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The Royce of Rolls Royce
Sir Frederick Henry Royce was born in 1863 to James and Mary Royce. He was the youngest of five children. His parents ran a flour mill however their business failed forcing them to move to London. Then in 1872 his father died. After only a year of formal schooling, young Royce had to drop out and start selling newspapers and delivering telegrams.
However in 1878 an aunt provided some financial support and he was able to start an apprenticeship with the Great Northern Railway at Peterborough, England. But in three years, he was out of money so he came to London and went to work for the Electric Light and Power Co. He then moved to Liverpool where he worked on street and theatre lights.
Royce was thrifty and saved his money. In 1884 he had saved twenty pounds and his friend, Ernest Claremont, had fifty pounds. They merged their savings and started the F H Royce Co. producing electrical fittings. The company was successful and in 1894 became Royce Ltd.
However the economic slump of 1902 together with competition from foreign manufacturers brought hard times. Royce purchased a second hand Decauville and began to toy with it, working out various modifications and improvements. By 1904 he was testing his own engines.
Then in mid-1904 a mutual friend introduced him to Charles Rolls. Rolls was impressed with Royce's two cylinder Royce 10. So much so, that he signed an agreement to purchase all the cars that Royce could make. They would be marketed as a Rolls Royce. Royce now had the financial backing to build a successful company. The first Rolls Royce was displayed at the Paris Salon in December 1904
The two partners were vastly different in personality and background. Rolls was formally educated in Britain's most prestigious schools whereas Royce was self-taught. Rolls was an adventurer who lived life in the fast lane while Royce was a perfectionist who believed, "Small things make perfection but perfection is no small thing." Rolls came from a wealthy family. Royce had been poor. In spite of their differences, however, the two men got along well and were close friends.
In 1906, Rolls and Royce created Rolls Royce Ltd. and Rolls was employed as Technical Manager at a salary of 750 pounds annually and four percent of all profits in excess of 10,000 pounds.
Rolls soon became bored and exchanged his position as Technical Manager for a non-executive manager so he could pursue his flying interests.
Royce was a workaholic who didn't always eat properly and became ill in 1902 and 1911. He also had major surgery in London. But he did not allow his health to interfere with his work.
The night before he died, he sat up in bed and designed an adjustable shock absorber. His motto was, "Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble." He was also the originator of the quotation that "The quality remains long after the price is forgotten."
The automobile he created had a "name that is synonymous with engineering excellence, style and luxury." That reputation continues until this day.
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