MORE COWLEY MINI MEMORIES

Norman Sommersbee: Production and Show Cars

“I started at Morris Motors in 1955 and took early redundancy in 1990. I was there 35 years. My first job there was in production. I worked on the Morris Minor line. Then, when Suez happened, production dropped and we were offered redundancy or to go over to the British Leyland stores. I went over there for a little while then, when production picked up, I went back and worked on the mixed line. When they first brought the 1100 out I went on to that. I did the headlinings and put the screens in.”

Did he work on the Mini? “I did for a little while. My last 10 years I was on the Show Cars. I went all over the world with them. We got them ready for the shows then followed them out there to look after them if anybody damaged them or anything. That was a good