National Trust Press Release Campaign launched to save home of inventor of the
Morris car A
campaign to raise £600,000 to save the “time capsule” home of the man who
made motoring affordable for the British masses was launched by the National
Trust today. The
Morris Motor Company was started in 1910 when bicycle manufacturer William
Morris, later Lord Nuffield, turned his attention to cars. Three
years later the two-seat Morris Oxford ‘Bullnose’ was introduced, helping
change the lives of thousands of ordinary people with the dawn of mass-produced
vehicles. As his fortune grew, Lord Nuffield became increasingly
aware of the contribution he could make in a pre-welfare state.
As
Britain’s greatest ever philanthropist, he gave away over £30 million (the
equivalent of £11 billion in today’s money) to support education, hospitals
and medical research which continue to benefit millions of people around the
world. Nuffield
Place in Oxfordshire was his home from 1933 until his death in 1963. He
left the house to Nuffield College in Oxford, which he founded. The College has
carefully preserved the house and until recently it has been opened to the
public by volunteers from the Friends of Nuffield Place on a limited basis. Nuffield
College has now offered it to the National Trust. However, in order to open this
unique house to the public, and secure its future, the Trust urgently needs to
raise £600,000. Richard
Henderson, National Trust General Manager, said: “Despite Lord Nuffield’s
extraordinary philanthropy and achievements, he remains relatively unknown. His
home is a wonderful time capsule without any of the ‘show’ of a
multi-millionaire and reveals so much about the man who changed many people’s
lives for the better. “We
are determined to open the house as soon as possible and to celebrate Lord
Nuffield’s remarkable story. But we need to raise the funds to get the
necessary visitor facilities in place and we hope our supporters will help us to
meet our target.” Despite
considerable personal wealth, Lord Nuffield lived a modest life and the house
and its contents reflect the simple, unassuming home that he shared with his
wife. Many
of Lord and Lady Nuffield’s possessions are still where they left them,
offering an intimate glimpse into their world. Robes worn to official functions,
personal letters and books, and framed cartoons and photographs can be seen
throughout the house. Much
of the original decoration and most of the furnishings also remain making it a
perfect example of a complete 1930s country home. Lord
Nuffield’s love of mechanical things can be seen behind cupboard doors in his
bedroom which hid a miniature workshop with his collection of hand tools. It was
here that he would relieve nights of insomnia by doing delicate metal work. Kevin
Minns, Chairman of the Friends of Nuffield Place and great great nephew of Lord
Nuffield said: “This
wonderfully generous offer from Nuffield College has given the National Trust
the opportunity to preserve the legacy of William Morris, Lord Nuffield and save
Nuffield Place once and for all.” To
make a donation to the appeal and to enable the National Trust to open Nuffield
Place to the public, visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/savenuffieldplace
or telephone 0844 800 1895. -
ends – For further information please contact: Notes
to editors About
William Morris, Lord Nuffield (1877-1963) ·
William Morris was born on 10 October
1877 in Worcester and moved to Oxford with his family when he was three. He left
school at 15 and a year later, with £4 capital, he began his own business
making and repairing bicycles. In 1903, he married Elizabeth Anstey, the
daughter of an Oxford farrier. ·
He designed his first car, the Bullnose,
in 1912 and a year later the Morris Motor Company began production. In 1919, 400
Morris cars were being produced. ·
William Morris was one of the first
British industrialists to introduce mass production methods, spotting the market
for quality-made, small and economical cars. ·
By 1925 production was booming, 56,000
cars a year were rolling off the production line and Morris cars became famous
around the world. From 1928, sporting versions of the Morris Cowley and the
Morris Oxford were sold as ‘MGs’, a marque distinct from the ‘Morris’.
By 1937,
Morris Motors Ltd. became the largest motor manufacturer in ·
In 1934, a year after moving to Nuffield
Place, Morris was made a Baron, and four years later, a Viscount. He took the
name of Nuffield, the Oxfordshire village where he had settled. He played a
major role in organising industry in the Second World War. ·
Despite his great wealth, Lord Nuffield
remained personally frugal. He had no children and, as his fortune grew, he
became increasingly aware of the contribution he could make to relieve suffering
in a pre-welfare state. In his lifetime he dispersed £30 million (the
equivalent of £11 billion in today’s money) to a variety of charitable
causes. ·
Much of his money went to support
healthcare and medicine (among which was the manufacture and gift of over 5000
iron lungs to Commonwealth hospitals), research and education, and the armed
forces. ·
He founded the Nuffield Foundation in
1943 with an endowment of £10 million in order to advance education and social
welfare, and also founded Nuffield College, Oxford. ·
Lord Nuffield died on 22 August 1963,
four years after the death of his wife. Why
is Nuffield Place important? ·
Set high in the Chilterns, Nuffield
Place, near Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire is the only surviving home with its
contents intact of William Morris, Lord Nuffield. ·
Left almost exactly as it was when Lord Nuffield
died, the house and its contents are a revealing and intimate glimpse into the
character, interests and life of one of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs and
benefactors, yet a man who remains relatively unknown today. ·
The house is also a rare survival of a
complete, upper-middle class home of the 1930s. It retains the majority of the
furniture and contents acquired by Lord and Lady Nuffield when they took up
residence, as well as having several rooms still decorated in the 1930s style. What
are the other items of interest in the house? ·
The house retains the majority of the
furniture and contents acquired by Lord and Lady Nuffield when they took up
residence. These include rugs and tapestries of fine quality. Some furniture is
antique, but much was custom-made by Cecil A Halliday of Oxford, (to give
employment – one of Lord Nuffield’s greatest commitments), and is of skilled
craftsmanship. ·
Lord Nuffield had a great interest in clocks and there are
several long case, wall and mantle clocks around the house. What
is the architectural significance of Nuffield Place?
Who
has owned the house since Lord Nuffield’s death in 1963?
Has
the house been open to the public before now?
Why
has the National Trust been offered Nuffield Place?
How
will the National Trust afford to run and maintain Nuffield Place?
Does
the house require any conservation or repair work before the National Trust
opens it to the public?
Is
the National Trust looking for volunteers when the house opens and, if so, how
do they apply?
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