Heritage

A Dynamic Family Company

Our story begins back in 1869 when James Kent Morris opened a small grocery shop and candle factory at No. 7 Frankwell in Shrewsbury.

From these humble beginnings our Company has flourished through diversification, taking advantage of varied markets presenting healthy trading opportunities. Importantly we have not been afraid to capitalize on some of our business interests as they or their markets mature. This approach has enabled us to expand into new and emerging areas and has been at the core of our successful and continued evolution.

Over the years we have subsequently run many varied enterprises - from a chain of supermarkets to building Britain’s largest privately owned oil lubricants business. We have also been bakers, caterers, confectioners, café owners - even lingerie and shoe retailers along the way!

Five generations later we have five trading divisions: Commercial Property, Residential Development, Marketing, Care and Power Generation.

To find out a little more about our journey since 1869, please scroll through the images below:

Timeline

1869
James Kent Morris opens a grocery store and commercial property enterprise

1889
James Kent Morris establishes a Candle making factory.

1911
Morris Bakery is set up by James Kent Morris’s sons in Frankwell, Shrewsbury

1913
Morris’s Café opened on Pride Hill, Shrewsbury offering formal Dining facilities, including a Ladies Tea Room and Gentlemen’s Smoking Room

1922
Morris Head office building is completed at Welsh Bridge, Shrewsbury

1943
Grocery business expands with purchase of Richard Brittain Ltd.

1956
The Company now owns and manages 66 freehold properties across Shropshire

1968
Grocery business re-launched under Saverite brand

1969
Centenary of Morris Family Business

1988
The acquisition of Stanmore Hall in Bridgnorth heralds a new Leisure Division.

1989
Care Division founded with the opening of Radbrook Care Home in Shrewsbury

2000
Food Division sold to Mid Counties Co-Op

2002
Marketing Division is founded trading as Spirit Marketing Solutions

2004
Lubricants and Leisure Divisions sold to Patterson Enterprises

2005
Marketing Division acquires Seal Communications Ltd merging its Spirit brand into Seal

2006
Power Generation Division founded with the acquisition of Philip Lewis Ltd trading as Arc-Gen