Morris Register of NSW - feature by Shirley Freeland
The following article is re-printed with thanks to Shirley Freeland. (Sadly Shirley has passed away)
The first meeting of the Morris Register Club of Australia (NSW) was held on the 10th August 1973. At the end of that meeting the eleven members present had become the nucleus of what they hoped would be the forerunner of a Morris Register club in each state of Australia, and eventually New Zealand.
The objects of the club are - to promote interest and enthusiasm in Morris vehicles. To put members in touch with each other. To pool experience of maintenance and restoration. To keep spares in circulation at reasonable cost. To assist members in selling, buying and exchanging cars and spares.
Full membership is open to owners of Morris vehicles from 1913 to 1952, the last of the side-valve Morris Minor, but owners of more pre-war than post war models. At present we have 130 financial members.
A General Meeting is held on the first Friday of every month except January, and an interesting and informative newsletter sent to all members after each meeting. At least one outing is held each month including observation runs, picnics, tennis days, camping weekends, evening visits to places of interest e.g. Champion Spark Plug and NRMA control centre. Our library is quite extensive consisting of operation and workshop manuals, sales brochures and general reading matter on the history of motor vehicles.
On Saturday 7th October, 1978, Morris enthusiasts from Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales participated in the "Swan Hill Run". At this time a meeting of delegates from each state declared this the First National Rally. There were 13 cars from Victoria, 5 from SA and 1 from N.S.W., AND the meeting was so satisfactory that it was decided to hold a similar meeting two years later. The 1980 Rally was held at Victor Harbour in S.A. at Easter and was very successful, there being over 50 Morris vehicles and Morris Register U.K. Historian, Harry Edwards was present. This encouraged those present to continue the developing tradition of biannual gatherings of Morris owners and Bundanoon, N.S.W. was chosen for 1982. Queensland members attended for the first time that year as did those from the A.C.T. Swelling the numbers of entrants to 63, followed by over 80 at Wangaratta, Victoria in 1984 and a similar number at Toowoomba in 1986. Easter has been retained as our National Rally date to enable interstate members to take advantage of the longer public holiday.
One of the most interesting aspects of these gatherings is to study the differences in the cars from other states. Many of the earlier Morris vehicles came to Australia in "knocked down form" and were completed by various body builders such as Holden, Ruskin and Hope among others. One can compare a dozen Cowleys of the same year and not find two exactly the same. The most enjoyable thing, however, is meeting again the friends made at previous Rallys. The comradeship between people of similar interests, some of who only meet every two years has to be experienced to be believed. Those who attended this year are looking forward to Renmark, S.A. in 1988.
A list of Members' names and the vehicles they own is supplied upon joining the club to enable people with similar models to contact each other for possible help in restoration. Also members are encouraged to take this list with them when touring as they will always be welcome for a cuppa and a chat if they wish to make contact along the way. We have found many times it makes a holiday even more enjoyable.
