A Glory of Rolls-Royces

It was a nervous day – my first visit to Rolls-Royce Motors Ltd at Goodwood to address a knowledgeable audience, but with a VIP Tour of the plant with my wife Jo as a bonus.

The plant, like the car, is sleek and stylish and the first cars emerged in 2002? Construction was permitted by the Earl of March, who stages the nearby annual Goodwood Revival, as long as he could not see the factory. It thus rests in a gentle bowl, two storeys high - like a space age greenhouse surrounded by tens of thousands of trees.

A 1923 Piccadilly Silver Ghost graced the entrance, with other gorgeous modern cars displayed in the imposing foyer. Straightaway, Jo and I were fitted with dust jackets and whisked away for our tour with the oh so enthusiastic Jane Gale together with Central Southern Committee man, Darren Collins.

Simply breathtaking- as you might expect with great natural light and air conditioning throughout the facility – the cleanest, quietest, calmest factory one could ever imagine.

No photographs allowed, understandably – if you paid hundreds of thousands for your bespoke dream machine would you want to see it on You Tube, before your personal jet had been dispatched to collect it!

A Wraith is assembled in sixteen, 49  minute stages and then a perfect car is tested for rattles – none of course, and then tested at tsunami levels for waterproofing. Someone next has the envious but   nerve-wracking pleasure of taking each car on the open road for it’s first spin- what a dream of a job.

The length to which every bespoke requirement of Rolls-Royce’s four thousand annual customers, is met, is legendary. Want some extra gold in your paint or a hand painted fascia to match M’Lady’s lipstick, consider it done. Woodwork and leather are sumptuous and yet engineered to withstand extreme temperatures in the Middle East and elsewhere .Some  facia features are  hand-painted ..with  a steady hand indeed- even today.

Only one in twenty cars stay in the United Kingdom; premier buyers being the USA, China, the Middle East and recently Brazil. One young South American client came to see his Wraith in production. He fell in love with the recent limited edition car – the Sir Malcolm Campbell Bluebird – 36 made-now all sold. ‘Can I have one of those please?’

‘Not the Wraith then Sir’?

‘But of course, I’d like both’

The company will fly completed cars to their purchasers; however some are so eager after a six  month lead time that they fly their own jets over to collect their new treasures.

The  enthusiasm  of our tour guide, Jane Gale, our host, Darren Collins, and the kindness of PR Executive, Andrew Ball, were boundless. The plant is simply awesome but sadly, unlike Cadburys, no free samples!

Looking at the finished cars being polished and tested, and  also for a collective noun for them, we came up with ‘A Glory of Rolls-Royces’ – I wonder if there is a royalty? All in  all an exhilarating, unique experience.

The lecture afterwards to the Central Southern Section of the RREC, together with some Rolls-Royce employees, was well received and we sold a few books. My  thanks to Ted Meacham, Darren Collins and Rolls-Royce Motors Ltd for their very kind invitation and hospitality.

A second edition is now available.

Writing about such a complex character involved three years research and the time comes, when research.... has to stop, and the bullet bitten to publish.

A book that professes to be a serious biography about such an icon can aways be improved, and so many enthusiasts have given opinions- both good and otherwise, it seemed the thing to do.
There is a little extra space devoted to early motoring on the Isle of Man, an improved font (some liked the original, some did not), and a new dust jacket. This enabled me to include the book reviews received- only the good ones of course ! I am particularly grateful to Andrew Marr, whose work The Making of Modern Britain inspired my interest in Charles Rolls, for kindly agreeing to an additional Forword to the new edition- a very kind gesture from a busy and talented man..
My thanks then to all those who have bought, stocked or commented on the book and to the societies who have invited me to speak about this most facinating adventurer, Charles Stewart Rolls,and for those who coerced me into the purchasing of me first Rolls-Royce - not as yet out of the book profits !W.H.Smith are to stock the book in Derby, Crewe and Shrewsbury which is encouraging .
And finally .......... Roll-Royce epitomises perfection-the biography cannot claim this, but Mr Royce might just at this point permit it to ' leave the factory '.
I hope those who have bought the book enjoy the story. Tell your friends please !

Bruce Lawson

BREEZY DAY AT HAREWOOD

Sighs of relief for T' 'Committee as soggy Saturday became a dry (just) Sunday for the 35th North of England Rally at Harewood House , near Leeds.
Our gazebo nearly kited skywards , as the brass band played UP,UP and AWAY, while Some two hundred cars lined up majestically in front of the great house , disgorging their occupants and picnic hampers onto the grass.
A parade of rosette winning cars described by Section doyen Roy Brooks ended the day,then home to Montgomery in the sunshine in Silver Spirit, Lady J (sans rosette), via a tea party in nearby Boston Spa. Lots of great cars ..and photos ...enjoy

Kind Words From Andrew Marr

Kind  Words From Andrew Marr

Andrew Marr was the BBC’s Political Editor from 2000 to 2005 and presents the weekly Andrew Marr Show on Sunday mornings on BBC1.
It was his book The Making of Modern Britain, in which he featured Charles Rolls  at length, which sparked my interest in Rolls. He has kindly
given a quote on my first book about which I am extremely ‘chuffed’.

Mr Marr writes:

‘Charles Rolls was a great British hero, out of Central Casting and we’ve been missing  probable good about him for far too long..This is a lavishly-illustrated and excellent read, about one of the heroes of modern Britain.’


This and the other, without exception, generally good reviews of Charles Rolls Of Rolls-Royce will be included in the first reprint of the book
which will be available by end September

Stephen Robson, Chairman of the Charles Rolls Memorial Trust.

Charles Rolls provided a legacy of two great companies -  Rolls Royce and Short Brothers.

The first went on to provide the Merlin engine that powered the Spitfires and Hurricanes of the Battle of Britain, the second provided the Sunderland which played asignificant role in the Battle of the Atlantic.

The book gives a fascinating insight in to the character and accomplishments of this little known pioneer.

Also the insight into the characters surrounding  Rolls paints a picture of life in those times.

An absorbing read for anyone interested in motoring, aviation and the formative years of the last century.

Stephen Robson, Chairman of the Charles Rolls Memorial Trust.

Why Write A Book (Part 2 )

Economania is the strange lady used by the Institute of Chartered Accountants (who have curiously allowed me to be a member this last 45 years).

Their current ‘Life After Work’ features the man who wrote a book on Charles Rolls… and then purchased a car – the lovely Lady J. Apart from improving my driving – little else needs to be said – the 1986 car is smart anyway – and the only young lady prepared to do my bidding these days – and she is delightful.

C.S.Rolls’s Commemoration – 12th July 2014

Glorious weather was the order of the day at the 104th Anniversary Commemoration of Charles Rolls’s tragic airplane crash and death at St Peter’s School, Southbourne, Bournemouth on Saturday 12th July.

The organiser Stephen Robson outlined the aim of the day, and the visitors including several Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ with cars from the Wessex Section, were then welcomed by Martyn Egan, Deputy Head of the school, whose playing fields are on what remains of the Bournemouth airfield from 1910.

The Mayor of Bournemouth made a short address, followed by author Bruce Lawson, after which local priest, Father John, gave a thoughtful speech before leading the prayers.

Lord God,

You make the clouds your chariot

And walk on the winds of the wind

We thank you for Charles Rolls

For his pioneering  spirit, his pursuit of excellence.

His determination to seize the moment

And his quest to extend the boundaries of human endeavour

Grant that all who visit this memorial and gaze upon it

May take to heart its inspiration

And likewise be inspired by all that is good and pure and noble

In  the Human spirit.

This we ask through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

This was followed by a minute’s silence and the Mayor of Bournemouth then laid the floral tribute.

Following closing remarks by Stephen Robson, the guests adjourned for refreshments and an illustrated talk by Mr Lawson

.

Bournemouth Commemoration Address – 12th July 2014

Mr Mayor, guests, ladies and gentlemen thank you for inviting me today. We are here to commemorate the early and untimely death of one of the greatest but least known Englishmen, Charles Stewart Rolls, known in his day simply as ‘Charlie’.

By the time he died here, 104 years ago today he had been educated at Eton and Cambridge, where he won a half Blue as a cyclist and was already fascinated by matters mechanical. He owned the first car at the university and also in Wales. There his father, Lord Llangattock, owned a vast house, The Hendre, and 6000 acres of farmland as well as a property empire in London, and an oceangoing yacht.

Charlie won the Thousand Mile Trial  around Britain – the first car rally ever held here and 3 million saw the cars – most of them for the first time. Rolls at 22 thus became the best - known motorist in Britain.

He was a founder member and committee stalwart of what became the Royal Automobile Club.

Rolls motor raced in Europe with modest success in the great inter city races, Paris to Berlin, Paris to Vienna, and the infamous Race to Death, Paris Madrid in 1903, when several competitors and spectators were killed including one of the three brothers who founded Renault. Rolls and John Montagu MP (later the first Lord Montagu), were in fact the first Britons to race in France in 1899.

At the same time Rolls owned and ran a garage and motor dealership in London – C.S.Rolls & Co. The firm employed 70 people and had premises with space for 200 cars. At the same time he, with two others, one of whom was his first serious female companion founded the Royal Aero Club. He made 170 balloon flights (no Air Ambulance then!) and competed in international balloon races.

He was a member of the quite separate Royal Aeronautical Society and, through this, followed the progress in America of the Wright Brothers forecasting as early as 1901 the certainty of powered flight.

Rolls unofficially became the World Land Speed record holder in 1902 at 84mph on private roads at Welbeck in Nottinghamshire, but also found time to write extensively on motoring in both the Daily Mail and Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Two of his more whimsical instructions were typical of his own self-deprecation and sense of fun:

DO NOT SPILL PETROL OVER YOUR CLOTHES AND THEN STRIKE A MATCH TO LIGHT YOUR PIPE.

and

DO NOT LET A WILLING OSTLER FILL UP YOUR PETROL TANK  - WITH WATER

And yes, along the way in 1903 he lured Claude Johnson, the gifted Secretary of the R.A.C. to work for him – Johnson later being dubbed the hyphen in Rolls- Royce. Then, mere months later, Rolls despite initial misgivings met Henry Royce and agreed to sell every car Royce could make, under the name of Rolls-Royce.

Charlie, Claude and Henry: Rolls Hyphen Royce – the most iconic British brand name both of today and all time.

Charlie drove a Rolls-Royce 20 to win a second ever Tourist Trophy Race, held over 200 miles on the Isle of Man, by half an hour. In the same year he broke the Monte Carlo to London record and at the end of the year raced and won on a banked track in New York City beating all-comers.

He consulted in the early development of the Silver Ghost, knowing that the aristocracy would buy British if it was the best, and by 1912 the Ghost was truly acknowledged as ‘the Best Car in the World’.

Flying then claimed him. He flew the Channel both ways in a 90 minutes flight in June 1910, the first to do so.

Also he convinced the British Army of the value of aviation in a future war. He sold the Army its first plane – one of his – at a profit. In the early summer of 1910 he gave some aviation ground instruction, before dying here in front of 20,000 people on that fateful day in July.

Often dismissed as a celebrity, attention seeker and motoring ‘scorcher’ was Rolls a great man? He was  six foot five inches tall.

Well, how many achieve greatness – whatever this may mean - at the age of 32.

Can you think of another, who achieved so much in such a short time and also about whom so little is surprisingly known?

May I congratulate Stephen Robson and his friends on their initiative in setting up the C.S.Rolls Memorial Trust to preserve Roll’s name.

The Sir Henry Royce Memorial Trust has existed for many years quite rightly celebrating the stunning and long career of modest but master engineer, Sir Henry Royce, both in luxury car and aero engine development. Aero development gave Britain a war turning advantage in the shape of Rolls-Royce powered Spitfires and Hurricanes in the Battle of Britain.

I think then it is only right and fair that history be rebalanced through the C.S.Rolls Memorial Trust which will celebrate the life of a daring, driven, resourceful young man – a man for his times and a man whose achievements should long be remembered.

Thank you.

Bruce Lawson

www.charlesrollsofrollsroyce.com

Edwardian Cars at Shelsley Walsh

Midland Auto Club hosted over a hundred cars at Shelsley for a Vintage motoring day on July 6th. A clutch of redoubtable Edwardian cars tackled the thousand yard hill – the oldest motor sport venue in the world, on a magnificent sunny day.

The oldest car present was a 1903 Mercedes 60hp (No.71) of the very same type that Charlie Rolls raced with – head to head in Phoenix Park, Dublin during the Irish Fortnight, which was part of the 1903 Gordon Bennett race celebrations. Rolls lost, but the current similar car driven by Roger Collinge tackled the hill with guile and determination.

The other 1903 car was a French Brasier(No 121) – a monster of 11,500 cc, and the other pre WW1 cars were an FL GP prototype (No.67), a Sunbeam 16/20 (No.68), a Vauxhall 30/98 (No.69), a Chalmers 17 (No.70) and a Stutz Bearcat (No.72) – all driven by their owners.

….. and days later Shelsley welcomed a Thousand Mile Trial re-enactment party of 42 cars including a magnificent 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom 2 Sports Coupe.

Sold Out But Restocked

Happy to report the first 500 books now sold by end of May. Temporarily out of stock but reprinted version of book, with a few improvements to photographs and correction of a handful of minor errors, now available for collection at £28. Postage/packing details as per this website. Personal dedications and signed copies on request.

The Blonde Bombshell and the King of Iraq

Dick Francis the racing author has always been a hero of mine – have been collecting his books for forty years. I was delighted last week at a Society of Authors’ symposium to sit next to and chat with his son Felix, who has continued to write the Francis thrillers.

He had been to Royal Ascot in a 1938 Rolls-Royce Phantom, once owned by ‘Blonde Bombshell’ Diana Dors, and which was also owned by the King of Iraq. The car ended up in Istanbul – happily out of Iraq when a coup occurred, and was then driven back home to Britain.

Felix Francis still has a house in the Cayman Islands to where his father moved to escape horrendous British tax rates, and has a new book, ‘Damage’, out in the autumn.

Tip From Across The Pond

Now that car/bike season is here, and most of us will be detailing cars and motorcycles to show (or sell) or just plain drive or ride, now we are seeing those pesky rock chips that have appeared over the winter months on our paintwork.  A friend of mine, former president of Griots Garage, told me about these little handy items.  Shipping cost was more than the item but well worth it.  I used to use splinters of wooden toothpicks dipped in touch up paint to fill in rock chips, but these are going to be so much nicer--here's what he wrote to me that convinced me to order them:.

Great! I think you’ll like using these. I found them long ago before the car care world knew they existed. I was at a dental lab where my brother in law worked. I was poking around and saw these things. They were using them to do dental bridge and implant work. I asked if I could have a few and he gave me the whole container. I called the company on the label and we started private labeling them with the GG logo. The rest is history.    These come in many sizes so I always opt for the smallest. The link I sent look like very small tips. They are like a miniature puff ball that has been exploded in to thousands of little bristles. Very nice to use. Plus you can bend the ends providing you with a different attack angle for applying paint. They are disposable and this package will last you a long time unless you’re driving behind lots of gravel trucks.

I bought them, where else, Amazon.  Here is the item in case you'd like to buy some, too:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008FZZH2S/ref=pe_385040_30332190_TE_3p_M3T1_ST1_dp_1

and here is the packet just arrived in the mail, sitting on my desk, and next, the garage (and no, I'm not on commissionn--have nothing to do with this company other than having bought one of their products--I just wanted you to know about this cool and new-to-me product, too):
From Diane Brandon

Booksigning in Monmouth

A Fisherman’s Tale

        Or how to catch a Sedanca

A friend of mine fishing in Inverness-shire spotted a sumptuous Rolls owned by a fellow guest and mentioned – well done Pete, my Charles Rolls book. David McQueen of the Scottish section then kindly ordered the book, which was despatched post haste for an old friend who was retiring, as a present.

David also kindly agreed to let us put a photo on the blog and here it is in it’s finery – a 1934 Phantom 2 Continental Sedanca – a stunning 7780cc in rich Burgundy Red – chassis number – hope I have it right – 183RY. Thank you, David – a magnificent car!

Manchester Midland Hotel Lunch

Great fun, and a privilege to speak at the Midland Hotel Manchester on May 4th, for the 110th Anniversary of Rolls and Henry Edmunds meeting Royce. Travelled as Rolls did, by train via Crewe and Stockport to see forty or so cars splendidly parked outside the hotel,and not a drop of rain in sight. We forgot to bring a camera – so sad.

Cars had come from the Netherlands, Derbyshire as well as all parts of the Northern Section organised by John Beecroft.

Lunch was launched with a toast to Rolls and Royce by Graham Mead, and grace given by Northern Section founder, Roy Brooks, who was sporting a Rolls-Royce hand injury after fighting  a losing battle with a stiff nut on his car.

Roy sat next to me and said his first car cost £30 – those were the days!. His grace was succinct and fitting for the occasion:

            Dear God we thank you for this food

            For family, friends and all things good

            For our cars and their creator

            Rolls in sales and Royce the maker

            In this year of celebration

There’s lots of joy and jubilation

May we all these blessings share

And hearts be grateful everywhere.  Amen. 

Stephen Beers of Northern section was on our table, and told a splendid tale of himself, as a ten year old boy, patting the mascot on a wealthy neighbours Silver

Cloud, on the way to school each   morning.   .When nabbed by his neighbour, he told him he wanted his own Rolls-Royce one  and was told to work hard and then he would have one.

Now he has. A splendid Silver Spirit…see photograph .An enthusiast indeed.

After lunch Yours Truly gave a light hearted , yet well received talk on Rolls , followed by David Dudley’s masterly forensic tour of the Cooke Street works(now demolished)..another true bowler hatted enthusiast.

 Agreat day out and the train “Took the Strain” ,from Manchester back to Shrewsbury.

Wonderful Welsh Weekend – A new boy’s view.

With no little trepidation did the trio of self, spouse and Lady Jane (Huw Lloyd’s Silver Spirit) set off for the Welsh Weekend rally in Llandrindod Wells.

Had only driven the beautiful Deep Ocean Blue car on three occasions, but felt confident enough, having spent the previous weekend on a deserted Welshpool Trading Estate, practising reverse and other manoeuvres, which left the Lady unmarked and the estate still intact.

Fully fuelled with petrol, LPG, and sandwiches we drove through beautiful sunshine and Mid Wales via Kerry, LlanbadarnFynedd and Crossgates to Llandod and the fortunately wide open spaces of the Metropole car park, where several splendid cars were already in evidence. Herself, acknowledged with the regal wave, the occasional   Powys inhabitant as we passed in stately fashion. Such was the chauffeur’s skill that Madame rarely clutched the car door, but we were happy to reach our hub of Powys destination unscathed. .

We receive as ‘newbies’ a warm welcome from the other fifty car owners duly assembled .The food, pool and rooms were fine and a few libations with friends dispelled the rigours of the day. Hospitable people these car enthusiasts; they even know where the bonnet catch is, of which more anon!

Others will describe the Saturday route, a little less enjoyable due to a lack of sunshine, but although I have travelled the Mach(ynlleth) to Llanidloes mountain road several times, the reverse route is a little steep, but  one naturally felt the  brakes more than adequate. Some of the older cars may have sensed their advancing years, but all arrived in the ancient capital of Wales the stronghold of Owen Glyndwr, in good heart and in search of lunch- well done Robin and his Merry Men (and ladies!).

Sunday was glorious- the weather, the cars, the stately home,  Berrington  Hall, near Tenbury Wells made the best weather day this year so enjoyable .The display of costumes in the hall including the fiery wig which Kiera  Knightly wore in the film The Duchess were matched, by the finery of the fifty or so cars in the front of the great house ..a splendid sight…see photos.

A little mishap back at base saw a minor Lawson panic, when a window jammed  down, but one kind and knowledgeable Northern guest and Tony from Leicestershire’s combined experience saved the day, and they showed the ‘newbies’ wherein lay the bonnet catch and all was well.

Happily, we were able to return the favour when Tony’s hub-cab went missing and my encyclopaedic  knowledge of Powys cattle grids enabled us to retrieve the   wayward item from the roadside, and return the splendid yellow hubcap, to its grateful owner .see photo.

All in all, a pretty good do ..and  spring/summer may be here at last .