JUST one month after Lady Denman announced the name of our nation's capital, half a world away in Oxford, England, the first Morris car rolled off the production line.
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Enthusiasts gathered in front of the Treasury Building on Saturday to celebrate the joint 100th birthday of Canberra and the British cars, with a rally of more than 170 vehicles.
Julie Prodger, of Lismore, her husband Terry and some friends drove three of their Morris cars to Canberra for the event, the first time they had taken their white, 1915 Morris Oxford out anywhere after picking it up at a rally 26 years ago and keeping it in a shed.
Mr Prodger, a fitter and machinist by trade who owns a smash repair shop, said he had spent the past 18 months getting the car back in working order, using patience and imagination.
''I like a lot of the fittings, there's a lot of glasswork and German silver … quirky would be the word, they're petite little things,'' he said.
Mrs Prodger said a shared love of Morris cars drew people together at the rally and good weather had helped make the day a success.
''They just get into your system somehow, they're sweet and they've got character and charm, they're beautiful little cars,'' she said. LARISSA NICHOLSON