BULMER, IAN [SSNE 7832]

Surname

BULMER, BULMAR

First name

IAN

Nationality

SCOT or ENGLISH

Text source

Ian Bulmar (or Bulmer) was one of the associates of Alexander Lord Forbes [SSNE 1616] in the enterprise to salvage the warship Vasa in the 1650s (along with James Maul [SSNE 3070]). In the 1630s he described himself as an Engineer in the service of Charles I in a letter to (probably) Abraham Brahe, and stated experience in raising wrecks. He sought to be allwed to keep the first he cannon raised which he would then sell to finance further salvage whereof he hoped to keep 50%. The answer to this is not recorded, but he did get permission for salvage of other wrecks. He was connected in someway to the 1650s consortium to attempt to raise the Vasa though detail remains scant.

Sources: Georg Hafström "Orlogsskeppet Wasas undergång 1628" in Tidskrift i Sjövasendet 10 (1950), p.780 and p.831, note 1, Lars Åke Kvarning och Bengt Ohrelius, Vasa: Kungens Skepp (Stockholm, 1998 ed), pp.41-42.  

We thank Dr Patrik Höglund for providing the Hafström references.

Service record

SWEDEN,

Arrived 1653-01-01

Capacity BUSINESSMAN ENTREPRENEUR, purpose BUSINESS COMMERCE, MISC