A love affair with Scilly
For the past twenty years Richard and Bridget have lived on St Mary’s, although their relationship with Scilly dates back to the sixties. As a Royal Navy diver Richard led the search for the Association, a naval diving expedition in 1967. This discovery led to international news interest and secured Richard’s continuing love for both the islands and their maritime history.
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Image: a local discovery - treasure from HMS Association
Richard became a regular presence on the islands and dived many and various wreck sites; in all he has 67 years’ experience as a naval and commercial diver. Richard’s passion and enthusiasm for his subject is tangible and clearly demonstrated by his desire to share his knowledge and expertise to inspire others; he and Bridget have collaborated to produce over seventy books, they were also instrumental in creating the Shipwreck Museum in Charlestown.
Their first venture on Scilly established Longstone as a tea garden and heritage centre in the eighties. The couple then returned to Cornwall to undertake the research required to produce a six volume index of shipwrecks round the coast of Britain, commissioned by Lloyds of London and documenting some 45,000 incidents. This is now recognised as the most comprehensive guide of its kind and the project contributed to Richard receiving an OBE for services to maritime heritage in 2009.
I stopped diving after 67 years, when I was 80
Went underwater treasure hunting for 10 years - successfully I should add.
Current day
This year has seen the publication of ‘Sea of Storms’ a beautifully illustrated account of some of the most significant wrecks around Cornwall and Scilly spanning almost five hundred years; the book featured in Waterstone’s in Truro, where it sold over 700 copies in its first month in print. October 2020 saw the launch of a new docuseries ‘Enslaved’ featuring Samuel L. Jackson, aired on BBC2. This was initiated a couple of years ago with Richard as a consultant and Bridget helping organise the film crew’s visit to the islands.
They clearly enjoy life on the islands, both referred to feeling safe and secure in a small and friendly community and Richard acknowledged both the quality of life and the quality of the local health service with his trademark smile.
Best Discovery
Whilst the Association finds put both Richard and Scilly on the map, he suggests his work on the Goodwin Sands off the Kent coast to retrieve cargo from the Admiral Gardner, wrecked in 1809, as being one of his greatest and most memorable achievements. The ship belonged to the East India Company and was bound for India carrying newly minted copper coinage.
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Image: The Association - a Royal Naval ship lost at sea in 1707 by grounding on the Isles of Scilly in the greatest maritime disaster of the age.
A Perfect Day on Scilly is....
A relaxed lunch with friends at Karma on St Martin’s affording a favourite view across the islands and providing a break from a still busy schedule. Richard and Bridget now manage their own self-catering accommodation which boasts a panoramic view across the harbour. Richard regularly enjoys leading walks and hosting talks about Scilly’s wartime and maritime history – when allowed, as well as being a pro-active and committed trustee of the Isles of Scilly Museum.
The Isles of Scilly probably have more shipwrecks per square mile than any other place on earth. Over the years I have dived on a few and some of their stories are terrific, everything from distaster and death, to sunken treasure - the Scillies have it all.
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© Islands' Partnership
