Mary Rose Museum: archaeologist Christopher Dobbs - who helped raise Henry VIII's Tudor wreck and dived with King Charles - retires aged 66

An archaeologist who has dedicated his life to studying the Mary Rose shipwreck has retired aged 66.
By Joe Buncle
Published 11th Jul 2023, 15:56 BST
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Christopher Dobbs has stepped back from his position as The Mary Rose Museum’s head of interpretation having spent 44 year’s working with Portsmouth’s famous Tudor vesel. The museum recently launched its newest attraction ‘Dive The Mary Rose 4D’ and Chistopher said this felt like a good milestone to ‘hang up [his] wetsuit’.

Christopher developed a keen interest in diving while studying arcaeology at university and eventually married the two passions together. In 1982, he was an instrumental part of the team who raised the wreck of the Mary Rose, watching the historic moment from beneath the Solent.

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Christopher Dobbs at The Mary Rose Museum.Christopher Dobbs at The Mary Rose Museum.
Christopher Dobbs at The Mary Rose Museum.

Christopher said: ‘The culmination of my career has been being part of the team that created the museum. It was just an amazing project. The possibility of finding different objects on every single dive was just mesmerising. There’s something very exciting about something lost that has now been found.‘He said that the best part about his job has been sharing history with people across the world and inspiring them.

Throughout his research at the site, Chrisopher has discovered an array of artefacts, but said his favourite was a 'plain wooden spade’

He said: ‘It’s a beautiful object. It’s very plain and simple – just a wooden shovel – but it’s beautifully made out of one bit of wood. It’s what I call, like much of the collection, extraordinarily ordinary. I remember picking it up, holding it in front of me and thinking “this was last touched by a Tudor sailor 435 years ago.’

Another career highlight for Dobbs was taking King Charles, then HRH the Prince of Wales, five times during the excavation.

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October 10th 1982. Most of the Salvage and Recovery Team with Margaret Rule, the then HRH Prince Charles, King Constantine of the Hellenes (seated) and Lord Romsey standing. Back row, left to right: David Burden, Christopher Dobbs, Paul Chisholm, Simon Jones, Charles Pochin, Peter Ewens, Nick Thompson, Martin Icke, Martin Freeman, Kester Keighley. Front row: Jonathan Adams (far left), Christopher Underwood (far right).October 10th 1982. Most of the Salvage and Recovery Team with Margaret Rule, the then HRH Prince Charles, King Constantine of the Hellenes (seated) and Lord Romsey standing. Back row, left to right: David Burden, Christopher Dobbs, Paul Chisholm, Simon Jones, Charles Pochin, Peter Ewens, Nick Thompson, Martin Icke, Martin Freeman, Kester Keighley. Front row: Jonathan Adams (far left), Christopher Underwood (far right).
October 10th 1982. Most of the Salvage and Recovery Team with Margaret Rule, the then HRH Prince Charles, King Constantine of the Hellenes (seated) and Lord Romsey standing. Back row, left to right: David Burden, Christopher Dobbs, Paul Chisholm, Simon Jones, Charles Pochin, Peter Ewens, Nick Thompson, Martin Icke, Martin Freeman, Kester Keighley. Front row: Jonathan Adams (far left), Christopher Underwood (far right).

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He added: ‘I was one of the safety divers and took photographs of him underwater. That was a really great privilege, to look after the safety of the future king. He was a very good diver and very experienced. There are many reasons why I think the Mary Rose is close to his heart and it was an honour having him involved.’

Dobbs has now moved to Scotland where he will spend his retirement.

Related topics:King CharlesTudorHenry VIII