When the word “luxury” is put in front of the word “car”, the brand that most often springs to mind is of course, the classic Rolls Royce – the queen of cars and a long held dream and ambition of owning one for many. But did you know that this iconic brand of car once visited the Oakeley Arms Hotel on one of their annual tours of Wales?

Rolls-Royce is a British luxury car brand (and later an aero engine manufacturing), that was established in 1906 by the partnership of Charles Rolls and Henry Royce. Henry Royce had produced his first car, the Royce 10, in his factory in Manchester in 1904, and was introduced to Charles Rolls shortly afterwards. Rolls was impressed by Royce’s car, and agreed to sell all the cars he could produce. Royce’s cars were re-branded as Rolls-Royce. By the 1920s, Rolls Royce had become known as the most luxurious of all car manufacturers and the badge became synonymous with quality and innovative engineering – a reputation that remains to this day.

Among the best known cars from Rolls Royce were the Phantom, Silver Cloud, Silver Dawn, Silver Shadow and Silver Ghost. The company also acquired car manufacturer Bentley, in the 1930s, to become a super producer of luxury cars.

And it was on the back of this reputation that, in the 1950’s, an exclusive club was formed – for owners and enthusiasts of these iconic cars.

In 1957 an advert was placed in the Oxford Mail proposing the formation of a Club for the owners of Rolls-Royce motor cars. Eleven people responded – and the first meeting took place soon after on a farm near Oxford. Little more than a month later, fourteen cars attended the Club‘s first event and the The International Club for Rolls Royce and Bentley Enthusiasts was formed.