Charles Spalding, Diving Bell

Charles Spalding (October 29, 1738 - June 2, 1783) was a Scottish confectioner and amateur engineer. Spalding's introduction to diving was more the result of necessity than choice. Heavily invested in the brig Peggy, Spalding suffered a severe financial blow when she sank en route to Scotland. Elected by his Edinburgh trade guild to recover as many goods as possible, Spalding came up with the idea of diving to the wreck. Using his background in mechanics, Spalding read every book he could find on the design of Halley's diving bell. Spalding determined that Halley's design had weaknesses that added unnecessary risk to the divers. Spalding added a system of balance-weights to ease the raising and lowering of the bell, along with a series of ropes for signaling the surface crew. The redesigned diving bell weighed 200 pounds and could accommodate two divers. Spalding also added ropes inside in the bell as seats and thick glass windows to admit light. Spalding founded Spalding and Co. of Edinburgh for his diving operations. He died while diving to the wreck of the Belgioso in Dublin Bay using a diving bell of his own design

Restrictions Only for Ireland and United Kingdom

1700s Diagram Eighteenth Innovation Mechanical Mechanics Spalding

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