The Marine and aeronautical engineering industries which emerged following the invention of the light-weight internal combustion engine at the end of the nineteenth century were graced by pioneers of character and charm. Samuel (Sam) Edgar Saunders, the central character of this book, was such a man who embraced both these fields. He was born in the middle of the nineteenth century in the Thames valley at Streatley where he developed his boatbuilding skills. As his boats achieved higher and higher speeds, the wider waters of the Solent with its rapidly developing yachting industry proved an irresistible attraction. He formed a Syndicate with several key employees and early in this century moved to Cowes on the Isle of Wight adding greatly to its development as an area of advanced marine activity. The aeronautical developments of 1908-9, particularly in France, inspired Sam Saunders to enter the new and exciting aircraft industry. His acquaintance with Tom Sopwith, soon to embark on his own entry into aeronautics, was to their mutual benefit. For Saunders craftsmanship contributed to an early success for Sopwith’s Batboat and in turn Sopwith piloted the Saunders-built high speed boat Maple Leaf IV to victory in successive years. The company founded by Sam Saunders continued under his guidance until the late nineteen twenties, when he was joined by Sir Alliott Verdon-Roe, and the pioneering aircraft company Saunders-Roe Limited was formed. Although Sam died in the early thirties, he left a fascinating heritage of an entrepreneural business with a family culture which is unfolded by the authors. The general story from 1830 to the present day is covered in its entirety with the aerospace activities given prominence leaving full details of the marine and general engineering work for future authors.