Rolls-Royce History: Henry Royce
In contrast with his future business partner Charles Rolls, Sir Frederick Henry Royce (March 27, 1863 - April 22, 1933) had a more modest upbringing.
He developed a great fascination with all things engineering and mechanical, demonstrating this with his manufacture of domestic electric fittings with his partner Ernest Claremont and their F H Royce and Company.
Royce's interest in automobile engineering began when he first bought a second-hand French Decauville in 1901. Over the next 3 years he developed his own car in his workshop largely as a result of him being unimpressed with the engineering of the Decauville. He built two further cars, called Royces and sold one to Henry Edmunds (known as the Godfather of Rolls-Royce), a car dealer who introduced Royce to his friend Charles Rolls. The rest is history.
Sir Henry Royce: "Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exist, design it."
Royce was a hard worker, often skipping meals to pursue his craft. This caused him to be taken ill in 1902 and 1911. He died on the 22nd of April 1933.
In 1962 a memorial window was dedicated to the great man in Westminster Abbey, the only time an engineer has been honoured at the Abbey.
"I have only one regret," Sir Henry Royce said as he lay dying, "that I have not worked harder"