by alan

The History of Mr Challis’s 1899 Lawn Sweeper

March 17, 2026 in Club News

We are all probably familiar with the early pony-drawn lawn mowers of the 19th century. These machines transformed the maintenance of large grounds, making the task of mowing more efficient and quicker.

Yet alongside these mowers were also pony-drawn lawn sweepers. These sweepers played an important role in keeping lawns around country houses immaculate, collecting clippings, leaves, and debris.

In the 1800s, pedestrian lawn and path sweepers were already being produced; more on those later. Also, horse-drawn sweepers could be found cleaning the streets of towns and cities; in 1869 The Bristol Waggon Works Company Limited were making street sweeping machines.

One lawn sweeper in particular, as illustrated below in colour, has an interesting history of development and some posh addresses:

Mr J. Challis’ improved lawn sweeper in 1899. He was the head gardener at Wilton House, Salisbury.

Mr Challis’ sweeper starts with an earlier patent by another gardener. In early 1895, William Sutton, Clerk of Works at Petworth Park, Sussex, and Edwin Walter Pull, Head Gardener also at Petworth (I’ll refer to these gentlemen as Sutton & Pull) applied for a patent for ‘An Improved Lawn Sweeping and Collecting Machine’. This was the predecessor of, and similar to, Mr Challis’s shown in the colour image, but there is an early 1900s photo of an original sweeping machine at Woolverton Hall upon which all improvements were made.

When Sutton & Pull were working at Petworth Park, it was the residence of Lord Leconfield. It is now a National Trust property known as Petworth House and Park. Sussex. Petwork Park’s substantial lawns would be labour intensive, and with significant surrounding tree coverage with the usual autumn leaf fall, a lawn sweeper would be a sound idea.

Sutton & Pull’s 1895 sweeper had two 2’ 4” wheels, and two 9” wheels; all were made of iron. The large wheels powered a set of five adjustable revolving brushes within the rear drum. The brushes swept the debris into a collector at the front, which could be emptied by either being completely detached or by opening a lid….and therein lies the problem as it wasn’t easy to empty!

Mr Challis with his lawn sweeper

To make emptying easier, Mr Challis, the head gardener for the Earl of Pembroke at Wilton House, Salisbury, took Sutton & Pulls sweeper and created his own lawn sweeper design, he secured a patent in 1899. Contemporary articles state this certainly was an adaptation of Sutton & Pull’s earlier design, thus Challis’ new machine (as in the colour and black & white images) was a combination of his and theirs. The patent drawings show similarities. (See excerpt)

The modifications that Mr Challis made to Sutton & Pull’s sweeper enabled the leaves and general lawn debris to be ejected from the side of the collector once it was full. This meant that the operator didn’t have to stop, which sped up the sweeping process; adverts claimed ‘Remarkable saving of time. Reduction in amount of labour. Economy in cost of working’. One man with a lad, a light horse, and a 5’ sweeper was claimed to be able to clear a fifteen acre lawn in one day and save the labour of fourteen men.

The sweepers emptying improvement was two doors, with one at each end of the collector, and a pusher that slid within the collector. This device was connected to cables around a hand-operated wheel which opened the doors and moved the slider. It was ingenious if convoluted. I think the wheel and handle mechanism around which the cables pass is a bike wheel, as shown in the image.

The mechanics of Mr Challis’ lawn sweeper

The manufacturer was Mr Peter Buchan, Engineer, Caledonian Iron Works, Chichester. Mr Challis was available to give demonstrations at Wilton House.

Mr Challis’ improved lawn sweeper was advertised in several gardening magazines and had favourable reviews. Mr Challis was a talented gardener and had gardening correspondence in magazines, as well as judging shows and being knowledgeable in his field. However, it is unknown how many sweeping machines were sold, although they were still being advertised in 1915.

I wonder if any have survived the last one hundred years, or perhaps they all ended up as scrap when their use and pony power were no longer needed. The use of engine-powered machinery was creeping in, for example, in 1900 Thomas and William Coldwell applied for a British patent for a ‘self-propelled machine for rolling, mowing or sweeping lawns‘.

Pedestrian Lawn Sweepers

As mentioned, pedestrian-powered lawn sweepers were available earlier than Challis’ pony-drawn design; several featured in gardening magazines.

Well-known manufacturers were Thomas Green and Ransomes. Several patents included one by Thomas Green in 1878.

John Lampitt, Lawn Sweeper, 1890

In 1890, John Lampitt and Co., engineers at the Vulcan Works, Banbury, were advertising a pedestrian lawn and path sweeper, as illustrated. This was the Davis Patent Lawn Sweeper. Four sizes of this machine were made. Apparently, they sold well and were in demand.

A simple design, the wheels rotated an internal brush and threw debris into a rear collector. The airflow also created suction, which aided the process.

The sweeper could collect in both wet and dry weather, and lift leaves, pine cones, sticks and stones. It could pick up leaves from gravel paths without disturbing the surface.

Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies Ltd, Orwell Works, Ipswich, were promoting two lawn sweepers in the mid-1890s. This again was the Davis Patent and was available from them in two sizes.

The smaller model, illustrated below on the left, had a sweeping width of 2′ with four brushes driven by a chain from a rear roller. It was intended to be used by two men with one pulling the machine and the other pushing.

The larger machine, illustrated on the right, was to be pulled by a pony or small horse. It was 5′ wide but had a 4′ sweeping width. It could be emptied by using the central lever to raise the collector.

Satisfied customers were the gardeners Mr Norman who worked for the Marquis of Salisbury at Hatfield, and Mr Taylor who worked for Lord De Saumares at Shrubland Park, Suffolk.

Ransomes Davis Patent Lawn Sweeper 1895. The right side machine says ‘Davis Patent’ upon it.

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by alan

A Scottish Seed Order

February 6, 2026 in Club News

In recent issues of The Cultivator magazine, Andrew Hall wrote about seed packets and the people and companies behind some of the famous names, such as Carters and Suttons. Indeed, some of the seed merchants go back a long time. For example, as in the shown advert, by 1910 John K. King and Sons had 117 years of reputation and at the time a Royal Warrant to the King.

As collectors of horticultural items, even the smaller items, such as the seed packets and garden requisites, are as important as the machinery. Still, it’s easy to forget that there was a person behind every purchase. Who were the people buying those seeds, pondering over a new spade in Woolworths, or considering a new rotavator from the Howard brochure?  Every item has a history and a story to tell.

For the rest of this article, we shall head to Scotland.

Dreghorn Castle, Edinburgh, around 1900.

Among my archive is a 1910 seed order compiled at Dreghorn Castle, Colinton, Edinburgh, when James Stewart Clark was the tenant.  Essentially, the Dreghorn property was a 17th-century mansion with subsequent enlargements over time, and was reportedly situated in a beautiful park. No doubt with ornamental or pleasure gardens, a vegetable garden, and the staff to maintain them, with a range of tools and paraphernalia of that time.

The gardener’s seed order is quite interesting and tells of what was being grown in the early 1900s. It was sent from Dreghorn Castle to Stewart & Co, Garden & Farm Seed Merchants, 6 Melbourne Place, (on the corner of Victoria Street), Edinburgh, in February 1910. This building was demolished in 1967.

For the vegetable garden, many items were ordered in ounces – cabbage, onions, turnips, radish, cauliflower, and sprouts – but there were also specific varieties:

  • 1 oz Musselburgh Leek
  • 1 pint Bunyard’s Broad Beans
  • 2 packets White Jerusalem Artichokes
  • 1 oz Stewart’s Borecole (kale)
  • 1 packet Celery Major Clarke’s Perfection
  • 1 packet Cucumber Lockie’s Perfection

Peas, parsnips, spinach, kidney beans, and two packets of herbs rounded out what must have been a very respectable harvest. Some of the seed varieties there were ordered are now considered ‘Heritage Varieties’.

Also ordered were 3 pecks of potatoes at 10 shillings. I had to look up what quantity a peck is: 2 imperial gallons, or one quarter of a bushel.

The ornamental and display areas got a good ordering of seeds too, including Godetia, Malope, Alyssum, Canterbury Bells, Gypsophila, Clarkia, Nigella and sweet peas. And 8 packets of ‘Choice Flower Seeds of sorts’ – I wonder what they were.

1910 Guano Advert

The labour aspect would have been great for any substantial garden of this time, with minimal mechanisation unlike today. The soil preparation with digging and manuring, as well as seed sowing, thinning or pricking out,  and where necessary hardening off and planting out – within the order is 800 tallies (plant labels). And then the watering, hoeing, and the constant care.

Several items were ordered along with the seeds. Fertilizer and soil improvers included 2 cwts Canary Guano (of which many importers’ fortunes were made), 1 cwt bone dust, and 1 cwt nitrate of soda.

The list was amended on the 19th March 1910 to include 1 pair of secateurs at five shillings, 5 dozen Pinks Mrs Simpkins (Carnations), and one gallon of the ‘Most efficient mildew destroyer’!

It’s a snapshot of a moment in time. Dreghorn Castle, structurally struggling and owned by the War Office, was set on fire and detonated by the army in 1955 – films of this destruction taking place can be seen on YouTube. Today, the site is Dreghorn Barracks, adjacent to the Edinburgh bypass. Although there are specimen trees, woodland and parkland still visible, sadly, there’s no evidence left of the once productive gardens.

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by alan

Rare UK Ride-on Mowers

January 3, 2026 in Articles, Machinery

No matter what someone collects, there’s always that one item or model that proves elusive – and garden tractors and ride-on mowers are no exception.

Over the years, I’ve come across makes and models of ride-ons that seem to have vanished completely from the UK, with no surviving examples known to exist.

You might expect that, with today’s internet, social media, online auctions, and marketplaces, even the rarest machines would eventually reappear. But that’s not always the case.

I’ve compiled a list of “unaccountable” models in the UK – machines that, as far as I can tell, have disappeared. For this blog, I’ve chosen just five that might still be hiding somewhere, perhaps forgotten in a shed or under a heap of scrap.

So, what exactly is an “unaccountable” machine? My definition is simple: these are models that were definitely sold or imported into the UK when new. Photographic evidence of their presence here, or trade or test reports done in the UK with physical machines is always great. But also newspaper adverts and show coverage, and also useful are UK price lists and specific UK brochures.

Listed in date order, the five models I’ve chosen are: the 1961 Gemco Reelrider, the 1964 Gravely Westchester, the 1966 Bolens Suburban, the 1973 ATCO Atcomatic, and the 1985 Westwood Lawnrider.

Somewhere, perhaps, one survives in the UK…

1: 1961 Gemco Reelrider

The USA-made three-wheel 24” Deluxe Gemco Reelrider was advertised in UK newspapers in the early 1960s. Adverts also appear for second-hand models, so some must have been sold from new.  F. H. Burgess, Burton Road, Lichfield, was one of the retailers.

The Gemco mowers were made by the General Mower Corporation – hence where the Gemco name comes from – based in Jefferson Avenue, Buffalo, New York. USA.

The Reelrider was built around a tubular steel frame, running on 10” semi-pneumatic puncture-proof tyres.  It had a 2 ¾ hp Briggs and Stratton engine through a v-belt clutch to a chain drive.

The rear 24” cylinder mower had five tempered alloy blades, and was mounted on self-adjusting bearings. The cutting height could be varied from 7/8” to 2 and 1/8”.

2: 1964 Gravely Westchester

The USA-made 1964 Gravely Westchester four-wheel tractor is an interesting machine. It could be bought in the UK in the mid-1960s.

The Westchester was based on a Gravely two-wheel walk-behind tractor. This meant that several of the front-mounted attachments for the walk-behind would also fit the Westchester as front-mounted implements, including mowers, a snow blade, a sprayer, and a snow blower.

The Westchester was designed by the Studebaker car company, which owned Gravely. It had fibreglass body panels, a Gravely single-cylinder 12 hp engine, and an 8-speed transmission, similar to the two-wheel model, but it featured rear axle steering.

Several UK dealers are mentioned as selling the Westchester, including J. H. Hancox Ltd, Solihull. The importer was Belos Gravely Ltd, Seghill, Northumberland, who listed it in their literature with UK prices.

It would be assumed that the four-wheel Westchester would be a better solution than the two-wheel with a sulky seat attached – but for some customers it wasn’t. According to Gravely, they agreed to buy back Westchester models from unhappy customers, with many subsequently upgrading to the new 1967 four-wheel Gravely 424 tractor. I wonder if this was the fate of the Westchesters in the UK?

3: 1966 Bolens Suburban

Bolens imported a vast range of ride-on mowers and garden tractors to the UK. However, the 1960s Suburban, which is well documented in the UK, seems to have vanished with no examples appearing to have survived on these shores. In 1968 the new Suburban was advertised at £230.

The Suburban was a basic ride-on mower, powered by mid-mounted 4 or 5 hp Briggs and Stratton engines with a mower deck directly underneath. They have basic tiller steering, but do have pneumatic tyres and sprung and padded seats.

In the mid-1960s, the revised white-painted Suburban (earlier models were painted gold-coloured), was well advertised in newspapers, including photographs of the Suburban in UK showrooms. They even appear in the television series ‘The Prisoner’ filmed outside at Portmeirion and indoors at MGM Studios at Borehamwood between 1966 and 1968.

4: 1973 ATCO Atcomatic

In 1973, ATCO introduced the Atcomatic rear-engine riders; they were on sale for a few years.

The models were the 26” cut 7 hp 726E electric start and 726R recoil start, and the 32” cut 8 hp 832E. All had forward and reverse hydrostatic drive.

It is currently unknown where the Atcomatic was manufactured; the use of Briggs & Stratton engines often points to the UK or the USA.

Brochures, price lists, adverts and second-hand adverts exist for the Atcomatic, yet no examples of these mowers have reappeared from the back of sheds or garages.

After being discontinued, in 1980 ATCO started importing lawn tractors made by Dynamark in the USA, branded as ATCO. Then, in 1986 until 1992, ATCO manufactured in Stowmarket the familiar classic design dark-green tractor models.

5: 1985 Westwood Lawnrider

Westwood designed, made and imported a range of ride-on machines, but one model has remained elusive: The Lawnrider.

The only photo that seems to exist is on the right, from a 1985 trade report.

The UK-made Lawnrider was announced in 1985. It was to be a revolutionary rear-engine rider encased in a wrap-around body shell. It had an electric height adjustment for the 25” rear-discharge mowing deck, and an integrated rear collector and rear roller.

Models were equipped with 6 hp Tecumseh or 8 hp Briggs & Stratton engines. Prices started at £691.

However, although appearing in trade reports as ready-to-go products with prices, it’s possible that none were sold. But optimistically, there may be one or two test models lurking out there.

This model perhaps led to the creation of the 1990 Westwood Clipper rider – although that was another unusual model which had a limited sales life.

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by alan

Quiz 2025 – As Seen On TV

December 13, 2025 in Articles

Here are twelve questions for a short quiz.

The theme this year is mowers that have been on TV or in magazines, and sometimes associated with well-known people.

It shouldn’t be a challenging quiz. If you have seen Only Fools and Horses, One Foot in the Grave, marvelled at Jim Bowen on Bullseye, watched Wallace & Grommit, or know who sang ‘Green, Green Grass of Home’, then this is the ideal quiz to pass a few minutes.

A pencil and paper are handy to write down the answers.

As always, the answers are at the bottom of the page.

Questions:

Q1: Who had a gold-painted Valor Ironcrete mower?

1: Which famous Welsh singer was photographed in 1967 at their Shepperton home with a gold-coloured Valor Ironcrete petrol-powered lawn mower?  It was said that this mower was specially painted and presented in recognition of their worldwide No. 1 hit with ‘Green, Green Grass of Home’ in 1966.

A: Tom Jones
B: Dame Shirley Bassey
C: Sir Harry Secombe

Q2: Did Victor Meldrew use a Mountfield?

2: In the 1990s TV comedy series One Foot In The Grave, Victor Meldrew played by Richard Wilson was always having mishaps. In one episode, he accidentally inhaled some fertilizer and got very high and jolly, before climbing aboard a ride on mower. Eventually driving into a house and shredding a carpet, as well as other disasters. But what was this rear-engine ride-on mower that was popular in the UK?

A: Reo Lawn Skiff
B: Mountfield M25
C: Toro Whirlwind

Q3: What mower does Grommit own?

3: In the brilliant Aardman Animations 2024 film Vengence Most Fowl, what type of lawnmower does Wallace & Grommit own? And used by Norbot the gnome to unhelpfully tidy-up Grommit’s cottage garden but instead destroying it.

A: Cylinder mower
B: Rotary mower
C: Hover mower

Q4: Maybe Rod Stewart didn’t have a Westwood.

4: In 1973, Rod Stewart, of singing fame, was photographed in the UK sitting on his red-painted, Kohler-powered, ride-on mower/garden tractor outside his house. But what make was Rod Stewart’s tractor? (Clue: Only one of them was being made in 1973).

A: Westwood
B: Countax
C: Wheel Horse

Q5: What was a lot less bovver than a hover?

5: In 1983, television adverts for a certain mower used the slogan ‘It’s a lot less bovver than a hover’. One advert featured the actor Nicholas Smith – who also starred as Mr Rumbold in Are You Being Served? But what mower brand was being sold in the adverts, which was (allegedly) better than the hover mowers? 

A: Qualcast
B: ATCO
C: Hayter

Q6: In 1980, who advertised Wheel Horse tractors?

6: In 1980, Mountfield adverts for Wheel Horse tractors featured which Scottish motor racing champion? He also advertised the tractors in the USA. Among other races, he won the 1965 Italian Grand Prix, but obviously not on a Wheel Horse. Who was he?

A: Jim Clark
B: Colin McRae
C: Jackie Stewart

Q7: Who advertised Webb machines?

7: In the mid-1970s, which TV personality, who presented Gardeners’ World, did Wolseley Webb recruit to lead their sales campaign of mowers and tillers? It is the earliest presenter – but which one was that?

A: Percy Thrower
B: Geoff Hamilton
C: Geoffrey Smith

Q8: What did Forest drive?

8: In the 1994 USA film Forest Gump, which real make of ride-on mower, with a Turtle inspired logo, did Forest use?

A: Tortrak
B: Snapper
C: Snap-Jack

Q9: Who got dragged about by an ATCO mower?

9: In the 1965 comedy film The Early Bird, about Grimsdale Dairy,  which slapstick actor (dressed as a milkman) gets dragged around a garden by an ATCO cylinder lawnmower before ending up in a pond? (I think the name Mr Grimsdale! might give it away).

A: Eric Sykes
B: Norman Wisdom
C: George Formby

Q10: Did Rodney buy mower engines, rotavator or tools?

10: In the 1983 episode of Only Fools and Horses named ‘Healthy Competition’, Rodney and Mickey were tricked by Del Boy into buying which horticulturally-related item at auction?

A: A rotavator which wouldn’t rotavate
B: A heap of old lawnmower engines
C: A collection of woodwormed vintage garden tools

Q11: Did Granville buy a Hayter Kestral?

11: In 1982, the TV series Open All Hours featured the episode ‘The Ginger Men’. In the episode, Granville buys a second-hand mower with the intention of fitting the engine to his shop bike. What make of British mower did he buy? (and consequently leave on the shop floor for the bun salesman to fall over).

A: Suffolk Punch
B: Hayter Kestral
C: Landmaster Sovereign

Q12: What amazing prizes could be won on Bullseye?

12: The original version of the darts quiz show Bullseye aired from 1981 until 1995. It was presented by Jim Bowen, who was often quoted (or misquoted) using the words “super” and “smashing” to describe things. Anyway, which of these super, smashing prizes could be won on Bullseye for just “the throw of a dart”?

A: Black & Decker H1 Hover Mower, together with a B&D electric lawn rake, a Fisons lawn spreader, a bag of lawn weed & feed, and a pair of lawn edging shears. 
B: 5-door Morris Ital car in white paintwork
C: £2000 clothing spending spree – possibly at C&A

Answers:

1: A: Tom Jones. He was presented with a gold-painted Ironcrete Valor mower in 1967. He had sold over one million copies of his recording of ‘Green, green grass of home’ – hence the grass connection with mowers. It was obviously a sales and marketing tactic by the Ironcrete company, who were based in Birmingham and some distance from the Shepperton home of Tom Jones, so not a local company. Here is a picture (Note: It is an external link to alamy.com)

2: B: Mountfield M25. Victor Meldrew drove a Mountfield rear-engine model M25 in the TV series One Foot In The Grave – causing mayhem along the way. You can watch the clip on Youtube here (Note: It is an external link to Youtube). The mower does have a custom-made rear grass collector, presumably for comic effect when mowing the carpet and ejecting the cuttings!

3: A: Cylinder mower. Wallace & Grommit owned a cylinder mower which they used as part of their ‘Gnome Improvements’ household maintenance business. Grommit also owned a strimmer, which Norbot used in the garden.

4: C: Wheel Horse. Rod Stewart was photographed in 1973 with his red-painted Wheel Horse mower. The model looks like a Raider 10 or similar. He didn’t have a Westwood as in the photo – that was a red herring…or a red Westwood. Here is a picture (Note: It is an external link). Westwood didn’t make their own branded tractors until 1976, and Countax until 1990.

5: A: Qualcast. Nicholas Smith (aka Mr Rumbold in Are You Being Served?) also appeared in adverts for Qualcast mowers.

6: C: Jackie Stewart. In 1980, Scottish motor racing champion Jackie Stewart featured in magazine adverts for Wheel Horse garden tractors. In fact, in 1980, Jackie Stewart also filmed a Wheel Horse advert in Florida for the USA market.

7: A: Percy Thrower. In the mid-1970s, Percy Thrower advertised Wolseley Webb mowers and tillers. Gardeners’ World started in 1968 with Percy Thrower as the first presenter until 1976 when Arthur Billitt took over. Followed by presenters Geoff Hamilton from 1979 (1979 to 1996), and Geoffrey Smith from 1980 (1980 to 1982). Alan Titchmarsh took over from 1996.

8: B: Snapper. In the 1994 film Forest Gump, Forest used a real American-made Snapper ride-on mower for mowing his lawn and then public spaces around Greenbow, Alabama. The other answers, Tortrak and Snap-Jack were made up.

9: B: Norman Wisdom. The film ‘The Early Bird’ was the first Norman Wisdom film in colour. Norman Wisdom (as Norman Pitkin) worked for Grimsdale’s Dairy in competition with Consolidated Dairies. Not all goes well, and Norman gets dragged around a garden, through a fence, a greenhouse, and into a pond by an ATCO cylinder mower. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Early_Bird (Note: It is an external link to wikipedia).

10: B: A heap of old lawn mower engines. Del Boy had originally bought the engines but took them to auction and tricked Rodney into buying them. The clip can be seen on Youtube here (Note: It is an external link to Youtube).

11: A: Suffolk Punch. Granville bought a red-painted Suffolk Punch mower with the intention of fitting the engine to his bike.

12: A, B, and C: All three answers are correct. And yes — a Black & Decker mower, lawn rake, and various other lawn products did make an appearance as prizes. Bullseye was, after all, renowned for its eclectic prize selection, ranging in value, desirability, and, one suspects, their proximity to the nearest Argos-type warehouse. While the show often had a Mini Metro as the star prize, the Morris Ital also made an appearance.

—————————————-
Footnote:

The Howard Gem as featured in The Good Life from 1975 onwards

This year’s twelve questions are all about mowers. My apologies to non-mower collectors. I did set out with good intentions to find examples of rotavators, hand tools, sprayers and other implements that might have been on the tv or had celebrity ownership. The search turned up very little, except for the obvious Howard rotavator from The Good Life, as in the picture.

However, there have been many appearances of mowers on TV, so that must be the go-to horticultural item for TV purposes.

Who remembers the Anchor butter advert from 1993? I’m told that the mower still exists somewhere, but does anyone know where? Apparently, there was only one machine and that was built from spare parts for the commercial, then digitally copied to make it appear there was more than one. The Anchor advert can be seen on YouTube.

Also, a club member can be briefly seen with his Dennis mower in the opening scenes of the 2002 film The Gathering Storm about Winston Churchill. The mower scenes were set in 1934 at Chartwell.

I also have vague memories of mowers and garden tools appearing as prizes on UK quiz shows, but found nothing apart from Bullseye. But I’m sure a Flymo or strimmer must have passed by on The Generation Game conveyor belt.

As we have seen with sitcoms and also with Norman Wisdom, mowers have long been used in comical situations. This includes Tom and Jerry, who can be seen on a 1949 comic cover with Tom about to be mown down by a sidewheel mower.

I shall now embark on twelve more questions for next year. Subject currently unknown, but it won’t be machines on TV as this one wasn’t easy to compile.

After multiple rounds of editing and head scratching, this 2025 question page was created on the 7th October 2025. It was raining.

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by alan

Rare Hoes and Thinners?

November 1, 2025 in Articles

Occasionally, a long-forgotten machine may turn up in a book reference or a magazine article, and if we are lucky, an actual example may appear in the tinwork. But sadly, it seems, some of these machines are nothing but a distant memory, perhaps a period advert in a gardening magazine, or an article praising the machine’s qualities which never amounted to any meaningful sales.

Two intriguing machines featured in the June 1965 issue of Farm Mechanization: the Minni-Ho and the Wanten SSEC 2-row thinner.

First up, the Minni-Ho. Shown below is this small tool-frame tractor, initially powered by a 2.5 hp four-stroke engine, designed for cross-blocking work. When operated at right angles, as shown in the photo, it could hoe gaps over a 52.5 inch width, leaving plants spaced at about 7.5 inches. Once the first pass was done, the operator could side-hoe along the rows. One user proudly reported tackling twelve acres in just three days – a fair achievement considering the Minni-Ho operated at a steady 2.5 mph. It must have been a slow and bumpy ride across those fields!

The machine was the brainchild of Lincolnshire farmer-inventor Mr H. C. Rothery together with his neighbour, Mr J. E. Morris. To bring their creation to market, Farm Hydraulics Ltd based at 38 Market Place, Boston, Lincolnshire was formed. In 1965, a new Minni-Ho would have cost around £250, but it is unknown if any were sold via Farm Hydraulics Ltd.

However, the Minni-Ho did not disappear into complete obscurity. Later in 1965, Howard Rotavator Co. Ltd. took up the design, calling it the ‘Howard Mini Cross Gapper’. It is said that they intended to produce fifty machines, but that target was never met. Potentially, this leaves few surviving machines. Here is a picture in the VHGMC gallery.

The Howard production model featured a Kohler K91T 4-stroke single-cylinder engine, with a quoted 3.2 hp, and a recoil starter. A two-speed belt-driven gearbox with a hand clutch gave four forward and four reverse gears. The toolframe was raised and lowered by hand.

Minni-Ho was developed by two Lincolnshire farmers in 1965. Although there is some reference that the machine in the photo might have been a prototype, images from the same photoshoot appear on Howard brochures.

The second machine, illustrated below, the Wanten SSEC 2-row thinner, is another rarity from that same year. It was developed by Mr G. Wanten and the SSEC – the Société Sucrière d’Études et de Conseils (Sugar Research and Consulting Company) in Belgium. The SSEC’s expertise covered the entire sugar beet process from seed to molasses, producing equipment such as precision drills, beet washers, and stone catchers.

Their 2-row thinner was trialled by the Belgian Sugar Beet Institute, 45 Rue du Molin, Tienen (or Tirlemont in French). A 2.5 hp JLO engine powered it, and it was claimed to cover five acres a day, which explains why it was said to have been adopted by a large number of Belgian sugar beet growers – no doubt helped by the flat, easy-going terrain of the region.

Sugar beet is big business in Belgium, and the city of Tienen has long been known as the “Sugar City” thanks to its thriving beet industry and impressive processing facilities. I wonder if any of these 2-row thinners still exist over in Belgium?

Wanten SSEC thinner, developed at the Belgian Sugar Beet Institute in 1965

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by alan

Video: Malvern Autumn Show 2025

October 3, 2025 in Articles, Club News

On the 26th-28th September 2025 the VHGMC put on a show stand at the Autumn Show at the Three Counties Showground at Malvern.

A good range of machines were exhibited with hand tools, walk-behind and ride-on machines, rotavators, and mowers. These included examples from Uni Horse, Barford, Gravely, Atco, Ransomes, Nash, Dron-Wal, and many others.

The video below is just a walk about with the video camera – edited to two and a half minutes. Plus some photographs of exhibits.

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by alan

When Mountfield Plugged In

August 29, 2025 in Articles, Machinery

A while ago, this blog looked at Vertex engines. These were two-stroke engines which made their way onto Mountfield mowers in the mid-1970s. It was not a success. Around the same time, Mountfield experimented with adding electric motors to their mowers, but this effort also appears not to have been a great success. In fact, one of the models was advertised as “…the first ever British Rotary Electric Mower to be fitted with Power Drive”.

But where have all these Mountfield Electric mowers gone? They don’t seem to appear anywhere. Perhaps a few are lingering at the back of sheds waiting to be discovered?

In the mid-1970s (frighteningly, 50 years ago), lawnmower maker Mountfield, based in Maidenhead, took a bold step with their successful range of petrol mowers by adding a full range of electric rotary mowers; the black and white image shows a 1975 example of the electric 18″ cut M4. As an alternative to petrol-engined mowers, these electric-powered machines promised homeowners a quieter, cleaner, and more convenient way to tackle their lawns. Mountfield’s selling points were clear: no petrol, no oil, no annual overhauls, and no rust.

Mountfield proudly described their electric mowers as “designed and manufactured in Great Britain to cut and collect some of the toughest grass in the world.”. And they weren’t exaggerating. The mowers were not only intended for neat suburban lawns, but also for rougher grass areas where a good finish was still expected.

Mountfield 18″ Standard Electric Mower -using the same chassis as the petrol-powered equivalent.

The range of mowers was based on Mountfield’s existing petrol-powered platforms – the M3 and M4 with die-cast aluminium cutting decks. Swapping petrol engines for electric motors meant that the range could now appeal to homeowners who previously may have entirely dismissed the brand because they only sold petrol machines. These buyers may have instead opted for an electric mower from established players such as Black & Decker, Flymo or Wolf. Just to make sure every base was covered, Mountfield also introduced a 14″ mower for smaller lawns, this was the M35, but it still had a hefty die-cast alloy deck.

The electric-powered M3 Power Drive was debuted at the Chelsea Flower Show in 1980

Safety was high on the agenda. Mountfield’s electric motors were encapsulated in double-skin insulated covers, giving added protection. Even TV interference (how many members remember that?!), a common issue with some early electronics, was eliminated. As marketing described, a simple flick of a switch and the mower easily started —and stopped instantly when the handle was released, with a visible spinning disc on top of the motor indicating when it had stopped.

Every Mountfield Electric featured the brand’s trademark “Vacuum-Flo” system. This wasn’t just clever marketing—it was a genuinely effective innovation. The blade was curved to act both as a cutter and as a fan. As it spun, it generated a powerful airflow that sucked up not only grass cuttings, but also leaves, twigs, and lawn debris. All of this was deposited into a large grass box, leaving behind nothing but a well-groomed lawn. Also included were spring-loaded grass deflector safety guards (optional on M3).

The range was modified and updated over a few years, but brochures generally included:

The Mountfield M35 Electric mower, later renamed as an Emblem.

The 14” M35 Electric (later renamed the Emblem Roller Electric in the early 1980s) – A compact, hand-propelled mower for small and medium lawns. With a 900-watt motor and five rollers, it was easy to manoeuvre and could even mow right up to the lawn edge. Rear wheels could be used when a higher cutting position was selected for rougher ground or slopes. In 1980 it was priced at £174 complete with a 32 metre cable. Earlier, in 1976, it had been offered complete with a 16 metre cable for £99.

The 18” M3 Standard Electric (Illustrated, second image above) – Powered by a 1250-watt motor but later upgraded to 1300 watts, this larger hand-propelled mower was aimed at medium to large lawns. Its split rear roller made it agile around trees and borders, while still delivering a striped finish. In 1975 it was £132. The 1300-watt was £249 in 1980, again with a 32 metre cable.

The self-propelled M3 Power Drive Electric mower.

The 18” M3 Power Drive Electric (Illustrated, right) – also with a split rear roller – A real milestone: “…the first ever British Rotary Electric Mower to be fitted with Power Drive“. Driven by a powerful 1800-watt induction motor, it offered both self-propulsion and excellent cutting ability in one quiet, refined package. With a cable, it was £358 in 1980.

Illustrated below is the largest machine, the 18” M4 Electric (1250 watt, later upgraded to 1300 watts)– A four-wheeled workhorse designed for paddock-type grass, yet equally capable of producing a tidy lawn with its optional grassbox. Independent fingertip height controls gave it adaptability across rough ground or fine lawns. In 1975 it was £110 with cable. The 1300 watt model, with cable, was £211 in 1980.

Mountfield M4 Electric mower. This was a push machine and not self-propelled.

But what happened to these Mountfield electric mowers? The only model which sometimes appears is the smallest, the 14″ M35. Perhaps the M3 and M4 Electrics were not big sellers, or maybe not as good as the competition. Has anyone got any knowledge of one?

Read about the Vertex engines and Mountfield here: https://vhgmc.co.uk/2024/08/vertex-engine/

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by alan

Compost – A little bit of history

April 1, 2025 in Articles

Gardening requires patience, persistence, and a certain amount of hard work. Thankfully, we have a huge range of machinery to help with the work element. There are secateurs for pruning, spades for digging, mowers for grass cutting, tillers for the vegetable garden, and a never-ending list.

This article is a little bit of history about compost. After all, it is an important component that makes plants grow, and accordingly, there is a need for all the tools we buy and collect.

Surviving from the 20th century are a lot of vintage machines, tools and items – including seed packets, seed sowers, and vintage terracotta pots – related to compost and growing media.

In the domestic garden, making compost has long been important, whether for borders, use in plant pots or sowing seeds as illustrated in this late 1800s Sutton’s advert.

By the 19th century gardening periodicals were advising on potting up greenhouse plants and various ‘recipes’ for compost. These usually included mixing fine peat siftings with loam and sand; for potting up pansies also mix in well-rotted and thoroughly dried cow manure, apparently they like it but would it attract flies into the Victorian conservatory?

Additionally, a good compost for palms requires equal proportions of fibrous peat and turfy loam, adding half an inch of bones (unspecified source), and an unknown quantity of sand (perhaps throw in a handful?). Other recipes included horse manure, leaf mould, charcoal and silver sand. Sphagnum moss and cocoa-nut (sic) fibre were advertised as able to aid in growing plants. The recipes likely worked, albeit somewhat unscientific, trial-and-error, with a rather ad-hoc approach. One writer in 1881 said that the plants “were often victimised”.

Thankfully, commercial progress was made with compost. But it wasn’t until the early 20th century that the John Innes Horticultural Institute in the UK was created. In the 1930s, researchers there, William Lawrence and John Newell, created standardized compost formulas to improve plant growth and ensure consistency – the origins of the John Innes loam-based (sterilized topsoil) composts that we see at the garden centres today. These formulas were not patented so anyone could benefit, and allowed others to produce them for nurseries, research institutions, and later as bagged products for the home gardener. Occasionally, vintage compost sacks, in paper and hessian, bearing the John Innes name do come up for sale on the internet.

Often compost was measured by the bushel (Illustrated, above right) and mixed by hand – a bushel being eight imperial gallons in the UK. Many vintage periodical adverts stated their products in bushels, including leaf mould, peat mould, and loam all at one shilling per bushel in 1883. The word bushel comes from the French ‘little box’, and I can remember in the 1990s still using a wooden box for measuring compost. Has anyone come across a vintage bushel?

Of course, mechanical machines became available to help with mixing compost and soils. In 1949 at the National Association of Groundsman at the Hurlingham Club, London, the Pneulec Royer petrol-powered compost shredder mixer was being demonstrated (Illustrated on the right). Apparently, the design was originally made to help the production of John Innes compost mixtures but users found it could also aerate old compost, produce top dressings, etc. It could handle wet or dry materials and produce compost of a size that could hold moisture and be easy to use.

Demonstrations also took place for the Quick-Press soil block machine by L. Garvin Ltd, Isleworth. A press of the pedal (as illustrated on the left) produced a block of soil. This was a time-saving machine and ideal for the commercial nursery and soil block culture of plants. One plant could be grown in each block, and it also removed a need for plant pots.

The Quick-Press machine was in great demand abroad. Trials were carried out in the 1950s in New South Wales, Australia, to see if the machine and soil block culture would help with early tomatoes, cucumbers and melons. Charlie Moore exhibited such a machine at Malvern in the autumn of 2023.

In the 1950s, the University of California investigated loam-free composts which instead used peat and sand as the main components. In the UK, Fisons Levington Research Station investigated the use of peat as the main component.  Subsequently, Levington’s loam-free compost was launched to the professional market in June 1966, and then launched to the public. You can read more from Levingtons here. Of course, other brands were also available.

For domestic gardeners, bagged peat-based composts from many manufacturers became popular. I surmise that this was due to a rise in suburban gardening (more houses, more leisure time, etc), the rapid expansion of garden centres (the first in the UK opened in 1955), the launch of BBC Gardeners’ World in 1968 encouraging people to garden, and the increasing availability of glossy gardening magazines filled with enticing adverts. This inspired many families to pile into their Morris Minor on a Saturday afternoon, heading off to buy plants, pots, and various gardening supplies – including the convenient, easy-to-handle plastic-bagged compost from brands like Arthur Bowers or Levingtons.

Making life easier for the gardener was a good way to advertise a product. In the 1960s and ’70s compost-filled pots with ready sown seeds were available by mail order. A convenient way to grow from seed but it doesn’t seem to have been a big hit.

In 1964, “amazing results! with new Vermipeat” (Illustrated, right) which could grow plants better and faster than using John Innes. But was this better than sowing a packet of seeds into a tray?

And finally, in 1976, an enterprising Australian nurseryman found a way to make degradable plant pots from cow manure. As the saying goes “where there’s muck there’s money”.

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by alan

Aspera & Tecumseh Engines

March 11, 2025 in Articles

Tecumseh is one of the main engine brands we see on many vintage machines, including mowers, rotavators, wood chippers, and even mini bikes. In the USA, Tecumseh bought the small engine manufacturer Lauson in 1955, and in 1956 the company Power Products which made 2-stroke engines. The Tecumseh engines owe their origins to the products from these companies.

In 1960, Tecumseh gave Aspera Motors a licence to build engines; they were produced in Torino, Italy. Reports in 1960 stated that only six basic Tecumseh models were used to develop the whole Aspera range – this gave economic mass production and the interchangeability of parts. Aspera said that the vertical and horizontal engines were being built at a combined rate of 3000 per day.

It should be noted that there are differences between the engines that Tecumseh produced in the USA and the Aspera engines made in Italy.

Tecumseh also granted a license to James N. Kirby Automotive Pty, Ltd, Australia for Lauson 4- and 2-stroke engines. Hence the Kirby engine link with Lauson and Tecumseh. In Australia, in the 1960s, the Kirby engines were fitted to mowers made by Turner, Scott Bonnar, Pace, Pinnock, Victa, and others. The engines can be found on several UK machines including the early-1960s Mountfield mowers with 4-stroke engines and wind-up starters.

1970s Webb Windsor 18″ Rotoscythe. With a 3.5 hp, 4-stroke Aspera engine and wind-up starter.

In the 1960s and ‘70s, Aspera engines made in Italy found their way onto many machines from major brands including Webb (pictured), ATCO, Mountfield and Hayter rotary mowers and Crown and Flymo hover machines. But the engines seemed to be the lesser-known alternative to Briggs & Stratton, Kohler and Tecumseh.

Many folks’ knowledge, mine included, of Aspera engines probably doesn’t stretch far beyond the basic vertical engine 4-stroke and 2-stroke models on the above mentioned machines.

However, Aspera produced a vast range of vertical and horizontal engines for rotary and cylinder mowers, tillers, chainsaws, outboard motors, water pumps, and anything that needed powering.

Horizontal shaft engines from Aspera included the HC, HCB and HKB models
Aspera LAVR 40, 4hp, 172cc. With side-mounted recoil starter and side-mounted PTO which could power wheels on self-propelled mowers.

Models that can be found on rotary mowers include the vertical shaft 4-stroke LAV 30 (3 hp – 127cc), LAV 35 (3.5 hp – 148cc) and LAV 40 (4 hp – 172cc). These engines were advertised with automatic compression release, fuel shut-off valves, optional heavy-duty flywheels, optional side-mounted PTO for wheel drive etc, and top-mounted or side-mounted recoil starters – image, right.

In the UK, at the start of the 1960s, the Aspera engines were introduced by Mackay Industrial Equipment Ltd, Central Way, Feltham, Middlesex. Subsequently, they were handled by Aspera Motors (England) Ltd, in the 1960s they were at 16 National Works, Bath Road, Hounslow, before moving to 152/154 Commercial Road, Staines, Middlesex. In the 1980s the trading name changed to Tecnamotor (UK) Ltd. Their adverts claimed that Aspera was the ‘leading manufacturer of small industrial engines for the European lawn mower industry’, which they no doubt were, but in the UK getting past the other established brands being used was not easy.  

1978 Aspera LAV172, 4-stroke, 4-hp. This engine has Aspera decals.

In 1978 they were advertising the new model LAV 172, a 4-stroke, 4 hp engine (Image, right. Note the Aspera stickers on the blower shroud). The intake and exhaust valves were made of special martensitic steel, it had a new piston design, an aluminium conrod, and a cast iron liner for long life. This engine was advertised as having improvements in reliability.

Discussed during 1981, and with a formal understanding on February 16th 1982, Fiat and Tecumseh entered into a joint 50/50 venture to build Aspera engines at Torino. The name Tecnamotor was created. Though in 1989 Tecumseh bought out Tecnamotor. Tecumseh stayed at the Torino factory until 2006.

Introduced in 1980 were the BV series engines. These continued to be built under Fiat/Tecumseh. Models included the vertical-shaft models BV150 (3.5 hp, 148cc) and BV172 (4 hp, 172cc) which were ideal for rotary lawn mowers.

Fiat Aspera BV172, 4hp, 172cc

Advertising for the BV engines (Image, right) detailed a positive force-fed oil-pump. This meant that even when the oil level was at a minimum, they could continue to operate on gradients that other 4-stroke engines couldn’t – an ideal choice for hilly lawns or undulating grassed areas. The engines were also designed to be quiet, easy to maintain, reliable and ‘built to last’.

The BV and LAV models were the most prominent through the 1980s. The LAV included the LAV 30, 35 and 40.

Tecumseh produced a varied range of engines, and in the early 2000s their Italian website (now defunct) detailed the last Italian-made Centura, Enduro, Formula, Prisma and Vantage engines for mowers, tillers, generators and pressure washers.

The Aspera/Tecumseh factory was located at Strada delle Cacce 99, Torino (Turin). Tecumseh vacated the factory in 2006. For many years it has stood empty awaiting redevelopment. It can be found on Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Y25KaC7cg94bBw5E7

Small engines are being made at the Aspera factory – perhaps one of the engines could be yours. Note the engines on the benches and on conveyors in the bottom right corner of the image.


This article was not that easy to research – particularly the Tecnamotor name. So, if anyone can add additional information, or even correct anything on this article, then there is a VHGMC forum thread: https://vhgmc.co.uk/forums/topic/aspera-engines-2/




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by alan

Mowers and Bicycles

February 16, 2025 in Articles, Machinery

It is often overlooked, but many of the manufacturers of vintage horticultural machinery were also involved in manufacturing an array of other items. Just because we know them for horticultural items doesn’t mean they didn’t have interests (or beginnings) in other products.

One modern example is Honda. We know them in horticultural circles for starting to make lawnmowers in 1978 (47 years ago as I write this!), but they also manufacture across a range of areas, including automotive, motorbikes, marine, aircraft, generators, and power equipment.

Going way back to the 1950s, Nutt Engineering of Cambridge, who made the Hayn mowers, had a sideline in producing wire-framed clothes horses – a world away from the Honda empire, but companies need to diversify to keep working.

You may know the USA ride-on mower manufacturers Huffy, Murray, and AMF (American Machine and Foundry), but did you know that in the early-to-late 20th century they all had an interest in the manufacture of bicycles? Indeed, there was a booming industry with bikes, followed by a similar interest in ride-on mowers and powered garden equipment. Manufacturers diversified, expanded, and invested where the market and profits were.

Like the ride-on mowers that Huffy, Murray, and AMF sold in the UK, many of the bikes they produced were sold worldwide.

I have found some USA adverts which show the bikes that these ride-on mower manufacturers made:

Huffy

1967 Huffy bikes and a Huffy Sheraton ride-on mower. At the back-left is the British-designed Huffy-Moulton luxury bicycle. In the foreground, the Huffy Rail dragster.

Huffy, who produced bikes throughout the 20th century, is best known in the UK for their diminutive yet well-engineered ride-on mowers in the 1960s and ‘70s. Along with the mowers, Huffy was advertising 55 bike models including tandems and trikes in America.

In the mid-1960s, Huffy collaborated with the English engineer Alex Moulton and created the Huffy-Moulton bike (see image, right), this was claimed to be the first basic advance in bike design in 70 years. The bike had small wheels, instant acceleration due to gearing and low inertia, and was said to be nimble with light steering.

Interestingly, in the early 1980s, Huffy signed an agreement with Raleigh bikes in the UK, which gave them exclusive rights to manufacture and sell the Raleigh models in the United States. Huffy also sponsored a professional BMX (Bicycle Motocross) team. BMX started in the early 1970s in the USA, and eventually, Huffy had a range of BMX bikes. The Anglo-American BMX Championship, held in the UK in 1982, included the Huffy BMX Racing Team.

It is reported that bikes for the Huffy brand are now made in China.

Murray

1970 Murray Eliminator

Murray is another name that we associate with mowers in the UK. In the 1970s, many Murray ride-on mowers and garden tractors were rebadged and sold as Mountfield-branded machines. In the 1930s, in the USA, Murray started producing bikes alongside car parts and children’s pedal cars. However, in 1985, F. H. Tompkins, the owner of the UK company Hayter, purchased Murray for the mower brand and production, then in 2005 Briggs & Stratton took over Murray. According to research, Murray bikes had been produced until the end of the 1990s.

AMF -American Machine and Foundry

The third company that had an interest in mowers and bikes was AMF. The company manufactured some of the Massey Ferguson lawn and garden tractors starting in 1966, as well as the first ATCO ride-on mowers in the early 1980s. They also produced models branded as Dynamark, which Westwood sold in the 1970s before creating their own range of ride-on mowers. AMF had purchased the Roadmaster brand of bikes from the Cleveland Welding Company in 1950. There were 41 bike models in 1970, and bikes were manufactured until the late 1990s.

1970 AMF Roadmaster bikes. The interestingly named ‘Flying Wedge’ on the left, and Aerobee Renegade. The Flying Wedge had a 5-speed stick shift.

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