Budding Patent Retailer - Ransomes of Ipswich

An article in the Mechanics Magazine, published 18 August 1832 about a lawnmower in use at the Regents Park Zoological Gardens, London states that the lawnmower is "the invention of a Mr. Budding and manufactured by Messrs Ransome's of Ipswich".

However, it is now believed that this claim is inaccurate. It would appear that it was possibly the result of a misunderstanding by the writer of the piece.

Ransomes was probably the first company to sell the lawnmower on behalf of Ferrabee as a wholesaler, distributor, or agent and it is likely that arrangement was in place as early as 1832. Indeed between 1830 and 1853, the article in the Mechanics Magazine is the only known published reference to lawnmowers being manufactured by Ransomes. There are several articles, advertisements, and brochures from this period stating that Ransomes is able to supply Budding Patent lawnmowers and is the sole agent for the eastern counties and as far "west" as Northamptonshire. All of these publications, including Ransomes' own, simply mention that the company is selling lawnmowers. In doing so, the machines are typically referred to as "Mr Budding's Mower" (or some similar working). 

It is not until 1853 that the company makes any claim to be manufacturing lawnmowers on its own. A Ransomes and Sims advertisement for The Great Industrial Exhibition in Dublin the company states 

"R & S having this season arranged for the manufacture of these machines (instead of purchasing them off the Patentees, as heretofore) they are enabled to offer them at the following prices."

The most likely reason for the inaccurate claim in the Mechanics Magazine is that the writer on hearing that the mower was supplied by Ransomes, assumed that the company had also made it. This is perhaps understandable as the company was a well-known and well-established manufacturer or agricultural and related items at this time.

It is worth noting that a separate article about the lawnmower in use at Regents Park Zoological Gardens, written by J C Loudon and appearing in the the Garden Magazine in 1831, states that it was made by John Ferrabee. Loudon was a leading and trusted authority on horticultural matters, pre-eminent at the time and perhaps less likely to make a mistake than an anonymous reporter.

From this, the only conclusion to be made is that Ransomes was selling Ferrabee-made lawnmowers as early as 1831 so as to have supplied the machine in use at Regents Park.