This website has been established to recognise the role of the Saunders-Roe Apprenticeship in the whole British Aircraft industry and to provide an opportunity for ex-Saunders-Roe apprentices to re-establish and maintain contact with their former colleagues. It is dedicated to the memory of the late V. T Stevenson, MBE, who contributed so much to the apprentices of Saunders-Roe.

If you were a Saunders-Roe apprentice or know of someone who was, please contact us through the contact page

Immediately following World War Two, Great Britain had a world class aircraft industry and was determined to extend this excellence in such engineering capability by intensifying Apprentice Training programmes. Within the great names of British aviation was the Saunders-Roe Company who were already producing advanced aeroplanes from their base at Cowes on the Isle of Wight .

As there were insufficient resources on the Island to fulfil the Company’s need for growth, it became necessary to set up a residential centre in order to attract candidates from the mainland for apprentice training. This, seemed to create a ‘college’ culture which, combined with the innovative spirit prevailing within the Saunders-Roe Company, effectively provided a very special environment for encouraging engineering achievement; particularly for those who became domiciled on the Island for this engineering training.

On the site near Osborne House, in buildings that had been part of the Royal Naval College (that trained young naval officers from 1903; including royal princes and one young Mountbatten) the ‘college’ was created. Under the guidance of an enlightened management, Mr V T Stevenson was appointed as Superintendent of Training and the Saunders-Roe Group Training College became a reality. Concern for the welfare of the young trainees was also recognised and the Rev. R.V.Scruby (later Archdeacon of the Isle of Wight ) was appointed as Chaplain to ensure the right moral and spiritual guidance.

The College had some three hundred Apprentices going through training and at its peak the intake was over 70 apprentices per annum. Between 1946 to 1965, almost 1000 people had passed through the Saunders-Roe Apprenticeship Scheme. Those competent Engineers dispersed all over the world and made significant and valued contributions to their craft and skill.

Sadly, successive Governments failed to recognise the importance of the aircraft industry to the Country and carried out a general rationalisation of the industry and eventually Saunders-Roe was absorbed into Westland Aircraft as part of the consolidation of the British helicopter group. The name Saunders-Roe totally disappeared from aviation in 1965.