This is an extended and modified version of an article I posted on Vintage Mowers.net:
I do have an inconvenient truth and I want to set the record straight. It is a personal view, but one held after considerable research. I'm happy for open debate on it, as the issues are not simple. So, let's start:
First, watch this video and its context as presented below. The Film Australia story from 1951 tells the story of Cyril Thomas's invention:
It is a complimentary video to the one above I want to show you now. Presented by Ray Martin, Our Century, presents great Australian inventions. The Victa story comes early, but the whole video is worth a look. There are great close-ups of the Peach Tin and more . . .
Source:
In this video there is a challenge to the first video that I asked you to watch. The inconvenient truth is that I disagree with 'the Victa story' as presented by Ray. It does present the 'accepted view' though. I think the history books are wrong.
Let me take the issues head-on by making a few points:
[1] Ray says that what Mervyn Richardson did was, "improve the existing design of an engineering friend [Lawrence Hall]. Merv's genius was that he also knew how to sell it."
I think the last statement is very true: Merv was a marketing genius! The first statement, however, that Merv took the existing design from Hall is tenuous, or just wrong. If the statement means that Merv could turn a horizontal shaft petrol engine on its side to produce a vertical shaft petrol engine then point taken. But what else did he take?
He didn't take the rotary design from Hall. Sydney folk, as the rest of Australia had, had been accustomed to rotary action mowers for years in the form of domestic rotary electric mowers and, to a lesser extent, petrol powered rotary agricultural mowers [Hayter].
He didn't take the idea that mowers needed to be lightweight from Hall. Hall's mower was ridiculously heavy. The story is that two people were required to use it! The idea that rotaries should be cheaper and light was already being demonstrated by the electric rotaries.
The credit must go to the first electric rotary manufacturers. The penny dropped for Merv. After two years (or more) of trying to sell his 14" reel mower, Mervyn Richardson finally saw that there was no future in the reel mower, given the competition and Australia's grass conditions. He realized that a petrol powered rotary could turn grass into lawn for most applications of grass cutting. Reel mowers were now for 'fine lawns'.
He turned one of his horizontal shaft Villiers engines on its side, made a few mods., sat it on a primitive steel frame with billy cart wheels and BINGO! The Victa was born [Hallelujah chorus now]. It's what he did next - the vision - the marketing - that made Victa an icon. That's my point.
[2] My second point is the one I am emphatic about. This is where history is wrong. Ray says, "Cyril Thomas thought that he had the answer," ... "But it never took off."
Well, it did Ray! Research clearly shows that electrically powered rotaries were BIG business in the four years - 1948-1952 - leading up to the Victa petrol rotary in late '52. but prior to this iconic event, electric rotaries had sold in their tens of thousands and in all States of Australia.
Electric rotaries sold very well. One reason is that the manufacturers had established dealers and distribution networks. Many were radio manufacturers: Tecnico, Tasma, Mercury, Breville ... We had Grasshopper and the flying saucer British Ladybird.
Australians embraced this new electrical appliance on-mass, as they had embraced vacuum cleaners and floor polishers and a myriad of other electric appliances.
Merv's secret ingredients were: take the electric mowers' rotary action, lightweight frame and lower cost, add Lawrence Halls vertical shaft petrol engine, and have width of cut and a dash of MARKETING. The Victa Rotomo was born to an adoring public.
[3] As a light-hearted conclusion I note that Ray said, "Had history been different we might be turning grass into lawn with a Cyril". No Ray, following your logic, we'd still be turning grass into lawn with a Mervyn! The rest is history. -------------------------------------------- JACK
