Last month marked the 70th anniversary of the first dive made by Honor Frost (1917-2010): down a well in a garden in Wimbledon. Despite the freezing water, she was immediate hooked on diving, and soon underwent training on the wreck of a Roman ship in the south of France.
This led to dives across the Mediterranean, developing techniques for underwater excavation and becoming a pioneer in the field of maritime archaeology – a rare female figure in a field vastly dominated by men at the time.
Talking about her legacy, Alison Cathie, Chair of the Honor Frost Foundation Board of Trustees, said: ‘As early as 1958, she took part in the first excavation of a 13th-century BC Bronze Age shipwreck. Her exquisite drawings, meticulous attention to detail, and her brilliant professionalism soon established her reputation.’
When was Hadrian’s Wall built?