Charles Anthony Deane
Encyclopedia
Charles Anthony Deane was a pioneering diving engineer.
Born in Deptford
, Charles and his brother John
and studied at the Greenwich Hospital School
for Boys (the former buildings of which are now the National Maritime Museum
) to become merchant seamen, going to sea at the age of 14 for a period of 7 years before returning to Deptford.
Charles Deane then took up employment as a caulker at Barnard's Shipyard. During this time he realised the problem of fighting fires within the holds of ships.
In the 1820's John Deane 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
-in-armor helmet air-pumped by hose from a fire brigade 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.
Charles had insufficient funds to build the equipment himself, so sold his patent to his employer, Edward Barnard
. It was not until 1827 that the first smoke helmets were built, by Augustus Siebe
. Charles Deane had little success marketing the apparatus as a smoke helmet, so in 1828 he and his brother decided to find another application for it and converted it into a diving helmet and marketed the helmet with a loosely attached "diving suit" so that a diver could perform salvage work but only in a full vertical position, otherwise water entered the suit.
In 1829 the Deane brothers sailed from Whitstable for trials of their new underwater apparatus, establishing the diving industry in the town.
A cannon ball that John Deane recovered from the wreck of the Mary Rose
In 1834 Charles used his diving helmet and suit in a successful attempt upon the wreck of Royal George
at Spithead
, during which he recovered 28 of the ship's cannon.
By 1836 the Deane brothers had produced the world's first diving manual, Method of Using Deane's Patent Diving Apparatus which explained in detail the workings of the apparatus and pump, plus safety precautions.
Born in Deptford
Deptford
Deptford is a district of south London, England, located on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th century to the late 19th was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards.Deptford and the docks are...
, Charles and his brother John
John Deane (inventor)
Charles and John Deane were the inventors of the diving helmet, and performed diving operations at the wreck of the Mary Rose. The brothers received their education at The Royal Hospital School, Greenwich, and were both in attendance in 1812...
and studied at the Greenwich Hospital School
Royal Hospital School
The Royal Hospital School, , is a British co-educational independent boarding school with naval traditions. It admits pupils from age 11 to 18 through Common Entrance or the school's own exam...
for Boys (the former buildings of which are now the National Maritime Museum
National Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England is the leading maritime museum of the United Kingdom and may be the largest museum of its kind in the world. The historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, it also incorporates the Royal Observatory, Greenwich,...
) to become merchant seamen, going to sea at the age of 14 for a period of 7 years before returning to Deptford.
Charles Deane then took up employment as a caulker at Barnard's Shipyard. During this time he realised the problem of fighting fires within the holds of ships.
In the 1820's John Deane 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
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
-in-armor helmet air-pumped by hose from a fire brigade 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.
Charles had insufficient funds to build the equipment himself, so sold his patent to his employer, Edward Barnard
Edward Barnard
Edward Barnard may refer to:*Edward Barnard , provost of Eton* Edward Emerson Barnard , American astronomer* Edward Barnard , Canadian politician...
. It was not until 1827 that the first smoke helmets were built, by Augustus Siebe
Augustus Siebe
Augustus Siebe was a German-born British engineer chiefly known for his contributions to diving equipment.- Contribution to diving :...
. Charles Deane had little success marketing the apparatus as a smoke helmet, so in 1828 he and his brother decided to find another application for it and converted it into a diving helmet and marketed the helmet with a loosely attached "diving suit" so that a diver could perform salvage work but only in a full vertical position, otherwise water entered the suit.
In 1829 the Deane brothers sailed from Whitstable for trials of their new underwater apparatus, establishing the diving industry in the town.
A cannon ball that John Deane recovered from the wreck of the Mary Rose
In 1834 Charles used his diving helmet and suit in a successful attempt upon the wreck of Royal George
HMS Royal George (1756)
HMS Royal George was a 100-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at Woolwich Dockyard and launched on 18 February 1756...
at Spithead
Spithead
Spithead is an area of the Solent and a roadstead off Gilkicker Point in Hampshire, England. It is protected from all winds, except those from the southeast...
, during which he recovered 28 of the ship's cannon.
By 1836 the Deane brothers had produced the world's first diving manual, Method of Using Deane's Patent Diving Apparatus which explained in detail the workings of the apparatus and pump, plus safety precautions.