A Brief History of the Morris Register - From Morris 8 Tourer Club to Morris Register
The Morris 8 Tourer Club (M8TC) was formed in January 1960 by two enthusiasts who shared a common interest in pre-war Morris 8hp tourers (Morris Minors 1929-1934 and Morris Eights 1935-1939). Within a short time the paid up membership numbered 25 and with the continued steady growth in membership came the formation of regions, initially “South” and “Midlands & North” followed, in 1962, by “West”.
It was in these very early years that “noggins” (regular area based meetings of members) and rallies became features of club activity, both of which have continued to the present day. The first London to Brighton Run, a somewhat ad-hoc affair arranged at short notice, took place in January 1962 and 1962 also saw the first National Morris Rally, held at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu.
Almost from the outset there was pressure to extend the scope of the club to include saloons, and in the summer of 1961 Morris Minor saloons, were admitted. From 1964 the club granted associate membership to Morris Eight saloon owners. Pressure to extend the scope of vehicles covered by the club continued and in 1967 a separate “Morris 10/25 Register” was established under the umbrella of the M8TC. It was also at this time that Morris Eight saloon owners were granted full membership of the now inappropriately named Morris 8 Tourer Club, rapidly to be re-named the “Morris Eight Tourer Club and Morris 10/25 Register”. This somewhat unwieldy name was changed in 1968 to “Morris Register” so as to embrace equally all of the vehicles covered by the club.
Since those formative years, the structure and organisation of the Register has continued to evolve, with now 9 Regional groups across the UK. The National Rally, having been displaced from Beaulieu, moved to Stanford Hall, Leicestershire, for many years and then to Thoresby Park Nottinghamshire which continues up to the present day.
Morris Register
Today the club caters for owners or enthusiasts of all Morris cars and vans of a type first designed before 1940 and of Morris Commercial vehicles of a similar time frame.
The objects of the Register have remained largely unchanged since its formation and are:
- to promote interest and enthusiasm in all Morris vehicles of a type designed before 1940
- to put members in touch with each other
- to pool experience of maintenance, modification, rebuilding and tuning
- to keep spares in circulation at reasonable cost
- to assist members in selling, buying and exchanging cars and spares
- to hold rallies and meetings
To achieve these objects, the Register continues to organise a wide range of local and national events. As well as the national rally, the club has a stand at the main national classic car shows, the regional groups organise numerous local meetings and events, and there are occasional organised tours to France, Holland, Spain or Ireland. The glossy magazine is now published bi-monthly and a comprehensive spares mail-order service operates from our depot in Leicestershire.
1934-2024 - 90 years of Morris Eights
The 1935 Morris Eight was announced August 1934 and introduced at the Motor Show in October of that year. Seven model variants were offered, a two seater and a four seat tourer, saloons with two or four doors and with fixed or sliding heads, and a 5cwt van.
To mark the occasion, the Morris Register held a number of themed events throughout 2024.
The Pre 1940 Morris Register Ltd
The Pre 1940 Morris Register Ltd is a Company limited by guarantee and with no share capital. It was incorporated in August 2010 and from April 2011 it assumed the role of both administrator of the Morris Register and custodian of members’ assets. The company is governed by the Companies Act 2006. All members of the Morris Register are also members of the company.
The Morris Vehicles Association
Building on the success of the collaboration between a number of clubs in supporting the Morris Centenary in 2013, a Morris Vehicles Association was established and was formally launched at the NEC Classic Car Show in November 2014.
The principle aims of the Association are:
- To actively promote the Morris marque
- To foster positive relations between all Morris vehicle clubs
- To encourage the interchange of ideas and information between member clubs
- To work collaboratively to improve services to members
- To stage an annual or biennial Morris Vehicles Association event
We continue to collaborate with other member clubs for a joint event every year and we will also seek further ways of joint working for the benefit of all associated clubs.
The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs
The Morris Register is a member of the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs
(FBHVC). The FBHVC exists to maintain our freedom to use Yesterday’s Vehicles on Tomorrow’s Roads, and encourages the preservation and promotion of all types of vehicle within the broader context of our national heritage. https://www.fbhvc.co.uk/