H.R.Morris 1968, with beautifully carved lugwork

H.R. ‘Dick’ Morris’s shop in Orford Road, Walthamstow, East London, was the bicycle shop that I went to regularly when I was in my teens, back in the 1970’s. I always wanted one of his frames, but couldn’t afford it at the time. Memories of Dick Morris are very pleasant for me…. He always had time to offer advice, imparting his extensive knowledge in the high pitched sqeaky voice that I didn’t know until much later was a result of treatment for throat cancer when he was a younger man. The shop was a bit spartan, but in the cramped workshop out the back he produced some of the finest English lightweight frames ever made. His lug cutting was without equal, in my opinion, so finely done, particularly bearing in mind that he was a big man and had hands like bunches of bananas! See an excellent article about Morris here on our friends at classiclightweights.co.uk website.

This frame, number H478, was ordered on the 2nd November 1968, with 72 degree head tube, 71 degree seat tube, and Campag ends. ‘Fancy lugs’ were specified, and that’s what the owner got! As with almost all of his frames, it’s in Reynolds 531 tubing.

Most of the frames that Dick made were quite workmanlike, using spearpoint or Nervex lugs. They were, however, always beautifully filed and very cleanly finished. From time to time he produced very fancy lugwork to order, but the really special ones with his initials in the head lugs probably amount to less than ten frames. This frame is one of those special ones. It has his initials ‘HRM’ carved in the head lugs, and all the other lugs are beautifully and meticulously cut using saw and file, including to the bottom bracket.

When I bought the frame it had some extra braze-ons added later, and was fitted with a 7 speed modern groupset. It was not in original enamel. I sent it to Mercian, who removed the non-original braze-ons and re-enamelled the frame in my choice of colours. They carried out the work to a very high standard, with excellent lug lining. They did the work in exactly the time and budget quoted, and they clearly take pride in their work.

I decided to build it up with very nice parts, not necessarily exactly from the late 60’s, but that I thought Dick might have approved of. He liked French components, so the chainset is Stronglight with drillium rings. The drivetrain is completed with a Campagnolo Rally rear derailleur and Campag front changer. Hubs are Campagnolo laced to Mavic rims, fitted with Grand Bois 28c tyres. Bars are beautifully engraved GB randonneur, with mafac drillium levers, and Mafac ‘Racer’ brakes. I may change the centre-pulls to side-pulls since they get in the way of the beautifully detailed head lugs. The saddle is a modern Brooks Pro, whilst I wait for a more suitable period saddle to turn up. Bar-tape is shellacked over brown tape, to match the saddle.

You can see another spectacular Morris frame, on which I did a conservation job for the owner, here.

So, finally, I have one of Dick Morris’s very special frames and I am delighted with it!