Henry Royce

Henry Royce was born in Alwalton, Huntingdonshire, in 1863, the youngest of five children. His father, a miller, died when Royce was nine, forcing the family into poverty. Royce worked as a newspaper seller and telegraph boy before an apprenticeship at the Great Northern Railway works in Peterborough. Largely self-educated, he studied electrical engineering and in 1884 founded F.H. Royce & Co., an electrical and mechanical firm in Manchester. The company initially made domestic fittings and later cranes, gaining a reputation for quality and reliability.¹

Royce bought a second-hand Decauville car in 1902 and, dissatisfied with its performance, decided to build his own. His first car, a two-cylinder Royce, impressed Charles Rolls, a wealthy car dealer and aviator, who agreed to sell Royce's cars under the name Rolls-Royce. The first Rolls-Royce, the Silver Ghost, launched in 1906, was hailed as "the best car in the world" for its smoothness and reliability. Royce's engineering philosophy—"take the best that exists and make it better"—drove constant refinement.

During World War I, Royce designed the Eagle and Falcon aero engines, which powered many Allied aircraft. The Eagle engine set records for reliability and endurance, including the first non-stop transatlantic flight in 1919. Royce's health declined in the 1920s, and he worked from a wheelchair at his home in West Wittering, Sussex, where he continued to oversee engineering. He was created a baronet in 1930. His last major design, the Merlin engine, became legendary in World War II, powering the Spitfire and Hurricane.

Royce was a perfectionist who personally tested every car before delivery, often driving them at high speeds on public roads. He was known for his frugality, once repairing a colleague's broken umbrella rather than buying a new one. Royce's early electrical company also manufactured dynamos and electric cranes, some of which remained in service for decades. He was a self-taught metallurgist, and his insistence on using the finest materials led to the development of new steel alloys. Royce never learned to drive until late in life, and he disliked publicity, rarely giving interviews.

Silver Ghost

A model of Rolls-Royce car produced from 1906 to 1926, known for its quietness and reliability.

Merlin engine

A V-12 aircraft engine designed by Royce, used in many World War II aircraft.