PART THREE - THE QUEEN CITY DOUGLAS

The Scott Bonnar Queen City Douglas was the model that wasn't. We are lucky that a photograph survives of,
perhaps, the only one. Note the lack of catcher decals and branding on the frame. This may be the earliest photo
of a Queen City chassis in existence.

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Photo courtesy member Willingworker.

The second advertisement is the significant one. It is a one-off newsprint advertisement that dates
from 26 December, 1925 ... meaning that Scott Bonnar's first petrol-powered mower dates from late 1925,
and not 1926 as had been previously thought.

Note the disparaging way the company presents petrol mowers:
"if you must have a PETROL POWER MOWER SEE OUR DOUGLAS MOTOR MOWER."
It's not exactly hard sell is it?

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WHY A DOUGLAS?
The Douglas engine was manufactured by Douglas Engineering of Bristol, UK who made motorcycles,
automobiles and aero engines. The Douglas was a popular brand of motorcycle in the 1920s.
For more on Douglas visit http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Douglas

In research I discovered that both Scott and engineer Sidney H. Bowditch had both owned Douglas
motorcycles prior to 1925. Scott registered two - one in 1915 (when he was 21), and one in 1923. I wonder if
one of these donated an engine to the project ...?

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GADD BROTHERS.
Another interesting discovery was that the closest motorcycle shop to Scott Bonnar's premises in 1925
was at 21-23 Gouger Street, just around the corner from Scott Bonnar, at 22 Mill Street. Interestingly,
the dealer was the Douglas Motorcycle Agent! The old firm of Gadd Brothers were the Douglas Agents in
Adelaide and, maybe, they assisted Scott Bonnar with procuring an engine. Who knows?

There is an interesting coincidence here too. Scott Bonnar would buy the Gadd Brothers premises and
next door (W.T. Piper in photo) when they moved their showroom from Mill Street to Gouger Street a
couple of decades later!

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State Library of South Australia

TO BE CONTINUED ...