Herbert Austin’s office recreated in new display
ALMOST three years since the office of Herbert Austin was painstakingly packaged up from inside the Longbridge plant, the British Motor Museum, at Gaydon in Warwickshire, has launched a new exhibition of the offices of Herbert Austin & William Morris side by side.
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.
Known by the workforce as ‘The Old Man’s Office’ it was the place where many of Austin’s important decisions were made.
Austin’s office is displayed alongside Morris’s Office, a long-term exhibit of the Museum relocated from Cowley in 1994, now repositioned and refreshed. The exhibition tells the story of the two influential characters in Britain’s motor industry, and the impact that both men had.
The 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: “To see the differing styles of these icons of the British motor industry, brought to life, is both fascinating and thrilling.”
Cat Boxall, Curator, at the
British Motor Museum, said: “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 enjoy seeing the one-millionth car produced by Austin from 1946 along with some of Austin’s personal possessions and papers.