Heritage Trust

Heritage Trust

The Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust was formed in 1981 to promote and preserve the history and engineering excellence of Rolls-Royce. There are five branches serving the historical interests of the company.

The archives in Derby are currently closed.

Welcome
With over 100 years of history Rolls-Royce have provided the power for many icons of flight including Spitfire, Hurricane and Mustang, Lancaster, Comet, Jumbo Jet, Concorde, Tornado, Dreamliner and the Airbus A350.

Visit one of the Trust’s sites and you can see and interact with the engines on which Britain’s aeronautical history was built.

Trust objectives

The objectives of the Trust, its Branch structure, Corporate Heritage Office and publications are to:

  • Promote the history and engineering excellence of Rolls-Royce and its ancestral companies.
  • Support promotion of the Rolls-Royce Brand in our;
    • Business to Business relationships with customers and governments/funding agencies.
    • Employee Engagement in our heritage, values and vision.
    • STEM & Communities activity.
  • Advise the company in the preservation of material and on matters concerning the company history.
  • Support the company in research, technical queries and publication of books.
  • Maintain safe custody of materials entrusted to it as custodians.
  • Support lectures on the company‘s history and engineering heritage.
  • Enable understanding of historic lessons and developments to assist employees.

The Rolls-Royce Heritage Collection

Click here to explore the Rolls-Royce Heritage Collection.

Read more

Visit us

Our sites

We have four branches across the UK, and a fifth in the US. For more information about our individual sites, including opening times, please select the relevant branch.

Derby & Hucknall branch

This branch focuses on the Rolls-Royce Company and its ancestors, FH Royce and Company, Royce Limited and CS Rolls and Company.

Bristol branch

This branch focuses on the history of the aircraft industry in Bristol. From the ancestor firms of British and Colonial Aeroplane Company to

Coventry & Ansty branch

This branch showcases the heritage of the Armstrong Siddeley companies, its predecessors the Deasy Motor Car Manufacturing Company, Siddeley-Deasy

Scottish branch

This branch focuses on Rolls-Royce engines from the original Hillington and East Kilbride factories.

Indianapolis branch

This branch is responsible for maintaining and promoting all aspects of the rich heritage of Allison, which became part of Rolls-Royce in 1995.

Member's section

Discover our Member’s only section, where you will find all the latest news, member events, The Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust Documents and see an index of all issues of our magazine, The Journal of The Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust.

Find out more

Rolls-Royce Derby Heritage Centre virtual tour

A virtual tour of the Rolls-Royce Heritage Collection containing over 200 engines, model aircraft and engine parts at the now closed Rolls-Royce Heritage Centre on Osmaston Road in Derby.

Please click on the flashing blue/white circles to navigate through the exhibition halls.


View the virtual tour

Become a Member

Membership of the Trust, currently over 1700, is worldwide and open to current and past employees as well as enthusiasts of engineering heritage with an interest in Rolls-Royce and its ancestry.

Volunteer

Our volunteers are a diverse group of individuals dedicated to promoting and preserving the heritage and engineering excellence of Rolls-Royce.

Learn and Explore

The Heritage Trust exhibits provide the ideal opportunity to learn about and explore the products of one of the world’s most famous companies.

What’s on

Come along and see us, there’s nearly always something going on.