Morris Engines, Courthouse Green

Does anyone remember the card school on the playing field. Ken Whitehead from Bedworth, played for Bedworth football team, was one of the card school and his mate Malcolm Wrighting, I think his name was, everybody called him Lefty. The game was solo. It was in the air raid shelter or outside on the field. Lefty was Alec's apprentice in the toolroom welding shop.

Hi Rob, only just found this Morris Engines site, do you remember me, Keith Long. I started as an apprentice in 1964, after 6 months in the school I went into the Drawing Office and then onto Nuffield Tool and Gauge "The Nuff".What a great place. I think you were on the Shaping while I was on the Fitting Bench with another apprentice Reg Sheppard. I wish I could remember all the names but the two fitters we worked with were Jack and Steve. I remember fitters on the same section were Alan Johnson and Dick Sheasby. I also remember that every week Harry Barratt (HB) who managed the Morris football team used to ring on the phone in the stores for Dick Sheasby (who was first team coach for the Morris) he would walk through the workshop and everyone would bang their hammers and sing "HB baked beans they're the beans for me". Great days with good people and smashing memories.

Hi Les.The photo of the "A" block where Ron Green's office was a shock to the system! I had the misfortune to be given the job on the A70 head line, a 6 cylinder lump of cast iron weighing around 50 or 60 pounds.The operation was called "the long op" and it entailed shoving, lifting or pulling the casting through 19 jigs, multi-drillers and tappers. Over the course of a tiring shift I managed to complete 50 parts and was paid £4 19 shillings! This was in 1967 and my back still aches! Triumph Meriden were paying nigh on double money and that's where I went. I am sorry, Les, but not all memories of the Morris are all-glowing. Cheers anyway.

Hi onelogy, we must have been in the apprentice school at the same time. I started as an apprentice in August 1964 and also spent time at the NUFF, as you said good times. If I remember right one of the shapers was a tallish chap called Ted. I spent most of my time there on the universal milling alongside a great chap called Ken Shelton. I remember there was a jig borer named Geoff or Jeff. The foreman on the fitting was a small chap named Bill, can't remember his second name. The gaffers in the office were Eric Hill and Arthur somebody I think. The only one I can think of in the drawing office or planning was Alan Bennett. My name is Brian Henderson, don't know if that rings a bell, it was a long long time ago. I used to have a Triumph 650 with white fairing and parked it in the little bike rack by the entrance. Posted a pic of myself and Ted Dinan on the site a few months ago, also the toolroom inter departmental football team at Morris Engines, you might remember a few faces on there. Cheers, Bri

Hi Binkey11 1964 and I was one year out of my apprenticeship and working as a toolmaker on the bench at Nuffield Tools, the tall guy on the shaping was Ted Green. Billy Willis was the foreman on the fitting. At that time Arthur Cox was still on the milling but took over from Bernard Hutchins a couple of years later, Geoff/Jeff Hatfield was on the milling/jig boring. I stayed at Nuffield Tools till 1970 before leaving as there was talk of it closing at Mile Lane and going to Morris Engines site at Courthouse Green, you may remember me as I had my bench next to Billy Willis and Steve Stafford on the other side of me. In the front office about that time was Roy Shorthose, Ray LeCornu, Arthur Tew, Alan Bennett, though I think Arthur Tew may have moved on when Alan Bennett came. Hope this helps fill in some gaps Regards Alan Johnson

Photo from 1970

Hi Nuffkid, thanks a lot for the details of the names of those at the Nuff. As soon as you see the names you can suddenly recollect them. I went to the Nuff for 6 months after being in the apprentice school, and doing a stint on the engine tracks and rectification. Stayed at Mile Lane for a couple of years before ending up back in the tool room at Courthouse Green where I finished my time. Stayed there as a universal miller until they closed in 1982. Good times in both places. Thanks again for the recollection. Seem to recollect your name, also someone with a surname of Busby. Cheers, Bri

Hi all For those who knew my dad Ken McPherson, who was a Progress Chaser at the Morris and ex professional CCFC player. He sadly passed away on 5 February aged 90, after a battle with cancer.

Very sad to read the news that your father has passed away - I recall him very well as Bantams' centre-forward in my early days watching CCFC at Highfield Road RIP Ken McPherson

Clearing out my parents' bungalow yesterday as it is being sold as part of the probate process, I came across my dad's redundancy leaving day letter, the standard letter headed testimonial employees received when they collected their cheque, last pay packet and associated documents from the main office. 18 June 1982.

Hi you Morris oldies! I started my first job on the test bed section in 1946, just in time for export drives and staggered hours! My check no was 1544 - foreman, Dippy Dupenoir; chargehands, N Adams, T Elliott! I still remember the first aluminium heads and l/hand gear boxes only for the export markets! For about six months us youngsters were wiring up distributors and carriers for Wolseley, Morris, MG, etc, before moving over to the test beds where we remained until call up. When l resigned in 1948 there were, l think, all 60 of the first batch of Morris Oxfords with a column gear change, all with oil seal problems! All the engines at that time l think were made and tested in Cov. but were fitted into vehicles down in Oxford! I was told that foreman Dupenoir was part of a team of Hotchkiss machine gun experts that came over to teach - I don't know who - how to make them during the 14-18 war and worked with Morris as the firm grew after the war! I must say the knowledge that assembly line and test bed taught me has been invaluable over the years. I hope this may have been of interest to someone. l enjoyed my two years at Courthouse Green!

A friend asked me, does anyone know anything about this.

Whilst looking for something else I have only just noticed this mention of Frank Perdue - bohica/Bob/Jarek. Frank was my dad's best mate! My dad sadly passed away in 2003 but as you say, Frank is still local in Coventry and my mum still sees him and his wife regularly. I've known 'Uncle' Frank all my life! My dad and he had been best mates since they were teenagers. We used to go on all our summer holidays down to Cornwall with him and his family when I was little. Frank is now a great-grandfather as well! If anyone wants me to pass on regards I will.

Hello Just came across this. You mention photos of the Morris Works, they backed onto my house in Nuffield Road or rather the playing field and bowling clubhouse did and then the actual works themselves. I left UK and was in the RAF for some years during which time the site got demolished. If you have any pictures, that would be nice. Cheers Keith

Hi, Please see below wartime photos of Morris Engines: