Nuffield Press

File:Morris_Owner_Front_Cover_1927.jpg

William Morris had established his Morris Motors automobile company, and had already expanded into a group of marques by encouraging Cecil Kimber to market modified Morris cars under the MG brand. At the likely suggestion of Miles Thomas,{{cite web|publisher=The National Archives|url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/11d78ef0-235e-4578-9db1-394722c97c4b|title=The papers and files of Sir Miles Thomas (Vice Chairman of Morris Motors 1942-1947)}} who was in charge of sales and purchasing for Morris Motors, Morris decided to launch a magazine for owners and dealers.{{cite book|last=Smith|first=John R|title=Printing in Oxford – The evolution of the Nuffield Press: The other William Morris printing for the other Oxford|year=1990|publisher=Old Forge Press}}

During the post–World War I recession, Morris had acquired a number of distressed suppliers, in an example of vertical integration, and with this history, Morris was unable to find a supplier on suitable terms, due to the fear of becoming a tied supplier. Morris proceeded to produce the first edition of Morris Owner magazine in 1924 with an external supplier, but he could not get them to commit to becoming a regular supplier. The Morris Owner used a typeface very similar to the already popular Motor magazine, which Thomas had worked on previously to be being employed by Morris.

Morris owned large factory sites at the former Oxford Military College in Cowley, Oxford. The former college buildings where the press was located are listed buildings,{{cite web|work=Historic England|title=The Nuffield Press, East Wing and attached former school house|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1047081}} and are to the West of the old Morris 'North Works'. Whilst the North and South Works are now both redeveloped, the old 'Body Plant' to the East is still used for car production, now operating as Plant Oxford producing the Mini for BMW.

In 1925, the majority of Morris car production had moved from the original factory in the old college buildings to the new custom built "big tin shed" factories built on the old parade ground. As a result, in August 1925, the Morris Oxford Press was started in the buildings recently vacated by the manufacturing operation.{{cite web|work=AROnline|title=Morris Motors: the full story|url=https://www.aronline.co.uk/cars/morris/page/2/}}{{cite book|last=Bardsley|first=Gillian|year=1999|title=Making cars at Cowley: from Morris to Rover|url=https://archive.org/details/makingcarsatcowl0000bard/page/72/mode/2up?q=nuffield+press|isbn=9780750920971|publisher=Stroud: Stratton|series=British Motor Industry Heritage Trust}} 100,000 shares were issued in the press, predominantly to the Morris Motor Company, with William Morris retaining share number 1.

Miles Thomas headed the operation from its inception. The press had initial work in printing the wide range of forms and dockets required by the factory itself. Its first run of promotional materials was a 17,000 run of two-colour postcards featuring the 12-model range of the company. The success of Thomas in running the press operation led to promotion by 1929, and promotions continued until he became Vice-Chairman of Morris Motors from 1942 to 1947.

The press expanded rapidly with 50 staff by the 1930s, along with equipment including a Miehle Vertical and a Monotype installation.

The Morris Owner magazine was a cornerstone of production, reaching a monthly print run of 20,000 copies, and this was supplemented by handbooks, repair manuals, stationery, labels, and factory paperwork.

In September 1942, the press was renamed the Nuffield Press, following the elevation of William Morris to Viscount Nuffield in 1938.{{cite web|work=Abingdon Blog|title=A company with a long history|date=29 June 2011 |url=https://abingdonblog.co.uk/?p=3948}}

During World War II, the Morris factory was largely turned to war work, and the press likewise followed suit, becoming a war security zone, and producing documentation to help coordinate this new, important task.{{cite book | last=Newbigging | first=Carole | author2=Trevor Williams | date=1995 | url=https://archive.org/details/changingfacesofc0000newb/page/77/ | title=The changing faces of Cowley – Book two | publisher=Witney | page=77 | isbn=9781899536047}}

By the 1950s, over 170 staff were on the payroll of the Nuffield Press, and further investment was made in capital equipment including a UK-first M.A.N. photolithography machine.

The press continued as the Nuffield Organization was merged into the British Motor Corporation (BMC), then effectively becoming part of British Leyland in 1968. At its peak in the 1950s the Nuffield Press used more than {{convert|1000|tonne|lb}} of paper a year producing sales literature, owners manuals, technical manuals, magazines, diaries and posters.{{cite news|work=Oxford Mail|title=Cowley publicity team kept cars in the spotlight|date=2010-05-10|url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/8154072.cowley-publicity-team-kept-cars-spotlight/}} The size of the portfolio meant that the production run for a single British International Motor Show involved over half a million machine runs.

It produced technical publications for BMC, and later the wider remit of British Leyland's entire product range.{{cite book | last=Pender | first=Karen | date=1995 | url=https://archive.org/details/secretlifeofmorr0000pend/page/90/ | title=The secret life of the Morris Minor | publisher=Godmanstone | pages=90–91 | isbn=9781874105558}} It later continued to produce materials for successor companies Austin Rover Group and Rover Group, as well as for external clients.{{cite book | editor1-first=Teresa | editor1-last=Hayter | editor2=David Harvey | date=1993 | url=https://archive.org/details/factorycitystory0000unse/page/4/ | title=The Factory and the city: The story of the Cowley automobile workers in Oxford | publisher=Mansell Publishing | page=4 | isbn=9780720121391}}

The press was arranged as a subsidiary of Leyland Special Products, later SP Industries,{{cite news|work=Birmingham Mail|title=Print Sales Representative|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002139/19780725/018/0018A|date=1978-07-25}}{{cite news|work=Financial Times|title=Nuffield Press freezes output|date=1978-09-29}} headquartered in Grantham, Lincolnshire,{{cite news|work=Birmingham Daily Post|title=Leyland's top men|date=1975-10-28|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002135/19751028/471/0018}} and later at Melton, Leicestershire,{{cite news|work=Grantham Journal|date=1976-10-08|title=Leyland explain economics of move to "Lodge"|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000400/19761008/372/0027}} within the British Leyland group.

During the 1960s, the Special Products division acquired the Lyne and Sons printers in Grantham,{{cite web|work=AROnline|title=Major BLMC factories in the UK|date=7 May 2018 |url=https://www.aronline.co.uk/facts-and-figures/blmc-factories-in-1968/}} which was later merged into the Nuffield Press. In 1976, the combined press, including the Lynes subsidiary, embarked on a £250k capital investment programme.

By 1977, the press employed 300 people at the Cowley site,{{cite book|first1=Eleanor|last1=Chance|first2=Christina|last2=Colvin|first3=Janet|last3=Cooper|first4=CJ|last4=Day|first5=TG|last5=Hassall|first6=Mary|last6=Jessup|first7=Nesta|last7=Selwyn|title=A history of the County of Oxford: Volume 4, the City of Oxford|work=Victoria County History|date=1979|url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/oxon/vol4/pp181-259}} had sales in excess of £3m,{{cite news|work=Grantham Journal|title=It's their biggest-ever investment|date=1976-04-30|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000400/19760430/031/0002}} and was producing a wide range of products including full-colour printing of items like calendars.{{cite news|work=Coventry Evening Telegraph|title=BL country scene calendars a sell-out|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000769/19781211/030/0004|date=1978-12-11}}

In 1978, the press was moved from SP Industries to B L International.{{cite news|work=Birmingham Daily Post|title=Top BL post for able Abell|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002135/19781205/107/0007|date=1978-12-05}}

The Lyne Printers division in Grantham was divested to Suter plc,{{cite news|title=Troubled Printers Forced To Close|last=Crossley|first=David|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000400/19900525/019/0003|date=1990-05-25}} owned by David Abell,{{cite news|work=The Independent|title=Suter agrees to £27m Ascot bid|date=1996-07-24|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/suter-agrees-to-pounds-270m-ascot-bid-1330373.html}} former Managing Director of SP Industries and later of BL Commercial Vehicles. After a further sale, Lyne closed in 1990.

By the 1980s, the press became unprofitable, and was losing money for British Leyland, and in September 1986,{{cite news|work=Sandwell Evening Mail|title=Group goes under the hammer in years to privatisation|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002487/19880721/054/0007|date=1988-07-21}} despite being back at break-even, the Nuffield Press was sold by BL to press magnate Robert Maxwell.{{cite news|work=Financial Times|title=BL to sell Nuffield Press subsidiary to Maxwell|date=1986-06-14|url=https://archive.org/details/FinancialTimes1986UKEnglish/Jun%2014%201986%2C%20Financial%20Times%2C%20%2329954%2C%20UK%20%28en%29/mode/2up?q=nuffield+press}} Initially sold to his Pergamon Holdings company, which already owned the Pergamon Press based on the other side of Oxford in at Headington Hill Hall. It later formed part of his Headington Holdings company under the Robert Maxwell Group.{{cite book|title=Corporate Collapse: Accounting, regulatory and ethical failure|first1=Frank|last1=Clarke|first2=Graeme|last2=Dean|first3=Kenneth G|last3=Oliver|first4=Kyle|last4=Oliver|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EGwWmEjL6hoC&dq=%22nuffield+press%22+filings&pg=PA276|date=2003|page=276|publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=9780521534260 }} Under Maxwell, the company specialised in colour promotional and technical publications. At the time of the sale to Maxwell, there were 170 employees at the press.

The firm's employees were affected by the loss of pension funds by theft, which emerged in 1992 after Maxwell's death,{{cite news|work=Oxford Mail|title=Maxwell pension cut fear|url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/6583016.maxwell-pension-cut-fear/|date=2002-12-14}} with two-thirds of their pension fund missing.{{cite web|work=Two Hundred Percent|title=As bad as things got: Oxford United & the Maxwells|date=2020-07-24|url=https://twohundredpercent.net/bad-things-oxford-united-maxwells/}}

Following the collapse of the Maxwell Group in early 1992, there was major restructuring with a sale to Reed Elsevier, who formed a new company (initially as Coleslaw 210 Ltd, before renaming as Nuffield Press Limited).{{cite web|publisher=Companies House|title=Filing: Company name change|url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02692772/filing-history/NzQyNzU4NjJhZGlxemtjeA/document?format=pdf&download=0}} A number of employees were made redundant without payment.{{cite news|work=Oxford Mail|title=Maxwell victim loses final fight|date=1999-10-12|url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/6635160.maxwell-victim-loses-final-fight/}}

In 1994, then owner British Aerospace sold the Rover Group to BMW and, after 69 years, the press left the now BMW-owned Cowley site, and relocated to Nuffield Way, Abingdon.{{cite news|work=Oxford Mail|title=Printing couple retire after 80 years service|date=2009-02-15|url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/4125775.printing-couple-retire-80-years-service/}} In 2000, the firm was subject to a management buyout for £850k, funded by HSBC Ventures.{{cite news|work=Oxford Mail|title=Bosses buy printing firm|date=2000-10-31|url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/6626936.bosses-buy-printing-firm/}} The Nuffield Press Limited was placed into administration on 27 June 2011,{{cite web|publisher=Companies House|title=Notice of administrator's appointment|date=2011-06-27|url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02692772/filing-history/MzAzOTgzNzE3N2FkaXF6a2N4/document?format=pdf&download=0}} with the loss of 53 jobs (and 14 kept on pending any potential buyer).{{Cite news|work=Oxford Mail|title=Nuffield Press calls in administrators|url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/business/news/9110033.nuffield-press-calls-administrators/|date=2011-06-28}} It was reported that the company had been in talks with Maurice Payne Colourprint, another struggling printer, but with no deal concluded, both went into administration in the same month.{{cite news|work=Print Week|title=Maurice Payne Colourprint (MPC) expected to go into administration today|date=2011-06-28|last=Sheahan|first=Tim|url=https://www.printweek.com/event/article/maurice-payne-colourprint-mpc-expected-to-go-into-adminstration-today}} At the time the company went into receivership it employed approximately 67 people and had a turnover of £6.7 million according to PrintWeek magazine.{{cite news|work=Print Week|title=Nuffield Press files for administration|url=https://www.printweek.com/news/article/nuffield-press-files-for-administration|date=2011-06-28}}

The following publications were produced by the press:

• Morris Owner (later the Morris Owner and Nuffield Mail) for Morris Motors from 1925{{cite web|work=Old Classic Car|title=Morris Owner, April 1938 car magazine|url=https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/morrisowner.htm}}{{cite web|work=Old Classic Car|title=The Morris Owner and Nuffield Mail|url=https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/morris-magazine.htm}}
• Worldwide for the Austin Motor Company aimed at dealers{{cite web|work=Old Classic Car|title=News Exchange Magazine|url=https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/newsexchange-magazine.htm}}{{cite web|work=Old Classic Car|title=Worldwide - BMC's in-house dealer magazine|url=https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/worldwide-magazine.htm}}
• Outlook magazine, replacing the Morris Owner as more marques were added to the company.
• Transport Efficiency for commercial vehicle operators, from 1957{{cite book|publisher=WorldCat|title=Transport efficiency|oclc=637505326 |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/637505326}}
• News Exchange for the Nuffield Organization in the 1960s
• Motoring for the British Motor Corporation in the 1960s{{cite web|work=Old Classic Car|title=Motoring|url=https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/motoring.htm}} and replacing Outlook.
• Austin for BMC/Austin in the 1960s{{cite web|work=Old Classic Car|title=Austin magazine from the 1960s|url=https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/austin-magazine.htm}}
• Rover for Rover Company in the 1960s{{cite web|work=Old Classic Car|title=Rover & Land Rover cars magazine|url=https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/rover-magazine.htm}}
• Sidelights for the BMC Driver's Club{{cite web|work=Old Classic Car|title=Sidelights (BMC Drivers' Club Magazine)|url=https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/bmc-drivers-club.htm}}

The novel First impressions by Charmian Coates is set in the Nuffield Press at Cowley during the 1950s.{{cite news|work=Oxford Mail|title=Local Author|url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/1340403.local-author/|date=2007-04-19}}

{{reflist}}

• {{webarchive |title=Official website |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128062856/http://www.nuffield.co.uk/ |date=28 January 2010}}

Category:Printing companies of the United Kingdom

Category:Organisations founded by Viscount Nuffield

Category:Manufacturing companies of England

Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1925

Category:1925 establishments in England

Category:British companies established in 1925

Category:British Leyland

Category:House organs

Category:Companies that have entered administration in the United Kingdom