wiki143 - User contributions [en]

Morris Motors

2025-06-21T17:51:56Z

86.166.0.170: /* Inter-war years */

{{Short description|British automotive company}}
{{see also|Morris Commercial Cars|MG Cars}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2015}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Morris Motors Limited
| logo = [[Image:Morris Motors badge.png|125px]]
| fate = Individual identity retained until 1968 Ownership merged with Austin in 1952 as subsidiaries of [[British Motor Corporation|The British Motor Corporation Limited]]
| successor = [[British Motor Corporation|The British Motor Corporation Limited]]
| foundation = 1912 W.R.M. Motors 1919 renamed as Morris Motors
| founder= [[William Morris, 1st Viscount Nuffield|William Richard Morris]]
| defunct = brand name used until 1984
| location = [[Cowley, Oxford|Cowley]], [[Oxford]], [[Oxfordshire]], later [[Longbridge]] [[England]], UK
| industry = [[Automobile|Automotive]]
| key_people = [[Frank George Woollard]] [[Leonard Lord]]
| products = motor cars
| num_employees = 
| parent = 
| subsid = [[Morris Commercial Cars|Morris Commercial Cars Limited]], [[Nuffield Acceptances Limited]], [[British Motor Corporation (Australia)|Nuffield (Australia) Limited]], [[Nuffield Exports Limited]], [[Nuffield Mechanisation and Aero|Nuffield Mechanizations Limited]] [[Washwood Heath#The Ward End Works|Nuffield Metal Products Limited]], [[Nuffield Press|The Nuffield Press Limited]], [[Nuffield tools and gauges|Nuffield Tools and Gauges Limited]], [[Riley (automobile)|Riley (Coventry) Limited]], [[Riley (automobile)|Riley Motors Limited]], [[MG (car)|The M.G. Car Company Limited]], [[SU carburetter|The S.U. Carburetter Company Limited]], [[Wolseley Motors|Wolseley Motors Limited]]}}
{{Infobox Brand
|logo =
|name = Morris marque
|image =
|type = Automotive
|currentowner = [[Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation|SAIC]]
|discontinued = 1984
|related =
|previousowners = [[William Morris, 1st Viscount Nuffield|W. R. Morris]] (1912–1952) [[British Motor Corporation|BMC]] (1952–1968) [[British Leyland]] (1968–1986) [[Rover Group]] (1986–1988) [[British Aerospace|BAe]] (1988–1994) [[BMW]] (1994–2000) [[MG Rover Group]] (2000–2005) [[Nanjing Automobile (Group) Corporation|NAC]] (2005–2007)
|trademarkregistrations=
|website=
}}

'''Morris Motors Limited''' was a British privately owned [[motor vehicle]] manufacturing company formed in 1919 to take over the assets of [[William Morris, 1st Viscount Nuffield|William Morris]]'s WRM Motors Limited and continue production of the same vehicles. By 1926 its production represented 42 per cent of British car manufacture—a remarkable expansion rate attributed to William Morris's practice of buying in major as well as minor components and assembling them in his own factory.

Although it merged with [[Austin Motor Company]] to form the [[British Motor Corporation]]<ref group=note>... although nearly twenty-five years had elapsed since the BMC merger, not even Austin and Morris, the two volume car manufacturers that formed the core of the original merger, had integrated to a significant degree. Stokes illustrated the immensity of the problem presented by the merger in 1968 by referring to the former Austin and Morris companies having been 'scarcely on speaking terms'. Sixteen years after the formation of BMC, like the other former Nuffield companies and Jaguar, each possessed different management systems, approaches and methods, and like the other companies in the group they were 'running on their own'. H. C. Reports, ''Accounts and Papers, XXV, Fourteenth Report of the Expenditure Committee,'' Minutes of Evidence (1974–75), Vol. II, q. 2171 quoted in ''Historical foundations of Corporate culture: British Leyland, its predecessors and Ford''. Roy Church. ''Business history and business culture''. Edited by [[Andrew Godley]], Oliver M. Westall, Manchester University Press, 1996</ref> in 1952, the Morris name remained in use until 1984, when the by-then [[Austin Rover Group]] decided to concentrate on the more popular Austin brand as well as expanding the more upmarket Rover brand.

Until 2014, [[Morris Oxford]] vehicles (based on the 1954-59 Oxford) were manufactured with periodic enhancements in India by [[Hindustan Motors]], and sold well there, even being imported to Britain in small numbers during the 1990s.

Part of Morris's manufacturing complex at Cowley, Oxford is now [[BMW Group]]'s [[Plant Oxford]], factory of the [[Mini (marque)|MINI]] marque since its launch in 2001.

The Morris trademark is currently owned by the China-based automotive company [[Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation|SAIC]] after being transferred from bankrupt subsidiary [[Nanjing Automobile (Group) Corporation|Nanjing Automotive]].

The Morris Commercial JE, an electric van with a 1940s design, was unveiled in November 2019 ahead of a planned launch in 2021 under the re-launched [[Morris Commercial Cars|Morris Commercial]] marque, well over 30 years after the Morris brand had disappeared.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rendell |first1=Julian |title=Morris Commercial revived with 1940s-style electric van |url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/morris-commercial-revived-1940s-style-electric-van |website=Autocar |date=13 November 2019}}</ref>

==History==

===Early history===
WRM Motors Ltd began in 1912 when [[bicycle]] manufacturer [[William Morris, 1st Viscount Nuffield|William Morris]] moved on from the sale, hire, and repair of cars to car manufacturing. He planned a new light car assembled from bought-in components.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-01 |title=Brief History of Morris Motors |url=https://morrisregister.co.uk/brief-history-of-morris-motors/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=Morris Register |language=en-GB}}</ref> In this way he was able to retain ownership by keeping within the bounds of his own capital resources.

A factory was opened in 1913 at former [[Oxford Military College]] at [[Cowley, Oxford]], [[United Kingdom]] where Morris's first car, the 2-seat [[Morris Oxford bullnose|Morris Oxford "Bullnose"]], was assembled.<ref name=Beaulieu>{{cite book |last=Georgano |first=N. | author-link=G.N. Georgano |title=Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile |year=2000 |publisher=HMSO |location=London |isbn=1-57958-293-1}}</ref> Nearly all the major components were bought in.

In 1914 a coupé and van were added to the line-up, but the Bullnose chassis was too short and the 1018 cc engine too small to make a much-needed 4-seat version of the car. [[White and Poppe]], who made the engine, were unable to supply the volume of units that Morris required, so Morris turned to [[Continental Motors Company|Continental]] of [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]] for the supply of a 1548 cc engine.<ref name=Beaulieu/> [[Gearboxes]] and axles were also sourced in the US.

In spite of the outbreak of the First World War the orders were maintained and, from mid-1915 a new larger car, the 2-seat and 4-seat [[Morris Cowley]] was introduced.

===Inter-war years===
After the war the Continental engine was no longer available so Morris arranged for [[Hotchkiss et Cie|Hotchkiss]] of France to make a near copy in their [[Coventry]] factory. This was used to power new versions of the basic Cowley and more up-market [[Morris Oxford bullnose|Morris Oxford]] cars.

With a reputation for producing high-quality cars and a policy of cutting prices, Morris's business continued to grow and increase its share of the British market overtaking [[Ford of Britain|Ford]] to become in 1924 the UK's biggest car manufacturer, holding a 51% share of the home market and remaining enormously profitable.

Possessed of a very large cash income Morris had a policy of personally buying up suppliers' businesses. For example, in 1923 he bought Hotchkiss's Coventry business which later became [[Morris Engines]] branch. He also brought in [[Frank George Woollard|F G Woollard]] which became [[Morris Commercial Cars]] to lead the re-organization of their engine production from batch to flow, thus increasing output from less than 300 units per week to 1200. By 1924 the factory was making 2000 units a week with only a small increase in work space and labour force.<ref>G. T. Bloomfield, ‘Harriman, Sir George William (1908–1973)’, ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004</ref>

[[Cecil Kimber]], head of Morris's own original 1909-founded Morris Garage sales hire and repair operation in Oxford, began building sporting versions of Morris cars in 1924 labelling them [[MG Cars|MG]]. They were so successful a separate MG factory was soon established south of Oxford in [[Abingdon-on-Thames]], [[Berkshire]].

Having admired Budd's all-steel bodies Morris founded [[Pressed Steel Company|The Pressed Steel Company of Great Britain Limited]] in 1926 as a joint venture with [[Budd Corporation|Edward G Budd Manufacturing Company - Budd International]] of Philadelphia, USA.<ref>Offer for sale of shares - Pressed Steel Company Limited. ''The Times'', Tuesday, 7 April 1936; p. 21; Issue 47343</ref> Pressed Steel's factory was located over the road from Morris's factory at Cowley and supplied Morris and many other motor manufacturers. Morris withdrew from the venture in mid-1930. Budd sold their share to British interests at the beginning of 1936.<ref>Pressed Steel Company.''The Times'', Friday, 10 January 1936; p. 19; Issue 47268</ref>

[[File:Morris cars on the forecourt of Mr J. Kellys garage at Catherine Street, Waterford.jpg|left|thumb|An array of Morris cars on the forecourt of Mr J. Kelly's garage at Catherine Street, Waterford, Ireland, 1928]]
The small car market was entered in 1928 with the [[Leonard Lord]]-designed [[Morris Minor (1928)|Morris Minor]], using an 847 cc engine from Morris's newly acquired [[Wolseley Motors]]. Lord had been sent there to modernise the works and Wolseley's products. The Minor was to provide the base for the [[MG M-type|MG Midgets]]. This timely spread into the small car market helped Morris through the economic depression of the 1930s. At the 1934 [[London Motor Show]] the Minor was replaced by the [[Morris Eight]], a direct response to the [[Ford Model Y]] and, though Leonard Lord's handiwork, heavily based on it.

In 1932 W R Morris appointed Lord Managing Director of Morris Motors Limited and Lord swept through the Morris works, updating the production methods, introducing a proper moving assembly line and creating Europe's largest integrated car plant.<ref>R. J. Overy, ‘Morris, William Richard, Viscount Nuffield (1877–1963)’, ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004</ref> But Morris and Lord fell out, and after 15 years Lord left in 1936—threatening to "take Cowley apart brick by brick".<ref>Graham Turner, The Leyland Papers, London 1971, p. 91</ref> Lord moved to Austin and they were to meet again in BMC—Morris, as Lord Nuffield, its first chairman. Lord succeeded him.

As of 1 July 1935 Morris Motors acquired from W R Morris, now Lord Nuffield, in exchange for a further issue of ordinary shares to him, the car manufacturing businesses of Wolseley Motors Limited and The MG Car Company Limited. A separate private company, [[Wolseley Motors#Aero engines|Wolseley Aero Engines Limited]], was then formed to continue the development of his aviation interests.<ref>Wolseley And M.G. Companies.''The Times'', Friday, 14 June 1935; p. 20; Issue 47090.</ref> In 1936 Lord Nuffield sold [[Morris Commercial Cars|Morris Commercial Cars Limited]], his [[van|commercial vehicle]] enterprise, to Morris Motors.<ref>Morris Motors Limited, Notice issued in compliance with ... ''The Times'', Tuesday, 13 October 1936; p. 22; Issue 47504.</ref>

[[File:1925 Morris Cowley 8051496928.jpg|thumb|1925 Morris—42 per cent of production]]
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%; text-align:center;" width=50%
|-
|+Car production in Britain 1919–1938 (per cent)<ref>Roy A Church, ''The Rise and Decline of the British Motor Industry'', p. 39, Cambridge University Press 1995 {{ISBN|0521552834}}</ref>
|-
!
! 1919
! 1921
! 1923
! 1925
! 1927
! 1929
! 1932
! 1935
! 1938
|-

| Morris
| 2
| 10
| 28
| 42
| 37
| 35
| 33
| 31
| 23
|-

| Austin
|
| 7
| 8
| 10
| 23
| 25
| 27
| 23
| 21
|-

| Ford
|
| 22
| 11
| 2
| 6
| 4
| 6
| 17
| 18
|-

| [[Rootes Group|Rootes]], [[Standard Motor Company|Standard]], [[Vauxhall Motors|Vauxhall]]
|
|
|
|
|
| 8
| 23
| 23
| 31
|-
|}
In 1938 William Morris, Baron Nuffield was raised to Viscount Nuffield. The same year he transferred his newly acquired<ref>Riley Motors. Purchase by Lord Nuffield, ''The Times'', Saturday, 10 September 1938; p. 17; Issue 48096</ref> [[Riley (motor-car)|Riley]] car business to Morris Motors Limited for £100.<ref name=obt>Obituary, Mr. Victor Riley. ''The Times'', Tuesday, 11 February 1958; p. 10; Issue 54072</ref>
[[File:Morris Iron Lung Thackray.jpg|thumb|Diorama of Both-Nuffield iron lung assembly at Morris Motors [[Thackray Medical Museum]], Leeds]]

===Iron Lung===
Visiting London in 1938 during a [[polio]] epidemic Lord Nuffield saw a Both [[Iron lung|Iron Lung]] in use. He commissioned an improved design which could be produced using the techniques of car assembly and arranged production of approximately 1700 machines at the Cowley works, which he donated to hospitals throughout all parts of Britain and the British Empire.<ref name="Langmore">{{cite book| editor-last=Langmore| editor-first=Diane| title=Australian Dictionary of Biography: Volume 17 1981-1990 A-K| publisher=[[Melbourne University Publishing]]| location=Carlton, Victoria| year=2009| page=129| isbn=978-0522853827}}</ref>

Both-Nuffield respirators were able to be produced by the thousand at about one-thirteenth the cost of the American design.<ref name="Healey">{{cite web| last=Healey| first=John| year=1998| url=http://www.samhs.org.au/Virtual%20Museum/Medicine/Bothurinlung/bothironlung-netley.html| title=The Both Brothers and the 'Iron Lung' | publisher=South Australian Medical Heritage Society Inc| access-date=10 June 2016}}</ref>

[[File:1938 Wolseley 25hp Drophead Coupe (16651208945).jpg|thumb|1936 Wolseley]]
[[File:Riley 12 Rathfarnham Castle 023 (8515054085).jpg|thumb|1939 Riley]]

=== Significant subsidiaries ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Subsidiary
! founded or acquired by W R Morris, Viscount Nuffield
! acquired by Morris Motors Limited
|-
| style="text-align:left;"" | W R Morris
| 1912
| 1926
|-
| style="text-align:left;"" | [[Morris Engines]]
| 1923
| 1926
|-
| style="text-align:left;"" | [[Morris Commercial Cars|Morris Commercial]]
| 1923
| 1936
|-
| style="text-align:left;"" | [[MG Cars|MG]]
| 1924
| 1935
|-
| style="text-align:left;"" | [[Nuffield Press]]
| 1925
|
|-
| style="text-align:left;"" | [[Pressed Steel Company|Pressed Steel]]
| 1926
| never, but acquired by BMC in 1965
|-
| style="text-align:left;"" | [[SU Carburettor|SU]]
| 1926
| 1926
|-
| style="text-align:left;"" | [[Wolseley Motors|Wolseley]]
| 1927
| 1935
|-
| style="text-align:left;"" | [[Nuffield Mechanisation and Aero|Nuffield Mechanizations]]
| 1935
| WWII
|-
| style="text-align:left;"" | [[Riley Motor#Nuffield Organisation|Riley]]
| 1938
| 1938
|}

===Second World War===
In the summer of 1938 Morris [[British shadow factories#Background|agreed to build, equip and manage at government expense]] a [[Castle Bromwich Assembly|huge new factory]] at [[Castle Bromwich]] specifically to manufacture [[Supermarine Spitfire]]s.<ref>[https://www.angelfire.com/sd2/spitfirefactory/ Castle Bromwich] Retrieved: 9 February 2008.</ref> with intention to build bombers later. Nuffield's management failed; no Spitfires were delivered by May 1940 despite expectation of 60 a day. The [[Minister of Aircraft Production|Ministry of Aircraft Production]] took over the plant putting in managers from Supermarine and placing it under [[Vickers-Armstrongs]] (of which Supermarine was a part) supervision. After a major air raid damaged the Morris Bodies factory, the premises switched to the production of [[jerry can]]s, producing millions of these versatile containers for use during the rest of the war and following the ending of hostilities.<ref name=Autocar197306>{{cite journal | journal = [[Autocar (magazine)|Autocar]] |volume=138 (nbr 4022) |title=Sixty Years of Morris |pages=4–9 |date=28 June 1973}}</ref> The Cowley plant was turned over to aircraft repair and production of [[de Havilland Tiger Moth|Tiger Moth]] pilot trainers, as well as "mine sinkers" based on a design produced at the same plant during the First World War.<ref name=Autocar197306/>
[[File:Morris.minor.bristol.750pix.jpg|thumb|The Morris Minor was one of the most popular cars from Morris.]]

Morris produced the popular [[Morris C8]] Quad artillery prime mover towing artillery (such as the [[25-pounder]]) and anti-tank guns (such as the [[17-pounder]]) with some 10,200 made. Morris also produced some 2200 [[Morris Light Reconnaissance Car]]s, 100 [[Morris CS9]] armoured cars, 21,319 [[Morris CS8]] 15cwt light trucks, the Morris C4 truck, Morris ML ambulance, 500 Morris Commercial 8x8 GS [[Terrapin (amphibious vehicle)]]s, and the Morris Commercial CD series trucks.

===Post-Second World War production===

Production restarted after the Second World War, with the pre-war Eight and [[Morris Ten|Ten]] designs. In 1948 the Eight was replaced by what is probably the most famous Morris car, the [[Morris Minor]] designed by [[Alec Issigonis]] (who later went on to design the [[Mini]]) and reusing the small car name from 1928. The Ten was replaced by a new 1948 [[Morris Oxford MO]], styled like a larger version of the Minor. A later Morris Oxford (the 1956 Morris Oxford III) was the basis for the design of India's [[Hindustan Ambassador]], which continued in production until 2014.

{{Gallery
|title=The nine different cars made by Morris Motors and its wholly owned subsidiaries at the time of the formation of BMC
|width=120
|height=80
|align=left
|File:Morris Six first reg July 1953 2215cc.JPG|Morris Six 2215 cc
|File:Morris Oxford MO Saloon.jpg|Morris Oxford 1476 cc
|File:1949 Morris Minor.jpg|Morris Minor 918 cc
|File:MG Type YA Saloon.jpg|M.G. 1¼-litre 1250 cc
|File:MG 1950 - Flickr - mick - Lumix.jpg|MG TD Midget 1250 cc

}}
{{Gallery
|title=
|width=120
|height=80
|align=left

|File:Wolseley 6-80.jpg|Wolseley 6/80 2215 cc
|File:Wolseley 4-50 front.jpg|Wolseley 4/50 1476 cc
}}
{{Gallery
|title=
|width=120
|height=80
|align=left

|File:1950 Riley 2.5L RMD AL-58-52 p5.jpg|Riley 2½-litre 2443 cc
|File:1.5 litres Riley.jpg|Riley 1½-litre 1496 cc
}}
{{clear}}

They used six engines and five (and a half) car bodies, of which the "specialist" three were obsolescent, the rest very closely related if not identical.

===BMC===
[[File:Morris Oxford 1958 8759415518.jpg|thumb|The Morris Oxford Series III, launched in 1955–56, only had a short production run in the UK, but it was manufactured in India as the [[Hindustan Ambassador]] by [[Hindustan Motors]] with periodic changes till 2014]]
[[File:1968 Morris Mini Cooper S - Flickr - exfordy.jpg|thumb|The Morris Mini launched in 1959 would influence a whole new generation into small cars. The Mini was produced until 2000.]]
In 1952 the [[Nuffield Organization]] merged with its old rival the [[Austin Motor Company]] to form the [[British Motor Corporation]] (BMC). Nuffield brought the Morris, MG, Riley and Wolseley marques into the merger. Leonard Lord was in charge, which led to Austin's domination of the organisation. [[Badge-engineering]] was important to BMC and for many years the various marques would be seen on several families of similar vehicles.

===British Leyland===
{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2017}}In 1966, BMC acquired [[Jaguar Cars|Jaguar]] to create [[British Motor Holdings]] (BMH), which subsequently merged with [[Leyland Motors]] in 1968 to form the [[British Leyland|British Leyland Motor Corporation]] (BLMC), and subsequently, in 1975, the [[nationalised]] [[British Leyland|British Leyland Limited]] (BL). The Cowley complex remained the second largest single facility in the BL empire (after [[Longbridge plant|Longbridge]]), but BL's history was a turbulent one – BMC was close to financial ruin, and the newly installed Leyland management failed to turn its fortunes around.

With the replacement for the [[Morris Marina]] and [[Leyland Princess]] being delayed into the 1980s, the Marina was restyled in 1980 to become the Morris Ital, while the Princess was restyled for 1982 to become the [[Austin Ambassador]]. British Leyland later confirmed that the Morris brand would be discontinued on the all-new replacement for these two cars, which was finally launched in April 1984 as the [[Austin Montego]].

The [[Morris Ital]] (essentially a facelifted Marina) was the last Morris-badged passenger car, with production ending in the summer of 1984. The last ''Morris'' of all was a van variant of the [[Rover Metro|Austin Metro]], before the Morris brand was finally completely abandoned in 1987.

After much restructuring of BL in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the former Morris plant at Cowley and its sister site the former [[Pressed Steel Company|Pressed Steel]] plant were turned over to the production of Austin and Rover-badged vehicles. They continued to be used by BL's [[Austin Rover Group]] and its successor the [[Rover Group]], which was eventually bought by [[BMW]], and then by a management consortium, leading to the creation of [[MG Rover]].

None of the former Morris buildings now exist. [[British Aerospace]] sold the site in 1992; it was then demolished and replaced with the Oxford Business Park. The adjacent former Pressed Steel site (now known as Plant Oxford) is owned and operated by BMW, who use it to assemble the [[Mini (BMW)|new MINI]].

The history of William Morris's business is commemorated in the Morris Motors Museum at the [[Oxford Bus Museum]].

Post-Morris cars to have been built at Cowley include the [[Austin Maestro|Austin/MG Maestro]], [[Austin Montego|Austin/MG Montego]], [[Rover 600]], [[Rover 800]] and (for a short time) the [[Rover 75]].

=== Cancelled Revival ===
Following the bankruptcy of the [[MG Rover Group]] in 2005, three competing bids were launched aiming to acquire the company's assets. One of the bids, led by [[Maserati]] CEO [[Martin Leach (executive)|Martin Leach]] alongside [[China|Chinese]] state-owned [[SAIC Motor|Shanghai Automotive Industries Corporation (SAIC)]], included plans for a Morris Minor revival. Despite this, the bid was lost to the [[Nanjing Automobile|Nanjing Automobile Corporation]] and the new Minor was not produced, although Nanjing Automobile Corporation later merged with SAIC, with all assets, including the Morris marque, being transferred to SAIC.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bremner |first=Richard |date=10 April 2024 |title=Exclusive: Top secret plan to revive the Morris Minor {{!}} Autocar |url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/exclusive-top-secret-plan-revive-morris-minor |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=www.autocar.co.uk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Reeves |first=Felix |date=10 April 2024 |title=British classic car industry almost saw the return of legendary Morris Minor |url=https://www.gbnews.com/lifestyle/cars/british-classic-car-morris-minor-return |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=www.gbnews.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Badge==
The Morris badge shows an ox fording the [[the Isis|River Isis]], the traditional emblem of William Morris's home town of [[Oxford]], used in the [[coat of arms of Oxford]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hillinger.org/heraldry/Morris.htm|title=Morris Automotive Heraldry|last=Hillinger|first=Ellis|date=25 June 2000|access-date=11 January 2014}}</ref>

==Car models (excludes light vans)==
[[File:William Morris building, Coventry University.jpg|thumb|Part of the former [[Morris Engines]] works The William Morris Building [[Coventry University]]. (photo 2007)]]

[[File:1925 Morris Oxford 7342655658.jpg|thumb|A ''[[Morris Oxford bullnose|bullnose]]'' Morris, the car that made Morris's name and fortune.]]
[[File:1932 Morris-Léon Bollée (13492178654).jpg|thumb|1932 Morris-Léon Bollée France]]
[[File:Morris marina, Malta Feb 2011 - Flickr - sludgegulper.jpg|thumb|Morris Marina]]
Many of the model names are based on the [[tax horsepower]] rather than the actual horsepower. "Six" often indicates a 6-cylinder engine.
*1913–1926 - [[Morris Oxford bullnose]] (12 or 14 hp)
*1915–1931 - [[Morris Cowley]] ''bullnose and flatnose'' (12 or 14 hp)
*1923–1924 - [[Morris Oxford Six#Oxford Six F-type bullnose|Morris Oxford Six F series]] (18 hp)
*1926–1930 - [[Morris Oxford flatnose]] (12 or 14 hp)
*1926–1929 - [[Morris Oxford Empire models|Morris Oxford 15.9 and 16/40]] (16 hp)
*1927–1929 - [[Morris Six (1928)|Morris Six]] (18 hp)
*1929–1935 - [[Morris Isis]] (18 or 25 hp)
*1928–1932 - [[Morris Minor (1928)|Morris Minor]] (8 hp)
*1929–1935 - [[Morris Oxford Six#Oxford Six 1929-1934|Morris Oxford Six, Sixteen and Twenty]] (16 or 20 hp)
*1931–1934 - [[Morris Cowley#Morris Cowley (1931)|Morris Cowley]] (12 or 14 hp)
*1931–1933 - [[Morris Major (1931 to 1933)|Morris Major]] (15 hp then 14 hp)
*1932–1948 - [[Morris Ten]] (10 hp)
*1933–1935 - [[Morris Ten#Morris Ten Six|Morris Ten Six]] (12 hp)
*1933–1935 - [[Morris Cowley#Morris Cowley Six|Morris Cowley Six]] (14 hp)
*1933–1939 - [[Morris Big Six|Morris "Big Six" Sixteen, Eighteen, Twenty-One, and Twenty-Five]]
*1934–1939 - [[Morris Twelve]] (12 hp)
*1935–1939 - [[Morris Fourteen]] (14 hp)
*1935–1948 - [[Morris Eight]] (8 hp)
*1948–1952 - [[Morris Minor|Morris Minor MM]] (8 hp)
*1952–1956 - [[Morris Minor|Morris Minor Series II]]
*1956–1971 - [[Morris Minor|Morris Minor 1000]]
*1948–1954 - [[Morris Oxford MO]] (14 hp)
*1948–1953 - [[Morris Six MS]]
*1954–1956 - [[Morris Oxford Series II]]
*1954–1959 - [[Morris Cowley]]
*1955–1958 - [[Morris Isis]]
*1956–1959 - [[Morris Oxford Series III]]
*1957–1960 - [[Morris Marshal]] (BMC Australia)
*1958–1964 - [[Morris Major]] (BMC Australia)
*1959–1971 - [[Morris Oxford Farina]]
*1959–1969 - [[Mini|Morris Mini Minor]]
*1964–1968 - [[Mini Moke|Morris Mini Moke]] (United Kingdom)
*1966–1973 - [[Mini Moke|Morris Mini Moke]] (Australia)
*1962–1971 - [[Morris 1100]]
*1967–1971 - [[Morris 1300]]
*1968–???? - [[BMC ADO16|Morris 11/55]] (South African market variant of Morris 1100) <ref>[http://www.ado16.info/timeline_1968.php Timeline 1968, www.ado16.info] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927181050/http://www.ado16.info/timeline_1968.php |date=27 September 2013 }} Retrieved on 26 September 2013</ref>
*1969–1972 - [[Morris 1100|Morris 1500]] (Australia)
*1966–1975 - [[Morris 1800]]
*1972–1975 - [[BMC ADO17|Morris 2200]]
*1969–1972 - [[Morris Nomad]] (Australia)
*1971–1980 - [[Morris Marina]]
*1980–1984 - [[Morris Ital]]

==Morris-badged tractors==
{{main|Nuffield Universal|Leyland Tractors}}
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+Morris-badged tractors
! Model !! Year(s) of production !! [[Horsepower]] !! Engine type !! Notes
|-
|Morris-[[Leyland 154]] || || {{convert|28|hp|abbr=on}} || || built by [[BMC Sanayi]] in [[Turkey]]
|-
|Morris-[[Leyland 184]] || || || || built by [[BMC Sanayi]] in [[Turkey]]
|-
|[[Nuffield Universal#10 series|Nuffield Morris 10/60]] || || {{convert|60|hp|abbr=on}} || || built by [[BMC Sanayi]] in [[Turkey]]
|-
|}

==See also==
*[[MG (car)|MG]]
* [[List of car manufacturers of the United Kingdom]]

==Note==
<references group="note"/>

==References==
{{Commons category|Morris Motors}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://mrc.epexio.com/records/MML Catalogue of the Morris Motors archives], held at the [[Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick]]

{{British Car Industry}}
{{British Leyland}}
{{Automotive industry in the United Kingdom}}

[[Category:Morris Motors| ]]
[[Category:Organisations founded by Viscount Nuffield]]
[[Category:Car manufacturers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Luxury motor vehicle manufacturers]]
[[Category:Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Former defence companies of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:History of Oxford]]
[[Category:British companies established in 1910]]
[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1910]]
[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1952]]
[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1984]]
[[Category:1910 establishments in England]]
[[Category:1952 disestablishments in England]]
[[Category:1984 disestablishments in England]]
[[Category:British companies disestablished in 1952]]
[[Category:British companies disestablished in 1984]]
[[Category:Car brands]]

Kenilworth and Southam (UK Parliament constituency)

2025-06-21T08:42:22Z

86.166.0.170: /* Constituency profile */

{{Short description|Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 2010 onwards}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox UK constituency main
|name = Kenilworth and Southam
|parliament = uk
|image = {{maplink|frame=yes|frame-align=center|plain=yes|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Kenilworth and Southam (UK Parliament constituency)}}|frame-height=200|frame-width=250}}
|caption = Interactive map of boundaries since 2024
|image2 = [[File:West Midlands - Kenilworth and Southam constituency.svg|215px|alt=Map of constituency]]
|caption2 = Boundary within the [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]] region

|year = 2010
|abolished =
|type = County
|elects_howmany = One
|previous = [[Rugby and Kenilworth (UK Parliament constituency)|Rugby & Kenilworth]], [[Warwick and Leamington (UK Parliament constituency)|Warwick & Leamington]], [[Stratford-on-Avon (UK Parliament constituency)|Stratford-on-Avon]]
|next =

|electorate = 71,451 (2023)<ref>{{cite web |url= https://boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk/2023-review/the-2023-review-of-parliamentary-constituency-boundaries-in-england-volume-two-constituency-names-designations-and-composition/the-2023-review-of-parliamentary-constituency-boundaries-in-england-volume-two-constituency-names-designations-and-composition-west-midlands/#lg_kenilworth-and-southam-cc-71451 |title=The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – West Midlands |publisher=Boundary Commission for England |access-date=5 August 2024 |df=dmy
}}</ref>
|region = England
|county = [[Warwickshire]]
|towns = [[Kenilworth]], [[Southam]], [[Wellesbourne]]
|mp = [[Jeremy Wright]]
|party = [[Conservative Party UK|Conservative]]
}}
'''Kenilworth and Southam''' is a [[United Kingdom constituencies|constituency]]{{#tag:ref|A [[county constituency]] (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)|group= n}} in [[Warwickshire]], England represented in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] of the [[UK Parliament]] since 2010 by [[Jeremy Wright]], a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] who served as [[Culture Secretary]] until 24 July 2019, having previously served as [[Attorney General for England and Wales]] from 2014 to 2018.{{#tag:ref|As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) by the [[first past the post]] system of election at least every five years.|group= n}}

==Constituency profile==
The seat is overwhelmingly rural; most properties have large plots and a substantial majority are semi-detached or detached.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2011 census interactive maps |url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/census/2011/census-data/2011-census-interactive-content/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129132219/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/census/2011/census-data/2011-census-interactive-content/index.html |archive-date=29 January 2016}}</ref> This is geographically one of the largest seats in the West Midlands and one of its [[safe seat|safest Conservative seats]].

The historic town of [[Kenilworth]], with a population of around 23,000, is the largest settlement in the area, with the small town of [[Southam]] (8,000) second. [[Wellesbourne]] (7,000), [[Dunchurch]] (4,000), [[Long Itchington]] (3,000), [[Harbury]] (2,500), [[Kineton]] (2,000), and [[Bishop's Itchington]] (2,000) make up the other main settlements in the constituency, as well as the majority of [[Cubbington]] (4,000). There are plenty of small villages, hamlets and farms elsewhere.

The seat completely surrounds the much more urban [[Warwick and Leamington]] constituency. It also borders southern [[Coventry]]; [[Coventry Airport]] is just within the constituency, as is around half of the [[University of Warwick]] campus.

==History==
The constituency was created for the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]]. The result from 2005 for its [[electoral ward|ward]]s (nominal result as the constituency was not then formed) gave a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] majority of 24.8%.

==Boundaries==
{{maplink|frame=yes|frame-align=right|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Kenilworth and Southam (UK Parliament constituency) 2010}}|frame-width=260|text=Map of boundaries 2010–2024}}
Following its review of parliamentary representation in Warwickshire, the [[Boundary commissions (United Kingdom)|Boundary Commission]] created this new constituency in 2010, pairing [[Kenilworth]] and [[Southam]] and breaking the parliamentary link between [[Rugby and Kenilworth]] established in 1983.

'''2010–2024''': The [[Warwick District|District of Warwick]] wards of Abbey, Cubbington, Lapworth, Leek Wootton, Park Hill, Radford Semele, St John's, and Stoneleigh, the [[Stratford-on-Avon District|District of Stratford-on-Avon]] wards of Burton Dassett, Fenny Compton, Harbury, Kineton, Long Itchington, Southam, Stockton and Napton, and Wellesbourne, and the [[Borough of Rugby]] wards of Dunchurch and Knightlow, Leam Valley, and Ryton-on-Dunsmore.

'''2024–present''': The Borough of Rugby wards of Dunsmore and Leam Valley, the District of Stratford-on-Avon wards of Bishop's Itchington, Fenny Compton & Napton, Gaydon, Kineton & Upper Lighthorne, Harbury, Southam East, Central & Stockton, Southam North & Long Itchington, Southam South, Southam West, Tysoe (part), Wellesbourne East & Rural (part), Wellesbourne North & Rural (part), and Wellesbourne South, and the District of Warwick wards of Budbrooke, Cubbington & Leek Wootton, Kenilworth Abbey & Arden, Kenilworth Park Hill, and Kenilworth St John's.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Seat Details – Kenilworth and Southam |url=https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/calcwork23.py?seat=Kenilworth+and+Southam |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=www.electoralcalculus.co.uk}}</ref>
:''Minor changes to align boundaries to those of local authority wards. [[Radford Semele]] transferred to [[Warwick and Leamington]] in exchange for [[Budbrooke]].''

==Members of Parliament==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Election!!Member<ref name="rayment">{{Rayment-hc|k|1|date=March 2012}}</ref>
!Party
|-
|style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010]]
| [[Jeremy Wright]]
| {{Party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|}

==Elections==

=== Elections in the 2020s ===

{{Election box begin|title=[[2024 United Kingdom general election|General election 2024]]: Kenilworth and Southam<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001309 |title=Kenilworth and Southam |work=BBC News |language=en-gb |access-date=27 June 2024}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Conservative Party (UK)|candidate=[[Jeremy Wright]]|votes=19,395|percentage=36.4|change={{decrease}} 22.6}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Labour Party (UK)|candidate=Cat Price|votes=12,821|percentage=24.0|change={{increase}} 5.0}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Liberal Democrats (UK)|candidate=Jenny Wilkinson|votes=10,464|percentage=19.6|change={{increase}} 2.7}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Reform UK|candidate=Jacqui Harris|votes=6,920|percentage=13.0|change={{increase}} 12.8}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Green Party of England and Wales|candidate=Alix Dearing|votes=3,125|percentage=5.9|change={{increase}} 1.7}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Official Monster Raving Loony Party|candidate=Nick Green|votes=442|percentage=0.8|change={{nochange}} 0.0}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=UK Independence Party|candidate=Paul De'Ath|votes=153|percentage=0.3|change=''New''}}
{{Election box majority|votes=6,574|percentage=12.4|change={{decrease}} 27.6}}
{{Election box turnout||votes=53,320|percentage=75.5|change={{decrease}} 2.6}}
{{Election box hold with party link|winner=Conservative Party (UK)|swing={{decrease}} 13.8}}
{{Election box end}}

=== Elections in the 2010s ===
{{Election box begin | title = [[2019 United Kingdom general election|General election 2019]]: Kenilworth and Southam<ref>{{cite news |title=Kenilworth & Southam Parliamentary constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000767 |website=BBC News |publisher=BBC |access-date=30 November 2019}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Conservative Party (UK)|candidate=[[Jeremy Wright]]|votes=30,351|percentage=57.7|change={{decrease}}3.1}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Liberal Democrats (UK)|candidate=Richard Dickson|votes=9,998|percentage=19.0|change={{increase}} 9.4}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Labour Party (UK)|candidate=Antony Tucker|votes=9,440|percentage=17.9|change={{decrease}} 7.7
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Green Party of England and Wales|candidate=Alison Firth|votes=2,351|percentage=4.5|change={{increase}} 2.3}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Official Monster Raving Loony Party|candidate=Nicholas Green|votes=457|percentage=0.9|change=''New''}}
{{Election box majority|votes=20,353|percentage=38.7|change={{increase}} 3.5}}
{{Election box turnout|votes=52,597|percentage=77.2|change={{decrease}} 0.2}}
{{Election box hold with party link|winner=Conservative Party (UK)|swing={{decrease}} 6.25}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin
|title=[[General election 2017]]: Kenilworth and Southam<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.stratford-herald.com/70402-candidates-confirmed-for-general-election.html |title=Candidates confirmed for General Election |publisher=Stratford-upon-Avon Herald |date=11 May 2017 |access-date=12 May 2017}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/politics/constituencies/E14000767|title=Kenilworth & Southam parliamentary constituency – Election 2017|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Conservative Party (UK)|candidate=[[Jeremy Wright]]|votes=31,207|percentage=60.8|change={{increase}} 2.4}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Labour Party (UK)|candidate=Bally Singh|votes=13,121|change={{increase}} 10.3|percentage=25.6}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Liberal Democrats (UK)|candidate = Richard Dickson|votes=4,921|percentage=9.6|change={{decrease}} 0.5}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Green Party of England and Wales|candidate=Rob Ballantyne|votes=1,133|percentage=2.2|change={{decrease}} 1.8}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=UK Independence Party|candidate=Harry Cottam|votes=929|percentage=1.8|change={{decrease}} 9.4}}
{{Election box majority|votes=18,086|percentage=35.2|change={{decrease}} 6.9}}
{{Election box turnout|votes=51,311|percentage=77.4|change={{increase}} 2.6}}
{{Election box hold with party link|winner=Conservative Party (UK)|swing={{decrease}} 3.9}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=[[2015 United Kingdom general election|General election 2015]]: Kenilworth and Southam<ref name="auto">{{cite web |title=Election results – Elections 2015 |url=https://www.warwickdc.gov.uk/info/20662/past_election_results/982/elections_2015 |website=Warwick District Council |access-date=22 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303001450/https://www.warwickdc.gov.uk/info/20662/past_election_results/982/elections_2015 |archive-date=3 March 2021 |language=English |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=electoralcalculus2015>{{cite web|title=Election Data 2015|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt|publisher=[[Electoral Calculus]]|access-date=17 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112223/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt|archive-date=17 October 2015}}</ref><ref name="auto1"/>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Conservative Party (UK)|candidate=[[Jeremy Wright]]|votes=28,474|percentage=58.4|change={{increase}} 4.8}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Labour Party (UK)|candidate=Bally Singh|votes=7,472|percentage=15.3|change={{increase}} 0.9}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=UK Independence Party|candidate= Harry Cottam|votes=5,467|percentage=11.2|change={{increase}} 8.8}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Liberal Democrats (UK)|candidate=Richard Dickson|votes=4,913|percentage=10.1|change={{decrease}} 17.6}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Green Party of England and Wales|candidate=Rob Ballantyne|votes=1,956|percentage=4.0|change={{increase}} 2.8}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Official Monster Raving Loony Party|candidate=Nicholas Green|votes=370|percentage=0.8|change=''New''}}
{{Election box candidate|party=Digital Democracy|candidate=Jon Foster-Smith|votes=139|percentage=0.3|change=''New''}}
{{Election box majority|votes=21,002|percentage=43.1|change={{increase}} 17.2}}
{{Election box turnout|votes=48,791|percentage=74.8|change={{decrease}} 0.5}}
{{Election box hold with party link|winner=Conservative Party (UK)|swing={{increase}} 1.9}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=[[2010 United Kingdom general election|General election 2010]]: Kenilworth and Southam<ref name=electoralcalculus2010>{{cite web|title=Election Data 2010|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2010.txt|publisher=[[Electoral Calculus]]|access-date=17 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726162034/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2010.txt|archive-date=26 July 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/constituency/c40.stm|title=UK > England > West Midlands > Kenilworth & Southam|date=7 May 2010|work=Election 2010|publisher=BBC|access-date=10 May 2010}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Conservative Party (UK)|candidate=[[Jeremy Wright]]|votes=25,945|percentage=53.6|change={{increase}} 12.4}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Liberal Democrats (UK)|candidate=Nigel Rock|votes=13,393|percentage=27.7|change={{increase}} 19.9}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Labour Party (UK)|candidate=Nicholas Milton|votes=6,949|percentage=14.4|change={{decrease}} 24.0}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=UK Independence Party|candidate=John Moore|votes=1,214|percentage=2.4|change={{increase}} 0.8}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Green Party of England and Wales|candidate=[[James Harrison (author and academic)|James Harrison]]|votes=568|percentage=1.2|change=''New''}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Independent (politician)|candidate=Joe Rukin|votes=362|percentage=0.7|change=''New''}}
{{Election box majority|votes=12,552|percentage=25.9|change={{increase}} 23.1}}
{{Election box turnout|votes=48,431|percentage=75.3|change={{increase}} 6.9}}
{{Election box hold with party link|winner=Conservative Party (UK)|swing=}}
{{Election box end}}

==See also==
* [[parliamentary constituencies in Warwickshire]]
* [[Parliamentary constituencies in the West Midlands (region)|List of parliamentary constituencies in West Midlands (region)]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=n}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://mapit.mysociety.org/area/65968.html Kenilworth and Southam UK Parliament constituency] (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at ''MapIt UK''
*[https://mapit.mysociety.org/area/168833.html Kenilworth and Southam UK Parliament constituency] (boundaries from June 2024) at ''MapIt UK''

{{Constituencies in the West Midlands}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|52.25|-1.40|type:adm2nd_region:GB-WAR|display=title}}

[[Category:Parliamentary constituencies in Warwickshire]]
[[Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 2010]]
[[Category:Kenilworth]]

Solovair

2025-06-19T20:57:51Z

86.166.0.170:

{{Short description|British boot and footwear brand}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Solovair
| logo = Logo_de_NPS_et_de_Solovair.png
| image = Solovair 8 eye boot.jpg
| industry = [[Footwear]]
| founded = {{Start date and age|1881}}
| hq_location_city = [[Wollaston, Northamptonshire|Wollaston]], [[Northamptonshire]]
| hq_location_country = England
| brands = [[Dr. Martens]] (1950s to 1980s)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uk.nps-solovair.com/pages/history|title=History}}</ref>
| parent = NPS Shoes Ltd.
| website = {{official URL}}
}}{{image frame|content={{Photomontage
| photo2a = S8-551-OX-G Solovair-8-Eye-Derby-Boot-Oxblood-Hi-Shine 02 (4).jpg
| photo2b = Racing Green 8 eye Derby Boot.jpg
| photo3a = Burgundy Rub-Off 8 eye Derby Boot.jpg
| photo3b = Navy Blue 8 eye Derby Boot.jpg
| text = Solovair 8-eye Derby boot in Oxblood, Racing Green, Burgundy rub-off, and Navy Blue colours
}}}}
'''Solovair''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|oʊ|l|ə|v|ɛər}}, "Sole of air"<ref>{{Cite web |title=OFFICIAL SOLOVAIR (@solovairuk) • Instagram photos and videos |url=https://www.instagram.com/solovairuk/ |access-date=2023-01-09 |website=www.instagram.com |language=en}}</ref>) is a brand of British-made [[boot]]s and [[footwear]], produced by NPS Shoes Ltd., which was established in 1881. The NPS factory is based in [[Wollaston, Northamptonshire|Wollaston]], [[Northamptonshire]], an area known for its [[shoe]] industry.<ref name=":0">[http://www.nps-solovair.co.uk/about-us/our-factory/ The NPS Shoes factory] has its roots in the village of Wollaston, Northamptonshire and has been our lifelong home since 1881.</ref> NPS shoes are known for their [[Goodyear welt]] technology which is used in all their shoe production. This particular technique is needed to fix the Solovair sole onto "Soft Sole Suspension" boots and shoes.

==History==
Solovair was originally founded in 1881 as a [[cooperative]] known as the Northamptonshire Productive Society (NPS),<ref name=":0" /> which is the name of the parent company of Solovair.

Shoe manufacturer R. Griggs Group Ltd. had the patent to produce [[Dr. Martens]] boots but not the technology. In 1960 Griggs and NPS collaborated to create a boot using a Solovair sole and a Griggs upper, and the result was the now iconic Dr. Martens boot. The first pair left the NPS factory in 1960. NPS Shoes continued to make footwear under licence until the mid-1990s called 'Dr Martens made by Solovair'. They trademarked the name Solovair in 1995<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.business-times.co.uk/articles/focus-on-wellingborough-industry/embodying-a-countys-heritage|title=Embodying a county's heritage {{!}} Business Times|website=www.business-times.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-08-03}}</ref> and now make their own air-cushioned boot using the same [[last]]s and leather cutters and machines used to create the first original Dr. Martens suspension soles in the UK.

NPS Shoes manufacture for Gripfast, George Cox, Vegetarian Shoes, [[Grinders (footwear)|Grinders]] and [[Tredair]] brands amongst others.
==Style==
Solovair products come in a variety of styles, colours, and number of eyelets. Recognisable features include grey stitching around the top of the sole, and a green and black pull loop at the top of the back stay with the Solovair logo and "Made in England since 1881" on the back.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/thisisinsiderstyle/videos/550266112096619/|title=STYLE INSIDER|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2018-08-02}}</ref> The underside of the sole has the Solovair logo. Solovair is known for their use of the [[Goodyear welt]] and the use of the Puritan stitch.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website}}

{{skinhead}}

[[Category:1881 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Boots]]
[[Category:Companies based in Northamptonshire]]
[[Category:Companies established in 1881]]
[[Category:Shoe brands]]
[[Category:Shoe companies of the United Kingdom]]

Wall's (ice cream)

2025-06-16T10:44:16Z

86.166.0.170:

{{short description|Brand of ice cream and frozen dessert products}}
{{About||the meat company|Wall's (meat)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox brand
| name = Wall's
| logo = Wall's Logo.svg
| caption = Wall's heart-shaped logo
| introduced = {{Start date and age|1922}}
| origin = United Kingdom
| producttype = {{ubl|[[Ice cream]]|[[Frozen dessert]]}}
| currentowner = [[Unilever]]
| related = [[Wall's (meat)]]
| website = {{URL|https://www.wallsicecream.com/uk/home.html}}
| tagline = {{plainlist|
* "Goodbye Serious"
* ''Semua Jadi Happy'' {{small|("Everyone's Happy", Indonesia only)}}
}}
}}

'''Wall's''' is an [[ice cream]] and [[frozen dessert]] brand in the United Kingdom owned by [[Unilever]] and is part of the [[Heartbrand]] global frozen dessert brand. The company was established in 1922 when ice cream production commenced at a factory in [[Acton, London|Acton]], [[Middlesex]].

Wall's remains the market leader in the UK for individual hand-held ice cream products such as [[Cornetto (frozen dessert)|Cornetto]] and [[Magnum (ice cream)|Magnum]]. The brand also owns the rights to the [[Mr. Whippy (United Kingdom)|Mr. Whippy]] [[Ice cream|soft-serve ice cream mix]].

== History ==
Wall's was founded in 1786 by Richard Wall, when he opened a butcher's stall in [[St James's]] Market, London. In the 1900s the business was led by Richard's grandson Thomas Wall II. Every year the company had to lay off staff in the summer as demand for its sausages, pies and meat fell, so in 1913 Thomas Wall II conceived the idea of making ice cream in the summer to avoid those lay-offs; the [[First World War]] meant that his idea was not implemented until 1922.<ref>{{cite book|last=Reinders|first=Pim|title=Licks, Sticks and Bricks: A world history of ice cream|date=11 August 1999|publisher=Unilevers|isbn=906496162X|page=277}}</ref> Following his retirement in 1920, Thomas Wall II created his Trust for the "encouragement and assistance of educational work and social service". Today, the Trust continues to assist in these areas by providing grants to individuals and organisations.<ref name=TWallTrust>{{cite web|url=http://www.thomaswalltrust.org.uk/sites/default/files/The-origins-of-the-trust-V2.doc|title=Origins of the Trust|publisher=Thomas Wall Trust|access-date=2014-05-14|archive-date=2016-03-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305061957/http://www.thomaswalltrust.org.uk/sites/default/files/The-origins-of-the-trust-V2.doc|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Odeon Jan 1960.jpg|thumb|left|Wall's Magnum ice cream on sale (and advertised on posters) at the [[Odeon cinema]], [[Chorley]], [[Lancashire]] in January 1960]]
By 1922, the business had been jointly bought by [[Lever Brothers]] and [[Margarine Unie]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/chimes-driving-Walls-Ice-Cream-the50s/story-20146777-detail/story.html |title=Out with the chimes — driving for Wall's Ice Cream in the '50s | Black Country Bugle |access-date=5 August 2014 |archive-date=10 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810153037/http://www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/chimes-driving-Walls-Ice-Cream-the50s/story-20146777-detail/story.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Maxwell Holt was put in charge and he revived the idea of producing ice cream, with near instant success. Ice cream production commenced in 1922 at a factory in [[Acton, London]]. In 1959, Wall's doubled capacity by opening a purpose-built ice cream factory in [[Gloucester]], England.

There is a garage on the corner of Aultone Way and Angel Hill in [[Benhilton]], [[Sutton, London]], built in about 1913 and still in use today, which was originally used for the storing of the 'Stop Me and Buy One' bicycles of Thomas Wall's business. The actor Sir [[Roger Moore]], best known for portraying [[James Bond]], famously claimed to have come up with the idea of the Magnum in the 1960s, with the [[BBC]] stating back then he wished for "Wall's to produce a choc ice on a stick", although Wall's deny any knowledge of this, saying it is no more than "a brilliant story".<ref>{{Cite news |date=7 June 2017 |title=Seven celebrities who are (or were) also inventors |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-40172977 |access-date=7 February 2025}}</ref>

On 19 March 2024, Unilever announced it would divest its ice cream brands and cut 7,500 jobs in order to make "a simpler, more focused and higher performing Unilever." The divestment is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Karaian |first=Jason |date=19 March 2024 |title=Unilever to Cut 7,500 Jobs and Spin Off Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Unit |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/19/business/unilever-ben-jerrys-job-cuts.html |access-date=19 March 2024 |website=New York Times}}</ref>

== Ice cream ==
[[File:W1PPY 050611 CPS (5812062302).jpg|right|thumb|A Wall's ice cream van parked in [[Clacton]], Essex, England]]
[[File:Wall's and Walls, London - geograph.org.uk - 1766576.jpg|right|thumb|Rear of a Wall's ice cream van (with Wall's logo visible) next to [[Tower Bridge]] in London]]
Unilever continues to use the brand for ice cream in the UK<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.walls.co.uk |title=Wall's || UK Home |publisher=Walls.co.uk |access-date=2009-10-08}}</ref> and it has become part of the company's international [[List of Unilever brands#Ice cream|Heartbrand]] strategy, where it retains its local ice cream brand but shares one logo and most of the product's lineup with the various other Heartbrand brands across the world. Whilst remaining (2006) the market leader in the UK for individual hand-held products such as [[Cornetto (frozen dessert)|Cornetto]] and [[Magnum (ice cream)|Magnum]], and value-added multi-portion products designed to be eaten at home, such as [[Viennetta]], the Wall's brand faces severe competition from the major supermarket brands and to a lesser extent from [[Nestlé]] (absorbing the [[Rowntree's]] and [[Lyons Maid]] brands) and [[Mars, Incorporated|Mars]] spin-off ice cream products.<ref>{{Cite web |last=David |first=Matthieu |date=2013-07-03 |title=Distribution: Ice cream in China |url=https://daxueconsulting.com/ice-cream-market-in-china/ |access-date=2023-05-31 |website=Daxue Consulting - Market Research and Consulting China |language=en-US}}</ref>

Wall's holds a prominent position in the global ice cream market, with two of its brands ranked among the top ten worldwide. Operating under the Heartbrand logo, they produce 40 distinct brands across 52 countries.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-20 |title=Wall's |url=https://www.unilever.com/brands/ice-cream/walls/ |access-date=2023-05-31 |website=Unilever |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In 2013, Wall's expanded into the UK confectionery market following a licensing deal with Kinnerton Confectionery, leading to the introduction of ambient chocolate bar variations for the Magnum, Cornetto and Mini Milk ice cream brands.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.confectionerynews.com/Article/2013/04/04/Unilever-Kinnerton-Magnum-Cornetto-and-Mini-Milk-chocolate|title=Unilever enters UK confectionery market with Kinnerton licensing deal|website=confectionerynews.com|date=3 April 2013 }}</ref> In 2017, Wall's created Magnum Ice Cream Tubs which are sold in shops.<ref>{{Cite web|date=23 April 2018|title=Magnum Ice Cream Cartwheel {{!}} #BreakIntoMagnumTubs|url=https://www.southernsavers.com/magnum-ice-cream-cartwheel-breakintomagnumtubs/|access-date=8 April 2021|website=Southern Savers}}</ref>

The brand launched in Canada in 2022 with a range of Asian-inspired flavours including [[bubble tea]] and [[Dioscorea alata|ube]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://canadiangrocer.com/walls-ice-cream-and-frozen-novelty-bars|title=Wall's ice cream and frozen novelty bars|work=Canadian Grocer|date=13 April 2022|access-date=13 April 2022}}</ref> These flavours are not actually available under the Wall's brand in the UK but are intended to leverage global recognition of the Heartbrand logo; Unilever uses the [[Breyers]] brand for its main range of ice cream products in Canada.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/unilever-canada-unveils-its-largest-frozen-dessert-portfolio-ever-860068704.html|title=Unilever Canada unveils its largest frozen dessert portfolio ever|author=Unilever Canada|date=13 April 2022|access-date=13 April 2022}}</ref>

=== Advertising ===
Since 1970s adverts were used the same for all sister companies including [[HB Ice Cream]] in [[Ireland]], [[Miko (ice cream)|Miko]] in [[France]], [[List of Unilever brands#Desserts|Ola]] in [[Netherlands]] and through the world.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website|http://www.walls.co.uk}}
*[http://www.thomaswalltrust.org.uk Thomas Wall Trust]

{{Heartbrand}}
{{Unilever}}

[[Category:1922 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Acton, London]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in the London Borough of Ealing]]
[[Category:Companies based in Gloucester]]
[[Category:Food manufacturers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Food processing in London]]
[[Category:History of the London Borough of Ealing]]
[[Category:History of Gloucester]]
[[Category:Ice cream brands]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies established in 1922]]
[[Category:Unilever brands]]
[[Category:British companies established in 1922]]
[[Category:Brand name frozen desserts]]

History of Northamptonshire

2025-06-01T01:40:54Z

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{{Short description|none}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}
[[File:Northamptonshire Hundreds.svg|right|240px|thumb|Hundreds of historic Northamptonshire]]
The '''history of Northamptonshire''' spans the same [[Era|period]] as [[English history]].

==Prehistory==
Much of Northamptonshire's countryside appears to have remained somewhat intractable with regards to early human occupation, resulting in an apparently sparse population and relatively few finds from the [[Palaeolithic]], [[Mesolithic]] and [[Neolithic]] periods.{{sfn|Greenall|1979|p=19}} In about 500 BC the [[Iron Age]] was introduced into the area by a continental people in the form of the [[Hallstatt culture]],{{sfn|Greenall|1979|p=20}} and over the next century a series of hill-forts were constructed at [[Arbury]] Camp, [[Rainsborough]] camp, Borough Hill, Castle Dykes, [[Guilsborough]], [[Irthlingborough]], and most notably of all, [[Hunsbury Hill]]. There are two more possible hill-forts at [[Arbury Hill]] ([[Badby]]) and [[Thenford]].{{sfn|Greenall|1979|p=20}}

==Roman occupation==
In the 1st century BC, most of what later became Northamptonshire became part of the territory of the [[Catuvellauni]], a [[Belgic tribe]], the Northamptonshire area forming their most northerly possession.{{sfn|Greenall|1979|p=20}} The [[Catuvellauni]] were in turn conquered by the [[Roman Empire|Romans]] in 43 AD.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/british_prehistory/iron_02.shtml |publisher=BBC |title= History – Tribes of Britain |access-date=16 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203203727/http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/british_prehistory/iron_02.shtml |archive-date=3 February 2007}}</ref>

The Roman road of [[Watling Street]] passed through the county, and an important Roman settlement, ''Lactodorum'', stood on the site of modern-day [[Towcester]]. There were other Roman settlements at [[Northampton]], [[Kettering]] and along the [[River Nene|Nene Valley]] near [[Raunds]]. A large fort was built at [[Longthorpe]].{{sfn|Greenall|1979|p=20}}

==Anglo-Saxons==
After the Romans left, the area eventually became part of the [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]] kingdom of [[Mercia]], and Northampton functioned as an administrative centre. The Mercians converted to Christianity in 654 AD with the death of the [[pagan]] king [[Penda]].{{sfn|Greenall|1979|p=29}}

At some time in the 7th century the district which is now [[Northamptonshire]] suffered a simultaneous invasion by the [[Wessex|West Saxon]]s from the south and the [[Angles (tribe)|Anglian]] tribes from the north. Relics discovered in the county testify to a mingling of people, at the same time showing that West Saxon influence never spread farther north than a line from [[Daventry]] to [[Warwick]], and with the extension of the [[Mercia]]n kingdom under [[Penda]] and the conversion of the midland districts ceased altogether.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=769}}

[[Abbeys]] at Medehamstede (now [[Peterborough]]) and [[Pipewell]] were begun by [[Peada]] in 655, and at about the same time foundations were established at [[Peakirk, Cambridgeshire|Peakirk]], [[Weedon Bec]]k, [[Castor, Cambridgeshire|Castor]] and [[Oundle]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=769}}

From about 889 the area was conquered by the [[Danes]] (as at one point almost all of England was, except for [[Athelney]] marsh in [[Somerset]]) and became part of the [[Danelaw]] – with [[Watling Street]] serving as the boundary – until being recaptured by the English under the [[Wessex]] king [[Edward the Elder]], son of [[Alfred the Great]], in 917. Northamptonshire was conquered again in 940, this time by the [[Vikings]] of [[York]], who devastated the area, only for the county to be retaken by the English in 942.<ref>Wood, Michael (1986) ''The Domesday Quest'' p. 90, BBC Books, 1986 {{ISBN|0-563-52274-7}}.</ref> Consequently, it is one of the few counties in England to have both Saxon and Danish town-names and settlements.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}}

The county was first recorded in the ''[[Anglo-Saxon Chronicle]]'' (1011), as ''Hamtunscire'': the ''scire'' ([[shire]]) of ''Hamtun'' (the homestead). The "North" was added to distinguish Northampton from the other important ''Hamtun'' further south: [[Southampton]] – though the origins of the two names are in fact different.<ref>Mills, A.D. (1998). A Dictionary of English Place-names. Second Edition. Oxford University Press, Oxford. p256. {{ISBN|0-19-280074-4}}</ref>

As a [[shire]] Northamptonshire was probably of Danish origin, representing in the 10th century the area which owed allegiance to Northampton as a political and administrative centre. In 921 this area extended to the [[River Welland]], the present northern limit of the county. In the 11th century Northamptonshire was included in [[Tostig]]'s northern [[earl]]dom; but in 1065, together with [[Huntingdonshire]], it was detached from [[Northumbria]] and bestowed on [[Waltheof II, Earl of Northumbria|Waltheof]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=769}}

==Norman conquest and later middle ages==
The only [[monastic]] foundation which survived the [[Norman Conquest|Conquest]] was Peterborough. At the time of the [[Domesday Book|Domesday Survey]] the boundaries of Northamptonshire were approximately the same as the present day. Northamptonshire is first mentioned by name in the [[Liber Eliensis|''Historia Eliensis'']], in connection with events which occurred at the close of the 10th century. At the time of the Domesday survey the chief lay-tenant in Northamptonshire was [[Robert, Count of Mortain|Robert, earl of Mortain]], whose [[fief]] [[escheat]]ed to the crown in 1106. The estates of [[William Peverel]], founder of the [[Northampton Abbey of St James|Abbey of St James]] at Northampton, also escheated to the crown in the 12th century.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=769}}

[[Normans|Norman]] castles existed at [[Rockingham Castle|Rockingham]], [[Barnwell, Northamptonshire|Barnwell]], [[Lilbourne]], [[Northampton]]{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=769}} and [[Wellingborough]].{{citation needed|date=October 2013}}

The Geld roll of the time of [[William I of England|William I]] and the [[Domesday Book|Domesday Survey]] of 1086 mention 28 [[Hundred (division)|hundreds]] in Northamptonshire, and part of [[Rutland]] is assessed under this county. By 1316 the divisions had undergone considerable changes, both in name and in extent, and had been reduced to their present number, 20, since which date they have remained practically unaltered. The names of the hundreds point to primitive meeting-places gradually superseded by villages and towns. For example, the court for [[Fawsley]] hundred met under a large [[beech]] tree in Fawsley Park until the beginning of the 18th century, when it was transferred to [[Everdon]]. The [[shire court]] originally met at Northampton.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=769}}

Northamptonshire was originally included in the [[Diocese of Lincoln]]. The [[archdeaconry of Northampton]] is mentioned in the 12th century, and in 1291 included the deaneries of Peterborough, Northampton, [[Brackley]], [[Oundle]], [[Higham Ferrers|Higham]], [[Daventry]], [[Preston Deanery|Preston]], [[Weldon, Northamptonshire|Weldon]], [[Rothwell, Northamptonshire|Rothwell]] and Haddon.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=769 }}

Northampton was a favourite meeting-place of the councils and [[Parliament of England|parliament]]s of the Norman and Plantagenet kings. In 1215 [[John I of England|John]] was besieged in [[Northampton Castle]] by the barons, and in 1264, [[Henry III of England|Henry III]] captured the castle from the younger [[Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester|Simon de Montfort]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=769}}

==Wars of the Roses (15th century)==
During the [[Wars of the Roses]], [[Henry VI of England|Henry VI]] was defeated at Northampton in 1460.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=769}}

==Tudors (16th century)==

The [[Anglican Diocese of Peterborough|Diocese of Peterborough]] was created in 1541.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=769}}

==Civil War (17th century)==
In the [[English Civil War|Civil War]] of the 17th century, the county declared almost unanimously for the parliament. Although a [[Cavalier|royalist]] [[garrison]] was placed at [[Towcester]] by [[Prince Rupert of the Rhine|Prince Rupert]] in 1644, it was almost immediately withdrawn.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=769}}

==19th century==
In 1875, the archdeaconry of [[Oakham]] was formed and included in this county the first and second deaneries of Peterborough and the deaneries of Oundle, Weldon and [[Higham Ferrers]]. By 1900 the Northampton archdeaconry included the first, second and third deaneries of Brackwell and Rothwell, the first and second deaneries of Haddon and Preston, and the deaneries of Daventry, Northampton and Weldon.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=769}}

==Country seats==
[[Holdenby House]] was built by Sir [[Christopher Hatton]], privy councillor to [[Elizabeth I of England|Queen Elizabeth]], and [[Yardley Hastings]] was named from the Hastings, formerly [[Earl of Pembroke|earls of Pembroke]]. Higham Ferrers was the seat of the Ferrers family; [[Braybrooke|Braybrook Castle]] was built by [[Robert of Braybrooke]], a favourite of King John; and [[Burghley House]] gave the title of [[baron]] to [[William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley|William Cecil]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=769}}

==Parliamentary representation==
In 1290 [[Northamptonshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Northamptonshire]] returned two members to parliament, and in 1295 [[Northampton (UK Parliament constituency)|Northampton]] also returned two members. In 1547 [[Brackley (UK Parliament constituency)|Brackley]] and [[Peterborough (UK Parliament constituency)|Peterborough]] returned each two members, and in 1557 [[Higham Ferrers (UK Parliament constituency)|Higham Ferrers]] returned one member. Following the [[Reform Act 1832]], the county returned four members in two divisions; both Brackley and Higham Ferrers were disfranchised.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=770}}

==Economic history==
The [[Iron ore|iron-mines]] and [[Quarry|stone-quarries]] of Northamptonshire were worked in Roman times, but the former were entirely neglected from the Plantagenet period until their rediscovery in 1850, while the two most famous quarries, those of [[Barnack, Cambridgeshire|Barnack]] and [[Stanion]], were exhausted about the 16th century. The [[wool]] and leather industries flourished in Norman times.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=769}}

In the 17th century the weaving industry declined in the Northampton district, but flourished around [[Kettering]]. Other early industries were [[charcoal]]-burning, brick and tile manufacture and [[Beer|brewing]]. The industries of [[whip]]-making, pipe-making, silk-weaving and paper-making were introduced in the 17th and 18th centuries.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=769}} Tanning was a flourishing industry, and provided the materials for shoemaking which became a principal industry in the county. Northamptonshire made boots for [[Oliver Cromwell]]'s [[New Model Army]], and the making of army boots continued to be an important feature of the economy until the 20th century, as well as boots and shoes of other kinds.{{Citation needed|date=October 2017}}

==Relics==

Although Northamptonshire was rich in monastic foundations, remains, except of the abbey-church of [[Peterborough Cathedral|Peterborough]], afterwards the cathedral, are of small importance. At [[Geddington]], and also at [[Hardingstone]], near [[Northampton]], there is an [[Eleanor cross]], erected by [[Edward I of England|Edward I]] to the memory of [[Eleanor of Castile (1246-1290)|his queen]], in good preservation.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=770}}

For the architecture of its churches, Northampton holds a place scarcely inferior to any other English county. To the [[History of Anglo-Saxon England|Saxon period]] belong the tower of [[Earls Barton]] church, which stands on what is probably the mound of an old English strong-house; the tower and other portions at [[Brigstock]]; the ground plan and other portions at [[Wittering, Cambridgeshire|Wittering]]; the remarkable tower at [[St John the Baptist's Church, Barnack|Barnack]]; and [[Brixworth]] church, constructed in part of Roman materials, and by some believed to include part of a [[Basilica|Roman basilica]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=770}}

Of [[Norman architecture|Norman]], besides the cathedral of Peterborough, the finest examples are [[St Peter's Church, Northampton|St Peter's]] and [[The Holy Sepulchre, Northampton|St Sepulchre's]], [[Northampton]], and the tower of [[Castor, Cambridgeshire|Castor]] church. St Mary's church, [[Higham Ferrers]], formerly collegiate, [[English Gothic architecture|Early English]] and Decorated, is one of the finest churches in the county, and, as specially noteworthy among many beautiful buildings, there may be mentioned the churches at [[Irthlingborough]] and [[Lowick, Northamptonshire|Lowick]], with their lantern towers, [[Warmington, Northamptonshire|Warmington]], a very fine specimen of Early English work, [[Rushden]], [[Finedon]], [[Raunds]] and [[Fotheringhay]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=770}}

Philip Porter [[Thomas Percy (Bishop of Dromore)|Thomas Percy]], author of the ''[[Percy's Reliques]]'', and afterwards [[Bishop of Dromore]], was rector of the church at [[Easton Maudit]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=770}}

A gateway at [[Rockingham, Northamptonshire|Rockingham]], leading to the [[Rockingham Castle|castle]], which is still lived in, and earth-works at Higham Ferrers and [[Brackley]] are worthy of mention. Only a large mound and visible earthworks remain of the castle at [[Fotheringhay Castle|Fotheringhay]], famous as the scene of the imprisonment, trial and [[Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots|execution]] of [[Mary, Queen of Scots]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=770}} Part of the house which was the birthplace of [[Richard III of England|Richard III]] still stands and is now a private dwelling.

[[Barnwell Castle]], founded by [[William the Conqueror]], an interesting example of the defensive construction of the period, is still a fine ruin, which includes four of the round towers and an imposing gateway.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=770}}

[[Holdenby House|Holdenby Manor House]], where [[Christopher Hatton|Sir Christopher Hatton]] (1540–1591) was born, and where [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] was staying when he was carried away by [[George Joyce|Cornet Joyce]], is largely restored.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=770}}

Among ancient mansions are [[Castle Ashby]], the seat of the [[Marquess of Northampton|Comptons]], the oldest portion belonging to the reign of [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]]; [[Althorp]], the seat of the [[Earl Spencer (peerage)|Spencers]], of various dates; Drayton House, of the time of [[Henry VI of England|Henry VI]]; the vast pile of [[Burghley House]], [[Stamford, Lincolnshire|Stamford]], founded by [[William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley|Lord Burghley]] (1553), but more than once altered and enlarged; [[Kirby Hall]], a beautiful [[Elizabethan era|Elizabethan]] building once the residence of Sir Christopher Hatton;{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=770}} and [[Lilford Hall]] a fine example of a Jacobean mansion.

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
*{{Citation |last=Greenall |first=R. L. |year=1979 |title=A History of Northamptonshire |publisher=Phillimore & Company |isbn=1-86077-147-5}}

'''Attribution:'''
*{{EB1911|wstitle=Northamptonshire |volume=19 |pages=768–770}} Endnotes:
**''Victoria County History, Northamptonshire''
**[[George Baker (topographer)|G. Baker]], ''History and Antiquities of the County of Northampton'' (2 vols., London, 1822–1841)
**[[John Bridges (topographer)|John Bridges]], ''History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire'', compiled by Rev. Peter Whalley (2 vols., Oxford, 1791);

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130618172816/http://www.northamptonshire-history.org.uk/ Northamptonshire History Website (Archived website)]

{{History of England|bar=yes}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:History Of Northamptonshire}}
[[Category:History of Northamptonshire| ]]
[[Category:History of England by county|Northamptonshire]]

Mike de Albuquerque

2025-05-25T13:42:27Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
|name = Mike de Albuquerque
|background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
|image =
|caption = de Albuquerque in 2010
|birth_name = Michael de Albuquerque
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1947|6|24|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Wimbledon, London|Wimbledon]], [[Surrey]], [[England]]
|death_date =
|genre = [[Rock music|Rock]] [[Progressive rock]]
|occupation = Musician
|years_active =
|instrument = [[Bass guitar]], [[guitar]], vocals
|First_album =
|Latest_album =
|Notable_albums =
|Notable songs =
|label = [[Harvest Records]]
|past_member_of = [[Electric Light Orchestra]] [[Violinski]] Sundance
|website = [http://www.face-the-music.de/albuq_e.html Musical career]
}}

'''Mike de Albuquerque''' (born 24 June 1947, [[Wimbledon, London|Wimbledon]], [[Surrey]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.face-the-music.de/albuq_e.html|title=Michael de Albuquerque|website=www.face-the-music.de|accessdate=4 September 2018}}</ref> is an [[English people|English]] musician, who was a member of the progressive rock band [[Electric Light Orchestra]] from 1972 to 1974.

==Biography==
In 1971, in partnership with percussionist [[Frank Ricotti]], Albuquerque released the [[jazz-rock]] album ''First Wind''. Under the name [[Ricotti & Albuquerque|'Ricotti and Albuquerque']], the band featured Albuquerque on guitar and vocals and Ricotti on [[vibraphone]], [[alto saxophone]] and [[Percussion instrument|percussion]], with [[Trevor Tomkins]] on drums, [[Chris Laurence]] on [[electric bass|electric]] and [[double bass|acoustic bass]] and [[John Taylor (jazz)|John Taylor]] on [[electric piano]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.proggnosis.com/Release/14518|title=First Wind [Ricotti And Albuquerque] - a Studio release by MICHAEL DE ALBUQUERQUE artist / band|website=www.proggnosis.com|accessdate=4 September 2018}}</ref> supplemented by Michael Keen and [[Henry Lowther (musician)|Henry Lowther]] on trumpet.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/first-wind-mw0000847671/credits|title=First Wind - Ricotti & Albuquerque - Credits - AllMusic|website=AllMusic|accessdate=4 September 2018}}</ref>

Between 1972 and 1974, he was the bassist and secondary vocalist for [[Electric Light Orchestra]]. He left for domestic reasons, during the recording sessions for the group's fourth album ''[[Eldorado (Electric Light Orchestra album)|Eldorado]]'', and was replaced by [[Kelly Groucutt]]. He released two solo [[progressive rock]] albums, ''We May Be Cattle But We've All Got Names'' (1973) and ''Stalking The Sleeper'' (1976).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/electric-light-orchestra-where-are-the-former-members-now|title = Electric Light Orchestra: Where Are the Former Members Now?|date = April 2016}}</ref> Albuquerque also featured as a guitarist and vocalist alongside former ELO bandmate [[Mik Kaminski]] in [[Violinski]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|authorlink=Colin Larkin (writer)|title=The Guinness encyclopedia of popular music. 6. Threepenny Opera - Z.Z. Top|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CrJGAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Mike+de+Albuquerque%22|year=1995|publisher=Guinness Pub|isbn=978-0-85112-662-3|page=4337}}</ref> His contributions on record for ELO were ''[[ELO 2]]'', ''[[On the Third Day]]'', ''[[The Night the Light Went On in Long Beach]]'' and some of ''Eldorado''. His song "My Darling Girl" was recorded by [[Tim Hardin]] for his last album, ''[[Nine (Tim Hardin album)|Nine]]'', in 1973.{{cn|date=March 2017}}

In 1975, he played bass on [[Maxine Nightingale]]'s album ''[[Right Back Where We Started From]]'' along with its [[Right Back Where We Started From|title track]].

In 1981, he founded the band Sundance, along with [[Mike Hurst (producer)|Mike Hurst]] and [[Mary Hopkin]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cherryblossomclinic.x10.mx/mike1.html|title=Mike De Albuquerque Interview by Martin Kinch|website=cherryblossomclinic.x10.mx|accessdate=4 September 2018}}</ref> They released one album, ''Sundance'', in 1982 on [[Angel Air Records]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hopkin.is.nl/cd.htm|title=CD Discography|first=Hans den|last=Besten|website=www.hopkin.is.nl|accessdate=4 September 2018}}</ref> which was re-released on CD in 2002<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/sundance-mw0000224567|title=Sundance - Mary Hopkin, Mary Hopkin & Sundance, Sundance - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic|website=AllMusic|accessdate=4 September 2018}}</ref>

==Discography==

===Solo and collaborations===
* ''First Wind'', (Ricotti & Albuquerque), (with [[Frank Ricotti]]), 1971, Pegasus: PEG 2
* ''We May Be Cattle But We've All Got Names'', 1973, [[RCA Victor]]: SF 8383; Think Like A Key TLAK1173
* ''Stalking The Sleeper'', 1976, [[Warner Bros. records|Warner Bros.]]: K56276

===With Sundance ===
* ''Sundance'', 1982, [[Angel Air]]: SJPCD113

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* Music link {{YouTube|QQk0Ab4AXAg|"Ratsa (Don't Know Why)"}} from ''First Wind'' (1971)

{{Electric Light Orchestra}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Albuquerque, Michael}}
[[Category:1947 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Electric Light Orchestra members]]
[[Category:English rock bass guitarists]]
[[Category:British male bass guitarists]]
[[Category:People from Wimbledon, London]]
[[Category:English rock singers]]
[[Category:English male singers]]
[[Category:Musicians from the London Borough of Merton]]

{{UK-bass-guitarist-stub}}