Sir Henry Royce, English engineer, with racing team, 1929

Sir Henry Royce, English engineer, with racing team, 1929. Sir Henry Royce (1863-1933) is pictured here with the British Team for the Schneider Trophy contest in 1929. The Schneider Trophy was a seaplane race that existed from 1913-1931. Royce founded the mechanical and electrical engineering firm Royce Ltd, Manchester. After finding that his Deauville motor car was unreliable he decided to design and build his own. Royce's first motor car was made in 1904, a car which so impressed his friend Charles Rolls that in 1906 they formed the motor car and aero-engine manufacturers Rolls-Royce Ltd. Later, Royce designed aero-engines that were developed into the Merlin engines used in the Spitfires and Hurricanes during the WW2. ©SSPL/Science Museum