Category: About this site

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.

The account for Inverness-shire written by James Robertson, provides insights into the character and state of implements used in that county.

“The implements of husbandry which are used by the inhabitants of any country, no less than the construction of their houses and the appearance of their ground, are characteristic of the progress which they have made in the knowledge of agriculture, and in their enjoyment of the comforts of life. These improvements are either simultaneous, or so nearly allied in respect of the principle to which they owe their origin, and the time in which they appear in any country, that they are universally found to exist together. Wherever we see the farmers turning up the surface of the earth in a slovenly manner, and employing uncouth and unhandy tools for providing their own food, which is the first care of every living creature, we instantly conclude thatchy are far behind in the line of cultivation. but wherever any of these improvements have made considerable progress, the rest are not far behind.
The general aspect of the county under review, is very much diversified; the genius and industry of the people, and the instruments of their husbandry, are no less so. In some provinces, all the modern improvements invented to facilitate the labours of agriculture, and to beautify the appearance of their lands, are to be seen in the highest perfection; while in other places, no change has taken place in these respects for many generations.
In the islands and western parts of the county, the case-chrom, or spade with the crooked handle, still retains its place in the operations of the rude agriculture there practiced. This is a clumsy, heavy instrument, something in the form of a spade, and of great antiquity. The iron is triangular, resembling that used for casting turfs, having a strong and large socket for receiving a wooden handle, which is not straight, but shaped like two segments of a large circle, joined together and placed in opposite directions, like the figure in architecture, called an ogee.
At a little distance above the socket, the wooden handle has a peg or pin, fixed firmly, so as to answer the right foot, which is employed to aid the hands and to give more power to the instrument, in being driven forward below the surface. From the construction of the cas-chrom. it is evident that it does not go so straight down into the ground as the garden spade: it penetrates more in a direction sloping forward, ad requires two or three efforts before the soil is turned over; but when turned, there is more ground generally taken up than any other spade, now in use, could accomplish. The reason of its doing more execution is obvious, not only because of the breadth of the iron, but also because the lower part of the handle slopes in a horizontal direction, to receive some of the tough sod to be turned over. The triangular point of the iron qualifies this instrument to enter easily among stones; and the coarseness of the surface, and thinness of the soil, enable it to lay over a greater quantity of sod than any other instrument for digging, which is wrought by the foot. It was in great estimation with the common people, who were won’t to employ it even in fields, when the plough might act; but at present it is seldom used, except onground with a rocky bottom, or on the shelves of rocks, where no plough can be used.
In the islands, the people are said still to use ploughs with one handle; for what reason, it is not easy to conjecture, because two handles give in all cases, more command in the direction of a plough, than one. I was informed that in lea or grass ground, where the case-chrom is to be used in digging the soil, they first of all fix an instrument like a coulter, in a frame of wood resembling a plough-beam, in which a horse is yoked, to cut the tough and matted surface into parallel lines, leaving the intermediate spaces of that breadth which the case-chrom can easily turn up. This kind of plough, if it can be called one, seems to be the only subsidiary to the other instrument.
Harrows with wooden teeth, cart-wheels unshod with iron, and without bushes of cast metal to facilitate the motion, tumblers, currants or curates, to carry home corn and hay, baskets for carrying out their dung, another kind of basket for carrying home peats, shades or sledges for particular carriages; and many other instruments of the same rude construction, continue to be used in many districts of this widely extended county. The principal recommendation of these uncouth instruments is, that some of them are well adapted to the state of the roads, or places in that county where there is no road at all; that others of them are cheap to poor people; and that the farmer himself can make and repair them at his own conveniency. At a distance from carpenters and smiths, every man must be frequently at a loss, who has not learned to be handy in these matters. To attempt in this place to describe such rude implements is unnecessary, as there is a hazard that the description might not be understood by those who had never seen them, and that in a few years it would be useless, as it is to be hoped, the objects described will exist no longer.
About 35 or 40 years ago, scarcely could a plough or cart-wright be found in all the county, to make the necessary farming utensils in a sufficient manner, or of a proper construction. In these circumstances, every person, who wanted to improve his land, imported loughs, carts, harrows &c of an improved construction from London, or from the port of Leith. But as the demand for machines of a nicer form, and more substantial make, increased, several young men were induced to go from home, and serve apprenticeships with skilful masters; so that properly-bred smiths are carpenters of all denominations are now settled in most of the low and central parts of the county. owing to the want of proper wood and encouragement, and there being no demand in the Islands and Western highlands, skilful artificers have hitherto declined to go thither.
There are ploughs of various constructions, but that generally used is the improved Scottish one, which is made in the county, of every size, and with or without mould-boards of cast iron, according to the opinion of the employer. On gentlemen’s farms we find large harrows for breaking coarse ground, drill-barrows, rollers, banners, thrashing machines, and carts of different constructions, with every other agricultural instrument employed by farmers in any part of Scotland. But very few of the common rank of tenantry, have shown an inclination to adopt the style of dressing their ground in a manner which renders these implements requisite.
The late Mr Davidson of Canary, was the first to construct a thrashing mill which was driven by horses. He imported all the parts of the machinery from Leith, and brought the tradesman at the same time to join the parts together, and set the machine to work: Mr Forbes of Culloden, Mr Robertson of Inches, Governor Stuart at Fort gorge, Mr Grant at Rothiemurchus, Major fraser of Newton, Mr Anderson, minister at Kingussie, Mr Mitchell at Gordon-hall, and no doubt many other improvers in various parts of the county, have not only thrashing-machines, but many other implements of husbandry, which are used in the southern counties. Mr Young, formerly mentioned as having several Spanish sheep, showed me a machine in the form of a brake harrow, drawn by one horse, with two handles, for cleaning couch-grass and other fibrous weeds from ploughed land. Its execution is very great, not only in cleaning and pulverising the soil, where the ground is level, and free of obstructions. Machines area also made in the eastern districts of the county, for bruising the succulent tops of furze to make provender for horses, ins reasons when the crop of grain is hot, and straw and hay scanty. The year old shoots of this plant afford a convenient substitute at a small expense, which is at the same time rich and wholesome food. The common class of farmers, who have no machines for that purpose, heat these tops of furze with the flail; by which means their horses, it is said, with very little other subsistence, are enabled to carry on the labours of the spring.

The photographs of the “traditional” implements were taken at the Highland Folk Museum, Newtonmore.

One of the renowned tattle planters from the time of the First World War was the two row “Richmond” potato planter, made by John Wallace & Sons, Paton Street, Dennistoun, Glasgow.

In 1915 the planter sold at £15 15s; a single row machine, costing £15, was also fitted with an artificial manure distributor.

Trade directories of implement and machine makers from the late nineteenth century sometimes include Berwick on Tweed in Scotland. This means that the Berwick on Tweed implement and machine maker William Elder & Sons is included under the heading of Scottish agricultural implement and machines makers.

While firmly associated with Berwick on Tweed, and the Vulcan Foundry, the company sold its implements and machines into the Scottish Borders. The company set up an asociated trading company in Glasgow in the First World War. This was William Elder & Sons (Glasgow) Ltd. However, it did not remain in business for long. After the First World War, it established premises in Scotland. In 1922 they were located at Hope Park, Haddington, and at Newton St Boswells; these premises continued to trade into the early 1960s. By the early 1960s they were also associated with Reston Motor Garage, Motor Engineers, Reston.

One of the major Scottish implement and machine makers was John Wallace & Sons, Graham Square, Glasgow.The company existed in various forms until the late 1960s, when it was absorbed into another much larger company, resulting in the loss of the Wallace name. These forms included: John Wallace & Son; John Wallace & Sons (from at least 1879); John Wallace & Sons Ltd (from 1897); Wallace (Glasgow) Ltd (in 1925); and John Wallace (Agricultural Machinery) Ltd (in 1965). The company was renowned for a wide range of implements and machines including ploughs, turnip sowers, reapers and mowers, potato diggers, iron buildings – there are still a few of them to be seen around the Scottish rally fields.

A key episode in the history of the business took place in December 1896 with the formation of the limited company of John Wallace & Sons Ltd. Its certificate of incorporation was dated 13 December.

The company’s memorandum of association provides insights into the newly formed company and how it was to operate:

“The objects for which the company are established are:
(a) to acquire the business carried on in Glasgow and elsewhere under the name or style of John Wallace & Sons, agricultural engineers and implement makers, Graham Square, Glasgow, and to purchase and undertake the whole of the assets and liabilities of such business upon the terms set forth in an agreement between the said John Wallace & Sons on the one part and James Colquhoun LLD, writer, Glasgow, as trustee for this company, on the second part, dated the twenty-sixth day of December, 1896.
(b) to carry onbusiness as agricultural and general engineers, millwrights and implement makers, and ironmongers, in Glasgow and elsewhere, and to make, buy, sell, produce, alter, and deal in agricultural implements of every kind and description, and generally to carry on any business of a character similar or analogous thereto, or which will contribute to or facilitate the same, or which, by the advance or increase of knowledge or exigencies of labour, may be substituted therefor.
(c) to manufacture and sell, either by wholesale or retail, every description of goods connected with the agricultural industry of the country, and for that purpose to acquire suitable premises, either by building or purchasing the same, and to lease or buy, sell or exchange, land, or land and buildings, free from or subject to any feh-duty, ground, annual rent, tax, reservations of mines and minerals, or any restrictions, conditions, and agreements whatsoever, or subject to any bond, mortgage, or charge or other encumbrance. …”

The capital of the company was to be £40,000, divided into 8,000 shares of £5 each. The first directors were James Wallace, agricultural implement maker, and William Wallace, agricultural implement maker, both of Glasgow.

In this form the company continued until 1920. On 16 July 1920 the company passed a special resolution to wind up the company; this resolution was confirmed on 2 August 1920. Thereafter, the company took on another form, using the same name.

The photographs were taken at the Ayrshire Vintage Rally, July 2017.

There were a number of important developments in potato planters in the second half of the nineteenth century. By 1883 the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland recognised the need to further encourage their development. In that year it ran a trial of them. One of the competitors was Robert Kyd, Coupar Angus with a two row potato planter.

By that time Robert Kydd, Trades Lane, Coupar Angus, was already a well-known agricultural implement maker, recorded from the mid-1870s. He brought attention to his manufactures in the North British Agriculturist on 28 July 1875. He was a regular exhibitor at the Highland Show from 1879 until 1900 as well as a keen competitor of his implements and machines. He entered the Highland Society’s trial of potato diggers in 1881 and the Royal Agricultural Society of England’s trials of potato raising machines in 1888. He also entered the Highland Society’s trial of combined reapers and binders, or lifting and binding machines in 1882.

In the days of horse power one of the most well-known implements in Scottish agriculture was the Hunter hoe for 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 Ballach family were well-known agricultural implement and machine makers in Newton Stewart, Leith and Edinburgh. They embraced a number of businesses from the late nineteenth century onwards: Alexander Ballach, Crown Implement Works, Newton Stewart; A. Ballach & Co. Ltd, Newton Stewart; Alex Ballach & Sons, Manderston Street, Leith; J. L. & G. Ballach, Gorgie Implement Works, Edinburgh; and Ballach Ltd, Bankhead Avenue, Edinburgh.

One of the important early developments in the business was the setting up and incorporation of A. Ballach & Co,pay Limited on 20 march 1899. At that time Alex Ballach was already a nanufacturer of a wide range of implements including horse gears, turnip drill and cutters, thrashing and winnowing machines, reapers, mowers. The change in organisational structure allowed Alex to put his business on a firm footing and to develop it.

The company’s Memorandum & Articles of Association provides a number of insights into the formation of A. Ballach & Company,a nd its activities:

“The objects for which the company is established are”
(a) to acquire the business carried on in Newton Stewart, in the county of Wigtown, and elsewhere, under the name and style of A. Ballach & Co., agricultural engineers and implement makers, Crown Implement Works, newton Stewart, and to purchase and undertake the whole of the assets and liabilities of such business upon the terms set forth in an agreement between the said Alexander black, implement maker etc, Newton Stewart, on the first part, and William Milroy Kelly, solicitor, Newton Stewart, as trustee for this company, on the second part, dated the fourth day of March, 1899.
(b) to carry on as agricultural and general engineers, millwrights, and implement makers and iron founders, in Newton stewart and elsewhere, and to make, buy, sell, produce, and deal in agricultural implements of every kind and description, and also engineers and implements required in other trades and industries in any way connected with agriculture, and generally to carry on any business or business of a character similar or analogous thereto, or which will contribute to or facilitate the same, or which, by the advance or increase of knowledge or exigencies of labour, may be substitted therefor, or which maybe conveniently carried on in connection therewith.
(c) to manufacture and sell, either by wholesale or retail, every description of goods connected with the agricultural industry of the country or industries of a kindred character, and for that purpose to acquire suitable premises, either by building or purchasing the same, and to lease or buy, sell or exchange, land or land and buildings, free from or subject to any feh-duty, ground-annual, rent, tax, reservations or mines and minerals, or any restrictions, conditions, and agreements whatsoever, or subject to any bond, mortgage, or charge, or other encumbrance. etc”

The capital of the company was £5,000, divided into 1,000 guarantees preference shares of £1 each, and 4,000 ordinary shares of £1 each. The subscribers for the new company were Alex Ballach, Newton Stewart; James L. Davidson, ironmonger, Newton Stewart; Hugh Byron, foreman blacksmith, Newton Stewart; Robert Agnew, millwright, Newton Stewart; James Kerr McRobert, foreman moulder, Newton Stewart. The first chairman of the company was Alex Ballach.

The company passed a special resolution on 15 January 1902 which was confirmed on 3 February 1902, to voluntarily wind up the company. By 1936 the company had still not been fully wound up. In the meantinmg, Alexander Ballach and his family moved to Leith to start business there. Many readers will be aware of the name of Alex’s new business: Alex Ballach & Sons.

Why did Alexander move to Leith? while better business opportunities were one reason, so too was a fresh start in business. The legal documents which Alex signed when forming A. Ballach & Co. Ltd, provide father clues. They state that “the first party binds himself never again within any part of the counties of Ayr and Dumfries and Galloway to start business as an agricultural engineer, implement maker, millwright, iron founder, or to enter into any partnership with any person or persons carrying such business in any shape or form in any part of Dumfries and Galloway or to interest himself or to lend assistance directly or indirectly in such businesses and he shall never at any time reveal any trade secrets hereby sold to the second party, but he shall at all times further the interests of said businesses hereby transferred.” So, alex had no option that to move away from newton stewart to start a new business. He and his family were to become very successful in Leith and later in Edinburgh.

The photographs were taken at the Strathnairn Vintage Rally, September 2014.

Thomas Hunter, a smith, in Maybole, announced his implements in the North British Agriculturist on 8 May 1861. By 1883 his business had expanded so that he worked out of the Implement Works, Maybole. He was joined by his sons by 1895, renaming his business from Thomas Hunter to Thomas Hunter & Sons. That name was to continue until April 1914 when the company reorganised and became a company limited by guarantee: Thos. Hunter & Sons (Maybole) Ltd.

Harrows were used for breaking down lumps or clods as well as covering newly sown seeds.

According to Stephens’ Book of the Farm in 1908 harrows were “an implement of no small importance; and yet its effects are apparently rude and uncertain, while its construction is of the simplest ordwe. So simple indeed is the construction, that at a very remote period it appears to have taken that form which, in so far as the simple principles of its action are concerned, is almost incapable of further improvement.”

Robert Kay of Milnathort is a name familiar to farmers in east central Scotland from from the mid 1920s.

By 1949 Robert Kay had been joined by his son. His business became known as Robert Kay & Son, agricultural implement makers and body buildings. There were further changes: in 1955 the business was known as “Kay Trailers (Robert Kay & Son)”. The focus on Kay trailers continued. In 1966 the business was known as “Kay Trailers, Cockamy Works, Stirling Road, Milnathort”. It was an agricultural implement maker, motor body builder, smith and tractor trailer builder.