麻豆社

William Morris and his fledgling car making business at Cowley in Oxford was about to launch a new model in 1914. The outbreak of war nearly proved disastrous for him. His cars were too small to be of use for military purposes, many of his workforce enlisted to serve at the front and few people were buying cars.

Morris had established an innovative way of working - buying in parts and simply assembling vehicles on his production lines. But this meant he had little manufacturing capability and adapting to making munitions - as many of his rivals did - wasn't straightforward.

In 1915, he got his first commission to make hand grenades, and shortly after another to make shell casings.

But his big break came in 1916 with a contract for a new type of mechanised mine sinker which allowed mines to be laid at the correct depth - just below the surface of the water.

Early production by the Navy was producing just 20 a week. Morris promised 250, which grew to 2,000 a week by the end of the war.

Location: Morris House, Hollow Way, Cowley, Oxford OX4 2NE
Image of the Morris Oxford Cars factory courtesy of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust
Interviews with Martin Adeney and Peter Seymour
Reporting for the 麻豆社: Jane Markham, Podcats Productions

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