This was largely organised by the Morris Minor Owners’ Club – far and away the biggest one-make Morris club – and incorporated the MMOC’s own annual rally. Numerous other Morris-related clubs took pat too, including the Morris Register, the 6/80 and MO Club, Morris Cowley and Oxford Owners’ Club, the Cambridge-Oxford Owners’ club, Landcrab Owners’ Club International, the Maxi Owners’ Club (Maxis were built at Cowley) and the Morris Marina Owners’ Club & Ital Register – all in all, organisers believe that 2000 Morris vehicles attended the show.
There were club displays, stands from individual groups within the Morris Minor Owners’ Club, and a ‘time line’ of Morrises from an early Bullnose right up to a ‘last of the line’ Ital. The show was also attended by a genuine 1948 Minor saloon (the 84th off the production line no less) belonging to Frank McDonagh from Berkshire.
There were also a couple of Morris-built biplanes on the site, both of which flew over the weekend, and on the Sunday there was an aerobatic display from eight Tiger Moths, seven of them built at the Morris factory. There was also entertainment for children – an important consideration given that Morris ownership appeals to all age-groups – in the form of circus entertainers and a traditional Punch and Judy show, complete with the usual cries of “that’s the way to do it”.
All in all a great weekend with enthusiastic and friendly people, and an entirely fitting celebration of a marque that was intended to appeal to all.
