We can’t begin a celebration of 100 years of MG without delving into the history of its formation, even if the actual date of that occurrence is open to interpretation. Indeed, it’s a history that’s been fraught with debate about when it truly started. The octagon badge was first used in 1923, but MG itself recognises 1924 as the beginning, and has done since at least 1994. There’s even been models to commemorate 1925 over the years, too. It’s all rather confusing, but the club fraternity have gone with 1923, and if we have to continue the centenary bash into next year too, then that’s something MG enthusiasts aren’t likely to mind too much.
What we know with more certainty is that William Morris (later known as Lord Nuffield) started The Morris Garage in Oxford’s Longwall Street in 1910, changing the name to The Morris Garages (plural) in 1913 when additional premises were added. These were retail outlets for various marques and repair centres offering general garage services. A separate company called W.R.M. Motors Ltd assembled cars of his own design from 1913, the name changing to Morris Motors Ltd in 1919.
Cecil Kimber became Sales Manager of The Morris Garages in 1921, then General Manager the following year. He soon began to augment the garage business by designing and having built stylish bodies to be placed
