Quiz: Guess the company…#2
May 24, 2024 in Articles, Machinery
This is the second in a series of ‘Guess the company’ quizzes. From the following eight clues can you work out which single company they refer to?
The answer is at the bottom of the page.
The first quiz can be found at: https://vhgmc.co.uk/2024/02/guess-the-company/
Which single company do all these clues point to?
Clue 1: Although a very well-known brand in the UK, this American company was founded in 1910 in Baltimore by two men whose surnames provide the company name.
Clue 2: The company is best known for hand and electric workshop power tools.
Clue 3: In America in 1961 the company started producing mains electric-powered equipment for domestic gardens.
Clue 4: The first UK models of their electric lawnmowers were produced at their factory in Cannon Lane, Maidenhead; the first model was called the Lawnderette and was widely advertised in 1969. Production moved to Spennymoss in County Durham.
Clue 5: In the early 1970s, a small range of 12″ cylinder mowers called Lawnrazor were advertised.
Clue 6: After Flymos’ hover mower patent had expired, this company also started producing a range of mains electric-powered hover mowers in the late 1970s.
Clue 7: The mowers and workshop tools including their foldup Workmate workbenches and power drills were traditionally painted blue. In the 1990s the garden equipment livery changed to dark green, but currently (2024) their branded products are sold in a black and orange colour scheme.
Clue 8: Other electric-powered garden equipment has included grass trimmers, hedge trimmers, lawn scarifiers, lawn edgers, weeders, chainsaws, compost shredders, and leaf blowers. Many have been popular items from retailers such as B&Q and Argos.
Scroll down for the answer……
All the clues point to the company Black & Decker.
The first model of mower in the UK was the Lawnderette, produced at the B&D factory in Cannon Lane, Maidenhead, Berkshire. A range of small rotary and cylinder mowers were introduced and production moved to Spennymoss in County Durham.
The 1969 Lawnderette (illustrated) was a rotary model with a 12″ cut, a single stem handle, two small front wheels, and a rear hidden roller beneath the pressed steel deck. It was priced around £11. A four-wheel model was available as the D485. These models did not collect grass clippings. The early 1970s Lawnrazor models had 12″ 3-blade cylinders and were able to collect clippings.
To complement the mowers, Black & Decker also manufactured a lawn edger powered by an electric motor – it had the simple name Power Lawnedger. It could cut 100 feet of lawn edges per minute, an obvious time and labour saving from using manual lawn shears. In 1972 the Power Lawnedger was priced at a bargain £7.75.
Over the years, many B&D workshop tools have been available in the UK. Vintage catalogues exist showing the range of tools and equipment; these included their range of mains-powered drills which could power additional items such as a circular saw, sander, lathe, sanding table, saw table, jigsaw, fit a bench stand, and also power hedge trimmers.
B&D merged with Stanley in 2010.
