This is a British Army officer's peaked cap from the 1930s. Officers at the rank of Colonel and above wore colored caps, like this dark-blue and red version, while lower ranks wore drab colored caps. The front of the cap features the badge of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. This badge consists of an old-fashioned, muzzle-loading cannon surmounted by a crown. A scroll above the cannon reads "Ubique"(Everywhere) while one underneath reads "Quo Fas Et Gloria Ducunt" (Whither Right and Glory Lead).¹ The crowned cannon is also embossed on the chinstrap buttons. The clothing makers Hawkes & Co. Ltd. (now Gieves & Hawkes) in London made the cap for Lord Nuffield, indicated by a name tag beneath the leather sweatband. The hat appears to be in new condition, with little to no wear. The term "peaked cap" originates from the peaked shape at the crest of the visor.

 

William Richard Morris, Lord Nuffield

William Morris was born in Worcester, England, on October 10, 1877. His father was Frederick Morris, a clerk in Oxford, and his mother was Emily Ann Petter, the daughter of a farmer. When William was three years old, his family moved to the city of Oxford, where William attended school until the age of fifteen. William opened his own bicycle repair shop in 1893, working out of a shed at his family’s home. Later, he started repairing motorcycles and, eventually, cars. In 1904, Morris married Elizabeth Anstey.² Morris' automobile manufacturing career began in 1912 when he designed his first car, the Oxford, although it is perhaps better known by its nickname, the Bull-nosed Morris. Production of Morris cars moved to an unused military training facility in Hollow Way, Cowley. With the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, production at the Morris plant focused on munitions items for the British military.³

After the war Morris returned to manufacturing automobiles and by 1925 was producing 56,000 cars a year. In 1933, Morris bought the home Nuffield Place, where he lived for the rest of his life. A year later Morris was made a Baron. Morris endowed Nuffield College, Oxford, in 1937 and set up a Professorship of Anesthesia.⁴ Also in 1937, King George VI made Morris an Honorary Colonel in the British Territorial Army and assigned him to the 52nd (London) Anti-Aircraft Brigade. The brigade belonged to the Royal Regiment of Artillery. As an Honorary Colonel, Morris received the full authority and all privileges of the rank.⁵

In 1938, Morris became a Viscount and took the title Lord Nuffield in reference to his home in Oxfordshire. That same year the local police foiled a planned kidnapping of Lord Nuffield by Patrick Boyle Tuellman.⁶ During the late 1930s and through World War II, Morris involved himself with the British Royal Air Force aircraft production. He laid plans to build an aircraft factory at Castle Bromwich, near Birmingham, to manufacture Supermarine Spitfire fighters. The RAF contracted Morris to build 1,000 airplanes before his plant was even built.⁷

Since Morris and his wife had no children, he donated much of his profits to charitable organizations, including hospitals, schools, and the military. He started the Nuffield Foundation in 1943 with a gift of ten million pounds. The Foundation is ongoing and supports projects to advance education or social welfare. Morris eventually donated over thirty million pounds in the course of his life.⁸ William Morris, Lord Nuffield, died in 1963 and was laid to rest at the Holy Trinity Church, Nuffield, Oxfordshire, England. Upon his death the remainder of his estate, more than three million pounds in value, became property of Nuffield College. Nuffield Place became a visitor attraction maintained and operated by the college.⁹

Country: United Kingdom	War Period: Interwar Period
Garment Type: Visor Hat	Year Made:
Manufacturer: Hawkes & Co. Ltd., London
Identification: BRV-07-0408