From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Licensing of a 'Spectre' car as a 'Phantom' to maintain secrecy, particularly for a vehicle being sent to France.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 138\3\ scan0176 | |
| Date | 27th February 1935 | |
| To Wn. From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}4/MJ.27.2.35. Replying to Wn.14/EIT.26.2.35. We do not agree that you should surrender the present licence for "SpectreCodename for Phantom III". The arrangement to licence the car as a Phantom was agreed to by Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} and Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} We are being pressed on all sides to keep "SpectreCodename for Phantom III" secret. If the car runs about with Trade Plates it immediately attracts attention, also we have no intention of plastering a licence on the front of the car advertising that it is a 12 cylinder. We are expecting shortly to be sending one of these cars to France. We cannot send it to France unless it is registered. Considering the car is never out of our hands we are not running any risk, in any case I am certain that if the case was explained to the proper authorities no objection would be raised. As we think this is a matter Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} should settle, we are sending him a copy of your note. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||