Claude Goodman Johnson

Claude Goodman Johnson (24 October 1864 – 12 April 1926) was a British motor vehicle manufacturer who was instrumental in the creation of Rolls-Royce Limited.

Johnson described himself as the hyphen in the Rolls-Royce name. When Royce fell ill and took his design staff home in 1908, and after the death of Rolls in July 1910, it was Johnson who was responsible for keeping the business running, until his own death in April 1926. His father was on the staff of the South Kensington Museum.

RAC

Educated at St Paul's School he briefly attended the Art School, South Kensington, joined the Imperial Institute in South Kensington and, for the institute, organised the first automobile exhibition in England at Richmond Park in 1896. Hired in 1897 by F R Simms, who had noted his organisational ability and public relations flair, Johnson became the first secretary of the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) where he organised the club's Thousand Mile trial of 1900. The RAC Club's Jubilee Book simply stated "To him is owed the fact of the club's existence today". Scottish Reliability Trial 22 June 1907green leather, silver-plated fittings, aluminium dashboard, an opulent display

At first responsibilities were divided three ways. Charles Rolls promoted the cars by competing in trials and races, Johnson understudied Rolls at this but was also responsible for sales as well as business organisation, Royce's responsibility was production. The name "Silver Ghost" caught on and though never officially used is since used for all 7,874 of the 40/50 model which remained in production until his death in 1926.

For the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot he hired the sculptor Charles Sykes who used as his model the society belle Eleanor Thornton, secretary to John Scott Montagu, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu.

Aero-engines In the winter of 1915–1916 Johnson personally named the first three Rolls-Royce aircraft piston engines, the Eagle, Hawk and Falcon, starting the company's tradition of naming piston aero engines after birds of prey.

By 1918 Johnson's business was the world's largest producer of aero-engines. Post-war the business prospered Married twice, in 1891 and 1919, Johnson left a widow, Evelyn Maud who remarried and died in 1955, and two surviving children, a daughter from each marriage.

"Since we last met the company has suffered a grievous loss by the death of Mr Claude Johnson to whose policy, coupled with the engineering achievements of Mr Royce, it owes its present pre-eminence. A memorial to him designed by Sir Herbert Baker and with an inscription written by Mr Rudyard Kipling is to be erected at the works. Mr Basil Johnson, who has been appointed the new managing director, was previously the general manager, and for 12 years shared with his brother the management of the company's affairs." Lord Wargrave, chairman

"Our existing aero engines continue to maintain their reputation for unparalleled reliability. Quite recently three flying boats equipped with Rolls-Royce Eagle engines accomplished a memorable flight of 4,500 miles across Africa. Another flying boat, fitted with two Rolls-Royce Condor engines, succeeded in carrying 55 passengers at one time in its trials on Lake Constance. Such an achievement was as unique today as was the conquest of the Atlantic made by our engines in 1919. The first flights across the North and South Atlantic and to Australia, South Africa and India were all made by Rolls-Royce engines." Lord Wargrave, chairman.

Publication Johnson wrote The Early History of Motoring published after his death in 1927 by E J Burrow, London. It has a preface by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu and contains a brief history of Rolls-Royce as an appendix. It is accessible on Google Books.