| The "Morgan Car" is one of Britain's most famous | | | | London-Exeter Two Day Trial in the JAP-engined |
| Iconic Cars and is known the world over for its | | | | single-seater fitted with tiller steering. He won a |
| classic styling and It's sheer Englishness. As the | | | | gold medaland received favourable press |
| Morgan Car Company is over 100 years old, | | | | coverage. So well did his cars do in competition |
| which makes it the oldest continuous car | | | | that at the Motor Cycle Show in November 1911 |
| manufacturer in the world, I thought the reader | | | | he was inundated with enquiriesand orders. He |
| may be interested in it's long and prestigious | | | | realized that to maintain momentum he must |
| history. | | | | enter as many sporting events as he could. |
| When in 1909, at the age of twenty-eight, Henry | | | | In 1912 the company became the Morgan Motor |
| Frederick Stanley Morgan (HFS as he came to be | | | | Company Ltd, and made a small but significant |
| known throughout the motoring world) designed | | | | profit of 1314pounds. |
| and builthis first single-seater three-wheeled | | | | After the war (WWI) public demand for motors |
| experimental car, he could never have dreamt | | | | far outstripped supply...By 1923 Morgan were |
| that he would become one of the world's major | | | | being manufactured under license by Darmont in |
| manufacturers of three-wheeler motor cars. | | | | France. |
| The son of a country clergyman, HFS was lucky | | | | In 1936 the government announced that the |
| not to be forced to enter the church as a | | | | following year it was going to abolish the Road |
| profession. Far from discouraging him from | | | | Fund Tax, which did away with the |
| making his own way in life,his parents and | | | | three-wheeler's tax advantage. |
| grandparents gave him every assistance. He was | | | | That year Morgan Motor Company introduced the |
| educated at Stone House, Broadstairs, and | | | | four wheeler called the 4-4, for the four cylinders |
| Marlborough College and then entered Crystal | | | | and four wheel car. The 4-4 model Morgan is still |
| Palace | | | | in production. |
| Engineering College in south London, and it was | | | | During World War II the company was converted |
| here that his design and artistic talents developed. | | | | to the war effort and no car were built. After the |
| In 1906 he opened a garage in Malvern, | | | | war the company slowly began producing cars |
| Worcestershire. The venture flourished and HFS | | | | again. |
| was then able to turn his thoughts to making a | | | | They concentrated on producing cars for export. |
| car of his own design. | | | | Please visit my Funny Animal Art Prints Collection |
| The prototype, completed in 1909, was a | | | | @ |
| single-seater fitted with tiller steering. It also | | | | My other website is called Directory of British |
| incorporated Morgan's special form of sliding pillar | | | | Icons: |
| independent frontsuspension. With the addition of | | | | The Chinese call Britain 'The Island of Hero's' which |
| such refinement as rebound springs and shock | | | | I think sums up what we British are all about. We |
| absorbers, this form of front suspension is still | | | | British are inquisitive and competitive and are |
| used on modern four-wheeler | | | | always looking over the horizon to the next |
| Morgan's. The whole car was very light and was | | | | adventure and discovery. |
| powered by a 7 horsepower Peugeot motorcycle | | | | Copyright © 2010 Paul Hussey. All Rights |
| engine. | | | | Reserved. |
| On Boxing Day 1910 HFS entered the first | | | | |