Casual Car Club (CCC) with the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts' Club (RREC) Polish Section, Warsaw, Poland: 4th May 2017 - Bristol Hotel Warsaw - 113th anniversary of the first meeting of Charles Rolls and Henry Royce at the Midland Hotel, Manchester, on May 4th 1904

1927 Royce‘Twenty’ (GXL80) with coachwork by Simpson and Slater of Nottingham

1948 Hooper bodied Royce Silver Wraith (WZB33) of the Polish Section Chairman
Dariusz Brudkiewicz

On May 4th 2017 the RREC Polish Section and the CCC jointly commemorated the 113th anniversary of the first meeting of Charles Rolls and Henry Royce at the Midland Hotel, Manchester, on May 4th 1904 and the Silver Jubilee of the foundation of the RREC.

A few RREC members and CCC Members gathered at the historic Bristol Hotel Warsaw for this convivial occasion. After Poland gained its independence in 1919, the famous pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski became the Prime Minister and held the first session of his government at this hotel. By some miracle the Bristol survived the war with minor damage, standing isolated in the rubble of the destroyed city.

We met in the Secession style Column Bar (possibly designed by the noted Viennese architect Otto Wagner) for champagne and tapas in what was known in more glamorous times as 'the cocktail hour', 5.30pm - 7.00pm. This small Rolls-Royce club gathering has become almost an institution at the Bristol over the years. It was a pleasant occasion and I was particularly gratified as I used to celebrate the historic meeting alone. In the past, for some like company whilst sipping my flute of Deutz champagne, I would take along a few Rolls-Royce Bulletins I had not had time to read during the year. Anyone in those days entertaining the idea of the formation of a Polish Section of the RREC would have been considered a suitable case for treatment. Remarkably it has recently come to fruition.

The oldest Rolls-Royce in Poland (a 1927 ‘Twenty’ (GXL80) with coachwork by Simpson and Slater of Nottingham) was displayed in the garden atrium of the hotel together with the 1948 Silver Wraith (WZB33) of the Chairman. My 1974 Silver Shadow and a Bentley S1 were parked less salubriously outside in the rain.

Future joint Polish Section and CCC events we are anticipating are the Motorclassic 2017 at Castle Topacz near Wrocław 18-20 August. This is the most prestigious classic car event in Poland. Last year the RREC Polish Section won the award for the finest classic car display. The other event from 31st August - 3rd September is a rally in the town of Kalisz (where the Polish Section was founded) to include various splendid historical and theatrical activities, tours of the town, a parade of cars, meeting the town authorities and a gala ball in addition to fun-filled driving tests.