S. E. Saunders Ltd, was a British marine and aero-engineering company based at East Cowes, Isle of Wight in the early 20th century.
History The firm was established in 1908 to continue the use of the lightweight Consuta material previously developed by Samuel Edgar Saunders.
Having developed Consuta at the family Springfield Works at Goring on the river Thames, Sam Saunders recognised a big future for the material and formed the “Saunders’ Patent Launch Building Syndicate”. As the River Thames was only suitable for small launches, the Syndicate opened a works at East Cowes, on the Isle of Wight in 1901 to developed larger craft.
Five years later the syndicate expired; Sam Saunder had found the structure of the partnership restrictive and so decided to seek an alternative arrangement. In 1908, S. E. Saunders Ltd was established, the Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Company held a small interest.
Initially S. E. Saunders Ltd concentrated on building powerboats, gunboats etc. however with the dawn of the aviation era, Sam saw that the strong, light nature of Consuta was ideal for aircraft.
Entry into the aviation products Initially the company just built parts for other aviation concerns, such as: two gondolas for the engines of the first naval airship, HMA No. 1 (also known as Mayfly), then being constructed at Barrow-in-Furness. the hull for Tommy Sopwith's Bat Boat the monocoque fuselage for White and Thompson company's 1914 tractor biplane, the White and Thompson No. 3.
Marine craft They continued designing and building marine craft, including powerboats: Maple Leaf IV, a multi-step hydroplane which regained the Harmsworth Cup from America in 1912 and defended it successfully in the following year. and Estelle I and Estelle II, both single-step hydroplanes, were built in 1928 to designs of F. P. Hyde-Beadle and constructed for the wealthy yachtswoman "Joe" Carstairs. Estelle II was raced in the 1928 Harmsworth Trophy but capsized.
RNLI lifeboats Saunders produced lifeboats for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), including: 1916 - Liverpool-class 'Pulling and Sailing' types, RNLB Mary Stanford (ON 661), described as being "38 feet long and 10 feet 9 inch wide, fitted to 14 oars double-banked, and fitted with two water ballast tanks and two drop-keels."Chichester Observer - 1 November 1916 She was stationed at Rye harbour and was wrecked there in 1928. 1916 - Liverpool-class 'Pulling and Sailing' types, Baltic (ON 665).Skegness News 4 October 1916 She was stationed at Wells-next-the-Sea Lifeboat Station 1921 - Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboat, John and Mary Meiklam Of Gladswood renamed Agnes Cross (1921–1952) (ON 663). 1926 - Barnett-class 60 ft lifeboat, Emma Constance (ON 693) 1929 - Barnett-class 60 ft lifeboat, Princess Mary (ON 715)
Later aviation
Non-Saunders designs S. E. Saunders built a number of aircraft to the design of other organisations: Date of design Aircraft name Aircraft type Designed by 1915 Short Admiralty Type 184 Seaplane Short Brothers 1917 Norman Thompson N.T.2B Flying boat Norman Thompson Flight Company 1917 Felixstowe F.2 Flying boat Seaplane Experimental Station 1917 Felixstowe F.5 Flying boat Seaplane Experimental Station, Felixstowe 1928 Saunders Helicogyre Experimental helicopter Designed by Vittorio Isacco for the British Air Ministry
S. E. Saunders designs Date of design Aircraft designation Aircraft type Remarks 1917 Saunders T.1 Two-seat, single-engined biplane the first aircraft built to a S. E. Saunders design 1920 Saunders Kittiwake Amphibian 1921Vickers/Saunders Valentia Twin-engined biplane flying boat S. E. Saunders supplied the hull for Vickers Limited 1926Saunders A3 Valkyrie Three-engined biplane flying boat 1926Saunders A4 Medina Two-engined biplane flying boat 1928Saunders A.14 Two-engined biplane flying boat S. E. Saunders design, active at time of formation of Saunders-Roe 1929Saunders A.10 Single-seat, single-engined, biplane S. E. Saunders design, active at time of formation of Saunders-Roe 1930Saunders A7 Severn Three-engined, biplane, flying boat S. E. Saunders design, active at time of formation of Saunders-Roe
Other products
In 1923 the company exhibited a dodecagonal (12-sided) prefabricated bungalow made from Consuta at the Daily Mail Ideal Home Exhibition. At least two were sold, one stood for many years on the outskirts of Newport, Isle of Wight, the other was assembled at South Milton, Devon and is Grade II listed.
Formation of Saunders-Roe Towards the end of the 1920s the company needed additional funding for expansion and in 1929, after Alliott Verdon Roe and John Lord took a controlling interest in the company, it was re-established as Saunders-Roe.
References
Bibliography
From River to Sea: the Marine Heritage of Sam Saunders by Raymond L. Wheeler ISBN 1873295057 From Sea to Air: The Heritage of Sam Saunders by A. E. Tagg & R. L. Wheeler, ISBN 0950973939
External links Grace's Guide To British Industrial History A Short History of Saunders-Roe