Genealogy Chat

My ggrandfather ran away from home to join the Navy & there is a family story that he was the first able bodied seaman to dive for the Navy using a diving suit. He was born about 1900 any ideas how I could find out? Many thanks

Google Navy divers Reg

Thanks Reg, I have tried that before & also asked a historical naval site, maybe it was just his little story.

Hiya According to the diving magazine Dive; ' The Royal Engineers have been working in the underground world since 23/4/1838,when a Colonel Pasley donned the primitive dive gear of the period,slipped below the waters of the river Medway in Kent & made diving history by becoming the first member of the British armed services to dive.In 1842 Pasley detached a member of his diving team to HMS Excellent to train the navy in the science of diving- a fact that the Royal Engineers are quick to point out- & the initial training tank at the combinmed Defence Diving School in Horsea,Portsmouth is named in the Colonel's honour. Dont know if that helps. Sophia.

Thanks Sophia, that time was a bit early to be him, originally we were told that he was the first man to wear a diving helmet which was even earlier. I think it might be a case of chinese whispers that i'll never get to the bottom of, lol

It is very hard to find information. My Great Grandfather was a deep sea diver in the 1880's and we are lucky enough to have a photograph of him in his outfit in 1881. I found his records on the National Archives then spoke to the man who runs the Divers Index. HMS Excellent was and still is the training ship that divers are trained on. If they pass all the badges they can go on to be a ships diver on other ships. Sheila

Thanks again Sheila, I have since managed to get hold of his Navy record & he was infact a diver in 1913, long list of ships, Vivid I, Irresistible, Pembroke & Blenheim, so some of his story was true. He was a bit of a rougue to spend time in the cells twice & was invalided out with what looks like typhus!!!

Hi, I too have a diver. On the census he is listed as a submarine diver......query is how do you dive off a submarine? and How would I find out what sub ? jackie

No idea how you dive off a submarine either! I found my info on national archives site, look through seaman names & if you find him you can pay to download the document. Good luck

What is the addy for the National Archives? Jackie

www.nationalarchives(.)gov(.)co(.)uk Then go to Documents on-line Clare It was quite common for divers to be signed off. I don't think any of them did it for more than a few years without getting ill especially in the earlier times.

Jacqueline, bit of info for you, my hubby has informed me that men did used to dive off submarines, it was when they were on the surface the men would dive underneath them to do maintenance & repairs as they did with ships also, (no idea how he knows!) hope this helps.