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Our History
Our story goes back to 1925, when the grandfather of our current chairman, also called George Morris, opened a joinery and manufacturing workshop in Glasgow with his friend, John Spottiswood. George was a veteran of Gallipoli and The Somme.
We have a 1925 letter from George to his brother Alex in America:
"I was telling John Spottiswood one night when he was up at the house that I was thinking of starting for myself.... well he asked if I wouldn't take a partner and after thinking it over I thought I couldn't do better.
Then we started looking for a place and we stuck it well, I walked myself off my feet at the weekends. I saw a place advertised in the Herald last Monday ....it has all been fixed up and we are now on the road to win or as we think to a fortune maybe.
I gave up a good pay £5-10/ - and bonus, but Alex, I think I can make more on my own, we have been promised quite a lot of work and I hope it comes along, at any rate we have enough for this summer and a bit to spare".
(Download a pdf of the full text above right)
The early Morris & Spottiswood workshop serviced Glasgow's strong industrial base at the time. When the second generation of the Morris family were leading the business in the 60's, the shopfitting and construction divisions were built up and professional managers put in position.
The business is now being led by the third generation of the Morris family and has a UK-wide reputation in fitout, housing and maintenance, a turnover of over £84m and around 450 employees in offices in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Warrington. The culture of the company has always remained strongly people-centred
Have a look at some facts from 1925 - this is the world facing the young George Morris when he took a huge leap of faith and started out in business:
Technology & Inventions
John Logie Baird creates Britain's first television transmitter
Scotch Tape is invented by 3M
World unrest
Adolf Hitler publishes his personal manifesto ‘Mein Kampf'
Mussolini announces he is taking dictatorial powers over Italy
UK facts
London's first enclosed double decker buses are introduced
Stanley Baldwin is UK prime minister
Blackpool illuminations light up for the first time
Art, film, music & literature
Art Deco style launched in Paris
‘The Gold Rush' film with Charlie Chaplin is released
Ben Hur (an early silent version) is showing at the cinema
Louis Armstrong makes his first records under his own name
‘Show me the way to go home' is a popular song
The New Yorker Magazine publishes its first issue
F.Scott Fitzgerald publishes ‘The Great Gatsby'
Design
Le Creuset cookware is introduced
Fendi starts as a small workshop in Rome making leather handbags
Sport
Edinburgh's Murrayfield officially opens
Scotland's rugby team wins its first ever Grand Slam at the new stadium
Golf - The British Open was held at Prestwick and won by Englishman Jim Barnes. His prize money was £75
In the1924-25 Division 1 season, Rangers win followed by Airdrieonians and Hibernian.
Celtic win season 25-26 followed by Airdrieonians and Heart of Midlothian.
Huddersfield Town win the first division both 24-25 and 25-26.
Random facts
The world's first motel (motor hotel) opens in California
Al Capone takes over as boss of Chicago bootlegging
Shalimar perfume by Guerlain is launched and causes a sensation
The Chrysler Corporation is created
BORN IN 1925
Paul Newman Jack Lemmon Richard Burton
Sammy Davis Jr Dick Van Dyke Bill Haley
Johnny Carson Peter Sellers Alan Whicker
Honor Blackman Laura Ashley Margaret Thatcher
Ernie Wise Malcolm X Pol Pot
Norris & Ross McWhirter
