About this site – Page 59 – Scottish agricultural implement makers

125 years of harvester development

Back in 1890 the farmers of Portsoy, Banffshire, could purchase locally made reapers from the MacDonald Brothers, Portsoy. The brothers had been making agricultural implements and machines from 1878; their early manufactures included harrows and turnip lifters.

By 1885 they had started to make back delivery reapers, a manufacture which they continued to make into the early twentieth century. They had a number of models. In 1890 one of them was the Princess, a one horse self-acting back delivery reaper. Another two from 1894 were the Portsoy self-acting back delivery reaper and the Simplex self-acting back delivery reaper. The brothers were among a number of reaper manufacturers in Scotland, others including the famous Kemp, Murray & Nicholson, Stirling, Alexander Jack & Son, Maybole, as well as Auchinachie & Simpson, Keith.

By 1889 Henry Stephens could note that “in all parts of the United Kingdom, and on almost all farms of any considerable size, the reaping machine has superseded the slower and older appliances for cutting down the corn crops.” It was to be only a few years later that binders would start to come into force, marking another revolution in the harvest field.

If, in 1890, the users of the MacDonald Brothers’ reapers could have looked into the future to see how the harvest was cut and harvested today they would have been astounded. For them, their reaper was an efficient harvesting implement. It took the hard work out of cutting the crop and laid it in a neat row to be made into sheaves. It transformed the harvest field.

If we look back at the reaper we find it difficult to understand how innovate it was in its day: it was one of the most important agricultural inventions of all time. But if you look closely at the combine you can see its ancestor, the reaper, incorporated into its design. It’s there!

The Princess reaper from 1890 was photographed at the Strathnairn Farmers Association Working Vintage Rally & Display, September 2013.
The New Holland combine was photographed at the Fife Vintage Agricultural Machinery Club rally and farming heritage show, June 2015.

If you are interested in reading more of Henry Stephen’s account of the harvest in 1889 see: https://archive.org/stream/cu31924000275838#page/n99/mode/2up

Indoor and outdoor threshing

Displays of threshing using portable threshing machines are a popular feature at a number of the rallies in Scotland.

However, the portable threshing machine was not found on all farms. Some had machines installed at the steading.

According to Stephens’ Book of the Farm in 1908 “the portable form of threshing-machines prevails in England. As a rule, there is no threshing machine of any kind in English farm-steadings. The threshing is done by travelling machines owned by companies or individuals, who may have several machines at work in different parts of the country at one time. This system is now pursued to a large extent in Scotland.”

“Several leading firms of implement-makers have given much attention to the manufacture of portable threshing machines, and now the farmer has ample choice of machines of the highest efficiency. These portable threshing machines are usually worked by steam-traction machines, which also draw them from one place to another. In some cases portable steam-engines are employed in working the machines, but then horses have to be used in taking the machine from farm to farm.”

The photographs of the indoor Crichton threshing mill were taken at the Aberdeenshire Farming Museum, August 2014. The photographs of threshing with the portable Garvie mill were taken at the Deeside Vintage rally, August 2014.

Getting the knife out!

Knives and other sharp blades played an important role on the farm, especially in harvesting crops. Well, there were sickles, scythes, and also reaper, binder and combine harvester sections. And hand knives as well.

All required to be sharpened. There were scythe stones as well as larger grinding machines. There were also specialist section sharpeners that made the job easier. A number of Scottish agricultural implement and machine makers made knife sharpeners. They included Alexander Ballach & Sons, Edinburgh, and William Dickie & Sons, Victoria Works, East Kilbride. English makers of section sharpeners included Thomas Corbett, Perseverance Iron Works, Shrewsbury.

We can under-estimate the important roles of these machines. A sharp knife made a real difference in how easy (or not) it was to cut a crop (whether grain, green crop such as turnips, or vegetables such as onions) and the effort involved in the work. A sharp knife just cut like a warm knife through butter!

Next time you see a knife sharpener, think about its important role, especially at harvest time!

The photographs of knife sharpeners were taken at the Borders Vintage Rally, May 2014, and at the Highland Folk Museum, Newtonmore (where there is an excellent selection).

At the threshing

Displays of threshing using portable threshing machines are a popular feature at a number of the rallies in Scotland.

In the past the visit of the travelling mill was a big occasion for some farms, with a number of farms pooling together their workers to undertake threshing activities.

In 1908 Stephens’ Book of the Farm provides a detailed account of how the threshing team was organised. It is worth quoting at length:

“The number of persons required to work these portable threshing-machines varies according to the operations performed and the speed of the machine. Ransoms, Sims, & Jefferies, point out that the economy of threshing must depend on a great measure on the proper distribution of the hands employed, and state that the force, when straw-elevators are not used, should consist of eleven men and boys to be engaged as follows:

“One to feed the machine; two to untie and hand the sheaves to the feeder; two on the corn-stack to pitch the sheaves on to the stage of the threshing-machine; one to clear the straw away as it falls from the straw-shaker; two to stack the straw; one to clear away the chaff from underneath the machine, and occasionally to carry the chops which fall from the cob-spot up to the stage, to be threshed again; one to remove the sacks at the back of the machine as they are filled; and one to drive the engine. The feeder, on whom very much depends, should be an active man, and should have the control of the men stationed near the machine. He should endeavour to feed the drum as nearly as possible in a continuous stream, keeping the corn uniformly spread over the whole width. The two men or boys who untie the sheaves should stand on the stage of the threshing-machine, so that either is in a position to hand the feeder a sheaf with ease, but without obstructing the other. The men on the stack must keep the boys or men on the stage constantly and plentifully supplied with sheaves, which must be pitched on to the stage, so that the boys can reach them without leaving their position. The man who removes the straw from the end of the shaker should never allow it to accumulate so that it cannot fall freely. The man whose duty it is to clear away the chaff and cavings from underneath the machine must not allow these to accumulate so as to obstruct the free motion of the shoes; he must watch the basket under the chop-spout, and as soon as it is full, empty its contents on to the stage, in a convenient position for the feeder to sweep the same, a little at a time, into the drum to be threshed over again. The man who attends to the sacks must remove them before they get so full as to obstruct the free passage of the corn from the sprouts, otherwise the clean corn may be thrown out at the screenings-spout.”

Next time you see a threshing machine, look at how well-organised the team and and how they worked in harmony to get the job done. It is a great sight to see a well-organised threshing team hard at work!

The photographs show a Highland threshing scene at the Strathnairn rally, September 2014.

Dairying with the Dairy Supply Co. Ltd, Edinburgh

One of the names that will be familiar to readers with a dairy cow or herd was The Dairy Supply Co. Ltd.

On 7 March 1894 the North British Agriculturist announced “The Dairy Supply Co. Ltd, Museum Street, London, notes the opening of a machinery department of their business in Scotland at 1 Grassmarket, Edinburgh, from which they will supply all orders in Scotland and the counties of Northumberland, Cumberland and Westmoreland in England.”

The company’s first premises in the Grassmarket was at no. 1. By
1903 it had moved to no. 7 where it remained until at least 1914. In 1919 it was located at no. 12 where it continued to conduct business until after 1970.

The company was a significant player in the making of all things for the dairy. By 1938 an advert in the Ballymena Observer proclaimed that it was “the oldest and largest dairy engineer and utensil manufacturers in Great Britain”. By 1851 it had branches in Edinburgh, London, Belfast and Limerick and in 1966 ones at Edinburgh, London and Belfast.

It was principally a dairy utensil manufacturer, engineer and machine maker and an ironmonger and smith. In the 1930s one directory described it as a “dairy engineer”, another as a “dairy utensil manufacturer”.

It sold its own manufactures as well as those from other leading makers, such as Alfa-Laval. In 1903, for example, it sold milking pails, cans for milk distribution, dairy shop fittings, cheese-making appliances, creamery plant, milk and water pumps, milk bottles, patent caps, milk pasteurisers and coolers, pure cultures for cheese and butter making, and rennet etc.

It also sold the Cunningham butter worker, milking pails, and a range of railway cans such as the 10 or 12 gallon “Standard”, the 12 gallon Tam O’Shanter, the 12 gallon Scotch pattern railway milk can and the 12 gallon “Reform” railway milk can.

The company was a regular attender at the Highland Show from 1894 onwards, ensuring that it had an influence throughout Scotland as the show travelled around the country each year. You might have recollected seeing its stand? It was also a regular advertiser in the farming press and also in the Scottish provincial press.

There are still a few pieces of Dairy Supply Co. Ltd utensils and equipment around today. The photographs show three around the rally fields.

The photographs were taken at the Strathnairn rally, September 2014, and the Scottish National Tractor Show, Lanark, September 2015.

A Dumfries-shire name – A. Baird & Sons Ltd

The name Alex Baird & Sons, agricultural engineers, Annan, came to the wider attention of Scottish farmers in late January 1920 through an advert that it placed in both The Scottish Farmer and the North British Agriculturist. Readers may remember its adverts from the 1950s and 1950s.

In 1922 the company was a retail ironmonger and a motor engineer. By 1928 it had extended its trades to include those as an electric light engineer and fitter. It was not until 1936 that directories record it as an agricultural engineer; it also undertook the additional trades of being a mechancial engineer, a millwright and a motor engineer and a garage.

It continued with these trades in following years. In 1955 it acted as an agricultural engineer, implement, machinery and equipment dealer, agricultural ironmonger, electrical engineer and contractor, and tractor and implement agent and dealer.

The company also developed and expanded its business. By 1931 it was trading in both Annan and Lockerbie. By 1951 it had become a company limited by guarantee and in the following year the Farming News records it also at the Pleasance Implement Works, Dumfries.

The company had a number of dealerships for tractors. By 1952 it was an agent for Fordson, also becoming a David Brown dealer by 1955. By 1965 it was a Massey Ferguson dealer.

Look out for the Baird name plate on Massey tractors around the rally field. There are one or two of them out there!

The photographs of the Massey with a Baird name plate were taken at the Ayrshire VTMC rally, July 2016.

Bisset – a Perthshire name

If you were looking for a spinner digger until the mid 1960s you might have thought about buying one from J. Bisset & Sons, Blairgowrie.

The company was a long-established one, already making agricultural implements and machines by 1867. At that time it was based at Marlee, Blairgowrie. By 1883 it had expanded and set up implement works, Greenbank Works, on the Dunkeld Road, Blairgowrie where it remained into the mid 1960s.

Its early manufactures included reaping machines and tattie diggers. It won awards for its reaping machines – a silver medal for a reaping machine from the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland in 1868; a silver medal for a self-delivery reaper at the Society’s trials in 1873. By the early 1890s it as the only Scottish maker of binders.

Its potato diggers were well-known at that Society’s trials. One of its diggers was recommended for trial in 1871. It entered the prestigious competitions in 1881 and 1911.

The Bisset name was associated with a number of models of spinners. In 1912 they included the “Empire” pole potato digger which sold at £12. There was also the Imperial pole potato digger for £15. The New Champion potato digger sold for £12.

There are still a few Bisset potato diggers around the rally fields. You might also see others from other major Scottish makers such as Alex Ballach & Sons, David Wilson, Alex Jack & Sons Ltd, J. D. Allan & Sons, George Sellar & Son, Kemp & Nicholson, H. W. Matchers & Sons, Barclay, Ross & Tough, and John Wallace & Sons Ltd, among others.

The photograph of the Bisset Empire potato digger was taken at the Fife Vintage Agricultural Machinery Club Farming Heritage Show and Annual Rally, Cupar, June 2016.

Mollison – a name long associated with tattie spinners

In 1871 James Mollison, Ruthven, Alyth, Perthshire exhibited a spinner digger at the Highland Show held in Perth. It was recommended for trial, going on to win a medium silver medal. A decade later, he entered another potato digger for trial. By 1902, the year of his death, he was making an “improved potato digger”.

James Mollison was described as a “well-known figure to the older agriculturists of the county.” He was “born in the parish of Aberlemno some 74 years ago, where he received his schooling and served his apprenticeship. … He worked for some years with the late Mr balfour of Montpelier, also the late Mr Alexander Young, agricultural implement maker, Monifieth. Soon afterwards he accepted a situation in Sweden, which he occupied for some years. Returning to his native country, he was employed at Ruthann for some six months before he entered upon his life-long tenancy of nearly 50 years. Mr Mollison was widely known as a skilful agricultural implement-maker, excelling in the manufacture of ploughs, numbers of which he forwarded to Scotsman in foreign lands. About 1860 he began the manufacture of mowers, and his Isla reaper was favourably known over all the north-east of Scotland. His make of potato diggers was also largely used some years ago. Mr Mollison was predecease a twelvemonth ago by his wife, who was a daughter of the late Mr Lindsay, parochial schoolmaster, Ruthann, and is survived by an only daughter, Mrs George Doe, Errol, who has the sympathy of a large circle of friends in her sudden bereavement. Mr Mollison was an attached member of the Established Church, and for a long number of years affiliated as an elder in Ruthann Parish Church.” (Dundee Courier, 30 September 1902)

Mollison’s improved potato digger did not die with the blacksmith. It’s production was taken over by the Forfar Foundry Ltd. This agricultural engineer and agent, iron founder and millwright continued to manufacture a range of productions into at least the 1960s. It was dissolved in 1995.

The photographs of the Forfar Foundry Mollison potato digger were taken at the Fife Vintage Agricultural machinery Club Farming Heritage Show and Annual Rally, Kilmaron, Cupar, June 2016.

A Fife name – Farm Mechanisation Co. Ltd

One of the well-known names of agricultural implement makers and agents in Fife was Farm Mechanisation Co. Ltd, of Ladybank, established by Gavin Reekie in 1947.

From its earliest days its name was closely associated with Massey ferguson. Indeed, the company was set up to market the Ferguson TE20 tractor with its revolutionary three-point linkage. In 1958 its strapline was “The Massey Harris and Ferguson people”. You will see the Farm Mechanisation badge on many a Fergie and MF round the rally fields!

By 1953 the company was associated with Reekie Engineering Co. Ltd, Arbroath, and Stirling Tractors, St Ninians, Stirling. In 1965 an advert in The Scottish Farmer recorded it as a member of the G. Reekie group of companies.

It extended its activities in Fife. By 1955 it had a premises at Halbeath Road, Dunfermline, and in 1959 a further one at South Road, Cupar.

It was not until 1951 that the company started to exhibit at the Highland Show, doing so until 1964. It entered a number of its implements for the prestigious new implement award. In 1951 it entered its “Farmec” 3 row fertiliser unit (invented by G. R. Reekie); in 1953 the Farmec universal elevator as well as its improved 3 row fertiliser unit for mounted riders; in 1962 a pressure kiln dryer and the Farmec power drive 3 row fertiliser unit. The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland awarded a silver medal in 1953 for its fertiliser unit for mounted riders.

The company was a regular advertiser in the Scottish agricultural press, both the Farming News and The Scottish Farmer from 1948 onwards.

The photographs of the Faun potato planter supplies by Farm Mechanisation were taken at the Fife Vintage Agricultural Club Farming Heritage Show and Annual Rally, Kilmaron, Cupar, June 2016.

Hay bogies

Hay bogies or sledges were used to haul hay in rucks or ricks to the farm steading. In essence, they were a flat tipping trailer with a winch.

There were a number of makers of hay bogies. In 1912 Dickie Brothers, agricultural engineers, Stirling, manufactured an improved one for £6 10s. The most well-known one was made by A. Jack & Sons, Maybole, Ayrshire. There are still a few of the Jack bogies to be seen around the rally fields.

There was quite a knack to loading a ruck onto a hay bogie. You had to make sure that it slid up the tipped bogie and did not tip over as it was being winched onto it (hand or motor powered depending on the model). You also had to make sure that it did not ride up too far up the bogie, especially if you were using the motor powered one. Then you were in a real mess!

The photographs show a round bale (as a ruck) being wound onto a Jack hay bogie at the Fife Vintage Agricultural Machinery Club rally, June 2014.