Great Exhibition - Mower Manufacturers and Retailers
The Great Exhibition took place in Hyde Park, London from 1 May to 15 October 1851.
This is an extract from one of the various "official" catalogues produced at the time.
Known lawnmower manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers are listed here.
Some manufacturers lists "mowers" as a product but these generally meant machines for cutting long grass in fields to make hay.
Samuelson & Co., Richmond & Chandler, Deane's, and others made mowers of both types.
Thomas Green of Leeds exhibited but this was before the company commenced lawnmower production. The company's stand was close to that of Shanks of Arbroath.
In other publications, Thomas Green did advertise advertise "Mowing Machines" and "Garden Rollers" in the early 1850s alongside his wire work and iron products. It is not known whether these were manufactured by the company or retailed for the three other known manufacturers at the time (Ferrabee, Shanks, Samuelson). It is speculation but if these were mowers made by someone else, a potential candidate is Shanks: in 1855 the two companies were in some kind of collaboration, making identical pull along "chariot" mowers.
By Authority of the Royal Commission.
OFFICIAL
CATALOGUE
OF THE
GREAT EXHIBITION
OF THE WORKS OF
INDUSTRY OF ALL NATIONS
1851.THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S, AND ALL THAT THEREIN IS:
THE COMPASS OF THE WORLD AND THEY THAT DWELL THEREIN,CORRECTED EDITION.
LONDON:
SPICER BROTHERS, WHOLESALE STATIONERS; W. CLOWES & SONS, PRINTERS;
CONTRACTORS TO THE ROYAL COMMISSION.
Price 1s. in the Building, Hyde Park, or 1s. 3d. at the City Office, 29 New Bridge Street, Blackfriars,
and all Booksellers in Town or Country.66 GREEN, T. 97 North St. Leeds, Manu.-Wire aviary and ornamental seat.
67 SHANKS and Sox, Arbroath, Forfar.-Grass and hay-cutting machines.
124 RANSOMES & MAY, Ipswich, Inv. and Manu. Patent iron ploughs; double breast or moulding ploughs; West Indian, double furrow, universal, broad share, and subsoil ploughs; trussed whippletrees; Biddell's scarifier; Indian cultivator; corn and seed-dropping machine; portable steam engine; fixed steam engine; thrashing machines; cane-top cutter; crushing mill; oil-cake breaker; barley awner; chicory cutter; Scotch cart, &c.
137 RICHMOND & CHANDLER, Manchester, Inv. and Manu-Corn-crusher, chaff-cutting machine, grain-crusher, chaff-machines, &c.
180 DEANE, DRAY, & DEANE, Swan Lane, Upper Thames St. London Bridge. Grindstones, mills, corn-crushers, chaff-cutter, portable forge, churn, seats, pump, pig-trough, crane, and various other agricultural implements.
185 SAMUELSON, B. Banbury, Manu.-Patent double-action turnip-cutter. Chaff-cutter. Universal mill. Improved bean mill. Oil-cake breaker. Registered atmospheric churn. Ploughs. Horse-hoe. Ornamental cast-iron table, and stool. Self-acting kitchen range.
247 COTTAM & HALLEN, Oxford St. London.-Stable,
274 FERRABEE & SONS, Phoenix Iron Works, Stroud, Manu. Chaff-cutter. Patent grass-cutter. Set of registered screw-wrenches.
PublicationOtherDateSourceGoogle Books/Great Exhibition/Official Illustrated Catalogue Advertiser/1851Link