![Deane Brothers Diving Helmet](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Deane_Brothers_Diving_Helmet.jpg)
John Deane (1800–1884; known as The ''Infernal Diver''), with his brother
Charles
Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...
, invented the
diving helmet
A diving helmet is a rigid head enclosure with a breathing gas supply used in underwater diving. They are worn mainly by professional divers engaged in surface-supplied diving, though some models can be used with scuba equipment. The upper part ...
and performed diving operations at the wreck of the ''
Mary Rose
The ''Mary Rose'' (launched 1511) is a carrack-type warship of the English Tudor navy of King Henry VIII. She served for 33 years in several wars against France, Scotland, and Brittany. After being substantially rebuilt in 1536, she saw her ...
''. They received their education at
The Royal Hospital School, Greenwich and were both in attendance in 1812. When he was 14, John joined the
East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
and sailed for seven years.
In the 1820s, John was present in England when horses were trapped by fire in a stable. To get through the smoke and fire fumes he put on a medieval
knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
-in-armour helmet air-pumped by hose from a
fire brigade
A fire department (American English) or fire brigade (Commonwealth English), also known as a fire authority, fire district, fire and rescue, or fire service in some areas, is an organization that provides fire prevention and fire suppression se ...
water pump and rescued all the horses. In 1823, he patented a "Smoke Helmet" to be used by firemen in smoke-filled areas; the full title is given as ''"Apparatus or Machines to be worn by Persons entering Rooms or other places filled with Smoke of other Vapour, for the purpose of extinguishing Fire, or extricating Persons or Property therein"''. The apparatus comprised a copper helmet with an attached flexible collar and garment. A long leather hose attached to the rear of the helmet was to be used to supply air, the original concept being that it would be pumped using a double bellows. A short pipe allowed breathed air to escape. The garment was to be constructed from leather or airtight cloth, secured by straps.
Later, it was developed into a diving apparatus. After several private trials in the Thames they were having difficulty bringing the invention to the serious attention of the admiralty until they approached the Governor of the Greenwich Hospital, Admiral Sir
Richard Goodwin Keats
Admiral Sir Richard Goodwin Keats (16 January 1757 – 5 April 1834) was a British naval officer who fought throughout the American Revolution, French Revolutionary War and Napoleonic War. He retired in 1812 due to ill health and was made Comm ...
. Following that interview they were able to write to the Admiralty they would be proud to make a descent in their presence, now having a convenient vessel lying off the steps of the Royal Hospital Greenwich near the Admiral's residence, which vessel with the Governor's consent would be allowed to remain to await their Lordships' pleasure. The Admiralty had little option but to attend, and shortly thereafter official trials were undertaken at the Sheerness dockyard, and patents were obtained.
The Deanes became full time divers.
In 1829, the Deane brothers sailed from
Whitstable
Whitstable () is a town on the north coast of Kent adjoining the convergence of the Swale Estuary and the Greater Thames Estuary in southeastern England, north of Canterbury and west of Herne Bay. The 2011 Census reported a population of ...
for trials of their new underwater apparatus, establishing the diving industry in the town.
![Mary rose cannon ball found by John Deane](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Mary_rose_cannon_ball_found_by_John_Deane.jpg)
In 1830 John and his diving partner, George Bell, salvaged the cannons from the wreck of the ''Guernsey Lily''. Seven of these cannon are now located at Quex Park,
Birchington
Birchington-on-Sea is a village in the Thanet district in Kent, England, with a population of 9,961.
The village forms part of the civil parish of Birchington. It lies on the coast facing the North Sea, east of the Thames Estuary, between the ...
.
On 16 June 1836, the ''
Mary Rose
The ''Mary Rose'' (launched 1511) is a carrack-type warship of the English Tudor navy of King Henry VIII. She served for 33 years in several wars against France, Scotland, and Brittany. After being substantially rebuilt in 1536, she saw her ...
'' shipwreck was discovered when a fishing net caught on the wreck. John and his partner William Edwards, recovered timbers, guns, longbows, and other items from the shipwreck. The location of the shipwreck was forgotten after Deane stopped work on the site of the shipwreck in 1840.
William Edwards was his partner between 1834 and 1855. Edwards died in the
Crimean War
The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia.
Geopolitical causes of the war included the de ...
(1854–1856).
George Hall was the bell diver who collaborated with the Deanes in the development of their diving apparatus. He is credited with first teaching the Royal Sappers & Miners and Royal Engineers to dive during the salvage of the ''Royal George'', 1839–40.
Deane is known to have given a series of lectures in 1847 on "diving and submarine operations" at the Assembly Rooms in
Whitstable
Whitstable () is a town on the north coast of Kent adjoining the convergence of the Swale Estuary and the Greater Thames Estuary in southeastern England, north of Canterbury and west of Herne Bay. The 2011 Census reported a population of ...
. Charles and John Deane exhibited their invention in the
Great Exhibition
The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, also known as the Great Exhibition or the Crystal Palace Exhibition (in reference to the temporary The Crystal Palace, structure in which it was held), was an International Exhib ...
of 1851.
John, working for the Admiralty, cleared the Russian wrecks from
Sevastopol
Sevastopol (; uk, Севасто́поль, Sevastópolʹ, ; gkm, Σεβαστούπολις, Sevastoúpolis, ; crh, Акъя́р, Aqyár, ), sometimes written Sebastopol, is the largest city in Crimea, and a major port on the Black Sea ...
harbour during the Crimean War. Sarah Ann Browning managed Deane's business affairs when he was working in
Crimea
Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a pop ...
between 1854 and 1856.
He married Sarah Ann Browning at St Alphege Church, Whitstable, in October 1856 on his return from the Crimean War. Sarah Deane, John Deane's second wife, is buried at Millstroode Cemetery, Whitstable.
He died in 1884 and was buried in
Ramsgate
Ramsgate is a seaside resort, seaside town in the district of Thanet District, Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century. In 2001 it had a population of about 40,000. In 2011, according to t ...
.
References
Diver's trail
{{DEFAULTSORT:Deane, John
1800 births
1884 deaths
People educated at the Royal Hospital School
19th-century British inventors