View source for Heinke (diving equipment manufacturer)

{{short description| British manufacturer of diving equipment }}
{{Prose|date=January 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Heinke
| logo =
| type =
| industry = [[Diving equipment]]
| fate = Incorporated into [[Siebe Gorman]]
| predecessor = <!-- or: | predecessors = -->
| successor = <!-- or: | successors = -->
| founded = {{Start date and age|1844}}
| founder = Charles Edwin Heinke
| defunct = {{End date|1961}}
| hq_location_city = [[London]], [[England]]
| hq_location_country = United Kingdom
| area_served = <!-- or: | areas_served = -->
| key_people =
| products = [[Aqua-Lung|Aqualung]]s, [[diving helmet]]s, [[dry suit]]s, [[wetsuit]]s [[diving mask]]s, [[Swimfin|swimming fins]], [[Snorkeling#Snorkel|snorkel tubes]]
| owner = <!-- or: | owners = -->
| num_employees =
| num_employees_year = <!-- Year of num_employees data (if known) -->
| parent =
| website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
}}
'''Heinke''' was a series of companies that made [[diving equipment]] in London, run by members of a Heinke family.
==Timeline==
=== Family background ===
Gotthilf Frederick Heinke was born in Meseritz, Prussia in 1786.<ref>Naturalisation Papers, Certificate 2712 issued 20 August 1858, copy available at The National Archives
</ref> He arrived in London in 1809 and worked initially as a [[victualler]] to build up capital.<ref>Son JW Heinke's Baptism record of 1816</ref>  He married Sarah Smith,<ref>London, England Marriages & Banns 1754–1921</ref> who bore him three sons and two daughters. The sons were John William Heinke (born 1816), Charles Edwin Heinke (born 1818), and Gotthilf Henry Heinke (born 1820). John married Louisa Margaret Leathart in 1840
=== Ironmongery ===
In 1818, Gotthilf Frederick Heinke opened an [[ironmongery]] shop business in London and, in 1819, he got a workshop at 103 [[Great Portland Street]] in London.{{Efn|Around 1858, the addresses in Great Portland Street were renumbered and 103 became 79}} Gotthilf Frederick opened a second premises at 3 [[Old Jewry]], London in 1839.
===Start of making diving helmets===
Around 1844, Charles Edwin Heinke made his first diving helmet. Inspired by [[William F. Saddler]], Heinke started using solid [[brass]] for diving helmets' [[breastplate]]s, instead of copper sheet. Heinke's diving helmets had three similarly shaped circular windows. They did not have the outer protective grills as in other helmets; thus they had better visibility for divers, and it was easier to keep the windows clean. Heinke's main competitor was [[Siebe Gorman]] who also made diving helmets, and Heinke constantly tried to improve on designs. He introduced an additional exhaust valve on the front side of the breastplate, which is now called the "peppermill" because of the holes in its cover. This exhaust made it possible for the diver to ascend and descend much faster.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}{{dubious|date=April 2020}}
In 1845, Charles brought in the "Pearler" helmet, with a square-pattern mould-cast (instead of oval and beaten) copper helmet. He became famous with this style. Their square breastplate made it easier for the diver to bend forwards to look for [[pearl oyster]]s on the seabed. The idea was later copied by companies such as Siebe after Siebe took over Heinke, and even by [[Morse Diving]] in the USA.
* 1852: William Robert Foster and others began running a firm '''Foster and Williams''' supplying [[diving dress]]es and air hose at 87 Grange Road, [[Bermondsey]], London.
* 1858: Gotthilf Frederick Heinke applied for British citizenship, and was granted it.
* 1863: Some members of the Heinke family (including Frederick William Heinke, son of John William Heinke) started a firm '''Heinke Brothers''', 78-78 [[Great Portland Street]], London, "Submarine Engineers"; that firm lasted until 1867.
* 1869: Charles Edwin Heinke died after being in ill-health for 2–3 years.<ref>'Fox vs Heinke' 1870 F104 The National Archives</ref>
* 1870: John William Heinke died from [[congestion of the liver]] after an 11-month illness.<ref>Institute of Civil Engineers, Obituary, 30 December 1870</ref> These two deaths disorganized company business.
* 1871: Frederick William Heinke and one William Griffin Davis [[Institution of Civil Engineers|AICE]] formed a new firm '''Heinke & Davis''' at 176 [[Great Portland Street]], London. It moved to 2 Brabant Court, Philpot Lane, London. It was bankrupt by January 1879.<ref>The Edinburgh Gazette, 28 January 1979.</ref>
* 1871: Gotthilf Frederick Heinke died.<ref name="auto">Death Index{{Full citation needed|date=January 2024}}</ref>
* 1871: Gotthilf Henry Heinke became a sleeping partner in the business and took on a partner William Foster to manage the business; they started a new business '''C.E.Heinke & Co, Submarine Engineers'''.
* 1880: Frederick William Heinke was forced to seek work in North America, but died of a fever in 1883 in Tecomabaca, Oaxaca, Mexico.<ref>Certified copy issued by Municipal agent, Tecombaca, 12 September 1883.</ref>
* 1884: Gotthilf Henry Heinke retired for ill health, and sold his company to William Foster and Robert Fox (his brother in law) who had also become involved in the business, but continued to live on the upper floor of 79 Great Portland Street till his death in 1899.<ref name="auto" />
===20th century===
* 1902: Robert Fox died. Foster and Williams was merged into C.E.Heinke & Co, Submarine Engineers.
* 1904: The lease on Great Portland Street expired. Production was moved to Foster and Williams's premises.
* 1905: The company acquired an additional {{Convert|10000|sqft}} of work area.
* 1905: All Heinke helmets made until 1905 had the butterfly style [[wingnut (hardware)|wingnut]]s; after that regular wingnuts were used.
* 1922: C.E.Heinke & Co, Submarine Engineers became a limited company '''C.E.Heinke & Co Ltd, Submarine Engineers''', making a good living from [[standard diving]] equipment.
===WWII and after===
* WWII blitz: Many company records were lost.
* 1950: After this date, the firm's fortunes declined, as with [[Siebe Gorman]].
[[File:Heinke Hans Hass Diving Mask and Snorkel Tube.jpg|thumb|1950s Heinke Hans Hass diving mask and snorkel tube]]
* Mid to late 1950s: the firm starts making "Heinke-Lung"<ref>[http://www.cg-45.com/downloads/download.php?file=Catalogs/HEINKE/Heinke%201.pdf Heinke Lungs]. Retrieved on 13 June 2019.</ref> [[aqua-lung|aqualung]]s, Delta<ref>[http://www.hydroglove.net/media/729422104a3ac4baffff81bcffffe907.pdf Heinke Delta dry suit]. Retrieved on 11 June 2019.</ref> [[dry suit]]s, Dolphin<ref>[http://www.hydroglove.net/media/729422104a3ac4baffff81a8ffffe907.pdf Heinke Dolphin wetsuit]. Retrieved on 11 June 2019.</ref> and Falla<ref>[https://drive.google.com/open?id=1zlAgRJ1r6ST_9DQqGGWCVZX_7nZHypTb Heinke Falla wetsuit]. Retrieved on 11 June 2019.</ref> [[wetsuit]]s, Hans Hass [[diving mask]]s, [[swimfin|swimming fins]] and [[Snorkel (swimming)|snorkel tubes]].
* 1958: Heinke donated the [[Heinke Trophy]] to the [[British Sub-Aqua Club]] (BSAC). This trophy is awarded annually to the BSAC branch judged to have done the most to further the interests of its own members and of the BSAC.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bsac.org/page/75/heinke-trophy.htm |title=The Heinke Trophy Award |access-date=7 January 2018 |archive-date=1 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080901170050/http://www.bsac.org/page/75/heinke-trophy.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* 1961: The firm was incorporated into [[Siebe Gorman]].<ref name=Thurston2004>{{cite journal |author=Thurston, Susan |journal=SPUMS J |year=2004 |volume=34 |title=The first Broome recompression chamber 1914–2004 |issue=2 |pages=94–100 |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/8231 |access-date=3 March 2015 |archive-date=2 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402170146/http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/xmlui/handle/123456789/8231 |url-status=usurped }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.siebegorman.net/hienke/ |title=C.E.Heinke |access-date=25 April 2019 |archive-date=3 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103144912/http://www.siebegorman.net/hienke/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The last Heinke diving helmet went out of production in 1961. A few helmets were given the tag of "Siebe-Heinke", but eventually the name Heinke completely disappeared.
* 1967-1968: Siebe Gorman stops using the tradename 'Siebe Heinke'.
Unlike Siebe Gorman, who had only one series of serial numbers for their diving helmets, except for the last productions (which were meant most probably for the [[Russian Navy]]), Heinke used many series of serial numbers for them.
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
==References==
<references />
==External links==
* [http://www.divingheritage.com/heinke.htm Heinke]
* {{cite web |url=http://www.siebegorman.net/hienke/ |title=C.E.Heinke |access-date=25 April 2019 |archive-date=3 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103144912/http://www.siebegorman.net/hienke/ |url-status=dead }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120426001639/http://www.archive.mksac.co.uk/History/gear/images/history1.JPG Early 1950s advertisement for a Heinke-Lung (aqualung made by Heinke)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120426001649/http://www.archive.mksac.co.uk/History/gear/images/history2.JPG Early 1950s advertisement] with [[Hans Hass]] and [[Lotte Hass]]
{{Underwater diving|divequ}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heinke, Charles}}
[[Category:Underwater diving equipment manufacturers]]
[[Category:Underwater diving engineering]]
[[Category:Defunct companies of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in London]]
[[Category:Underwater diving in the United Kingdom]]