Jim Jarron's Motoring Pages

Motor Industry Deal - Wolseley Coy. Purchased - Mr Morris’s Intentions

Mr W R Morris, the motor manufacturer, of Cowley, Oxford, Coventry, and Birmingham, stated yesterday that his offer to purchase the assets of Wolseley Motors (Ltd.) had been accepted by the Court in preference to others. The title of the company will remain unchanged, as will the name of the car. This acquisition makes Mr Morris one of the largest employers of labour in the country. He already has more than 10,000 men on his pay rolls, and it is anticipated that at least another 5,000 will ultimately be employed in the Wolseley factories.

My purchase of Wolseley Motors (Ltd.),” said Mr Morris “has been considerably influenced by the keen desire to further British industry, to assist the unemployment problem, and to prevent this old established motor car firm from passing into foreign hands. It would be a serious blow to our national prestige if foreign capital acquired what is one of the four foremost British car making firms, and one whose car stands very high in the esteem of Britishers throughout the world.”
“Although British labour might have been employed – to some extent – in the factories of Wolseley Motors (Ltd.) had the firm been acquired by a foreign syndicate, yet any profits that accrued in the ordinary course of trading must largely have passed out of the country. Any public spirited Britisher would have been anxious to prevent such an occurrence in these times of industrial stress.”

“I shall continue with the production of the six-cylinder car which was exhibited for the first time at Olympia last year, and which, after a prolonged personal test, I regard as being a typical example of sound and advanced British design. The factories in Birmingham require, and will undergo, very considerable reorganisation and, naturally, this will take some time to effect. I propose running them on the same general lines as have proved successful in my other factories, but Wolseley Motors (Ltd.) will be entirely distinct from my other undertakings. I believe that when we get fully into production with the six-cylinder Wolseley it will compete very successfully with foreign six-cylinder cars that are sold in this country. Its design is better, we shall use only British steel and other materials in its construction, and its price is already attractive.”

“Since my name has been mentioned in connection with the purchase of the Wolseley Company I have been inundated with letters of all descriptions. I would like to point out that as the personnel has already been settled no further applications for employment can be considered, and it is my intention to retain all satisfactory Wolseley agents.”

Sir Herbert Austin informed the Press Association yesterday that an offer for the assets of Wolseley Motors (Ltd.) was made on behalf of himself and Mr E L Payton, not on behalf of Austin Motors Co. (Ltd.).