Automotive Pioneer. He became a co-founder of Rolls-Royce Limited , an automotive manufacturer, in 1904 with his partner being Charles Rolls. Their company was the manufacturer of luxury automobiles and airplane engines. Born the youngest of five children, he was only nine years old when his father died. Royce's education was through hands-on work rather than through education at an elite college. At age 15 with one full year of formal schooling, he was an engineer apprenticed to the Great Northern Railway Company and by 1882 was chief electrical engineer for Liverpool's first electric street-lighting system. Two years later he moved to Manchester and started his own engineering business, which developed into Royce Ltd., manufacturers of electrically driven cranes, dynamos, and motors by 1894. The meeting with Rolls, which occurred in May of 1904 at the Automobile Club of London, was decisive for the creation of the prestigious English automotive. The first Rolls-Royce car, the Rolls-Royce 10 hp, was unveiled in December of 1904 in Paris. This followed with two, three, four and six cylinders and would be badged as Rolls-Royce. Rolls did the financial backing and Royce made the award-winning automobiles. In 1910 Rolls, his partner, was killed in an airplane crash. Introduced in 1915, the Rolls-Royce Eagle was the first aircraft engine to be developed by Rolls-Royce Limited to meet British military requirements during World War I. After the end of World War I, he was awarded the OBE and was made Baronet in 1930 for his contribution to the British Aviation. His own company, Royce & Company remained in business as a separate company making cranes until 1932 when it was sold. In 1931, Rolls-Royce purchase their rival automobile firm, W. O Bentley, who was suffering from the Great Depression. From a young age, he had poor health related to having malnutrition as a child. He married once for nearly 20 years without any children. The marriage ended in divorced. On his deathbed, he was designing new shock absorbers for the 1933 Bentley. He was cremated. A full-size statue of Sir Henry Royce stands on a five-foot base outside Rolls-Royce Headquarters at Moor Lane in Derby. Henry Royce died on the morning of April 22, 1933 and was later cremated at Golders Green Crematorium. Royce would have neither flowers nor mourners at his funeral. Only two people attended his funeral – Royce's solicitor Albert Claremont (brother of Ernest) and a Mr. Tildesley, who worked for Albert. Originally buried in 1933 beneath the statue, his urn was removed in 1937 to St. Andrew's Church Cemetery in Alwalton. Among the many honors, a memorial window dedicated to his memory was unveiled in Westminister Abbey in 1962. In the 21st century, both the Rolls-Royce and the Bentley are being produced.

Automotive Pioneer. He became a co-founder of Rolls-Royce Limited , an automotive manufacturer, in 1904 with his partner being Charles Rolls. Their company was the manufacturer of luxury automobiles and airplane engines. Born the youngest of five children, he was only nine years old when his father died. Royce's education was through hands-on work rather than through education at an elite college. At age 15 with one full year of formal schooling, he was an engineer apprenticed to the Great Northern Railway Company and by 1882 was chief electrical engineer for Liverpool's first electric street-lighting system. Two years later he moved to Manchester and started his own engineering business, which developed into Royce Ltd., manufacturers of electrically driven cranes, dynamos, and motors by 1894. The meeting with Rolls, which occurred in May of 1904 at the Automobile Club of London, was decisive for the creation of the prestigious English automotive. The first Rolls-Royce car, the Rolls-Royce 10 hp, was unveiled in December of 1904 in Paris. This followed with two, three, four and six cylinders and would be badged as Rolls-Royce. Rolls did the financial backing and Royce made the award-winning automobiles. In 1910 Rolls, his partner, was killed in an airplane crash. Introduced in 1915, the Rolls-Royce Eagle was the first aircraft engine to be developed by Rolls-Royce Limited to meet British military requirements during World War I. After the end of World War I, he was awarded the OBE and was made Baronet in 1930 for his contribution to the British Aviation. His own company, Royce & Company remained in business as a separate company making cranes until 1932 when it was sold. In 1931, Rolls-Royce purchase their rival automobile firm, W. O Bentley, who was suffering from the Great Depression. From a young age, he had poor health related to having malnutrition as a child. He married once for nearly 20 years without any children. The marriage ended in divorced. On his deathbed, he was designing new shock absorbers for the 1933 Bentley. He was cremated. A full-size statue of Sir Henry Royce stands on a five-foot base outside Rolls-Royce Headquarters at Moor Lane in Derby. Henry Royce died on the morning of April 22, 1933 and was later cremated at Golders Green Crematorium. Royce would have neither flowers nor mourners at his funeral. Only two people attended his funeral – Royce's solicitor Albert Claremont (brother of Ernest) and a Mr. Tildesley, who worked for Albert. Originally buried in 1933 beneath the statue, his urn was removed in 1937 to St. Andrew's Church Cemetery in Alwalton. Among the many honors, a memorial window dedicated to his memory was unveiled in Westminister Abbey in 1962. In the 21st century, both the Rolls-Royce and the Bentley are being produced.

Bio by: Linda Davis