Morris Engines, Courthouse Green

Does anyone have any recollections of the Morris Engines sports meetings on a grass track in their grounds during the summer? Athletically they are important because the Morris were first company in Coventry to promote open races within the events for company employees and their families ('open' races were for athletes who did not work for the company). This in turn lead to the formation of the Apprentices Sports held first at the C&NW Cricket Ground, Binley Road, then after the war, they transferred to the Butts Stadium. Important cross country races were held in and around the Courthouse Green grounds, the Women's English National Cross Country Championships for example. Did any one take part in the Apprentice's Sports?

Dad worked there on the engine assembly after moving from Gosford St, elder brother worked there in research on the main drive, younger brother was a chemist looking after the lubricants.The only time I worked there was during the demolition ensuring that the toilets and showers were in working order for the demolition workers. Sitting on my desk is a brass on oak shield that I won at the annual sports day about 1936. I came third in the 60yd dash. Favourite was the obstacle race, under the net, ducking for apples and then picking plum from dish of flour with your teeth.

My dad (Ken McPherson) worked there in the Progress Department until 1982 when it closed down. The foundry closed end April 1980 and remained empty for the remainder of the time the plant was open (the roof was removed so that business rates did not have to be paid on this part of the plant). The plant was placed under review in May 1981 and its closure was reported in the Coventry Evening Telegraph dated 10 October 1981 and confirmed on 12 October 1981, as it did not have a future in British Leyland's operations. The plant was gradually run down over 1982 and production finally ended on 2 July 1982. A handful of staff were kept on to clear out the plant until late 1982. It was then demolished in 1983 by North Western Metal demolition company, that was also based in Coventry. In its heyday, the plant employed thousands of people and produced engines for the entire range of MG cars at Abingdon and the Mini Cooper S. It also produced diesel engines for Sherpa vans and components for other British Leyland car plants, including valves and gearboxes for Longbridge. When it finally closed down, its only production was that of diesel engines and components, which was transferred to British Leyland plants at Longbridge, Drews Lane and Beans at Tipton. When the closure was announced, it did not come as a surprise to the remaining workforce as closure had been rumoured for a couple of years previous.

Courthouse Green Funny/sad story about Morris Engines, Courthouse Green. As you may or not know I was a BT Telephone engineer, my hobby was amateur radio, so with that in mind I will continue . Not sure of the date, it was in the winter and the demolition was under way, some of the machine shops had been demolished, the fire station was still recognisable and me being a Radio enthusiast I was always on the lookout for the odd redundant radio items. I cannot remember why I was sent to the Morris Engines site but that is not important to this story. I remember driving around the site and it brought back nice memories, although not having worked for Morris Engines I had many friends who did, and we used to frequent the Morris Club, a great club, always had a good time. As I drove past the fire station I noticed that the radio aerials were hanging over the side of the building with the aerial cable still attached. "Wow " I thought, it was my lucky day (the price of that type of cable is very expensive) so I approached the boss of the demolition company to ask if I could remove the said cable with a drink being offered as an incentive. He was only too happy to oblige, I gave him a tenner and he was well chuffed. "Help yourself" he said and I did just that. I got out the ladder, got on the roof and began to recover the low loss cable, rolled it up and pushed it into the van. As it was close to Christmas it was cold, snow was lying over the rubble of what was a thriving business. As it was so cold I was offered a cup of tea by the security officers still operating in the gatehouse. I sat down in front of a fire to get warm. As I was drinking my tea I could hear one of the security guards chatting to a former employee, they invited him in to get warm (he was well known by the guards), it turned out he had retired earlier in the year and he had returned to wish his old friends who worked in his machine shop seasons greetings, they sat him down gave him a cup of tea and told him that the machine shop he had worked at was gone and all his old work mates made redundant. It upset him. He sat down and cried and we all felt for him, how sad we thought. His world had just been turned upside down, all his friends had gone and now the demolition site became even more sad. He left the cakes he had brought for his friends and went on his way (his Christmas was ruined). I left and returned to my HQ to inspect my spoils. I removed the cable from my van with the intent of loading it in my car, it was then I noticed the cable was not the cable I thought it was, it turned out to be BT underground cable, I had just bought a roll of BT cable, paid a tenner for it and I could not keep it anyway, it belonged to BT. Some days don't you get that feeling you should not have even got out of bed Colin.

Hi Colin, Where have you been - on a 'walkabout' ? Well, that day had to come didn't it ?

The Morris Rebus finds a new home.. Morris Stone Ox, 1983

My late father was Harold Kerry who worked for several years at the plant. I remember him coming home from night shift in the early 1970's, waking me up when he got in and making me toast and then off I would go on my paper round. He was a setter at the Morris, but I wasn't sure of any colleagues that he worked with. I do remember the massive childrens Christmas parties too, endless Tom and Jerry cartoons being shown in the evenings festivities. Good old days and memories.

Hello to you Akerry. I hope that you find other interesting articles on our forum.

Found a great shot of the factory. Courthouse Green, 1970

I remember the Christmas parties too. One year they had a disco and then cartoons, etc, in the social club.

Thats a nice clear shot of the factory Foxcote, you can see the shops on the corner of Nuffield Road. I never used that entrance much, i used the Valley Road entrance,on the sharp bend which is not visible on the photo. We was on piecework in those days so you had to stick at it to earn decent money, never the less happy days....

I always zoom in a couple of times and still cannot get my bearings but find the old photos most fascinating. There used to be an opening from the Morris on to the Stoney Stanton road opposite the Navi, just room enough for those on bikes or foot. I used to watch them at 'knocking off' time pour out of there. Great one Foxcote.

G'day Dreamtime.. If you zoom again you can see the Navi, also Wards the builders merchant. If these cyclists came out opposite the Navi they were coming from Herberts on the Navi side of the bridge. Have another zoom and you will see what I mean. in the meantime have a nice day/night whatever it is down there at the moment....

Hi NormK, I'm looking, I'm looking, and zooming but for the life of me I cannot see the Navi. But you are right of course it would have been Herberts. I will still keep looking and not be beaten. It is early hours here and you are all probably dreaming at the moment so all enjoy your Sunday (in the snow I guess) Thanks for that Norm.

Dreamtime.. Follow the far right edge down about a quarter of the way, and the gable end with the vertical stripes is the Navi with the Wards building in front of it... Happy hunting!..