Commercial (Standard Divers)

[Neil Hunt]

This is my first entry on YD, so Hello everyone and Happy New Year!

I'd be like to hear from any commercial / ex-commercial divers who during the course of their careers actually worked in Standard Diving Dress.

Kind regards,
Neil Hunt
Founder: The Guild of Standard Divers

[iain/hsm]

Neil You may have left it a bit late. By standard I assume you mean standard dress as opposed to the modern “Tupperware” hats. I did my course in 1979 and it must have been one of the last training courses on the standard copper 6 and 12 bolt, The MoD dockyard divers and Manchester Ship canal divers may have used them later but not much. I think the lack of a bailout got them NRB. The MoD had a replacement helmet called the Windak about 1980 never went far I think they were just prototypes. I suppose the Swindel, Advanced 2000, Beckman and the MK 12 don’t count, Most went on to the Aquadyne and the UWI air hat. I guess most 12 bolts helmets are in theme pubs now. iain

[ratcliffe]

Neil, You may wish to contact the Historical Diving Society (HDS) here in the UK. There are a lot of members who used to dive the stuff for work, as opposed to those of us who dive it because we are interesting in it..

[Neil Hunt]

Dear Iain,
It's nice to hear from you, thank you for taking the trouble to reply.
I also trained at Rosyth in 1974 and was a Standard Diver (12 bolt) with the Port of London Authority, before going to the Middle East and North Sea. I've also used a range of 'Tupperwear' hats but have always been proud I was a 'hard hat' diver.

I have therefore formed the GSD with some other ex 'hard hat' divers (10 of us at present) and our aim is to meet periodically, have a few jars and talk about old times. We held our inaugural meeting (in a pub) just before Christmas and it was a great success.

Kind regards,
Neil.

[Neil Hunt]

Dear Ratcliffe,
Thank you for taking the trouble to reply, it's nice to hear from you and I'm pleased you are in the HDS, they do a great job. I know a couple of your members. In fact please give my regards to Jimmy Hutchinson (if he remembers me). I did a bit of work for him in the 70's, Including a stint in light-harbout gear during the demolition of Deptford Power Station.

The Guild of Standard Divers is a newly formed group of ex hard hat divers, who still have a passion for the job and enjoy talking about old times over a beer.

Kind regards,
Neil.

[A. Berk]

After leaving the Navy I did a stint in Tillbury docks with an outfit that I can't recall - though the 'gaffer' smoked cigars and had chronic dandruff. The job was duff but at least I got my 'standard hat' posed photo from it (in B & W of course).

All the best,

A. Berk

[Neil Hunt]

Thank you for replying.

Even if the job was duff (and many of them were), I'm pleased you got your photo taken. It's a shame you can't remember the contractor, what year was it and were they local a local outfit?

Kind regards,
Neil.

[A. Berk]

Originally Posted by Neil Hunt

It's a shame you can't remember the contractor, what year was it and were they local a local outfit?
.

Yes Neil, they were fairly local (20 min drive or so) and it would be in... er, is anyone else watching this? - '75 - scary!

[Neil Hunt]

I can think of three local companies around at that time that had Standard gear.
Martin Marine (Dartford)
Medway Diving (Gillingham)
Dockland Divers (Barking / I think!)

Do any of these ring a bell?

Regards,
Neil.

[A. Berk]

Originally Posted by Neil Hunt

I can think of three local companies around at that time that had Standard gear.
Martin Marine (Dartford)
Medway Diving (Gillingham)
Dockland Divers (Barking / I think!)

Do any of these ring a bell?

Regards,
Neil.

Dockland Divers... there ya go! And you're right about the 'Barking' bit - barking mad - I recall they had a guy on the books who 'didn't like it' (the water that is) so they made him the permanent standby diver!

And they call me A Berk?