Monmouth Museum is to launch an exhibition to mark the 100th anniversary of the death of Charles Rolls – the co-founder of Rolls-Royce, pioneer motorist and aviator. The exhibition, which opens on Saturday 13th February, runs until 31st October and was made possible through the support of Rolls Royce plc.
The exhibition title is Rolls’ response when asked whether he was putting his life at risk through his adventurous lifestyle.
Based upon the Monmouth Museum collections of Rolls family material, the exhibition will show his background as youngest son of a wealthy Victorian land-owning family and his close involvement with the early days of motoring and flying. His death in 1910 at the controls of his aeroplane, the first British casualty of aeroplane flight, followed soon after he made the first non-stop, two-way crossing of the English Channel by aeroplane, and six years after he teamed up with Henry Royce to develop and sell the most famous cars in the World.
Cllr Giles Howard, Cabinet Member for Community Services, said:
“I am delighted that Monmouth museum is able to mount this major exhibition and I would like to thank Rolls Royce plc for its generous help and support. Charles Rolls is one of Monmouthshire’s most famous sons, so it is wonderful that we are able to mark the centenary of his untimely death in this way.”
Thanks to the sponsorship of Rolls-Royce plc, a programme of museum educational activities will be running throughout the duration of the exhibition. These are designed to meet the needs of schools, families and individuals of all ages. The programme will use the Monmouth Museum collections and the resources of the Rolls-Royce aero-engines company to look at the life and legacy of Charles Rolls, taking in local history, the history of transport, and taking in current issues such as green technology.
