The Rose National motor car, produced in the early 20th century by Rose Brothers of Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, represents a fascinating yet often overlooked milestone in the development of British motoring. Emerging from a company best known for its packaging machinery, the Rose National was a bold attempt to establish a truly British-made automobile at a time when imported vehicles dominated the roads.

Origins and Industrial Context

William Rose, an innovative engineer and entrepreneur, founded Rose Brothers in the late 19th century, initially focusing on the mechanization of packaging for products like tobacco, tea, and chocolate. By the turn of the century, the company’s success and Rose’s personal interest in motoring set the stage for a new venture: automobile manufacturing.

The first foray into car production in Gainsborough was a collaboration between Baines Bros, makers of Aegir Cycles, and William Rose. Their initial effort was a “cycle-built” car with a 2¼ h.p De Dion air-cooled engine. This quickly evolved into a more ambitious project: an 8 h.p, three-cylinder car, which would become known as the Rose National.

Design and Engineering

The Rose National was distinguished by its commitment to British manufacture. Every component, except for the coil, accumulator, and radiator, was produced domestically-a rarity at the time. The first models were equipped with Rose’s own three-cylinder, 3.1-litre engines producing 15-17 h.p, later enlarged to 3.6 litres and 18-20 h.p. By 1906, a four-cylinder, 4.9-litre, 20-24 h.p engine was introduced, though a proposed six-cylinder model never materialized.

Innovative features included:

• Smooth and flexible engines, praised for rarely requiring gear changes.
• Advanced lubrication systems with spring lubricators and independent side-fitting lubricators for each moving part, minimizing wear and contamination.
• Chassis designed for stability and comfort, accommodating various body styles from open and closed tonneaus to luxurious side-entrance models by renowned coachbuilders like Mulliner of Northampton.

Reception and Performance

Contemporary reviews were overwhelmingly positive. The Bradford Daily Telegraph in 1905 highlighted the car’s smoothness, lack of vibration, and ease of operation, even after 9,000 miles of use. The Motor magazine noted that the car could be driven long distances in top gear, a testament to its flexible power delivery and robust engineering.

The Rose National also demonstrated impressive hill-climbing abilities, successfully ascending Lincoln’s notoriously steep Steep Hill with multiple passengers on board-a feat that underscored its reliability and power.

Motorsport and Publicity

Although the Rose National did not achieve major motorsport fame, it participated in notable events. An 18 h.p model competed in the inaugural Brighton Speed Trials in 1905, winning heats and performing admirably against more powerful rivals. Additionally, an engine built by Rose Bros. was raced at Brooklands in 1908, later serving in the factory’s fire engine and now preserved at the Museum of Lincolnshire Life.

Production and Legacy

Commercial production of the Rose National began in 1904, with the company displaying new models to the Lincolnshire Automobile Club and the public. Despite critical acclaim, production numbers remained modest. By 1908, only 37 cars had been sold, and it is unlikely that more than 50 were ever built. No complete examples are known to survive today, apart from the aforementioned engine.

William Rose ceased automobile production in 1906, redirecting the company’s focus to its core business of packaging machinery and the manufacture of worm drives and gear wheels-a decision that would sustain the company for decades. The Northern Manufacturing Company, established in 1906, became a major supplier of gears to the automotive and military industries, with clients including racing car manufacturers in the mid-20th century.

The Northern Manufacturing Company: Gears and Engineering Excellence

The Northern Manufacturing Company was established in September 1906 by William Rose, founder of Rose Brothers (Gainsborough), to meet the growing demand for gears required in both his automobile and packaging machinery businesses. As Rose expanded his operations, the in-house gear cutting department quickly outgrew the company’s own needs, leading to the creation of Northern Manufacturing as a separate entity to supply gears to external firms as well.

Growth  and Operations

Located adjacent to the main Rose Brothers works in Gainsborough, Northern Manufacturing developed a distinct identity, complete with its own offices and sales force, despite remaining closely linked to Rose Brothers. The company’s operations grew rapidly, and by the mid-20th century, it employed around 140 people. Northern Manufacturing specialized in producing a wide range of gears, from small half-inch components to massive gears over 13 feet in diameter.

Their products included:

• Loose gears and gearboxes for various industries
• Components for plastics and rubber machinery, sugar production, paper and printing equipment
• Gears and gearboxes used in passenger and goods lifts

Roughly half of the company’s output consisted of loose gears, with the other half being complete gearboxes.

Technical Achievements and Wartime Production

Northern Manufacturing gained a reputation for technical excellence, particularly in the precision manufacture of intricate gears. During both World Wars, the company played a crucial role in producing precision gear systems for military applications. Notably, during the 1930s and WWII, Northern Manufacturing was one of the few firms in the UK capable of producing the high-precision gears required for the Admiralty’s High Angle Control Systems (H.A.C.S.), which controlled anti-aircraft guns on British capital ships.

Leadership and Legacy

One of the company’s most influential figures was William (Billy) Hunter, who joined in 1909, eventually becoming technical director and earning an MBE for his work on government contracts. Hunter’s tenure spanned 54 years, and he was instrumental in steering the company through periods of both expansion and challenge.

Later Years and Closure

After decades of successful operation, Northern Manufacturing became known as N.M.C. Gears, Rose Division, following the formation of Rose Forgrove in 1967. Despite its storied history, the division was closed at the end of 1969. At the time, N.M.C. Gears represented less than 7.5% of the Rose division’s output, and management decided to focus resources on more competitive sectors, such as packaging machinery and spherical bearings.

Rose Bearings & the Rose National

The connection between Rose Bearings and the Rose National is foundational. The engineering challenges and solutions developed during the design and production of the Rose National car directly contributed to Rose Brothers’ expertise in high-precision mechanical components. This expertise was crucial in the company’s later success in bearings, as both industries demand exacting standards of production and reliability. The legacy of the Rose National thus lives on not only as a pioneering British motor car but also as the catalyst for a world-renowned bearing business.

Origins: Engineering Innovation at Rose Brothers

The story of Rose Bearings is inseparable from the broader history of Rose Brothers (Gainsborough) Ltd., a company founded by William Rose in the late 19th century. Rose Brothers initially made its mark with packaging machinery, but William Rose’s engineering ambitions soon extended into the burgeoning automobile industry, resulting in the creation of the Rose National motor car in the early 1900s.

From Motor Cars to Precision Components

The manufacture of the Rose National required the in-house production of many specialized components, including gears and drive systems. This necessity led to the formation of the Northern Manufacturing Company in 1906, which supplied gears not only for Rose’s cars and packaging machines but also for other industries. This move into precision engineering laid the groundwork for Rose Brothers’ later diversification into bearings, as the expertise gained in producing high-quality gears and mechanical parts was directly transferable to bearing manufacture.

Wartime Innovation and the Birth of Rose Bearings

Rose Brothers’ pivotal entry into the bearings market occurred during World War II. The company was approached by the Royal Air Force to solve a critical problem: standard rod-end bearings in Lancaster bombers were failing due to vibration, jeopardizing fuel system reliability. Leveraging their engineering know-how, Rose Brothers developed a superior rod-end bearing using high-grade materials and precision grinding. Their solution proved so effective that thousands were supplied to the RAF, and this success marked the formal beginning of Rose Bearings as a business unit specializing in spherical bearings and rod ends.

Postwar Growth and Global Recognition

After the war, Rose Bearings continued to expand, focusing exclusively on the development and production of bearings from its Saxilby factory by 1954. The company’s products found applications in aviation, motorsport, transport, and industrial machinery. By the 1960s, “Rose” had become a generic term for rod ends and spherical bearings, much like “Hoover” for vacuum cleaners.

Rose Bearings’ reputation for quality and innovation led to its bearings being used in high-profile projects, including motorsport (sponsoring James Hunt and supplying parts for Formula 1 and land speed record attempts) and aerospace (supplying bearings for Airbus and BAe aircraft).

Corporate Evolution and Legacy

In 1967, Rose Bearings and Rose Brothers Ltd. merged with Forgrove Machinery to form Rose Forgrove Ltd., further strengthening their position in the global engineering market. By 1987, Rose Bearings was acquired by Minebea Co., Ltd. of Japan, and today operates as NMB Minebea UK Ltd., a leader in advanced bearing technologies for aerospace, rail, and industrial applications.

Conclusion

The Rose National motor car stands as a testament to early British engineering ambition and ingenuity. While its production run was short and its commercial impact limited, the car’s technical achievements and the pioneering spirit of its creators contributed to the foundation of a thriving British automotive and engineering sector. The legacy of Rose Brothers endures, not only in the history of motoring but in the countless products packaged and innovations powered by their machinery and components.

The Northern Manufacturing Company exemplified British industrial adaptability and technical skill, evolving from a support department for a pioneering car manufacturer into a major supplier of gears for a wide array of industries. Its legacy is closely tied to the broader story of Rose Brothers and the industrial heritage of Gainsborough, with its influence felt in both civilian and military engineering throughout the 20th century.

For further reading and historical images, the Museum of Lincolnshire Life and Gainsborough Heritage Centre offer valuable resources on this unique chapter of British motoring history.