Trade marks and names were widely used by the Scottish agricultural implement and machine makers from the mid-nineteenth century onwards. These were especially used in relation to reaping machines, binders and potato diggers as well as manufactures that were especially associated with particular makers. In 1910 Thomas Hunter & Sons, Implement Works, Maybole, manufactured the Hunter hoe, the Hunter spring tooth harrow and Hunter’s patent single drill self-acting turnip topping and tailing machine as well as its Excelsior manure distributor. J. Bisset & Sons, Blairgowrie, made its Bisset steel built binder, its Empire pole potato digger, and its New Champion potato digger.
These names say something about the reputation of the maker and its particular manufactures. Everyone would have known what a Hunter hoe was and who manufactured them. Likewise a Bisset binder – and they would have known that the New Champion was made by Bisset.
Trade names continued to remain important in the second half of the twentieth century – as they do now. There was a wide range of trade marks and names. Some applied to specific implements and machines made by a manufacturer or to the entirety of their manufactures. If you heard the names Allan, Caledonian, Dickie-Campbell you would know who or what they referred to.
The following is a list of the trade marks and names for the Scottish agricultural implement and machine makers in 1952. How many of the names do you recognise?
Ajax (fertiliser distributor) – Alex Jack & Sons Ltd, Cassilis Road, Maybole, Ayrshire
Allan (threshing machines, engines) – Allan Bros. (Aberdeen) Ltd, Ashgrove Engineering Works, Aberdeen
Ann Arbor (pick up baler) – John Wallace & Sons (Ayr) Ltd, Townhead Works, Ayr
Atlas (hydraulic swivel loader) – James A. Cuthbertson Ltd, station Road, Biggar, Lanarkshire
Ayrshire (Elevator) – Scottish Farm Implements Ltd, Crosshouse, Kilmarnock
Banff-Victory (broadcaster) – Banff Foundry & Engineering Co. Ltd, Banff Foundry, Banff
Boyne (threshing machines) – Wright Bros (Boyne Mills) Ltd, Portsoy, Banffshire
Brais – Tullos td, Greenwell Road, Aberdeen
Caledonian (potato spinner) – Alexander Jack & Sons Ltd, Maybole, Ayrshire
Champion (root drill) – J. & R. Wallace Ltd, The Foundry, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbright
Clark-Sucklift (Cutter-loader), Tullos Ltd, Greenwell Road, Aberdeen
Cletrack (agricultural tracklayer)- John Wallace & Sons Ltd, Dennistoun, Glasgow
Clydebuilt (egg recorder, laying cage) – Innes Walker (Engineering) Cop. Ltd, 30 Stanley Street, Glasgow
Daisy Bell – William Elliot, 48 High Street, Hawick
Dickie-Campbell (ricklifter) – Wm Dickie & Sons Ltd, Victoria Works, East Kilbride
Dicks J. Original (Balata belting) – R. & J. Dick, Greenhead Works, Glasgow
Eclipse (potato sorter) – John Monro, Eclipse Implement Works, Kirkcaldy
Eclipse (ricklifter) – Wm Dickie & Sons Ltd, Victoria Works, East Kilbride
Empire (potato spinner) – J. Bisset & Sons Ltd, Blairgowrie, Perthshire
Evenrow (potato coverer) – Tullos Ltd, Greenwell Road, Aberdeen
Farmec (tractor cabs) – Farm Mechanization Ltd, Ladybank, Fife
Fife (tractor cabs) – Farm Mechanization Co. Ltd, Ladybank, Fife
Flintrite (plough fittings) – Cruickshank & Co. Ltd, Denny Iron Works, Denny, Stirlingshire
Goodall (ensilage cutter) – Tullos Ltd, Greenwell Road, Aberdeen
Grain Master (grain blower) – Scottish Mechanical Light Industries Ltd, ScotMec Works, 42-44 Waggon Road, Ayr
Handigrip – William Elliot, 48 High Street, Hawick
Handy (ricklifter) – Wm Dickie & Sons Ltd, Victoria Works, East Kilbride
Henderland (plough shares, cultivator, turnip cutter) – Geo. Henderson Ltd, Kelso, Roxburghshire
Hunter Crown (horse hoe) – A. & W. Pollock, Implement Works, Mauchline, Ayrshire
Ideal (fertiliser distributor, turnip lifter), Macdonald Brothers, Portsoy
Imperial (fertilser distributor) – Alex. Jack & Sons Ltd, Cassillis Road, Maybole
Larbert (sack and bale loader) – A. Scott, North Broomage, Larbert, Stirlingshire
Lochrin (fencing equipment, farm buildings) – William Bain & Co. Ltd, 80 Ebury Street, London
McRobert (potato sorter) – Tullos Ltd, Greenwell Road, Aberdeen
Milton (foot mixer) – Andrew Young & Son, 51 High Craighall Road, Glasgow
Mollison (potato spinner) – The Forfar Foundry Ltd, Forfar, Angus
Monarch (windmill) – John McBain & Son Ltd, Chirnside, Duns
Monarch (wire strainer) – David Lauder, 2-6 Portland Street, Kilmarnock
Multiplanter (cabbage, leek, tomato planter) – A. M. Russell Ltd, Sinton Works, Gorgie Road, Edinburgh
New Champion (root drill) – J. L. & J. Ballach, Gorgie Implement Works, Edinburgh
New Don (fertiliser distributor) – Wm R Reid & Leys Ltd, 8 Hadden Street, Aberdeen
Nu-Sort (potato sorter) – Jas. Crichton, Turriff, Aberdeenshire
Oliver Clectrack (agricultural tracklayer) – John Wallace & Sons Ltd, Dennistoun, Glasgow
Papec – (cutter-blower, green crop and hay chopping machine) – James Scott & Son (Aberdeen) Ltd, 483-5 Union Street, Aberdeen
Perfect (potato spinner) – A. & W. Pollock, Implement Works, Mauchline
Reekie (weeder, tractor cab, drill, hedge cutter) – Reekie Engineering Co. Ltd, Arbroath, Scotland
Richardson (potato planter) – J. L. & J. Ballach Gorgie Implement Works, Edinburgh
Scotmec (hammer mill), Scotmec-Venturi (grain blower) – Scottish Mechanical Light Industries Ltd, 42-44 Waggon Road, Ayr
Scotvent (grain blower) – Scottish mechanical Light Industries Ltd, 42-44 Waggon Road, Ayr
Skidmaster (tyre girdle) – Wm Donaldson (Engineers) Ltd, Blackstoun Works, Linwood, Paisley
Smallholder (threshing machine) – R. G. Garvie & Sons, 2 Canal road, Aberdeen
Steelrite (plough attachments) – Cruickshank & Co. Ltd, Denny Iron Works, Denny, Stirlingshire
Sternette (milk cooling and storage plant) – L. Sterne & Co. Ltd, Sternette Works, Kelvin Avenue, Hillington, Glasgow
Sucklife (cutter-loader) – Tullos Ltd, Greenwell Road, Aberdeen
Superloy (drinking bowls, pig troughs, root cutters, hand rakes) – Potter, Cowan & Co., Ltd, 54 French Street, Glasgow
Tip-It-All (trailers) – Eddie T. Y. Gray, Fairbank Works, Fetterangus, Aberdeenshire
Torpedo (portable forge) – Portable Forge & Engineering Co. Ltd, 27 Thistle Street, Glasgow
Tractaid (trailer) – Scottish Farm Implements Ltd, Crosshouse, Kilmarnock
Triplex (combined fertiliser distributor and dibbler) – Alex Jack and Sons Ltd, Cassillis Road, Maybole, Ayrshire
Tullos-Wilmo (fertiliser distributor) – Tullos Ltd, Greenwell Road, Aberdeen
Universal (fertiliser distributor) – J. & R. Wallace Ltd, The Foundry, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire
Velox (soil steriliser) – Grampian Engineering & Motor Co. Ltd, Causewayhead, Stirling
Wallace of Ayr – John Wallace & Sons (Ayr) Ltd, Townhead Works, Ayr
Water buffalo (tracklayer) – James A. Cuthbertson Ltd, Station Road, Bigger, Lanarkshire
What trade marks and names do you recall?
