Samson Barnett / Barnett Son & Foster / Barnett & Foster

Samson Barnett (1790 - 1881) Even though he established his company earlier he was mentioned as a ‘manufacturer of a Diving Apparatus of 23 Forston Street, Foxton, London’ in the 1862 ‘Official Catalogue of the Industrial Department’. In 1868 Frederick Foster (1840 - 1893) started to work as a manager for Samson Barnett. And in 1870 when they became official partners, the company was renamed ‘Barnett & Foster’. Around that time the company also was called ‘Barnett Son & Foster’s for some time, but the exact details of that period I have not (yet) been able to find. Later they opened a machine shop on 25 Eagle Wharf Road, London which was called ‘Niagara Works’.

‘S. Barnett’, ‘Barnett Son & Foster’ and ‘Barnett & Foster’ Helmet Diving Apparatus were manufactured, but any of these helmets is quite rare nowadays. Barnett & Foster had more success with their business in machines to bottle soda water and lemonade.

Do you have a Barnett / Foster helmet and are you willing to share some photographs with this website then please contact me HERE

Above: A rare Barnett helmet which surfaced in Europe mid 2014. Apart from the missing brailes and nuts the helmet seems in a very nice and genuine condition. Photo’s David L.Dekker

Above: Samson Barnett advertised as a ‘manufacturer of a Diving Apparatus of 23 Forston Street, Foxton, London’ This was the companies first business address.

Above: Barnett & Foster advertised as ‘Niagara Works’,  25 Eagle Wharf Road, London’ This was the companies second business address.

Above: Samson Barnett Son & Foster’s advertised as a ‘manufacturer of a Diving Apparatus of 23 Forston Street, Foxton, London’