Scottish agricultural implement makers

One of the big names in manure distributors at the turn of the twentieth century was J. & R. Wallace Ltd, The Foundry, Castle Douglas. It had won the first prize of the ‘great Newcastle trials of the RASE’ (Royal Agricultural Society of England). This was quite an accolade as few Scottish implement and machine makers won prizes at the RASE trials.

If you wanted to purchase a manure distributor or sower you could have chosen one from a number of Scottish companies: Thomas Sherriff & Co., East Barns, James Gordon, Castle Douglas, Thomas Hunter & Sons, Maybole, John Wallace & Sons, Glasgow, Robert Wallace & Son, Whittlets, Ben Reid & Co., Aberdeen, and Robert G. Garvie, Aberdeen.

If you were a farmer or agriculturist in north-east Scotland until the mid 1890s you would have been familiar with the name of G. W. Murray & Co. Banff Foundry, Banff.

The company was already in business by 1868. It undertook a range of trades as an agricultural implement maker, iron founder, engineer, mechanical engineer, iron merchant, pump manufacturer and smith.

In 1868 the company sold a wide range of manufactures. These included corn drills, turnip sowing machines, two horse ploughs, drill ploughs, horse rakes, turnip hoeing machines, rick stands, iron troughs, zig zag harrows, grubbers, chain harrows, Norwegian harrows, land rollers, turnip cutters, corn bruisers and potato diggers.

The company was an innovative one: in 1895 one trades directory described the company as “G. W. Murray & Co., patentees of potato planters and manufacturers of crown threshers for hand and foot power and also for pony power, Banff.” A patent from 1870 was for “improvements in means of apparatus employed in ploughing or tilling land”. Another from 1871 was for “improvements in apparatus for ploughing or tilling land”. It also entered its implements and machines fro the highly prestigious trials of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland. They includes the trials of potato planters in 1883, ploughs (1883), grubbers (1883), implements for autumn cultivation of stubble (1885), and implements for spring cultivation (1885).

The company undertook significant publicity work, allowing it to reach a Scotland wide as well as an international market for its manufacturers. It exhibited at the Highland Show from 1868 until 1896, when it exhibited in all the Society’s eight show districts, giving it a reach throughout al of Scotland. It advertised in the North British Agriculturist from 1868 until 1897.

The company was highly regarded for its manufactures, winning a number of national and international awards. From the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland it received a commendation for fencing in 1868, a silver medal for a collection of ploughs in 1870, a medium silver medal for a collection in 1872. a silver medal for a chain pump in 1873, a medium silver medal for a turnip sower in 1875, a medium silver medal for a turnip sower in 1876, a silver medal for a thrashing machine in 1876, a minor silver medal for collection in 1876, and a first and second prize for a turnip lifter in 1881.

The company was one for the few Scottish companies to have received an award from the Royal Agricultural Society of England – for a double furrow plough in 1870. In 1872 it was awarded a first prize of 10L for a double furrow plough not exceeding 3.5cwt a highly commended for a double mouldboard or ridging plough not exceeding 2.5cwt. In 1874 it was awarded second prize of 5L for drill,. without manure box, for turnips and other roots on the ridge. In 1880 it received a silver medal for a two row planter.

One of the key figures in the company was George A, Duncan. In 1893 the North British Agriculturist provided a short account of him:

“Mr George A. Duncan is proprietor and manager of the well-known engineer and iron foundry business which has long been carried on in Banff under the style of G. W. Murray & Co. Mr Duncan, who is only in his thirty-third year, spent a good few of his earlier years in Australia. On his return to this country in 1886, the late Mr G. W. Murray, who formerly owned the business, appointed Mr Duncan manager of the Banff Foundry, as well as of the iron merchant’s business, which he also carried on under the name of Murray & Blake. Mr Duncan held these joint offices till June 1887, when Mr Murray died, but he had given so much satisfaction with the management of the business that he was immediately appointed to the same offices by Mr Murray’s trustees. In April 1888, Mr Duncan purchased the premises, plant, and goodwill of the Banff Foundry, and ever since he has on his own account carried on the works, as well as an iron merchant’s business, with marked success. The firm manufacture all kinds of agricultural implements-harrows, turnip sowers, turnip sowers, broadcast sowing machines, grubbers, ploughs, &c all of which have a large sale. In the end of last year the works were completely destroyed by fire, and operations have consequently been carried on at a great disadvantage since, but everything is now in a fair way to being completed, and full work resumed.

The company continued in business until 1897. An auction sale was held on 18 August of “engineers’, iron founders’, and agricultural implement makers’ plant” “owing to the proprietor giving up business.

The photographs of the Banff Foundry seed barrows were taken at New Deer Show, August 2014.

The introduction of tattie chitting trays brought a new line of work to local sawmills and box makers in parts of Scotland.
The boxing system of preparing potato sets was, according to John Speir, Newton Farm, Glasgow, in 1909: “introduced for the purpose of maturing the potato crop sooner than could be attained by the ordinary manner of planting. It is said to have been first introduced in jersey, where it is extensively practiced. Along the whole of the Firth of Clyde it is more or less in use on all the earlier farms, and more particularly in the neighbourhood of Girvan it has been carried to such an extent that several farmers there have upwards of a hundred acres of potatoes all planted from boxes.”

One of the makers of sowing machines in north-east Scotland was George W. Murray & Co., Banff Foundry, Banff.
In 1868 the company exhibited a one horse corn drill and a two horse corn drill at the Highland Show. In 1870 its sowing machines included a small sized corn drill, a medium sized corn drill, a combined land roller and grass seed sower as well as a turnip sowing machine. A few years later in 1877 they included a turnip and mangold sower, hand seed drill, and a broadcast sowing machine.

In the days of horse power one of the most well-known implements in Scottish agriculture was the Hunter hoe fro cleaning drills, manufactured by Thomas Hunter & Sons, Maybole.

Thomas Hunter & Sons, Maybole, was one of the celebrated and well-renowned Scottish agricultural implement makers. In 1861 Thomas Hunter was a smith at Maybole. His business developed and flourished and by 1883 his address was given as the “Implement Works, Maybole”. He was joined in business by his sons by 1895. In 1905 the business was located in Alloway Road: the “Alloway Road Implement Works”. The business became a limited company by guarantee in 1920: Thomas Hunter & Sons Ltd. That company was short-lived, becoming Thomas Hunter & Sons (Maybole) Ltd in 1924; it was wound up in late 1927. By 1924 the proprietors were Alex Jack & Sons Ltd, a rival firm, and also another well-known implement and machine maker.

The Board of Agriculture and Internal Improvement undertook an important survey of agriculture and rural improvement in Britain from 1793 to 1817. Each survey generally focused on a county or a small number of counties.

The accounts contained detailed accounts of the implements and machines used in each county, together with the changes that were being made to them.

Steam power played an important role in mechanising Scottish agriculture in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

The Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, the national agricultural society, recognised the importance of steam power for the farmer and agriculturist, and encouraged its use and development though a range of means, including premiums, competitions and special committee investigations.
It was at the Highland Show that farmers and agriculturists got to see the latest developments in steam power for the farm. The first steam powered exhibit at the show was at the Glasgow Highland Show of 1850. In the “extra implement” class Clayton, Shuttleworth and Co., Lincoln, exhibited a seven horse power portable steam engine for thrashing and other purposes. This would set the purchaser back £209, and if they wanted it felted and cased they would pay a further £8 extra. Richard garrett and Son, Saxmundham, also exhibited a portable steam engine for agricultural purposes for £205.

While the early Highland Shows in the 180s generally had a small number of steam exhibits, their numbers increased significantly as steam power became more widely adopted on Scottish farms.
At the 1875 Highland Show held in Glasgow, there were eighteen exhibitors of steam powered engines and machinery. They included some of the major English makers whose names came to dominate the making of traction engines and portable steam engines – William Foster & Co., Wellington Foundry, Lincoln, John Fowler & Co., Steam Plough Works, Leeds and Edinburgh, Richard Hornsby & Sons, Spittlegate Iron Works, Grantham, Marshall, Sons & Co. Ltd, Britannia Iron Works, Gainsborough, and Robey & Co., Lincoln.

But there were also Scottish makers and exhibitors, some of whom were well-known at that time for their steam manufactures. One of them was Alexander Chaplin & Co., Cranstonhill Engine Works, Glasgow, with a portable winding engine. D. Gordon & Co., Newton Works, Ayr, had an eight horse power vertical engine and boiler combined, built on a strong cast-iron foundation, as well as a light two-horse thrashing machine and horse gear. Another from Ayrshire, J. & T. Young, Vulcan Foundry, Ayr, exhibited a five horse power improved horizontal tank steam engine and independent vertical boiler with cross tuber in fire box as well as a patent stone dressing machine. William Young, engineer, Ardrosssan, had a three horse power (nominal) vertical engine and boiler combined suitable for driving, thrashing, churning and other machinery.

Steam power continued to be an important feature of the showyard (especially the “machinery in motion” section) of the Highland Show for a number of following engines. However, from the 1880s steam power had to compete with new forms of power, including gas power, diesel power paraffin power, and electric power, and their increasing use on Scottish farms.

Traction engines continued to be exhibited at the Highland Show until the early 1930s. The last traction engine that John Fowler & Co. (Leeds) Ltd, Leeds, world-famed for its steam ploughing and cultivating engines and tackle, exhibited at the Show was in 1933. This was a 10hp (nominal) traction engine, single cylinder, on rubber-tyres wheels and fitted with front tank and Pickering governors, with a rotary plough, its gyro tiller, of 170hp. By this time a number of the traction engine makers were making diesel powered engines.

A number of traction engines for agricultural use can be seen around the rally fields today. The photographs from the Bon Accord Steam Fair, 2015, Fife Vintage Rally, 2015, and B. A. Country Fair, 2016, illustrate aspects of agricultural steam from the past.

Farmers and other agriculturists in north-east Scotland would have been well-aware of the renowned firm of G. W. Murray & Co., of the Banff Foundry, until it gave up business in 1897.

The Banff Foundry was not to remain empty for any length of time after G. W, Murray gave up business. By 1898 Watson Brothers had started business in it. In its first year of business it advertised itself as “Watson Brothers (successors to G. W. Murray & Co.) Banff Foundry.”

William Dickie & Sons, Victoria Implement Works, East Kilbride was one of the well-known Scottish agricultural implement makers. The company was already established as William Dickie, agricultural engineer,in East Kilbride by 1888. Vy 1897 the company was of a sufficient size that it could call its premises the Victorial Agricultural Implement Works (sometimes also the Victoria Works or the Victoria Implement Works). By 1904 William was joined by his sons, thus establishing the name of William Dickie & Sons. Further change was brought about in 1948 when the company became incorporated to become William Dickie & Sons Ltd.

The company recognised the need for it to have a greater presence in the west of Scotland, allowing it to expand its business further. In 1905 it also set up in the Gallowgate, Glasgow, along with other implement makers. However, it was to retain its basis, and association with East Kilbride.

Its business focus was as an agricultural implement maker, mechanical engineer and millwright. These trades and were carried out over many decades. Its manufactures, however, changed with the times, responding to changes in agriculture and agricultural needs.

In 1897 the company was a maker of fireclay churns, wooden churns, land rollers, horse rakes, rick lifters (“the Handy”), combined mower and reapers, horse rakes, a self-regulating steel windmill (“the Victor”), and a range of miscellaneous items such as garden seats and sack barrows. Some of these implements and machines were to be staple products for the company over many decades.

In 1909 the company manufacured the “Victor” self regulating steel windmill, a range of threshing machines, horse gear, patent rick lifters, hay tenders, the “Victoria” reaper and mower, horse rakes, grindstones, liquid manure carts, water carts and farm carts. It also acted as an agent for “Noxton” mowers and binders. In 1914 there were windmills and toes, rick lifters, hay tenders, straw bakers, and liquid manure carts. All these are implements and machines associated with a dairying district.

The company was renowned for a number of its manufactures. By 1905 it entered one of its hay turners for the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland’s trial of swathe turners.
In 1934 it entered for the New Implement Award at the Highland Show a combined general purpose coup cart and rick lifter, cited with Dunlop Pneumatic land wheels. In 1938 it entered its new parent expanding swathe turner for that award. This was followed by its mechanical byre cleaner in 1939 and the Dickie-Campbell rick lifter and utility transporter in 1950, a mechanical byre-mucking machine in 1951 and the Dickie “swath-tedder” in 1958. It was Dickie’s swathe turner that made the company famous. Indeed, it could be said that the company was synonymous with its swathe tedder.

The company stopped trading in 1969 and was dissolved in August 1973. But it left a significant legacy in the hayfields, and of course around the vintage agricultural rallies today. You will likely see its swathe turners. If you see any others, remember that Dickie was an inventive engineer who developed a range of inventive implements and machines that had a significant impact on Scottish agriculture.

The photographs were taken at Ayr Vintage Rally, July 2016, the Scottish National Tractor Show, September 2015 and the Fife Vintage Machinery Show, June 2014.

If you wanted to but a turnip cutter in the early 1950s you could buy one from a number of Scottish makers. Barclay, Ross & Hutchinson Ltd, Aberdeen, had a power-driven turnip cutter of 1.5hp and interchangeable knives. Cobban of Inverurie had a power driven cutter. Geo. Henderson Ltd, Kelso, had its “Henderland” power operated cutter, and James H, Steele Ltd, Edinburgh, had a portable, engine driven one.

One of the well-known makers was Kenneth McKenzie & Son, Evanton, Rosss-shire. Kenneth was already a smith and farrier in 1903. In 1922 he is recorded in trade directories as an agricultural engineer, a mechanical engineer, a motor engineer and a smith. By 1955 he is denoted as an agricultural engineer, implement, machinery and equipment manufacturer and as a tractor and implement dealer.