Hello ODK history lovers The Hornet Lawnmower Manufacturing Company of 175 King Street, Mascot, Sydney, ‘made’ reel and rotary mowers in the 1950s and maybe early 1960s.
I say ‘made’ because Hornet never appears to have had much manufacturing capacity. Instead, they engaged in, originally, powering second-hand reel mowers; later powering new side- wheel and roller mowers not of their manufacture [but sold under their brand names].
Maybe they followed a similar approach with the rotaries but I don’t feel they did. The Hornet rotaries present as original designs.
Hornet deserves credit and being remembered!
This record is for their 18” rotary, the Rota Chief. It has a cast alloy, shallow skirted ‘toe-cutter’ base that I date to about 1956. I first became aware of Hornet mowers through old spark plug guides and a 1960s Trade-In price listing …
