Thanks Roger it's an amazing story. I know a Doctor of Medieval History, now 98 years old, she told me that her father used to live in Winchester and he would see the diver every morning on his way to work and would often chat with him! He wore a bright yellow overall underneath his diving suit.
I have been to this cathedral a few times, so I had heard this story. To be honest I'm surprised that he survived this astonishing project. How anyone had the fortitude to take it on is astonishing by itself. He should have a memorial as grand as any king in Winchester, because the cathedral would not have survived without him.
Progressive Rock Band, Big Big Train, have a song about this called "Winchester Diver" on their album "The Underfall Yard". Greg Spawton, their main writer at the time, has a history degree and it seems he loves Victorian engineering of all kinds. What a guy! William Walker that is.
Whilst I knew about this chap and his work with Winchester Cathedral I don't think I ever paid that much attention to what was an extraordinary achievement. He was an incredible man and from a "can do" age Britain seems to have lost. As always Roger, you have a fascinating channel. Thanks
Bloody brilliant presentation. Can’t beat a bit of background into the guys that do the work. What an amazing building. Thanks for that. I’ll look forward to the next one.
I would love the job of handing out gongs. I would give them to refuse collectors rather than showbiz personalities. It is an insult to hard working people.
Hi Roger, great vid again. The lead is very interesting as it becomes porous after 100 to 120 years and needs recasting. The lead from most UK cathedrals and even Notre Dame in Paris is sent to a lead foundry in Leicester! Who would have thought it. Cheers. Pete. (Wells guide)
The French has the world's best accident investigators. They announced the fire was NOT terrorism while it was burning. Imagine the heroic French accident investigators, running into the raging fire, and carefully making sure to find the reason for the fire, and making it out alive to tell the world. Miraculous.
To be fair the terrorist angle was easy enough to determine since they had tight security on the building. The possible cause was either electrical or a cigarette. The detectors should have picked it up immediately but the wiring was damaged. The should have had a daily test at the end of the day.
Keep Roaming Roger. These historical tales are brilliant, all the more so due to your perfect presentation. If you're ever down South, Chichester has some hidden treasures and also the amazing Weald and Downland Living Museum. ( Home of Repair Shop)
Thanks Adam I am planning a visit to the Weald and Downland Museum. I have been to Chichester many times before I got into this filming but it might be worth a visit. I am trying to keep these videos about the buildings because I think it is a better fit for this channel but I always seep to drift into other things.
Great video Roger. It’s probably quicker to cycle from Winchester to SE London than drive on a Friday evening now days, not that I would want to after 6 hours or so down under..
Charlotte Owen has long blonde hair and was a special adviser to Boris. Surely that is enough to get you into The House Of Lords unless of course you disagree with equal opportunities.
Portland cement, as opposed to lime was first used to build lighthouses because it sets under water. It would be good to know more about how he did it, but my understanding is that he stacked hessian sacks of sand and cement up against the outside of the trench and, once he had reached the top of the water table, and stemmed the influx of water he was able to stack concrete blocks and bricks. I would imagine the steam powered pumps pulled the water out so he could lay the bricks. I don't know if this is the case but even if he was not submerged every day for six years, it was still a hell of a job.
From the comfort of your armchair you are free to make any judgement you wish, based upon a surfeit of ignorance of the facts, but the works was documented and the bills are still there for materials and labour. Laying bricks, doesn't always mean that he laid them on mortar. I would imagine he laid hessian bags as flood defence and then some concrete blocks on the gravel bed and the bricks were used as infill. It is a shame that photography was not good enough to record the details but there are drawings.
@@sunriseinisaan I doubt the very existence of Jesus but William Walker is better documented and the receipts for materials are there for all to see. Remain sceptical, remain vigilant but try not to be a nob
@SkillBuilder how rude. Maths and questioning what you read or are told are obviously not your strong points. Over 108 bricks/blocks an hour on average (6 hours a day worked) with a considerable amount of mortar involved, excluding the removal of peat and old timbers you mention, whilst wearing a very heavy diving suit with constraints on mobility and working in pitch black, for 6 years straight with no time off (or the productivity would be even higher), is, I think, stretching the limits of human achievement too far. My research suggests he was laying concrete as initial support and the conventional bricklayers did the 900k brick laying. A great man for sure, no denying it.
@@SkillBuilder Only if it was that easy... I wish the people of LA well. I was referring to Notre-Dame. Last summer I was charring beams with a scorcher for a build and not one caught fire and I am sure the woodwork in Notre-Dame must have had some fire proofing.
Thanks Roger it's an amazing story. I know a Doctor of Medieval History, now 98 years old, she told me that her father used to live in Winchester and he would see the diver every morning on his way to work and would often chat with him! He wore a bright yellow overall underneath his diving suit.
That is a real connection. He died of Spanish Flu in the end.
@@SkillBuilder 1918 what a shame
What an amazing guy. I'll never complain about my job again.
I have been to this cathedral a few times, so I had heard this story. To be honest I'm surprised that he survived this astonishing project. How anyone had the fortitude to take it on is astonishing by itself. He should have a memorial as grand as any king in Winchester, because the cathedral would not have survived without him.
I agree with you. He got a silver rose bowl from the King
He survived this crazy project but died of flu at 49. 😢
@@jim_jim1674 A lot of strong people died of the 1918 flu. All of us alive today are descents of the survivors.
@@SkillBuilder He had an MVO (Member of the Royal Victorian Order), which must have been for this project.
William Walker was an absolute legend. What an amazing story.
Another brilliant Roaming Roger video! Utterly fascinating, the way he got the job done! Thank you for sharing 😊
Progressive Rock Band, Big Big Train, have a song about this called "Winchester Diver" on their album "The Underfall Yard". Greg Spawton, their main writer at the time, has a history degree and it seems he loves Victorian engineering of all kinds. What a guy! William Walker that is.
Whilst I knew about this chap and his work with Winchester Cathedral I don't think I ever paid that much attention to what was an extraordinary achievement. He was an incredible man and from a "can do" age Britain seems to have lost. As always Roger, you have a fascinating channel. Thanks
Bloody brilliant presentation. Can’t beat a bit of background into the guys that do the work. What an amazing building. Thanks for that. I’ll look forward to the next one.
Fascinating. Love skill builder from damp course to informative historical buildings. Thanks Rodger and the skill builder team .
Our pleasure!
Great video. We visited the cathedral a year ago and the story of the diver left a big impression on me. So glad you've covered it here.
Dear god...what a brilliant bloke ! Wonderful story of duty, dedication and disclipine.
An amazing story. Thanks Roger
Where’s Dylan ?!
What an amazing bit of history . That was some underpinning job indeed .
Great video 🧱🧱🧱🧱👍🏽
Cool story Roger. Thanks for sharing it.
An incredible story, I walk past the cathedral frequently and was not aware of this part of history. Great man.
Did you know the pub? The story is written on the wall outside.
Amsterdam is built on a drowned upside down forest - from Norway. Amazing history. Great video.
I remember watching a TV programme about this - a fascinating story. What a hero!
Nice to see a bit of different content on the channel. Fascinating story.
Thank you Rodger for another interesting history lesson 🙏🙏🙏
He is very good at storytelling. Highly entertaining and interesting. A job well done
Thank you kindly
@@SkillBuilder Please keep doing your walk-about videos, Roger. They're so good, a real treat.
I heard a radio 4 programme about this years ago very atmospheric
What a courageous man 💪🏻
Wow, never knew, what a legend. bless him.
Interesting and informative.
Great Vid
A mind boggling achievement, and no medal either. These days they hand "em like confetti.
I would love the job of handing out gongs. I would give them to refuse collectors rather than showbiz personalities.
It is an insult to hard working people.
Great story Roger!
Brilliant Roger
And a disgrace that places like Canterbury cathedral charge people to get in.
Tuppence is Tuppence 😆
brilliant stuff roger, what a guy ! britain at its best
Brilliant
Very good. Just knew it was Winchester from the video title before it even started.
Hi Roger, great vid again. The lead is very interesting as it becomes porous after 100 to 120 years and needs recasting. The lead from most UK cathedrals and even Notre Dame in Paris is sent to a lead foundry in Leicester! Who would have thought it. Cheers. Pete. (Wells guide)
That is a huge job, taking that lead off
The French has the world's best accident investigators. They announced the fire was NOT terrorism while it was burning. Imagine the heroic French accident investigators, running into the raging fire, and carefully making sure to find the reason for the fire, and making it out alive to tell the world. Miraculous.
To be fair the terrorist angle was easy enough to determine since they had tight security on the building. The possible cause was either electrical or a cigarette. The detectors should have picked it up immediately but the wiring was damaged. The should have had a daily test at the end of the day.
I've been to Winchester and have also seen his grave at Beckenham Crematorium and Cemetery.
Ah! I did read about his grave, I might have a look one day, although I am not sure why.
@@SkillBuilder "although I am not sure why." Roaming Roger is just a posh name for you being a tourist I'm afraid ;-)
Keep Roaming Roger. These historical tales are brilliant, all the more so due to your perfect presentation. If you're ever down South, Chichester has some hidden treasures and also the amazing Weald and Downland Living Museum. ( Home of Repair Shop)
Thanks Adam
I am planning a visit to the Weald and Downland Museum. I have been to Chichester many times before I got into this filming but it might be worth a visit. I am trying to keep these videos about the buildings because I think it is a better fit for this channel but I always seep to drift into other things.
And he died of 'flu in the influenza epidemic of 1918, didn't make 50. What a guy.
Brooklands race circuit was also built on a floating raft.
Great video Roger. It’s probably quicker to cycle from Winchester to SE London than drive on a Friday evening now days, not that I would want to after 6 hours or so down under..
Yes you are probably right. Where did all these people come from? Answers on a postcard
If you want to know some more about the story of the "wrong": statuette and the final version - I have more information including a few photos.
www.skill-builder.uk/send
Rog haven't you got any stock footage of UK bricklayers couldn't help noticing 2 dfs and 7s being laid
The lack of toilet facilities underwater was probably why he had to cycle home on the weekend - they probably wouldn't let him on the train! 🤣
are there any videos with Mr Dan cox coming in the future?
yes
04:30 Mr William Walker ᴍᴠᴏ. What a man! BTW someone remind me again, please, why Charlotte Owen was raised to the peerage...
Charlotte Owen has long blonde hair and was a special adviser to Boris. Surely that is enough to get you into The House Of Lords unless of course you disagree with equal opportunities.
@@SkillBuilder Johnson's personal diver!!!
You tell kids today that, and they won't believe you.
I don't think they would understand why it was done in this way. Even his cycling home on a Saturday morning would baffle them
@@SkillBuilderfunny what power you have for the love of your wife and kids. ❤
They might believe you, but they won’t care.
@@greatlambrini8722 Ha ha, true.. but weren't we interested in stuff our parents thought was rubbish as kids,,
How do you cement under water?
Portland cement, as opposed to lime was first used to build lighthouses because it sets under water.
It would be good to know more about how he did it, but my understanding is that he stacked hessian sacks of sand and cement up against the outside of the trench and, once he had reached the top of the water table, and stemmed the influx of water he was able to stack concrete blocks and bricks. I would imagine the steam powered pumps pulled the water out so he could lay the bricks. I don't know if this is the case but even if he was not submerged every day for six years, it was still a hell of a job.
Is this guy the song *Holy Diver* by *Dio* is based on?
yes
SAY NEVER TO IDEOLOGICAL USURPURY
A time when men were men, bet he never even took a day on sick and took his own lunch 👏👏👏👏😂
Classic stoicism.
My maths suggests over 6 years he laid 650 bricks/blocks a day, on a 5 day week with no time off.
I doubt it.
From the comfort of your armchair you are free to make any judgement you wish, based upon a surfeit of ignorance of the facts, but the works was documented and the bills are still there for materials and labour. Laying bricks, doesn't always mean that he laid them on mortar. I would imagine he laid hessian bags as flood defence and then some concrete blocks on the gravel bed and the bricks were used as infill. It is a shame that photography was not good enough to record the details but there are drawings.
@SkillBuilder Jesus apparently fed 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish, with 12 basketfuls left over.
I doubt that as well.....
Some weeks this man only had one day off.
@@sunriseinisaan I doubt the very existence of Jesus but William Walker is better documented and the receipts for materials are there for all to see.
Remain sceptical, remain vigilant but try not to be a nob
@SkillBuilder how rude.
Maths and questioning what you read or are told are obviously not your strong points.
Over 108 bricks/blocks an hour on average (6 hours a day worked) with a considerable amount of mortar involved, excluding the removal of peat and old timbers you mention, whilst wearing a very heavy diving suit with constraints on mobility and working in pitch black, for 6 years straight with no time off (or the productivity would be even higher), is, I think, stretching the limits of human achievement too far.
My research suggests he was laying concrete as initial support and the conventional bricklayers did the 900k brick laying.
A great man for sure, no denying it.
How much, do the good folks at Winchester Cathedral, charge now to enter the House of God?
I think it is around £15.00. The pub was cheaper
@@SkillBuilder William Blake's 'Little Vagabond' had something to say about that!
Plenty of knighthoods given for less.
As for your parting question, no mystery there.
God is an Englishman.
I love this shit Roger!
Absolutely beautiful, one thing about fires, not so easy to start as they say.
I am sure all those people in L.A will be glad of your reassurance
@@SkillBuilder Only if it was that easy... I wish the people of LA well. I was referring to Notre-Dame. Last summer I was charring beams with a scorcher for a build and not one caught fire and I am sure the woodwork in Notre-Dame must have had some fire proofing.