the morris minor - ‘Alfie’s van’
Alice the Palace Postwoman series wouldn’t be the same without the exceptionally ‘Loyal Mail’ postal service denoted through the book series. Most notably the aquamarine Morris Minor parcel delivery van that Alfie and Pecan the Post Squirrel use to tootle around the town of Woodstock and the Palace grounds.
Find out more about this truly British heritage vehicle and what makes it so quintessentially loyal.
a history - william morris
Morris Motors' was founded by William Morris and is known to be one of the pivotal figures in the evolution of the British car industry. Born in Worcester in 1877, his remarkable journey began at the age of just fifteen, beginning as an apprentice in a local bicycle repair shop and repairing bicycles in his parents shed. This initial peek into the world of mechanics of transportation spurred a passion in Morris that would shape his life journey.
By 1902 he had established his own bicycle manufacturing business, 'Morris Bicycles' and had identified and filled a significant market opportunity.
Pictured left: Morris Pedal Bicycle 1893
In 1912, Morris stepped up his mechanical interests and ventured into the growing world of car manufacturing and set up 'WRM Motors Limited'. His vision was to produce cars that were affordable and reliable and allow a broader population to acquire a vehicle. Morris’s approach to manufacturing was influenced by the assembly line techniques pioneered by Henry Ford which had revolutionised the British car industry.
Morris Motor cars continued to grow and in 1913, a factory was opened in Cowley, Oxford after a London car dealer placed an order for 400 ‘Morris Oxford’ cars. Several variations were produced over the following years, including the ‘Morris Ten’ and the ‘Morris Big Six’ range. However, it was the ‘Morris Minor’ in 1948 became the true legacy vehicle, not just in the history of Morris motors but in the history of the British car industry.
Pictured right: Morris Ten lined up outside Cowley
In 1953, the Morris Quarter Ton Van & Pick-up range arrived. The ‘Closed’ Van Minor, otherwise known as the Morris 6cwt/8cwt and Austin 6cwt/8cwt, which remained in Production until 1973.
The Quarter Ton Vans were designed for commercial use and were popular with both small businesses and by larger corporations to include the General Post Office.
Pictured left: Morris Van 1971
The earlier versions were made with rubber front wings to cope with challenging and busy situations in which they were expected to work. The commercial versions of the Morris Quarter Ton Van were customised from 1956. The van was given a different monocoque to the Saloon and Traveller variants by having; a separate chassis, telescopic rear dampers, stiffer rear leaf springs, and lower-ratio differentials to cope with heavier loads.
Out of the 326,609 Minor Vans and Pick-ups produced over almost 20 years, a total of nearly 53,000 went to the Post Office as part of their fleet.
Morris Motors, merged with a number of other famous car companies during its time to expand and improve its manufacturing processes. In 1926, Morris acquired Wolseley Motors, a well-respected manufacturer known for its luxury cars. In 1938, Morris merged with Riley Motor Company which we renowned for high-quality sports cars. The newly acquired companies, came under an umbrella known as the Nuffield Organisation, and in 1952 merged with long-time rival the Austin Motor Company to form the British Motor Corporation (BMC).
William Morris died in August 1963, aged 85 but the legacy of his vehicles continued. BMC went on to provide both Austin and Morris commercial vehicle ranges, Austin-badged variants of the Minor van and pick-up were sold following the end of Austin A35 production in 1968. These featured an Austin badge and 'crinkle-cut' radiator grille but were otherwise identical to the standard Minor commercials. These vehicles were sold as the Austin 6cwt and Austin 8cwt - just like Alfie’s aquamarine ‘Loyal Mail’ Postal Van.