G.R. Hutchinson in 1846. cameras such as the that could sometimes survive being flooded. 3d. Photo: Christies, London; Illustration: Siebe, Gorman & Co. Ltd., 1905, Catalogue of Diving Apparatus. The digital revolution changed all of that and it is now within the grasp of practically all who venture 5. Siebe Gorman & Co., Ltd., circa 1909-1917. Catalogue ‘D’. Diving Apparatus and other Submarine beneath the waves to take good photographs, or even videos, with cameras that are a fraction of the Appliances. Spanish Edition. size, and the price, of those that were around in the days of chemical photography. They are, thankfully, 8a. Siebe Gorman & Co., Ltd., circa 1956 or earlier. ‘Tolworth’ Catalogue ‘D5’. Diving Apparatus and other devoid of most of the knobs and dials that bedevilled some of their predecessors. Even disposable Submarine Appliances. underwater cameras are now available, that can operate at moderate depths. By comparison with these 8b. Young, D., 1963. The Man in the Helmet. modern photographic marvels, the first workable underwater camera and its subsequent development, 9e. Photo by R. Maries. as devised by Frenchman in 1892, needed three men to carry it. 14a & 14b. From postcard by C.E.Heinke & Co. To look at Louis Boutan’s photographic achievements in isolation would do the man a great injustice, 14c. C.E.Heinke catalogue (1900). as he was a genius in many other disciplines. A polymath who was an explorer, a naturalist and an 15. Postcard by C.E. Heinke & Co. inventor, his abilities and attainments embraced engineering, zoology and . Boutan was 16. The Engineer, 1863. not the first to take a photograph underwater. That honour goes to an Englishman, William Thompson, 17. Helen Wynne-Dyke archive. who managed to acquire a few crude images in 1856 in Weymouth Bay. However, despite an extensive treatise written by Thompson on the subject and a few similar efforts by various others, there was no ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS significant improvement upon his experiments until the arrival of Boutan. We would like to thank Phil Thurtle and David Dekker for their help with requested information. We would especially like to thank John Bevan and Peter Jackson for their encouragement, expertise, helpful suggestions and The early years positive comments while writing this article. Louis Boutan was born in Versailles in 1859 and grew up in a scientific atmosphere, as his father was a Dr. Michael Burchett is a marine biologist and retired teacher. He worked as a fisheries biologist and scientific diver physics teacher. He went on to obtain degrees in both literature and science and his first job was in the for the British Antarctic Survey (Cambridge) UK. He has dived on expeditions to remote parts of the world and laboratory of the University of Paris. This lasted just a short time, as he joined a French Government co-authored the standard scientific work, Sealife ‘A Complete Guide to the Marine Environment’. His interest naturalist expedition to Australia, the beginning of a lifetime of scientific exploration and study in many is British diving history and diving apparatus and he is writing an identification guide on ‘British Divers Knives’. parts of the World. He spent three years tramping about the Australian outback and coastline, collecting specimens and studying the flora and fauna, all of his collections, alive and dead, being shipped home to France. One of his notable achievements while in Australia was to identify a parasite that was killing the Robert Burchett is studying Computer Animation at Ravensbourne (London). He has a keen interest in British local vines. He made successful representations to the Government as to how to overcome this by grafting diving history and diving apparatus and is currently involved with the research and compilation of the identification in resistant foreign vines, thereby saving the Australian wine industry. He also had his first taste of undersea guide on ‘British Divers Knives’. adventure by diving with pearl divers, which opened a whole new world of interest in marine biology and a huge curiosity in everything to do with the sea, that was to remain with him for rest of his days. Boutan resumed teaching at the university when he returned, but he used every opportunity to escape from the drudgery of college life to the marine research stations and laboratories in Roscoff on