Morris
William Morris, cycle specialist and car agent (he held agencies for at least seven car manufacturers), with other business interests also, started building his own brand of cars in 1912. He understood the demand from customers for transport that needed to be at a realistic cost. The Morris Oxford got going with a substantial order for the not yet made cars by 28 year old William Gordon Stewart, who didn't yet have a showroom either! Stewart was able to fund this from a trust fund left by his grandfather, and his success in promoting Morris in any way possible through his Morris agency Stewart and Arden allowed William Morris to concentrate wholly on manufacture. The original Morris Oxford was followed by the Morris Cowley, using American Continental engines, but when US engine imports were banned Morris bought the rights and got Hotckiss in Coventry to build them. Into the 1920's and the prices of the two "Bullnose" Morris were slashed and by 1928 Morris had absorbed Wolseley. The overhead valve 8hp Minor came as a result of the Wolseley company being purchased by William Morris, who had almost finished their small Wolseley car project, and the Morris Minor as it became was the shot in the arm for sales that helped Morris enormously. The larger Morris 10 was also selling well, and provided the basis for so many MG models, MG being a separate company that started in business modifying the Morris Oxfords into something more sporty.
By 1948 there were 3 new Morris models designed by Alec Issigonis, the Minor, a larger Oxford and the expensive Morris 6. In 1952 the Nuffield Group of Wolseley, Riley, MG and Morris merged with rival Austin to form BMC, creating the largest car manufacturing company in Europe. Issigonis returned to produce the larger Morris 1100 in 1962, a 4 door larger car based on the Mini principles, which became the 1300 / 1600 styled by Pininfarina.
