William Morris started repairing and building bicycles at Oxford in the early 1890's. He subsequently produced motor cycles for a limited period but entered the motor car field in 1910. This start was in two directions; one, the manufacture of vehicles, namely Morris Motors, the other, a retail and service operation called The Morris garage. 1913 saw the name change to The Morris Garages, reflecting the acquisition of further Oxford premises. In 1921 Cecil Kimber joined The Morris Garages as their sales manager, he was to become general manager just one year later. Kimber set about fitting coach built tourer bodies to the Morris Cowley chassis, the resultant cars being known as the Morris Garages Chummys.

The first pure MG designs appeared in 1928. These were the luxury 18/80 and the diminutive sports M Type, the first of the long line of MG Midgets for which the marque is famous. The midget proved to be such a success that a larger factory site had to be found the following year to satisfy the current and future demands of this newly tapped small sports car market.

The MG Car Company moved to the Marcham Road site in Abingdon, purchased from the Pavlova Leather Company in 1929. Here a succession of small four and six cylinder o.h.c. engined cars were to be designed, developed and built. Cecil Kimber pursued an active policy of supporting racing and record breaking which was to be cut short in 1935 when the Nuffield Group took over the MG Car Company. A revised model policy saw the introduction of the T series Midget and the S, V & W touring cars. The start of the war in 1939 saw the MG factory on armament work producing aircraft sub-assemblies, guns and light tanks. Cecil Kimber was to leave the company during this period. John Thornley became the Managing Director during the post-war period having worked for the company through the 1930's.

The T Type Midget, introduced in 1936 and produced in increasing numbers in the forties and fifties, gradually found valuable export markets. The streamlined bodied MGA was introduced in1955, 94% of the production of 101,000 cars for the next seven years was to go for export. During 1961 the Midget was introduced and had a production run of some 250,000 over the next 18 years. From 1962 the MGB was also to prove to be very popular overseas with over 77% of its eighteen year production of approximately 500,000 cars going abroad.

BMC, then BL Competition Department and BL Special Tuning operated from Abingdon, covering all Marques in this groups. International success was principally gained in rallies, witness the Minis and big Healeys. However, MGs also acquitted themselves with honour in a broader field of competition.

The end came in 1980. BL Management accountants considered that this small assembly plant was not viable and interested purchasers, the clubs, the public and the motoring press could not stay the axe. So ended 51 years of MG association with this market town of Abingdon on Thames. However, interest in MG, the affordable British Sports Car, and its associated heritage continues unabated. Be assured that the MG Car Club will play a leading role in supporting this enthusiasm in years to come.