Exclusive Manufacturer and Budding's Opinion
Budding clearly had a good idea of how his new invention would be used. Not only did he envisage that the lawnmower would be used in domestic settings and on parkland but also that it would help to manage sporting surfaces such as cricket grounds. There is no doubt that the mower played its part in the growth of organised sport in the Victorian era that was shortly to commence.
The text of the patent published in to the Repertory of Patent Inventions also confirms that John Ferrabee was to be the only person allowed to manufacture and sell the new invention. Agreements like this are not uncommon - investors and/or manufacturers request or demand a degree of exclusivity in return for their support. In this particular instance, we might infer that Ferrabee requested such as agreement as he was not protected as a patentee.
Observations by the Patentee.
The Patentee is of opinion, that a frequent and proper use of his machine, will greatly conduce to the improvement of greenswards, for cricket-grounds and ornamental purposes, producing, with due care in other respects - such as draining, levelling, and rolling - a fine, rich, uniform, and agreeable surface. Mr. J. Ferrabee, of the Thrupp mill and foundry, near Stroud, engineer, is, by agreement with the patentee, the only person that is, or will be, authorised by him to make, vend, or license, these new machines; and due exertion will be made to supply the public, from his establishment, on the most satisfactory terms.
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