Charles Rolls - Monmouth, Gwent, Wales.
N 51° 48.724 W 002° 42.933
30U E 519609 N 5740174
The memorial statue to the aviation pioneer Charles Rolls stands in front of the Shire Hall Monmouth. The 8 feet tall bronze statue was designed by Sir William Goscombe John, R.A. & the Plinth by Sir Aston Webb.
Waymark Code: WMMAK3
Location: South Wales, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/22/2014
Views: 4
Charles Stewart Rolls (27 August 1877 – 12 July 1910) was an British motoring and aviation pioneer. Together with Henry Royce he co-founded the Rolls-Royce car manufacturing firm. He was the first Briton to be killed in a flying accident, when the tail of his Wright Flyer broke off during a flying display in the Southbourne district of Bournemouth. He was aged 32.
"The statue is a bronze standing figure of the Hon. Charles Rolls. The plinth is of Shap granite with two square steps and a square base. A further plinth with a slight taper carries three bronze plaques and supports the statue of Rolls which depicts him standing in a tweed suit and gazing quizzically at a model of the bi-plane he was flying when he was killed. The plaques, which are in art-nouveau style, show scenes of Flying, Ballooning and Motor Racing, Rolls' three principal areas of interest." Text source: (
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"The statue was proposed by the Borough Council in June 1910, to celebrate Charles Rolls' two way crossing of the English Channel. However, Rolls was killed in an accident at an airfield near Bournemouth on the south coast of Britain the following month. The statue and plaques around the plinth therefore commemorate his life achievements.
The statue was cast by the A.B. Burton foundry at Thames Ditton, who produced many bronze statues around the world, including the statue of Eros in Piccadilly Circus, and the 38 ton "Peace Quadriga" on Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner, London. It was unveiled on 19 October 1911, by Colonel Lord Raglan, C.B. accompanied by a large gathering of dignitaries and the public. Rolls is seen inspecting a purposefully incomplete model of his biplane. The tail plane is the missing element on the model to commemorate the cause of the accident. Shortly before the fatal flight, the tail plane was modified in an attempt to improve control." Text Source: (
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