Rev E.L. Berthon was vicar of Romsey from 1860 to 1892. He was also an inventor of considerable skill and amongst his work, he devised a collapsible or folding lifeboat. These were marketed commercially and were used for many years on larger ships, The design was adapted for military use and adapted for the leisure market. The Company he founded lasted from 1873 to 1917. In 2004 LTVAS Group held a conference on aspects of his life and work and this volume is a collection of papers by speakers at that event.