Book on G. Q. Parachutes

[riggerrob]

Back around 1980, G. Q. Parachutes (UK) published a corporate history entitled "Saved From Peril" or "Saved From Distress" or something like that. I saw a copy in a Boston bookstore in 1985. I have been kicking myself for not buying it!!!!
By 1994, not even the G. Q. factory had any spare copies.
Any information about Raymond Quilter and his parachute patents will be gratefully appreciated.
We are also mildly curious about his bomb-defusing activities during World War 2.
Apparently, Raymond Quilter and James Gregory formed a parachute manufacturing company in 1932 and formally incorporated it as G. Q. Parachute in 1934.
For a while, they had an American subsidiary - G. Q. Security - that manufactured parachutes in California, but that closed in 1984. I have chatted with former manager Ray Ferrell several times as part of our mutual employment in the skydiving industry. I have packed a bunch of G. Q. parachutes starting with S.A.C.s and X-210R. One highlight of my career was packing G. Q. chutes for Folland Gnats.

 

[Cy-27]

When I was a boy growing up in Surrey, one of the local employers was GQ Parachute Company Ltd in Woking.

There is an overview of their activities at https://www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk/themes/subjects/industry/gq_parachute_company/
but there is no mention of bomb defusing.

However , there is an exhibit in the Imperial War Museum (Bomb, Aerial, General Purpose, German, SC 250kg (Relic Condition)) which is described as "...dropped in a field near Sunningdale, and defused by a worker from the GQ Parachute (Woking) factory". Maybe IWM have more details on whether this was a one-off or a role undertaken by the firm.

 

[Bob Askew]

Back around 1980, G. Q. Parachutes (UK) published a corporate history entitled "Saved From Peril" or "Saved From Distress" or something like that. I saw a copy in a Boston bookstore in 1985. I have been kicking myself for not buying it!!!!
By 1994, not even the G. Q. factory had any spare copies.
Any information about George Quilter and his parachute patents will be gratefully appreciated.
We are also mildly curious about his bomb-defusing activities during World War 2.
Apparently, Raymond Quilter and James Gregory formed a parachute manufacturing company in 1932 and formally incorporated it as G. Q. Parachute in 1934.
For a while, they had an American subsidiary - G. Q. Security - that manufactured parachutes in California, but that closed in 1984. I have chatted with former manager Ray Ferrell several times as part of our mutual employment in the skydiving industry. I have packed a bunch of G. Q. parachutes starting with S.A.C.s and X-210R. ON highlight of my career was packing G. Q. chutes for Folland Gnats.

Hello, I have a very rare copy of "Rescue From Disaster" by Harold Nockolds. The title is a play on the acronym RFD which was the name of the company that GQ merged with in 1970 to form what was known as RFD-GQ Ltd at the time. I was with GQ in Woking at the time and was transferred to the new headquarters which had been RFD Co Ltd in Godalming, when the drawing offices were combined. While I have no interest in parting with the book I would be happy to scan any particular topic you are interested in and provide that to you. Let me know. My email is bobaskew@telus.net.

 

[riggerrob]

Back around 1980, G. Q. Parachutes (UK) published a corporate history entitled "Saved From Peril" or "Saved From Distress" or something like that. I saw a copy in a Boston bookstore in 1985. I have been kicking myself for not buying it!!!!
By 1994, not even the G. Q. factory had any spare copies.
Any information about George Quilter and his parachute patents will be gratefully appreciated.
We are also mildly curious about his bomb-defusing activities during World War 2.
Apparently, Raymond Quilter and James Gregory formed a parachute manufacturing company in 1932 and formally incorporated it as G. Q. Parachute in 1934.
For a while, they had an American subsidiary - G. Q. Security - that manufactured parachutes in California, but that closed in 1984. I have chatted with former manager Ray Ferrell several times as part of our mutual employment in the skydiving industry. I have packed a bunch of G. Q. parachutes starting with S.A.C.s and X-210R. ON highlight of my career was packing G. Q. chutes for Folland Gnats.

Hello, I have a very rare copy of "Rescue From Disaster" by Harold Nockolds. The title is a play on the acronym RFD which was the name of the company that GQ merged with in 1970 to form what was known as RFD-GQ Ltd at the time. I was with GQ in Woking at the time and was transferred to the new headquarters which had been RFD Co Ltd in Godalming, when the drawing offices were combined. While I have no interest in parting with the book I would be happy to scan any particular topic you are interested in and provide that to you. Let me know. My email is bobaskew@telus.net.

How many pages in the book?
How many photos in the book?
How many diagrams in the book?
Does the book contain any illustrations of G.Q. Para-Jerkin or the "Dumbo" Suit?
How about patent illustrations?
I am primarily interested in the parachutes designed by George Quilter and his various parachute patents, especially pre-1945.

 

[edwest4]

There are some copies on Amazon U.S.

Amazon.com

 

[Bob Askew]

Back around 1980, G. Q. Parachutes (UK) published a corporate history entitled "Saved From Peril" or "Saved From Distress" or something like that. I saw a copy in a Boston bookstore in 1985. I have been kicking myself for not buying it!!!!
By 1994, not even the G. Q. factory had any spare copies.
Any information about George Quilter and his parachute patents will be gratefully appreciated.
We are also mildly curious about his bomb-defusing activities during World War 2.
Apparently, Raymond Quilter and James Gregory formed a parachute manufacturing company in 1932 and formally incorporated it as G. Q. Parachute in 1934.
For a while, they had an American subsidiary - G. Q. Security - that manufactured parachutes in California, but that closed in 1984. I have chatted with former manager Ray Ferrell several times as part of our mutual employment in the skydiving industry. I have packed a bunch of G. Q. parachutes starting with S.A.C.s and X-210R. ON highlight of my career was packing G. Q. chutes for Folland Gnats.

Hello, I have a very rare copy of "Rescue From Disaster" by Harold Nockolds. The title is a play on the acronym RFD which was the name of the company that GQ merged with in 1970 to form what was known as RFD-GQ Ltd at the time. I was with GQ in Woking at the time and was transferred to the new headquarters which had been RFD Co Ltd in Godalming, when the drawing offices were combined. While I have no interest in parting with the book I would be happy to scan any particular topic you are interested in and provide that to you. Let me know. My email is bobaskew@telus.net.

How many pages in the book?
How many photos in the book?
How many diagrams in the book?
Does the book contain any illustrations of G.Q. Para-Jerkin or the "Dumbo" Suit?
How about patent illustrations?
I am primarily interested in the parachutes designed by George Quilter and his various parachute patents, especially pre-1945.

There are 224 pages in total however they mostly deal with the RFD side of the story. There is a paragraph on page 121 dealing with Sir Raymond Quilter's bomb disposal exploits, as well as a photograph of him looking up from the bottom of a deep pit which he shares with a rather large and intact bomb. I see from another response to this thread that a source for a copy of the book has been identified and, given that you may pursue this, I will not try and answer your other detail questions at this time. Having said that let me know if you would still like me to. I note from other threads that you are a Canadian veteran and it may be of interest to you that I live near Vancouver in BC. I spent the last 30 years of my career, up to 2013, manufacturing safety and survival equipment in Canada, including for the Canadian military.

 

[riggerrob]

Back around 1980, G. Q. Parachutes (UK) published a corporate history entitled "Saved From Peril" or "Saved From Distress" or something like that. I saw a copy in a Boston bookstore in 1985. I have been kicking myself for not buying it!!!!
By 1994, not even the G. Q. factory had any spare copies.
Any information about George Quilter and his parachute patents will be gratefully appreciated.
We are also mildly curious about his bomb-defusing activities during World War 2.
Apparently, Raymond Quilter and James Gregory formed a parachute manufacturing company in 1932 and formally incorporated it as G. Q. Parachute in 1934.
For a while, they had an American subsidiary - G. Q. Security - that manufactured parachutes in California, but that closed in 1984. I have chatted with former manager Ray Ferrell several times as part of our mutual employment in the skydiving industry. I have packed a bunch of G. Q. parachutes starting with S.A.C.s and X-210R. ON highlight of my career was packing G. Q. chutes for Folland Gnats.

Hello, I have a very rare copy of "Rescue From Disaster" by Harold Nockolds. The title is a play on the acronym RFD which was the name of the company that GQ merged with in 1970 to form what was known as RFD-GQ Ltd at the time. I was with GQ in Woking at the time and was transferred to the new headquarters which had been RFD Co Ltd in Godalming, when the drawing offices were combined. While I have no interest in parting with the book I would be happy to scan any particular topic you are interested in and provide that to you. Let me know. My email is bobaskew@telus.net.

How many pages in the book?
How many photos in the book?
How many diagrams in the book?
Does the book contain any illustrations of G.Q. Para-Jerkin or the "Dumbo" Suit?
How about patent illustrations?
I am primarily interested in the parachutes designed by George Quilter and his various parachute patents, especially pre-1945.

There are 224 pages in total however they mostly deal with the RFD side of the story. There is a paragraph on page 121 dealing with Sir Raymond Quilter's bomb disposal exploits, as well as a photograph of him looking up from the bottom of a deep pit which he shares with a rather large and intact bomb. I see from another response to this thread that a source for a copy of the book has been identified and, given that you may pursue this, I will not try and answer your other detail questions at this time. Having said that let me know if you would still like me to. I note from other threads that you are a Canadian veteran and it may be of interest to you that I live near Vancouver in BC. I spent the last 30 years of my career, up to 2013, manufacturing safety and survival equipment in Canada, including for the Canadian military.

Fortunately, I followed another lead to a used copy of the book "Rescued From Disaster" on the interweb.

Yes, I am a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces living near Vancouver, B.C. Twenty years ago I moved to Pitt Meadows to work at Pacific Skydivers: instructing, rigging, driving the fuel truck, etc. After PS closed, I moved to Port Moody and now Coquitlam.
Bob, I will cheerfully meet you for coffee any Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

 

[Bob Askew]

Back around 1980, G. Q. Parachutes (UK) published a corporate history entitled "Saved From Peril" or "Saved From Distress" or something like that. I saw a copy in a Boston bookstore in 1985. I have been kicking myself for not buying it!!!!
By 1994, not even the G. Q. factory had any spare copies.
Any information about George Quilter and his parachute patents will be gratefully appreciated.
We are also mildly curious about his bomb-defusing activities during World War 2.
Apparently, Raymond Quilter and James Gregory formed a parachute manufacturing company in 1932 and formally incorporated it as G. Q. Parachute in 1934.
For a while, they had an American subsidiary - G. Q. Security - that manufactured parachutes in California, but that closed in 1984. I have chatted with former manager Ray Ferrell several times as part of our mutual employment in the skydiving industry. I have packed a bunch of G. Q. parachutes starting with S.A.C.s and X-210R. ON highlight of my career was packing G. Q. chutes for Folland Gnats.

Hello, I have a very rare copy of "Rescue From Disaster" by Harold Nockolds. The title is a play on the acronym RFD which was the name of the company that GQ merged with in 1970 to form what was known as RFD-GQ Ltd at the time. I was with GQ in Woking at the time and was transferred to the new headquarters which had been RFD Co Ltd in Godalming, when the drawing offices were combined. While I have no interest in parting with the book I would be happy to scan any particular topic you are interested in and provide that to you. Let me know. My email is bobaskew@telus.net.

How many pages in the book?
How many photos in the book?
How many diagrams in the book?
Does the book contain any illustrations of G.Q. Para-Jerkin or the "Dumbo" Suit?
How about patent illustrations?
I am primarily interested in the parachutes designed by George Quilter and his various parachute patents, especially pre-1945.

There are 224 pages in total however they mostly deal with the RFD side of the story. There is a paragraph on page 121 dealing with Sir Raymond Quilter's bomb disposal exploits, as well as a photograph of him looking up from the bottom of a deep pit which he shares with a rather large and intact bomb. I see from another response to this thread that a source for a copy of the book has been identified and, given that you may pursue this, I will not try and answer your other detail questions at this time. Having said that let me know if you would still like me to. I note from other threads that you are a Canadian veteran and it may be of interest to you that I live near Vancouver in BC. I spent the last 30 years of my career, up to 2013, manufacturing safety and survival equipment in Canada, including for the Canadian military.

Fortunately, I followed another lead to a used copy of the book "Rescued From Disaster" on the interweb.

Yes, I am a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces living near Vancouver, B.C. Twenty years ago I moved to Pitt Meadows to work at Pacific Skydivers: instructing, rigging, driving the fuel truck, etc. After PS closed, I moved to Port Moody and now Coquitlam.
Bob, I will cheerfully meet you for coffee any Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

That would be great. Rather than bore others with our details perhaps you could connect by email (provided in my first response) to make arrangements.