Heritage

In 1884 Henry Royce established a small business in Britain with only 70 pounds (approximately $140) – 50 of which were borrowed. Initially, Royce Limited produced only electrical motors and generators, eventually building its first motor car in 1904. That same year, Royce met Charles Rolls whose company sold quality cars in London.

At their first meeting, Royce took Rolls for a spin in the car. Legend has it that as he climbed aboard, Rolls asked Royce to “start her up.” Royce replied, “My dear fellow, she’s already running!” Soon after, they reached an agreement that Royce Limited would manufacture a range of cars to be sold exclusively by CS Rolls & Company. The success of these Rolls-Royce cars led to the formation of the Rolls-Royce Company just two years later – in 1906.

The charter included a provision that the company should produce engines for use “on land or water or in the air.” That same year, Rolls-Royce launched the Silver Ghost - immediately hailed as “the best car in the world”.

Meanwhile, Charles Rolls had been introduced to the Wright brothers and become passionate about flight. Until his untimely death in 1910, in the crash of his Wright Flyer, Rolls worked hard to persuade his partner to venture into the aviation business. Royce however continued to concentrate on the design and continual improvement of the cars.

Royce’s dim view of the aviation business persisted until war intervened and convinced him otherwise. World War I saw the development of the first Rolls-Royce aero engines, the Eagle and the Falcon.

Royce began developing the famous Merlin engine before his death in 1933. In 1940, the Merlin powered the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire in the Battle of Britain. By V-E Day, the partnership had produced over 55,500 Merlins – more than a third of the total production worldwide.

Demand for the Merlin during World War II transformed Rolls-Royce from a small company into a major contender in aero propulsion. In 1944, the company began developing the gas turbine engine and almost immediately took the lead in industry.

Rolls-Royce entered the civil aviation market in 1953 with the Dart engine in the Vickers Viscount. The Dart was the first gas turbine engine universally accepted by the airline industry. Subsequently, the Avon-powered Comet became the first turbojet to enter transatlantic service and in 1960, the Conway engine in the DC8 and Boeing 707 became the first turbofan to enter airline service.

With the emergence of wide-body airliners in the late 1960s, Rolls-Royce launched the RB211 for the Lockheed L1011 Tri-Star. Early problems with the RB211 forced the company into bankruptcy - and ultimately, state ownership – and led to the transition of the motor car business into a separate entity. In spite of these early difficulties, the three-shaft turbofan concept of the RB211 is the heart of the Rolls-Royce family of large turbofan engines.

Rolls-Royce returned to the private sector in 1987 and expanded through a series of mergers and acquisitions. The new company, Rolls-Royce Corporation, allowed Rolls-Royce to offer engines in virtually all market segments, from helicopters to the largest widebody aircraft.

Now in the 21st century, Rolls-Royce continues to be a leader in providing power for air, land and sea applications, fulfilling the early vision of Charles Rolls and Henry Royce - and the terms of the original company charter.