Morris 8 Series 1 van.
Classics from either side of WW2 are in evidence in this photograph from the 1950s. The later machines are, in the foreground, a Morris Minor saloon, with a Ford 100E and an Austin 10cwt van (with A40 Countryman-style windows let into the rear side panels) parked nearby. While the Austin is itself a rare motor nowadays, much scarcer is the vehicle parked just behind the picnicing couple, namely the Morris 5cwt van, based on the Series 1 Morris 8 saloon.
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Photographs of the two- and four-door saloons turn up from time to time (several can be seen on this page for instance), but this is the first I've found of the 5cwt panel van version. Given that the 100E and A40 are both from the mid/late 1950s, the van must have been getting on for twenty years of age at the time, quite an achievement for a lightweight commercial vehicle that wouldn't normally survive for much more than 10-12 years before falling to pieces, given how hard such vehicles are usually worked. Although in places the two-tone paintwork is looking a little shabby, overall it looks like a tidy example. Sadly its registration is blocked by a hefty telegraph pole. While restored vans tend to end up with bright shiny paintjobs, I'm sure that in period more looked like this Morris, sporting a fairly dull, workmanlike appearance.
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While the cars and van are of interest to me, at the time the couple enjoying a cup of tea were the subject of the photograph. It's good to see people dressed up properly for a day trip out, and drinking from proper china cups and saucers, rather than throw-away polystyrene cups.
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The Morris 8 van continued in production until the end of 1939, when it was replaced by the Z van.
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Return to Page 18 in the photographic archive, or visit the main index here.
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