PART THREE - LADYBIRD 12" ELECTRIC ROTARY

The Ladybird was sold in Australia from early 1949,and it was sold in most States -
as North as Cairns in Queensland, and as West as Perth in Western Australia.

This would make it, I believe, the second imported rotary mower to be sold here after the
Rotoscythe petrol rotary that was sold here from about 1937.

This takes nothing away from Australia's first rotary mower ' The Tecnico' that was
introduced from about mid to late 1948. The first Tecnico had only a 10 inch cut; The Ladybird
was a massive 12 inches!

In the advertisement below from early 1950, note how the copy claims that the mower
would cut any length of grass. Also note that the ad. specifically mentions 'Dad'
and not 'Mum':-

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The David Jones Feature:-
It was a lucky find for me to discover a feature article written on this mower in the
Sydney Morning Herald, 15 January, 1950. This was important evidence in my assertion that
electric rotaries were ubiquitous or everywhere by the time Mervyn Richardson created his rotary Victa.

The Ladybird was sold at at least one major department store - David Jones.
In a paid feature by a "D.J.'s Special Correspondent" the machine was described as a
'revolutionary device' that 'cut its way through a century of orthodox, evolutionary design
almost overnight.'

The article makes the reader aware of the 'new type, rotary cutting action' that
'will cut literally any type of grass under practically any conditions . . .' The article also
makes the reader aware that D.J.'s also sold the Australian Tecnico. Of special note is
the representation of 'Mum", 'Dad', and now the 'Child' in the Australian mowing experience:-

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