M. P. W. Boulton

Matthew Piers Watt Boulton
Matthew Piers Watt Boulton portrait by Sir Francis Grant, c.1850.
Born	(1820-09-22)22 September 1820 Mose Old Norton, Staffordshire, England
Died	30 June 1894(1894-06-30) (aged 73) London, England
Residence	Great Tew Manor, Great Tew, Oxfordshire
Other names	M.P.W. Bolton
Education	B.A., Cambridge University
Alma mater	Trinity College, Cambridge
Occupation	Philosopher-scientist classicist Inventor
Known for	Invention of the aileron translations of classical works scientific and other papers
Notable work	On Aërial Locomotion (1864)
Predecessor	Matthew Robinson Boulton
Spouse(s)	Frances Eliza Cartwright (1845–1864) Pauline Gleissberg (1864– his death)
Children	four daughters and two sons
Parent(s)	Matthew Robinson Boulton (1770–1842) Mary Anne Wilkinson (1795–1829)
Relatives	Matthew Boulton (grandfather) William Ralph Cartwright (father-in-law) Ernst Gleissberg (father-in-law)
Awards	numerous patents

Matthew Piers Watt Boulton of Tew Park and Haseley Court, also published under the pseudonym M.P.W. Bolton (22 September 1820 – 30 June 1894), was a British classicist, elected member of the UK's Metaphysical Society, an amateur scientist and an inventor, best known for his invention of the aileron, a primary aeronautical flight control device. He patented the aileron in 1868, some 36 years before it was first employed in manned flight by Robert Esnault-Pelterie in 1904.

Boulton was the son of Matthew Robinson Boulton, and as well the grandson of Matthew Boulton, who founded the Soho Manufactory and the Soho Mint. His grandfather also co-founded the Soho Foundry with James Watt, which employed steam engines of the latter's design. Born into a family of significant wealth and means, M.P.W. was broadly educated in the classics, philosophy and sciences, subsequently becoming well versed in steam engine design, and then transferring his interest to the basic conceptual designs of jet propulsion and rocket motors. However, whatever personal interest he held in the foundry's operation and the coinage mint he inherited from his father soon waned, and he subsequently closed and sold the mint facility in 1850. Thereafter he conducted numerous studies, wrote a wide variety of papers and earned a number of patents, including for an aileron flight control system, various types of motive power engines and their components such as propellers and pumps, plus other works on solar heat, photography and more.