diff --git a/include/boost/endian/conversion.hpp b/include/boost/endian/conversion.hpp
index 9880dc8..2b7aec3 100644
--- a/include/boost/endian/conversion.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/endian/conversion.hpp
@@ -378,6 +378,162 @@ inline void conditional_reverse_inplace( EndianReversibleInplace& x,
     }
 }
 
+// load/store convenience functions
+
+// load 16
+
+inline boost::int16_t load_little_s16( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::int16_t, 2, order::little>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::uint16_t load_little_u16( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::uint16_t, 2, order::little>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::int16_t load_big_s16( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::int16_t, 2, order::big>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::uint16_t load_big_u16( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::uint16_t, 2, order::big>( p );
+}
+
+// load 24
+
+inline boost::int32_t load_little_s24( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::int32_t, 3, order::little>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::uint32_t load_little_u24( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::uint32_t, 3, order::little>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::int32_t load_big_s24( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::int32_t, 3, order::big>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::uint32_t load_big_u24( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::uint32_t, 3, order::big>( p );
+}
+
+// load 32
+
+inline boost::int32_t load_little_s32( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::int32_t, 4, order::little>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::uint32_t load_little_u32( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::uint32_t, 4, order::little>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::int32_t load_big_s32( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::int32_t, 4, order::big>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::uint32_t load_big_u32( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::uint32_t, 4, order::big>( p );
+}
+
+// load 40
+
+inline boost::int64_t load_little_s40( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::int64_t, 5, order::little>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::uint64_t load_little_u40( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::uint64_t, 5, order::little>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::int64_t load_big_s40( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::int64_t, 5, order::big>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::uint64_t load_big_u40( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::uint64_t, 5, order::big>( p );
+}
+
+// load 48
+
+inline boost::int64_t load_little_s48( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::int64_t, 6, order::little>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::uint64_t load_little_u48( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::uint64_t, 6, order::little>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::int64_t load_big_s48( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::int64_t, 6, order::big>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::uint64_t load_big_u48( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::uint64_t, 6, order::big>( p );
+}
+
+// load 56
+
+inline boost::int64_t load_little_s56( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::int64_t, 7, order::little>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::uint64_t load_little_u56( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::uint64_t, 7, order::little>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::int64_t load_big_s56( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::int64_t, 7, order::big>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::uint64_t load_big_u56( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::uint64_t, 7, order::big>( p );
+}
+
+// load 64
+
+inline boost::int64_t load_little_s64( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::int64_t, 8, order::little>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::uint64_t load_little_u64( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::uint64_t, 8, order::little>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::int64_t load_big_s64( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::int64_t, 8, order::big>( p );
+}
+
+inline boost::uint64_t load_big_u64( unsigned char const * p ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return boost::endian::endian_load<boost::uint64_t, 8, order::big>( p );
+}
+
 }  // namespace endian
 }  // namespace boost
 
diff --git a/test/Jamfile.v2 b/test/Jamfile.v2
index 0ead80c..369a9bd 100644
--- a/test/Jamfile.v2
+++ b/test/Jamfile.v2
@@ -73,3 +73,6 @@ run deprecated_test.cpp ;
 
 compile endian_reverse_cx_test.cpp ;
 compile endian_reverse_cx_test.cpp : <define>BOOST_ENDIAN_NO_INTRINSICS : endian_reverse_cx_test_ni ;
+
+run load_convenience_test.cpp ;
+run load_convenience_test.cpp : : : <define>BOOST_ENDIAN_NO_INTRINSICS : load_convenience_test_ni ;
diff --git a/test/load_convenience_test.cpp b/test/load_convenience_test.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a73d9e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/load_convenience_test.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+// Copyright 2019 Peter Dimov
+//
+// Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0.
+// http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt
+
+#include <boost/endian/conversion.hpp>
+#include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
+#include <boost/config.hpp>
+#include <boost/cstdint.hpp>
+#include <cstddef>
+
+int main()
+{
+    using namespace boost::endian;
+
+    unsigned char v[] = { 0xF1, 0xF2, 0xF3, 0xF4, 0xF5, 0xF6, 0xF7, 0xF8 };
+
+    // 16
+
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_little_s16( v ), -3343 );
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_little_u16( v ), 0xF2F1 );
+
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_big_s16( v ), -3598 );
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_big_u16( v ), 0xF1F2 );
+
+    // 24
+
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_little_s24( v ), -789775 );
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_little_u24( v ), 0xF3F2F1 );
+
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_big_s24( v ), -920845 );
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_big_u24( v ), 0xF1F2F3 );
+
+    // 32
+
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_little_s32( v ), 0xF4F3F2F1 );
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_little_u32( v ), 0xF4F3F2F1 );
+
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_big_s32( v ), 0xF1F2F3F4 );
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_big_u32( v ), 0xF1F2F3F4 );
+
+    // 40
+
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_little_s40( v ), -43135012111 );
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_little_u40( v ), 0xF5F4F3F2F1 );
+
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_big_s40( v ), -60348435211 );
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_big_u40( v ), 0xF1F2F3F4F5 );
+
+    // 48
+
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_little_s48( v ), -9938739662095 );
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_little_u48( v ), 0xF6F5F4F3F2F1 );
+
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_big_s48( v ), -15449199413770 );
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_big_u48( v ), 0xF1F2F3F4F5F6 );
+
+    // 56
+
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_little_s56( v ), -2261738553347343 );
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_little_u56( v ), 0xF7F6F5F4F3F2F1 );
+
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_big_s56( v ), -3954995049924873 );
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_big_u56( v ), 0xF1F2F3F4F5F6F7 );
+
+    // 64
+
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_little_s64( v ), 0xF8F7F6F5F4F3F2F1 );
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_little_u64( v ), 0xF8F7F6F5F4F3F2F1 );
+
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_big_s64( v ), 0xF1F2F3F4F5F6F7F8 );
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( load_big_u64( v ), 0xF1F2F3F4F5F6F7F8 );
+
+    return boost::report_errors();
+}