Morris Engines, Courthouse Green

The Saturday in question was 10 October 1981 and it was on the front page, confirming the fears of the previous 5 months when the plant as placed under review. I have got a copy of it and will try to scan it and upload on here.

This is the official closure announcement given to all employees.

These were the redundancy terms.

This is the start of the end. It looks like the rumours were true.

This is the end of the closure. In the foreground all thats left is the well head. They managed to demolish the factory but the memories are are still there. Today a new swimming pool was opened on the site of our Morris engines.

Before todays new swimming pool we has the AT7. Well done everyone, we have got a nice new swimming pool.

Worked in inspection, gearcutting section, at Morris Engines, 1965/72. Norman Cottam was a workmate

Hi Les, remember the date of the closure letter well, it just happened to be my birthday! Good present eh!

Here is a copy of the front page of the Coventry Evening Telegraph dated Saturday 10 October 1981. I wont forget the bad news that day, which was leaked to the newspaper! I remember getting the paper from the local newsagents and seeing this. (I was then getting ready to go out to a couple of pubs and finally to Studio 21). My Dad was shocked to read the news as he worked there. I wonder how it was leaked to the Evening Telegraph when the closure was formally announced on Monday 12 October 1981, and the employees had been waiting for months to hear the conclusion of British Leyland's review of the plant's future?

Hi Deannottz it would seem that no one is interested in the old place since your last item Sept 02 so I'm thinking of doing a session of photos from the works magazine from 1949 too 1960 lots of memories of retirements presentations sports days section photos and lots more Now im no techs and this would mean taking photos of these occasions from the mag I will have to ask my son Steve if he would find the time to do this starting with 1960 and working backwards we can try a few see how it goes if no interest we wil call it a day I'm really surprised the lack of comments so far there must be hundreds of ex morris engines lads about anyway lets see how it goes. Best Les

Please don`t stop posting the pictures of the Morris Les I for one find them very interesting as iv`e told you in the past my wife`s granddad worked there all his working life so we will be looking forward to your magazine articles in the hope he`s in one of them as he received his gold watch for his service so please carry on the good work .

Same as mickw, although no one might respond it does not mean they are not interested. I read ALL quotes but only reply to a few,it saves cluttering up Rob,s website. Les, if you scan your mag,s into your computer you will find it easier to transfer them to the web-site.

That's better people stay tuned my son Steve and I will have a meet this weekend. les!

I have recently aquired a 1938 Morris 8 which I am restoring. I started with the engine and whist doing some research on it came across a film about engine and component production which I believe was carried out in Coventry. The link can be found by googling Pathe, and then Power 1930-1939 I found it extremely interesting and quite a few workers are shown carrying out the various operations also there are excellent close ups of how the various components were produced. It was nice to recognise similar parts of the engine I have just dismantled being produced.