Rolls-Royce: The Magic of a Name: The First Forty Years of Britain's Most Prestigious Company, 1904-1944

Description

The Magic of a Name tells the story of the first 40 years of Britain's most prestigious manufacturer - Rolls-Royce. Beginning with the historic meeting in 1904 of Henry Royce and the Honourable C.S. Rolls, and the birth in 1906 of the legendary Silver Ghost, Peter Pugh tells a story of genius, skill, hard work and dedication which gave the world cars and aero engines unrivalled in their excellence. In 1915, 100 years ago, the pair produced their first aero engine, the Eagle, which along with the Hawk, Falcon and Condor proved themselves in battle in the First World War. In the Second World War the totemic Merlin was installed in the Spitfire and built in a race against time in 1940 to help win the Battle of Britain. With unrivalled access to the company's archives, this is a unique portrait of both an iconic name and of British industry at its best

Peter Pugh was educated at Oundle and Cambridge, where he read History. He has written more than 50 official histories, including The Magic of a Name, a three-volume history of Rolls-Royce. He lives in Cambridge and Norfolk.

A thoroughly British and thoroughly cheering story. * Sir Geoffrey Owen, Sunday Telegraph * Magic - a massive amount of information * Flight Magazine * So well researched and written * Motorsport *