Fairlawn Spreader

[stewada]

I picked up this Fairlawn Spreader recently and can’t find any thing about it.
Does anyone know of the Fairlawn Company of Buxton and what would it have been attached to, so that it could be utilised as a Spreader?

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[alan]

That’s an interesting and possibly rare piece of equipment, you really must give it a try!

I’ve found a piece of text from 1953 which explains it:

“The Fairlawn spreader is made by the Fairlawn Company, Fairfield Works, Buxton, Derbyshire, to fit any normal wheelbarrow and enables accurate distribution of small repeated doses of artificial fertiliser”.

It could spread weedkiller, lime, sand etc at a rate of 1/2 oz to 1lb per square yard. Simple controls and satisfaction guaranteed. Cost was £9/10/0 carriage paid in 1956.

A company called Fairfield International Spreaders were also based at the Fairfield works in 1954.

Interestingly the Fairfield Works have had many uses including the Buxton Mineral water Co. in the late 1800’s.

[stewada]

This makes sense,traction to make it spin must come from contact with the barrow tyre.
I will try and find a barrow to suit and photograph it.
I bought it from a place which originally had been a small holding and it certainly looks as though it had been used.
Thanks for the info

[charlie]

That is an interesting find. Looks as if it should clamp onto a range of wheelbarrows, would be good to see a photo of it fitted in working position. Please keep us posted.

[stevewoollas]

We have one of these in our collection and although I was unable to find any info on it I had worked out it should fit on a wheelbarrow.
It had to fit the wheelbarrow as I proved it would not fit onto the bike !!
I have only seen one other so this one makes three now.
Charlies extra information makes interesting reading–thanks.

[dave]

As a belated postscript to this. I now have a Fairlawn spreader
and all the paperwork. As soon as we can clean up the paperwork we will make
it available. Stave a copy will be on its way to you.

[stewada]

That’s brilliant, look forward to seeing this. I must have a go and get it working

[charlie]

Dave, is that the one that was advertised in The Cultivator?

[dave]

Yes. I went over to Rugby on Tuesday and collected it.

[charlie]

Great news, I am glad it has gone to a good home.

[trusty-mad]

photos uploaded on behalf of Dave Clark.

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[trusty-mad]

full size pdfs of these instructions will hopefully be available in the members download section soon.

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[stewada]

Fascinating to see the instructions and pictures, I had thought given it’s age would have been a wooden barrow, but haven’t been able to find one suitable, no wonder it should be a metal one. I had also thought the string drive belt was someone’s fix, but I see it’s the real thing

[alan]

The Fairlawn instructions can be downloaded from the members section:

Literature-Downloads

I’m re-doing the download pages bit at present.

[Author]

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