Hello ODK History Lovers

I am yet to write about the British Rotoscythe rear-catcher lawnmowers on these
forums. This radical rotary mower was designed and built by Power Specialities
of Maidenhead in the early 1930s. That company relocated to Slough at the end
of WWII, and was taken over by J.E. Shay Limited of Basingstoke.

This History Record discusses a new type of Rotoscythe designed at this time -
the Rotoscythe County, an 18 inch, rear-discharge machine, designed to cut higher
grasses, or where grass catching was not required. Today, we would call these
'utility' lawnmowers.

They sold in small quantities in Australia from about 1950 and were, arguably,
the first, small, petrol-powered rotary sold here post war. Our own petrol-powered
Victa would not appear until the very end of 1952.

I cannot underestimate the significance of Rotoscythe on rotary lawnmower design.
They were way ahead of their time, and the County would influence one of the two
design strands of 1950s Australian rotaries. There were some design changes to the
County, but the general idea may be found here:-

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TO BE CONTINUED ...