♥ Love affair with Morris. ♥

The late Charles Swain Esq. was born in 1923, the same year that the Bullnose Morris pictured above was made. After leaving school he served an electrical apprenticeship and in 1942 joined the Air Force as Electrical Engineer and rose to serve in the famous 'Dambusters' squadron.
His post-war business success permitted him to indulge in the same hobby as us, and it became something of a love affair. He particularly liked cars made in Oxfordshire.
It is not difficult to understand why such a patriotic chap should choose cars made by famous and widely respected philanthropist William Morris ( Lord Nuffield) in Oxford and it is equally easy to understand why it has taken Swaine's family a whole year to finally agree to sell his beloved collection - it is always hard to say goodbye to a loved one.
Holloway's Auctioneers will offer the cars for sale on Saturday 18 February at their premises in Banbury and we know that buyers will inherit some of that love with the cars.
The 1923 2 seater with dickey is such a pretty car and will inevitably generate interest from the older generation when parked. " I remember doing my courting in one of these!"  Remember that 45% of all cars in Britain in 1925 was a Bullnose Morris.

After the Bullnose came the Flatnose and we have a fine example of a 1927 2 seater with dickey complete with new-fangled front wheel brakes.
It is accompanied by an extensive file of related paperwork offered with the car dating back to the late 1930s from which it may be concluded that this vehicle has been owned by several studious & careful owners during its 90 years in service.

The 1934 Morris 'Ten-Six' is something of a rarity with its Sportsman's 2 door salonette coupe coachwork, OHV 6 cylinder engine and 4 speed gearbox.
A complete engine rebuild was carried out in 1998, and from all appearances it would seem that much of the rest of the car was completely refurbished to a high standard.


The Morris 8 was introduced in 1934 with a side valve 4 cylinder engine and 3 speed gearbox and proved to be a popular affordable car for the masses. This 1935 example brings back happy memories of a little courtship during student days in a later model rebuilt by the girl's mother in her kitchen!
It was red with black wings and the girl's name was Linda. ( Or was it Susie?)
We wonder which was Swain's favourite and given his Air Force background, we suspect it could be this red 1934 Special Ten-Six
with open 4 seater coachwork. A rare car with a 6 cylinder OHV engine with twin carbs and 4 speed gearbox which would become the basis for a range of more sporting machines.


It's a pleasure to take a peep into the life of such a fine-sounding man and to learn of the love and affection he had for his collection of Morris cars, so let's follow his example and after celebrating Valentine's Day with our loved-one in the house, let us pop out to the garage and remind our old cars just how much we love them?

Text Robin Batchelor, pictures courtesy Holloway's Auctioneers.