Displenishing sales provide an insight into the implements and machines that were being used on a farm when the tenant was leaving a particular farm. They reflected the type of activities that were being undertaken, including chicken rearing, potato growing, or cheese making. They can also show whether the farm was using new and innovative ones or were relying on older ones. Some of the items that are listed were old, though others, as notices sometimes point out were new. They would also have included implements that might have been allocated to the “hedge back” that were put out for sale to realize some money.
In May 1924 a number of displenishing sales took place in north-east Scotland. It is worth looking at these to see what implements and machines were being used a century ago. There is a great emphasis on ones for ploughing, cultivation, carting, crop processing, and animal husbandry.
Moss-side, Wartle (from Aberdeen press and journal, 5 May 1924)
Implements- Box cart, long cart body, wooden, link, and S.T. harrows, iron drag, grubber, 2 single and 1 D.B. ploughs, stone roller, shim, turnip sower, barn fan, bushel and straik, ladders, plough hurley, yokes and swingletrees, cart and plough harness, hopper, box and peat barrows, drag and hand rakes, scythes, ladders, all fencing and joiners’ tools, paling posts and wire, and all the necessary minor hand tools. Cheese press, churn.
Upper Greenfield, Monquhitter (from Aberdeen press and journal, 5 May 1924)
Implements- 2 box carts, binder (New Century), M.P. plough, D.B. plough, iron and S.T. and link harrows, grubber, stone roller, turnip sower, shim, yokes, and swingletrees, cart and plough harness, drag and hand rakes, pig box, chicken coops, turnip hasher, ladders, fan, bushel and straik, scythes, box and peat harrows, 2 feathers and sole of plough (new); all necessary hand tools and dairy utensils.
Gordonston, Rothienorman (from Aberdeen press and journal, 5 May 1924)
Implements- 2 boxcarts with tops, single and double ploughs, wooden and chain harrows, sheep dipper, metal and stone rollers. 3-tined grubber, shims, broadcast McCormick binder, B.D. reaper, manure distributor, mill, picks and shovels, and all minor hand tools. Box barrows, etc; portable henhouse, chicken coops, cart and plough harness.
Bodichell, Fyvie (from Aberdeen press and journal, 5 May 1924)
Implements- 3 boxcarts with top and peat creels, long cart, Hornsby binder, B.D. reaper, turnip sowing machine, broadcast, manure distributor; wooden, iron and chain harrows; horse rake; S.T. harrows, single and double ploughs, metal and stone rollers, 3 and 5-tined grubbers, drag, shims, turnip hasher, feeding troughs, forks, shovels, graips, fencing tools, and all minor hand tools, barn fan, bushel etc; 3 sets cart and plough harness, gig harness, dogcart, 2 tons potatoes, 40 head poultry.
Coldwells, Inverurie (from Aberdeen press and journal, 5 May 1924)
Implements- 2 box carts (good), by Simpson, Peterhead; 2 spring carts, single and D.B. ploughs, iron, spring tooth, and chain harrows; 2 rollers; grubber, drag, 2 shims, broadcast and turnip sowers, Hornsby binder, B.D. reaper, horse and drag rakes, 2 sleighs, rick covers, 6 large cattle feeding troughs, ladders, grindstone, cake breaker, bench, box and peat barrows, pig troughs, corn chest, weigher and weights, garden seat, and all the minor tools on the farm.
2 sets cart and plough harness, firewood, wooden garage (14ft x 10ft), 1 D.B. hammerless ejector gun (almost new), and 2 game bags.
Balcraig, Keith-Hall (from Aberdeen press and journal, 5 May 1924)
Implements-Hornsby binder, turnip sowing machine, 2 box carts with tops, grubber (almost new), drag, chain harrows, iron harrows, skim, 1 single plough, 1 drill plough, yokes and swingletrees, scythes, netting wire, wire strainer, water barrels, box barrow, ladders, feeding troughs, rick posts, cart ropes, hand rakes, forks, graips, spades, shovels, lanterns; cart and plough harness.
Greens, Newmachar (from Aberdeen press and journal, 5 May 1924)
Implements-McCormick binder (practically new), horse rake, turnip sower, metal and stone rollers, 3 box carts with tops, grubber, springtooth harrow, chain harrows, 1 set iron harrows, 1 single plough, 1 drill plough, barn fan, steelyard and weights, bushel, corn scoops, grain sacks, turnip hasher, yokes and swingletrees, drag rake, portable boiler (25 gall.), perfection oil cabinet (50 gall), 2 rick covers, ladders, box barrows, feeding troughs, scythes, paling wire, potato riddles, lanterns, rakes, forks, hoes, spades, graips, shovels, ropes, and other minor hand tools; cart and plough harness.
