Morris Commercial Club
- 10 Charnwood Road, Corby. NN17 1XS
Morris Commercial Club History
Formed in 1998, The Morris Commercial Club can trace its roots from 2 widely different organisations. Tne Morris Commercial Apprentices Association, which was formed during the early 1950’s, changed name to Morris Commercial Ex-Apprentices Association, following the demise of the apprenticeship scheme. The other organisation was the Morris Commercial LC Register, formed in 1993 to cater for the owners and enthusiasts of all the LC models – the LC, LC3, LC4, LC5, and the Austin Variant, the Austin 301.
In around 1994, there had been a meeting between the organisers of the LC Register, LD Register, J Register, and the Morris Commercial ex-Apprentices Association to discuss the idea of producing a joint magazine for all Morris Commercial enthusiasts, with each organisation contributing an agreed amount of copy. Norman Painting of the ex-Apprentices Association, produced a one off A5 sized booklet, entitled Morris Commercial Recalling, (a play on Morris Commercial Calling, a house magazine once produced by Morris Commercial Cars), which was thought to be a good idea by all. However, it was never progressed because agreement could not be reached on who had the final say in editorial matters. (See Recalling 25.)
During the last couple of years of the LC Register’s existence, (1997/98) a large number of members were enrolled who owned such diverse types as the C, CV, FV, NV, and MRA1; and other BMC types, such as the FF and FG. It was really this demand that encouraged the LC Register to organise a rally specifically for owners of Morris Commercial vehicles at the Oxford Bus Museum during the summer of 1998, following an invitation from the Trustees of the museum. The event was a runaway success, with no fewer than 75 Morris Commercial and BMC types in attendance, an extraordinary feat indeed, and one, which happily brought together members of the LC Register and the Morris Commercial ex-Apprentices Association.
An amalgamation between the LC register and the Morris Commercial ex-Apprentices Association was discussed, with Tony Cripps (the principle in the LC register) being the one to get things off the ground, with early discussions including Peter Seymour of the Ex-apprentices Association. Over the coming months an amalgamation was agreed, with the result that the Morris Commercial Club was formed during November 1998. The Club has since gone from strength to strength, with support from well known Morris Commercial enthusiasts Norman Painting, Harry Edwards, and others.
During the following summer, another rally was organised at the bus museum, followed by one at the British Commercial Vehicle Museum at Leyland, which certainly helped to publicise the marques in the pages of the preservation press.
All this, a far cry from the first tentative steps in forming the LC Register back in 1993, when only four LC types were known to the founder! Where possible, members meet at different rallies up and down the country, help each other with problems, and sources of spare parts.
The amalgamation has stood the test of time, with the club greatly benefiting from the information and experience that the ex-Apprentices have brought to the Club, together with the enthusiasm of the Register members. There is a constant stream of new members, such that membership is now the highest it has ever been at around 380 members.