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Issue Date: 17th May 2007

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The Morgan Crucible Company plc buys a year of the capital’s history in Museum of London’s sale of the centuries

Morgan Technical Ceramics' parent company, Morgan Crucible Company plc (“Morgan”), has bought a year of London’s history to celebrate the year the company was founded. The Company has made their purchase in an imaginative scheme set up by the Museum of London to raise funds for its £18 million redevelopment.

For £5,000, businesses can name a year of London’s history to celebrate their foundation, flotation or financial successes. Their contributions will be acknowledged by plaques on a Timeline in the new galleries. Over 300 years of the capital's history, from 1666, the year of the Great Fire, to 2012, the year of the Olympic games, are up for grabs and on sale now.

Morgan has bought 1856, the year the five Morgan brothers, 'Druggist, Sundriesman and Hardware Merchants, Importers and Exporters, of Jewin Crescent in the City of London' set up a factory in Battersea to manufacture crucibles. William Vaughan Morgan, the most go-ahead brother, had seen a superior American crucible on show at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and subsequently negotiated manufacturing rights. One hundred and fifty years later, the company can look back on their part in memorable historical events like Blondin's tightrope walk of 1869, when one end of his rope was tethered to their Battersea site; the Russian Revolution when the business was nationalised and the managers imprisoned; and World War II when the factory was a target for enemy bombers and, on one occasion, was only saved when two employees kicked an unexploded incendiary out of a pile of waxed cartons and away from danger. Today Morgan produces many diverse products – from hip replacement joints to brake pads on the Space shuttle!

Opening in 2009, the Capital City development will transform the lower floor of the Museum of London to tell the story of the city over the last 300 years through the lives of Londoners – those born in London, working here, or who have moved here – all who think of London as their city. The new displays will contain more objects than ever, like Nelson's jewel encrusted sword, Suffragette banners and an Ozwald Boateng suit. The scheme will also see the development of a new Clore Learning Centre, providing flexible and inspiring spaces for learners of all ages, an e-learning suite, object handling areas, a theatre and a central Sackler Hall containing an information zone and coffee point.

Professor Jack Lohman, Director of the Museum of London, says, ‘We are delighted that The Morgan Crucible Company are supporting the re-development of the Museum, helping us to literally ‘make history’. The 70,000 schoolchildren who visit the Museum each year and the many City workers who drop in during their lunch breaks will find the Museum transformed with exciting new displays containing double the number of objects to intrigue them. In 2009, people passing our distinctive roundabout will see the Lord Mayor’s coach on show in all its glory in a new gallery with a glass frontage looking out onto London Wall at street level.’

With its sale of years of London’s history the Museum hopes to raise the final £1 million needed to complete the project. The Heritage Lottery Fund has already pledged £11.5 million and the campaign has also attracted support from a variety of philanthropists, corporate contacts, trusts, foundations and individuals. This unique campaign ‘selling’ twentieth century years offers the chance to mark memorable events within living memory, like the end of World War II, the Coronation, England's 1966 World Cup win, or family birthdays and anniversaries .

For more information see www.museumoflondon.org.uk/buyayear or call 020 7814 5592

For more information on Morgan Technical Ceramics visit www.morgantechnicalceramics.com or contact one of our sales offices below:

UK & Eire
Morgan Technical Ceramics, Bewdley Road, Stourport, Worcestershire, DY13 8QR, UK
Tel: +44 1299 872210 Fax: +44 1299 872218 Email:uksales@morganadvancedceramics.com

Mainland Europe
Morgan Tehnical Ceramics, Teplitzerstr. 27, D-84478 Waldkraiburg, Germany.
Tel: +49 8638 6004 326 Fax: +49 8638 6004 327
Email: eusales@morganadvancedceramics.com

North America
Morgan Technical Ceramics Inc, 26 Madison Road, Fairfield, NJ 07004, USA
Tel: +1 800 433 0638 Fax: 1 973 808 2257
Email: ussales@morganadvancedceramics.com

Asia
Morgan Technical Ceramics, 158 Jiajian Road, Jiading, Shanghai 201818, People’s Republic of China.
Tel: +86 21 5990 0687. Fax: +86 21 5990 3241
Email: mmsh@public.sta.net.cn