M.G. Club Anniversary

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32321, 12 June 1970, Page 15

M.G. Club Anniversary

The initials M.G.C.C. may mean very little to anyone outside the world of motoring, but to 7900 enthusiasts from London to Australia, the four letters are to be revered. The initials M.G. originally stood for Morris Gar-

ages, but that has long since been forgotten. For more than four decades the letters have meant just one thing—the M.G. sports car. The “C.C.” stands for Car Club. The 7000 motoring enthusiasts are all members of the M.G. Car Club and for them, 1970 is a landmark-

the club’s fortieth anniversary. The club began only seven years after the first M.G. had been produced. The first of the “breed” was in fact a Morris Cowley modified by the marque’s instigator, Cecil Kimber, for competition in trials and rallies. The car was an immediate success and with the approval of the late Lord Nuffield, then owner of Morris Garages, and assistance from friends, several “M” type M.G.s were produced until the concern came under the wing of Morris Motors towards the end of the 19205. The introduction of a new model—the first Midget—in 1929 coincided with moving production from Oxford to Abingdon, Berkshire, where the marque has remained ever since. The little Midget, using components borrowed from the mass-pro-duced Morris Minor, was more responsible than any other single factor in establishing models bearing the octagonal M.G. badge as some of the world’s most popular sports cars. It was a small group of young enthusiasts, all owning “M”-type M.G.s, who banded together in 1930 at Stevenage, England, to form the club. Their aim was to “promote the sport and pastime of motoring in all its branches and in particular to further the interests of owners and drivers of M.G. cars.”

With only a brief break in its activities during the Second World War, the club has grown considerably. Today there are eight club centres in Britain and overseas centres in the United States, Australia. New Zealand, Africa, and many European countries.

The club was one of the first devoted to one make of car, and today it is one of the largest one-make clubs.