HIS Royal Highness the Duke of Kent visited Oxford yesterday to attend a service in memory of Lord Nuffield on his birthday.

The service was held at the University Church of St Mary the Virgin in High Street to celebrate the life of William Morris, founder of Morris Motors.

Before the service the Duke also met and spoke to the owners of some well-preserved Morris cars in Radcliffe Square.

The service was inspired by two significant dates – 100 years since the first the Bullnose Morris rolled off the production line at Cowley and 50 years since he died in 1963.

The date of the service would also have been Lord Nuffield’s birthday and the date on which the original memorial service was held for him at University Church, Oxford in 1963.

Oxford Mayor Dee Sinclair said: “It was a wonderful service, celebrating what a wonderful person Lord Nuffield was.

“You think you know about an individual who is of such great importance to the city but the people who spoke about him told us even more.”

Speakers at the service included Andrew Dilnot, warden of Nuffield College, and George Ainsworth, master of St Catherine’s College.

Groups throughout Oxford have been celebrating the Morris centenary this year.