Ralph Jackson, founder of Eagle Engineering & Motor Company Ltd, first went into business in 1885. He formed Ralpho Cycle Company located on 1 Mayor Road Altrincham. The company operated as a bicycle company, making ‘Ralpho’ bicycles. The company soon outgrew its premises and moved location to a larger site on Oakfield Road, Altrincham in 1899. From there Jackson turned his attention to motor vehicles. In November 1899, Jackson and Arthur Firth went into partnership to manufacture their Eagle Century Tandem motor vehicles. Together they formed Century Engineering and Motor Company Ltd. In 1900 they took out a full page in the ‘1,000-mile trial’ catalogue to advertise their motor vehicle. In 1900 Ralph Jackson decided to open a factory in London. In 1901 Ralph Jackson handed Century Engineering and Motor Company to Sidney Begbie. Jackson returned to Oakfield Road, Altrincham, and officially formed Eagle Engineering & Motor Company from those premises. While Begbie was still manufacturing Jackson designed Tandem motor-vehicles, in November 1901 Jackson patented a slightly modified design. This motor vehicle was known as the ‘Jackson Eagle’ and was equipped with Jackson’s patented ‘epicyclic gears.’ In 1904 the company advertised a motor vehicle called the ‘Racing Eagle.’ These cars had the same design as their previous vehicles, but were equipped with either a 9 horsepower, 16 horsepower or 24 horsepower engine. However, the motor vehicle industry was not in a good state in 1904 and the company struggled to find customers for their new vehicles. In February 1905 debts began to pile up for the company. A notice was sent out to the firm’s creditors stating that the Company was being wound up voluntarily subject to supervision. Ralph Jackson however was undisturbed by this and became associated with another firm, continuing to sell Racing Eagles; rebranding them as ‘New Eagles.’ Jackson sold these vehicles at a location in Leeds. The company was eventually wound up in 1910. However, this was not the end of Jackson’s car making and in 1913 he produced a cycle-car. Unfortunately, with the advent of World War One he was unable to produce this vehicle. After this point Ralph Jackson gave up on producing motor vehicles with his firm then specialising in repair work.