The Rolls-Royce employees Motor Club
The Rolls-Royce employees’ Motor Club is a group of enthusiastic individuals who share an interest in cars, motorbikes and motoring in general. The Motor Club has been established for almost 70 years! As affiliated members of Motorsport UK, members can compete in Motorsport events throughout the UK whilst representing the club. The club caters for a wide range of motoring interests – from social events and DIY car maintenance to motorsport competitions and racing.
History of the Club
Minutes from the 1st Annual General Meeting Held on 28th February 1955 indicate that an initial approach to the Rolls-Royce Welfare Amenities Society (WAS) to form a ”motor car club section” was made on 27 May 1954. Official recognition of the club by the Welfare was made on 9th September 1954. The first official committee meeting ofthe “Rolls-Royce Motor Club (Derby Division)” took place on 23rd February 1955.
Evidence from initial committee meetings during 1955 suggest that the Derby based club was closely linked to one based in Crewe. It seems that it was the crew division of the company that had been the first division of the company to form a Motor Club it was they who registered with the RAC and members from Derby benefited from such affiliation through being considered part of an overall Rolls-Royce Motor Club at a national level.
By the end of March 1955 it appears that using Crewe as a sole ‘agents’ for RAC matters across all Rolls- Royce divisions was to end. The 31 March 1955 minutes state “An arrangement with the RAC whereby Crewe were the sole agents in respect of matters appertaining to competitions, rallies etc. for all RR divisions was now rescinded by the RAC & each division was to have separate registration.” The meeting agreed that the secretary should write to the RAC to obtain recognition for the “Derby Centre”.
By June of 1955 various correspondence with the RAC had culminated in the committee instructing the secretary to “complete and send to the Royal Automobile Club, the letters form of application for registration of The Rolls-Royce Motor Club (Derby) as a body for the purpose of promoting motor competitions”
The Rolls-Royce employees Motor Club