[alan]

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[alan]

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[alan]

Thanks for the question, Chris,

The plan is to have the second book for Garden Tools created in the same format as Jean’s first book and then available as a download only to paid club members.

Alan

[alan]

Going by previous forum threads about Ral codes there generally aren’t many for vintage machinery. It’s not uncommon for the shades of colours to be different even on machines of similar age and specification, factories were not as fussy as they are now.

I have had a look through club forum archive material and cannot find any reference to the colours used on Gutbrods.

[alan]

Webb Lawnmowers LTD, Tame Road, Witton, Birmingham were retailing the edger in 1973.

[alan]

I would assume it’s home made.

Having looked through hundreds of Ransomes images over the years I’ve not seen one depicted anywhere like this one.

[alan]

From research the company of Martin Markham was formed in 1952 from the two companies of Markham Traction LTD and Martin Cultivator Company.

I have a 1947 advert for a Markham Traction trailer and also a 1958 advert for a Martin Markham trailer, so an advert before the merger and one after the companies merger. Both appear to be different trailers and yours is much like the 1958 advert for their Champion trailer.

There appears to be a lot of dealers for the trailers including: E.H.Knights & Sons LTD, Harleston. Rose Bros (Tamworth) LTD. Aylesbury Motor Co LTD. W.Harold Perry LTD, Whetstone. Hugh Craigs, Market Square, Ballyclare, Ireland.

Price for the 1958 trailer was £170 ex. works.

I’ve attached the images as thumbnails but larger images are now uploaded to the gallery, just click the images/links below:

Markham-Champion-Trailer-1958

Markham-trailer-drawbar-closeup

Markham-trailer-1947

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[alan]

We do indeed have to admire Westwood for creating their tractors from scratch and making it a success – there’s still loads of the older machines about too.

Westwood made some interesting tractor mounted implements including the Rotodynamic Cultivator. I have never seen one but think it’d be fun to try it out!

Westwood-Rotodynamic-Cultivator

[alan]

Nice to see that you are collecting Westwoods.

Like most machines Westwood tractors differ in specification through production. Westwood made all their tractors in their own factory and as such had the freedom to do what they wanted when they wanted. I’m sure there are a few obscure Westwoods lurking about!

Westwood made nearly everything ‘in house’ apart from the Peerless gearboxes and Briggs engines which were bought in. Even then the engines might have been what Briggs happened to have ready that day!

When I find a bit more info about Westwood then I may write an article about them.

[alan]

Hello,

I had thought about a website guide only a few weeks ago. This is partly because there is quite a bit of information that new members may find of use or interest and it’s not obvious that it’s there – for instance directing them to the gallery pages or the machinery registers.

I’ll sort a page that explains the forum too and how members can post questions and photos etc.

Many thanks.

Alan

[alan]

For Sale adverts in newspaper archives are awash with Atco’s in the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s so surely there must still be some about?

A few adverts attached for reference:

Atco-Tractor-Adverts-Vintage

[alan]

It is indeed a Landmaster.

There is a VHGMC article from last year that gives an idea of the small ride-on market in the UK in the 1960s and 70’s. It is easy to get some of the machines confused especially once the stickers or some of the tinwork has been removed as the workings can look very similar – and in some cases are from the same parts bin.

Article about small-ride-ons is here: https://vhgmc.co.uk/2016/06/mini-ride-on-mowers/

And there are some Landmaster ride-on pictures in the gallery: https://vhgmc.co.uk/photo-galleries/landmaster/

[alan]

I’ve done a bit of digging and here’s a little more about Emery. It’s a few random bits in case anyone ever needs to chase up info on Emery.

A. J. Emery and Sons Ltd was a new company started in about July 1940 (image from 23rd July 1940 attached). Located at 7 Whitehall Road, Halesowen, it was to carry on the business of ‘general engineers, toolmakers and machinists etc’. The company capital was £1000, that’s £40K in 2017 money, it was a reasonable amount.

The company was A.J Emery and Sons Limited. The partners being A.J.Emery (father) and S.F.Emery (presumably the son). Their home address was only 250 yards away from the business premises so perhaps that’s why they opted for the Whitehall Road premises?

There are only a couple of adverts with the company details, in one private advert (image attached) advertised for sale is a centre screw cutting lathe in November 1940, this is only shortly after setting up the company.

On old maps, number 7 Whitehall Road was a large premises and certainly capable of large scale production – that is if they had the whole of the premises although they appear to be the only occupiers of the address. The premises no longer exist due to redevelopment, demolished in the 1980/90’s it seems, it is now the site of the Travelodge carpark. There is a photo of the road and premises with the red arrow pointing to the factory (image attached). A 1954 map states the factory to be ‘General Engineering Works’.

There doesn’t appear to be any adverts for recruiting staff, adverts for the products they made (apart from 1940’s mowers) and no real indication of what they did.

The Emery lawnmower was distributed through Holt, Whitney & Co Ltd, Birmingham who were major distributors and exporters at the time sending items to Canada and far afield, although there is no indication that the mowers went abroad.

Holt, Whitney & Co also dealt with sales of the Coleby Cultivator in 1948 as well as the Emery lawnmower at the same time. Would this have spurred Emery into creating their own cultivator?

We may never know.

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[alan]

There appears to be quite a few different Turfmaster models. I’ve had a look and sadly cannot find any mention of a model 25 PS.

As far as I see the company changed hands in the 1980’s and it’s possible there might have been different model number changes then.

[alan]

I’ve just looked up Emery in newspaper archives and info is a bit thin on the ground.

They did have a 14″ Universal Rotary Cultivator at Chelsea Flower Show in 1951. Apparently it was described as having a 3hp engine and a low price and was ‘just the job’ for nursery and market-gardening work.

A 1955 advert says that Loxhams of Lancaster were selling new and reconditioned Emery Rotary Cultivators (as well as new Singer and OTA 10hp tractors).

There are a few Emery adverts for lawnmowers, one attached here. But not much else!

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