The MG brand, derived from the initials of Morris Garages, the company originally established by William Morris in 1909, became known throughout the world. It was not however William Morris who designed the iconic MG sports car but Cecil Kimber who had gone to work for Morris in 1921 as Sales Manager with Morris Garages.
From the 6th April to the 30th June, you can be part of the celebrations of the 100th Anniversary of MG’s iconic trademark by visiting a fascinating exhibition at Abingdon Museum. Created with the generous support of the MG Car Club, whose headquarters are also still located in the town, you will be able to view objects and photographs from their archives exhibited in both the Sessions Gallery and the Attic Gallery at the Museum.
The exhibition tells the story of how Cecil Kimber, who as a young man in the early 1900s had developed an interest in motorcycles, would play a central role in the MG story. After sustaining an accident on a friend’s motorbike which severely damaged his right leg, Kimber took to cars. When in 1913, he bought a 10 hp Singer, he got a job with Sheffield-Simplex, a leading British car and motorcycle manufacturer. Working as an assistant to the Chief Designer, during WWI, Cecil Kimber went to work initially to AC Cars then to a component supplier EG Wrigley. This company was also a major supplier to Morris Motors Limited in Oxford and was subsequently bought by William Morris in 1923, two years after Kimber had been appointed by Morris to work as his Sales Manager.
Whilst at Morris Garages, Cecil Kimber, known as ‘Kim,’ developed a range of sporty bodies which were placed on Morris chassis and were sold under the MG brand, eventually leading to the formation of The MG Car Company in 1928, specialising in the production of the MG sports cars. When Kimber moved the company from Oxford to the town in 1929, so began the 50 year history of MG cars being manufactured in Abingdon. Kimber became the managing director in July 1930, and during the early 1930s the first cars, M Type Midgets, rolled off the Abingdon production line. In all, 3235 vehicles were produced, making the car the most successful in terms of production of all the pre-war MG’s.
From 1930 to 1935, at least ten different models were produced. The company was also achieving unparalleled sporting success with outright racing wins, rally wins, First Class awards, and team prizes being recorded in places as far apart as Monte Carlo, Buenos Aires and Brooklands. World Land Speed Records for their engine size of 750cc were broken and rebroken 21 times between 1930- 36 with Eyston driving the M Type Midget EX120 to a top speed of 101 mph in 1931 and Kohlrausch driving EX127 (The Magic Midget) to 140mph at Frankfurt in 1936 all achieved with the 750cc engine.
During this period, William Morris remained the main shareholder of the MG Car Company until 1 July 1935, when he sold it to his holding company, Morris Motors Ltd. Although Kimber had built MG into a leading figure in the British motor industry, losing sole control of the company and having to work under instructions from other company directors, he became disillusioned with his role. Over the years, MG underwent many ownership changes.
World War 2 started in 1939 and the MG factory was emptied of everything connected with car production. Three new buildings were erected on the site of the test track, marking the start of B Block.
A 20 ton crane was built into the first of these new buildings where Tanks were to be erected/repaired and some modified. But the contract for this work was slow in coming. The contracts from the Ministry were received by Sir Miles Thomas in Cowley, from where, in a slow process, he distributed them to the numerous Nuffield factories. This tried Kimber’s patience and he went seeking contracts of his own. The major contract that he won was to assemble the nose cone of the Albemarle Light Bomber, with its complicated control systems. This action of Kimber’s made Sir Miles Thomas livid, and this along with other issues that had arisen between Kimber and Morris, this resulted in Morris demanding Kimber’s resignation. So it was that Cecil Kimber the ‘Father of the MG’ left the company that he had developed over the previous 17 years. Two years later he was involved in a train accident in which two people were killed. One of them was Cecil Kimber.
Another key person who was involved with MG, was John Thornley OBE. Not only was he one of the founders of the MG Car Club in 1930, having bought his first MG M-Type that year, a year later he persuaded Cecil Kimber to provide him with an office at the MG Factory in Abingdon. Although Thornley was working in London as an accountant, by moving to Abingdon he was able to run the fledgling MGCC. He also was appointed as an assistant to the service manager John Temple, later taking over the Service Manager’s position, when John Temple was promoted. Returning to Abingdon at the end of WWII, John Thornley became Sales and Service Manager for MG; by 1952 he was appointed as General Manager.
From 1957 when the production of the Austin-Healey was transferred from Longbridge to MG in Abingdon, further successful marques were produced over the next 22 years. In September 1979, MG began a week of celebrations to mark their 50th Anniversary. The factory employed many people who lived locally and had put Abingdon on the international map. The celebrations culminated in a procession through the town to the MG sports ground, where a day of activities took place.
Ironically, just a couple of days later, when the employees returned to work on the Monday, they received the devastating news that British Leyland who were based in Cowley, were closing down the MG plant imminently. It took almost a year before the final car left the MG production line and the factory closed for the last time on 23rd October 1980.
Entry to the ‘MG 100’ exhibition is free although the Museum relies on the generous donations of its visitors; a suggested but non-compulsory donation of £2 adults and £1 children can be donated on entry to the Gallery. Abingdon Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 4pm. Quiet time session: Sunday 3pm to 4pm.
Acknowledgements to the MG Car Club for providing information for this article. For further information about the MG Car Club please visit mgcc.co.uk
All images are courtesy of the MG Car Club
