Person    | Male  Born 27/8/1877  Died 12/7/1910

Charles Rolls

Born 35 Hill Street, W1, son of Lord Llangattock, John Rolls. A keen racing cyclist, he became the fourth man in England to own a car, took to racing cars and repeatedly broke the land speed record. Met Henry Royce in May 1904 and together they began manufacturing cars, the first being the Grey Ghost. He was a keep-fit enthusiast, sports-player, teetotal and vegetarian. Frequent balloonist. One of the first to fly with Wright, the aeroplane inventor, and the first to fly an aeroplane non-stop across the English Channel and back. He left Rolls-Royce in 1910 over disagreements about the manufacture of aircraft. Died at Bournemouth, aged 32, in a flying accident, the first Englishman so to die. There is a statue at the site.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Charles Rolls

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Charles Rolls

English Heritage Charles Rolls, 1877 - 1910, pioneer of motoring and aviation...

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Short Brothers

Short Brothers

Pioneering aeronautical engineers. Oswald and Eustace formed a partnership in 1897, initially working on balloons. They supplied Charles Rolls, amongst others. In 1908 Horace joined, the company wa...

Group, Aviation, Engineering

1 memorial
Brymon Airways

Brymon Airways

Former airline co-founded by journalist Bill Bryce and racing driver Chris Amon. Based in Plymouth, it was the first British airline to use the De Havilland Canada Dash 7 short take-off and landing...

Group, Aviation

1 memorial
Biggin Hill Royal Air Force Station

Biggin Hill Royal Air Force Station

The airfield was originally opened by the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. At first it was used for wireless experiments, but was then established as part of the London Air Defence Area, resp...

Place, Armed Forces, Aviation

2 memorials
Royal Air Force Gang Show Association

Royal Air Force Gang Show Association

The name of this organisation sometimes has "Shows" rather than "Show".

Group, Armed Forces, Aviation, Theatre

2 memorials
Heron Quays STOL Landing

Heron Quays STOL Landing

The landing of a STOL (short take-off and landing) aircraft in the heart of London's Docklands, was done to show the feasibility of an airport there. In due course, London City Airport opened in 1987.

Event, Aviation

1 memorial