Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts' Club - The
- The Hunt House, Paulerspury, Northants, NN12 7NA
Club Overview and Benefits of Membership
The Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club was formed in 1957 for the benefit of owners of the motorcar products of Rolls-Royce, including Bentley cars made from 1933 onwards. Membership is also extended to non-owners who may be considering the purchase of such a car, or who have a genuine interest in the life and works of Sir Henry Royce, his distinguished colleagues and successors who created the Best Car in the World.
Our members are drawn from all walks of life and from all the countries of the world. The Club has a justifiable reputation for friendliness and informality, enabling people to meet like-minded enthusiasts and share experiences, advice and the enjoyment of ownership of some of the finest vehicles in the world. We are the Club of choice for all Manchester, Derby, Springfield, Crewe and Goodwood Rolls-Royces and the Club of choice for all Derby and Crewe Bentleys.
All models from the earliest ten horse power two cylinder cars of 1904 to the production cars of today are fully covered. Membership exceeds 10,000 of whom more than 3,500 are overseas in 52 countries.
Our efforts are aimed at the usage, maintenance and restoration of our cars and to this end we offer extensive technical services. These include the provision of technical seminars, technical information, owner’s handbooks, catalogues of parts, workshop manuals, data sheets and scores of special and general arrangement drawings. Chassis cards and construction and test records for over 100,000 cars are held and copies are obtainable. There are eight Registers for specific groups of models, from the Silver Ghost through Derby Phantoms, Bentley Mark VI and Silver Wraiths to the post-65 cars.
The Maurice Booth Memorial Library contains virtually every Rolls-Royce and Bentley book ever written, together with an embracing collection of technical and historic records. We have a vast photographic library and considerable coach-building history.
Our special insurance scheme, exclusive for members, offers tailored facilities second to none at remarkably competitive rates. Car valuations for this scheme may be obtained through the club.
A fully illustrated bi-monthly “Bulletin” covering all aspects of the Club’s activities is circulated to members, together with the “Advertiser” giving up to date information on trends and prices, a fine cross-section of cars for sale and very many services of value to car owners. Together they form a minimum of one hundred and twenty pages in each issue.
The club has nineteen regional Sections in the UK, as well as 20 Sections overseas in: Austria, Belgium (Flemish), Belgium (Luxembourg), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Upper Canada and Western Canada.
Sections organise events within their own boundaries and also in conjunction with adjoining Sections as well as National events organised centrally. We run tours and rallies, week-ends and competitions. Our overseas tours are especially popular. Our Annual Concours, with 17 classes judged, is the largest Rolls-Royce and Bentley gathering in the world.
Our permanent headquarters is established at the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation building known as The Hunt House at Paulerspury in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom. This is an international research and study centre devoted to furthering the works and the spirit of the great mechanic. The Foundation is a registered charity and its Display, Royce and American Rooms, Lecture Theatre, Library, Archives and workshops are administered by the Club. The static displays include a number of unique artefacts and include the original Silver Ghost car of 1907 and the Phantom IV formerly owned by The Royal Mews. Public open days are regularly held. Weekend technical seminars are held once or twice a month and cover all models and restoration subjects.
The Club Shop has a wide range of goods for sale, including all technical works, Rolls-Royce and Bentley books, Club regalia, personal and car accessories. We have a collection of workshop and special tools which are available for loan to members.
We are the only club ever to have had the honour of being reviewed by a reigning monarch in a Royal Palace. This has taken place twice: firstly on May 7th 1977, when the Queen graciously took the salute at a drive past of over 400 pre-war Club cars in the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle, later in the day at Ascot Racecourse a total of one thousand Club cars gathered in a Silver Jubilee tribute to Her Majesty. Secondly, on April 27th 2002, when 550 Club cars passed through the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle in a Golden Jubilee tribute to Her Majesty – an event that raised over £50,000 for the Prince’s Trust.