The first HMS Lance was a destroyer launched at Thornycroft in 1914, and fired the first British shot of World War I on 5 August 1914 when she intercepted the German Konigin Luise.
Today, the Thornycroft name is used by a builder of marine diesel engines for private and light commercial use, the engines being based around small-capacity engines designed by Mitsubishi.
The club were formed by employees of the Thornycroft car manufacturing firm and enjoyed great success during their existence.
The third Gnat was a small coastal destroyer launched by Thornycroft at Chiswick on 1 December 1906 and sold for scrapping on 9 May 1921.
Thornycroft was born in Chiswick in 1872 and was the eldest son of Sir John Isaac Thornycroft, the founder of the Thornycroft shipbuilding company.
Amongst these may be instanced the Baroness Burdett Coutts’s beautiful fountains in Victoria-park and Regent’s-park the Maharajah of Vizianagram’s in Hyde-park; Mrs. Brown’s, by Thornycroft, in Hamilton-place, Mr. Wheeler’s at the north of Kew-bridge; and Mr. Buxton’s at Westminster.
The company's first attempt at rail-less operation was in 1910 when a Thornycroft charabanc, hired from the Musselburgh Tramways Company, was tried for a short period, operating between the Old Toll Bar (Mexborough) and Denaby Main Colliery Village, and also from Mexborough to Wath via Manvers Main Colliery.