Charles Stewart Rolls Plaque

Charles Stewart Rolls was a British motoring and aviation pioneer. With Henry Royce, he co-founded the Rolls-Royce car manufacturing firm. He became the second Briton to go up in an aeroplane, piloted by Wilbur Wright and bought a Wright Flyer aircraft. Rolls became the first man to make a non-stop double crossing of the English Channel by plane.On 12 July 1910, at the age of 32, Rolls was killed in an air crash at Southbourne, Bournemouth when the tail of his Wright Flyer broke off during a flying display to celebrate the centenary of the founding of Bournemouth. He was the first Briton to be killed in an aeronautical accident with a powered aircraft.The accident is commemorated by a plaque, placed near the site of the crash, now St Peter’s RC School sports ground.Note that the plaque is not normally accessible for public viewing.A memorial to Charles Rolls was dedicated 12 July 2022, at Hengistbury Head, Southbourne, Dorset, between the car park and the Hiker cafe.