Naylor Firth delves into the history of the motor car and Monmouthshire’s role in it:

THE concept of the internal combustion engine had been evolving during the latter half of the 19th century.

Its application to motorised transport first appeared in 1884, when Edward Butler published his design for a petroleum-fuelled motor tricycle.

However, the actual model, the Velocycle, was not built until 1888, two years after Karl Benz had successfully built and driven his three-wheeled Patent-Motorwagen.

Northern European engineers were the first to produce any significant numbers of ‘motor cars’.

In Germany Daimler and Maybach had sold more than 30 by 1895.

In France Panhard and Levassor made their first car in 1887 and were exporting cars to Britain by 1895.

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In Britain Herbert Austin, works manager of the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Co, built the first of the Wolseley cars in 1896.

Britain had been slow to adopt the concept of the motor car, partly because of the strong lobby from the railways and partly because legislation until 1896 had limited the speed of powered vehicles to 4mph in the countryside and 2mph in towns. In 1896 the limit was raised to 14mph and in 1903 to 20mph.

Frederick Henry Royce was born in 1863.

His father’s milling business failed and he died when Frederick was nine.

After only a year in school he gained an apprenticeship in the engineering sector and gained expertise in the embryonic electricity field, eventually entering into a partnership with Ernest Cleremont in 1884 to make electrical fittings.

During the next ten years business expanded to include the manufacture of dynamos and electric cranes until in 1899 the company, Royce Ltd, was floated.

Mr Royce was an incredibly hard worker with high standards, and by 1902 his health was deteriorating to the extent that his doctor recommended a long break in South Africa.

On the voyage mr Royce read a book called The Automobile, its construction and management.

Such was its impact that on his return he bought a French 10hp Decauville car, one of the first to be imported in Britain. But when he collected it, it refused to start.

Mr Royce completely rebuilt the car, substituting better parts where he felt they were needed.

With the bit between his teeth, he set about making his own motor cars and during the next 18 months had produced three ‘Royces’, the first of which was driven at the Automobile Club’s Trials in London in April 1904.

Unlike motor cars built thus far, it was remarkable for its quiet running - it went like a ghost.

The background of Charles Henry Rolls had little in common with Frederick Royce.

The third son of the 1st Baron Llangattock, he was born in Berkeley Square, London in 1877.

South Wales Argus: Charles Rolls.

Charles Rolls

Educated at Eton and Cambridge where he read mechanical and applied science he rapidly acquired a taste for the products of the dawning age of technology and speed on land and in the air.

In 1896, the 6.5ft Charles Rolls bought his first car - a Peugeot Phaeton - in Paris for £225.

In 1898 he made his first balloon ascent, the first of more than 170 in his lifetime and a year later bought a 12hp Panhard in which he completed the 1,000-mile trial to Edinburgh and back.

It was this car in which he drove the Prince of Wales when visiting the family home at The Hendre, near Monmouth.

South Wales Argus: Charles Rolls drives the Duke of York, later King George V, at Hendre. Picture: National Archives

Charles Rolls drives the Duke of York, later King George V, at Hendre. Picture: National Archives

By 1902, Mr Rolls had established a car dealership in London, importing French cars.

In May 1904, Rolls met Royce at the Midland Hotel, Manchester, where Mr Royce was showing his second Royce car.

Mr Rolls was so impressed with it’s performance he offered to retail all his future production through his London showrooms on the understanding they would be sold as ‘Rolls-Royces’.

In 1906, Rolls-Royce Ltd came into being with their cars marketed as ‘Silver Ghosts’.

South Wales Argus: Charles Rolls on the far right, his father Lord Llangattock is standing next but one to the right of the basket and his mother on the left. Photograph from the collections of Monmouth Museum ©Monmouthshire Museums Service.

Charles Rolls on the far right, his father Lord Llangattock is standing next but one to the right of the basket and his mother on the left. Photograph from the collections of Monmouth Museum ©Monmouthshire Museums Service

Mr Rolls took their product to the USA in 1906 and while there developed a fascination with the Wright Brothers powered ‘aeroplanes’ having taken a test flight in October.

Such was his fascination with flying that he learned to fly a glider in 1909 and took delivery of a Wright Flyer No 1 in October.

South Wales Argus: SWA_CT_7.5.04.COPY OF CHARLES ROLLS WITH WILBUR WRIGHT AFTER ROLLS' FIRST FLIGHT..

Charles Rolls with Wilbur Wright after Mr Rolls' first flight

This promptly crashed but less than six months afterwards he bought No 6 in which on June 2, 1910 he made a non-stop double crossing of the English Channel.

That year Mr Rolls had failed to convince his fellow directors in Rolls-Royce that aero-engines would make a valuable additional product for their expertise and resigned as technical managing director to become and advisor to them and devote his energies to aviation.

Just over five weeks after making his record crossing of the English Channel, Mr Rolls was demonstrating the flying versatility of his aircraft at a show over Bournemouth when the tail broke off and he was killed in the resulting crash.

South Wales Argus: This week's picture show Monmouth Troy station, the coffin is believed to be that of Charles Rolls who became the first Brton to die in an aeroplane accident, July 1910. Picture courtesy of: Monmouthshire's Lost Railways, Peter Dale

This picture shows Monmouth Troy station, the coffin is believed to be that of Charles Rolls, who became the first Briton to die in an aeroplane accident, July 1910. Picture courtesy of: Monmouthshire's Lost Railways, Peter Dale

Charles Stewart Rolls was buried in the family plot at St Cadoc’s Church, Llangattock-vibon-Avel and a statue erected in his memory in Agincourt Square, Monmouth.

South Wales Argus: used 21.6.13..SWA ST 19/06/2013..Picture of the day..A statue of Charles Rolls in Agincourt Square, Monmouth.

The Charles Rolls statue in Monmouth

The First World War emphasised the potential for aero engines and Royce went on to develop the ‘R’ aero engine which won the Schneider Trophy in 1929 at 357mph.

By 1931 it’s performance had been further improved when the Supermarine S.6B seaplane flew at a world record 407mph. Royce was knighted in 1930 and lived to see Rolls-Royce Ltd buy out the WO Bentley marque of cars before his death in 1933.