100 years of the Spirit of Rolls-Royce: Owners parade through London to mark a special Flying Lady's birthday
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 2:48 AM on 7th February 2011
Last updated at 2:48 AM on 7th February 2011
Drivers took their vehicles across the capital through Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square.
Modern Rollers and vintage models brought the streets to a halt yesterday morning as they marked the centenary.
Standstill: 100 Rollers, old and new, brought the streets of London to a halt early on Sunday morning
Famous icon: A long queue forms in central London as motorists marked 100 years of the Spirit of Ecstasy or Flying Lady figurine
The iconic silver figurine - also known as the Flying Lady - was based on Eleanor Thornton who was the lover of Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, the publisher of an early car magazine.
The car enthusiast commissioned Charles Skyes, a friend, to create the statuette as a mascot for his 1909 Silver Ghost.
When Charles Rolls and Henry Royce created their brand in 1904 there was no statue or figure on the front of their vehicles.
Eleanor was his secretary – and their love was kept hidden for many years.
Initially the mascot was an optional extra in 1911 but in the 1920s it became standard fit on all new Rolls-Royce cars.
Eleanor died four years later in 1915 when she was on board a passenger ship which was torpedoed close to the coast of Crete and she drowned in the wreckage. Her body was never recovered.
It was thought Lord Montagu had also died in the disaster but he was saved by his life-jacket. As he was assumed to be dead, his obituary was written and published in a newspaper.
The secret couple met at the Car Illustrated magazine where they were both working.
Secret relationship: Eleanor Thornton never lived to know how famous the figure would become
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1354406/100-years-Spirit-Rolls-Royce-Owners-parade-London-mark-special-Flying-Ladys-birthday.html#ixzz1DEonxBWX
No comments:
Post a Comment