AUSTIN AND MORRIS AT WORK

Almost three years since the office of Herbert Austin was painstakingly packaged up from inside the Longbridge plant, the British Motor Museum opened a new exhibit – the offices of Herbert Austin and William Morris side by side – on Thursday 7th March. Austin’s office, taken from the Longbridge plant and carefully reconstructed within the museum, shows visitors the office as it was when Austin was running the show, with all his fixtures and fittings. It is displayed alongside Morris’s office, a long-term exhibit of the museum relocated from Cowley in 1994, but now repositioned and refreshed. Together these offices tell the story of these two famous contemporaries and extremely influential characters in Britain’s motor industry.

This exciting project was finally completed due to the significant support of The Patrick Foundation, which funded the reconstruction of this historic office. Julian Pritchard of

The Patrick Foundation said: 'The trustees of the Patrick Foundation are delighted to have been able to support this fantastic project within the British Motor Museum.

To see the differing styles of these icons of the British motor industry, brought to life, is both fascinating and thrilling.'

Both offices will become great additions to the extensive range of artefacts held in the collections from the histories of

Longbridge and Cowley. Visitors will also be able to see the onemillionth car produced by Austin from 1946 along with some of Austin's personal possessions and papers. Also on display will be the first bicycle made by Morris, and a range of other keepsakes that have been cared for in the museum.