Hello ODK history lovers
My best guess that that Julius joined Victa some time in 1956.
I say that for the simple reason that Victa only became a
professional company when Merv could afford to employ specialists.

He could afford to employ a Marketing Manager (John Mason)
and a Design Engineer (George Julius).

It's pretty clear - from evidence - that Julius was involved from the
earliest days on the Model 4 and Model 5 ventures.

In any case, I think that Julius had just a couple of years
to make his mark, and make a mark he did.

Consider this Victa Mowers summary from 1957 and 1958:

[Linked Image]

That’s a fair summary. Victa’s ‘lawnmowing revolution’
began with the Model 1 and Model 2 designs.

These were the first models to be sold outside of NSW,
through an Australia-wide dealer network.

Note the radical change in production numbers. Victa
claims 100,000 in 1957. By early 1958 factory ads were
claiming 150,000. So, what happened in mid-1958 that
caused the radical sales increase by the years' end?

Victa answers that …Victa’s appraisal of 1958 …
‘The real expansion year’... the cause was ...

The Model 5 Special, the most commercially successful
Australian rotary mower of that decade. The Special was
released unseasonably early in May of 1958.

Who was a key player in that winning design? Why, it
must have been George Yelverton Julius!

TO BE CONTINUED …