Paul Thompson <paul@btcase.bt.co.uk>
> > Second question: on the Boerne, Texas All British Car Day T-Shirt there's
> > a logo on it that doesn't remind me of anything british. It's a bull on
> > a shield walking on some wavy lines. If I were in a foreign country I
> > might expect that this sign would mean "caution, cows around when the
> > water is high" Anyway, does anyone know if this is a britcar logo?
> >
> > jim
>
> This logo sounds like the Oxford City shield, an Ox walking through water.
> The Morris car company, based in Oxford, used the shield as their logo. As
> seen on the Morris Oxford, Morris Minor, Morris Traveller etc... I'm not
> sure if these cars ever made their way to the states.
You know, you're right Paul! Good job! I just checked (my Historical Map
of England and Wales showing a great number of town crests is on the wall
of my cubicle, right next to me). The crest of Oxford is a red ox walking
on four wavy blue lines (signifies water) all on a white background.
"Ox"-"ford".
I also just checked my The Complete Catalogue of British Cars which has
a black-and-white print of every car badge. The badge shows a bull-like
creature with short horns (the map's creature looks like an ox with longer
horns) walking on three wavy lines (the map had four). The badge has a
border that I can only describe as "horse-shoe shaped" (bull-shoe shaped?)
with the word "Morris" on a plate at the bottom of the badge.
According to the catalogue, "The early cars were very quickly named 'Bullnose'
for obvious reasons". Hmmm... now this also makes me wonder. The early
Morris cars were called Morris Oxfords and Morris Cowleys. I always thought
Cowley was a town (I can't find it on my Roadmap of Britain) and I know
there was a Cowley factory. But perhaps "cowley" is a play on the word
"oxford"? "Cow"-"ley". Ley; isn't that a meadow or pasture?
Anyway, what I do know is that, yes indeed, Morris cars did make it to
the United States. I still see the odd Morris Minor and Traveller. You'll
always see them at British Car shows. In fact I saw a Minor on the television
only last night!
There is also the Morris Minor Registry:
Morris Minor Registry
c/o Tony Burgess
6147 Cheryl Drive
Concord
Ohio 44077-2416
(Address from British Marque Car Club News.)
Cheers!
Garry Archer Esq. archer@hsi.com
3M Health Information Systems, Wallingford, Connecticut, U.S.A.
"An Englishman never enjoys himself, except for a noble purpose." - A.P.Herbert
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