Sir Christopher Cockerell

Cockerell was a member of a lineage of esteemed British engineers that originated with the pioneers of the Industrial Revolution. He had shown a remarkable capacity for innovation, as evidenced by his extensive portfolio of patents. Among them was a notable patent application for the hovercraft, which was submitted on December 12, 1955. This particular invention was only one of the 70 patents he successfully secured throughout his career dedicated to the pursuit of inventive endeavours.

The first commercial hovercraft, SR.N1, was built by Saunders Roe, then owned by Westland, the military and civilian helicopter makers. It successfully crossed the English Channel from Calais to Dover on July 25, 1959, with Cockerell on board as ballast, and was the forerunner of the bigger passenger hovercrafts that were to later cross the Channel daily.