OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Company Histories CHAMPION MOWERS: 1955-1960 - Who were they?

Hello ODK members,

This is a series of articles discussing Champion Mowers, an Australian made mower dating from about 1955 - 1960.

Champion mowers have been one of the more challenging brands to research over the years I have been looking at them.
I mean, Champion is: sportswear, spark plugs, agricultural machinery (a haymaker, a tractor), an automobile, a ship, a train,
an air compressor, a supermarket chain . . . and a motor mower [and who knows what else?]. It's a generic brand.

Champion mowers were made by Champion Manufacturing Pty. Ltd. of 109 Church Street, Parramatta, Sydney.
That building still stands today. It is on the corner of Church and Campbell streets.

Below I have two location images, and one of the earliest company advertisements I have from April, 1956.
Please note that the office was 'shared' by another business, Dexter's auto electricians.
Showroom was at the front; small factory at the back.

The thing is, both companies - Champion and Dexter - were very much related [I speculate].
This is the earliest model Champion, with rubber vane cooling on the Villiers engine.

PART TWO - The Premises at Church Street
In this post I would like to explore the relationship between Dexter's
Auto Electricians and Champion Mowers. Once again, this is original research,
and much will be speculative and opinionated.

So let's start:-
The advertisement (above) depicting the showroom was a great find for me - because it
confirmed the premises survived. My earliest ad. (placed by Champion), is from
November 1955, and it clearly identifies these premises as 'Factory and Showroom'.
I reproduce that ad. below.

In any case, the building signage does say "Dexter's Champion Mowers". I think the
Dexter Company is most probably the founder of Champion mowers. Leslie Horton Dexter
founded L.H. Dexter & Co. on Church Street in the mid-1920s, a tough time,
with the looming Great Depression. The company did survive and it flourished.
Parramatta was Sydney's Motown.

Church Street is known today as 'Auto Alley', because of the many car and
bike dealerships on that road. Back then it would have been the same - and an excellent
location for a car electrical service. I have found dozens of advertisements for Dexter's -
and the company remained on Church Street, but at various addresses.

By the 1950s, when Dexter's were at 109 Church Street, Champion Mowers was born -
at the same address. Motown became Mowtown (sorry, I couldn't resist that)

There were two phone numbers ... Champion's at YL7751 and Dexter's at YL8374.
The thing is, both companies listed both phone numbers in many of their respective advertisements!

By 1962, when Champion was no more, Dexters was still using both numbers, and they were now
engaged in auto-electrical, washing machine and . . . mower repairs.

Dexter's advertised frequently and was well-established in the Parramatta area.
Two 1957 articles identify Mr. N. Mcdonald as the Sales Manager and Mr. Paul Cary as a
Director for Champion Mowers.

However, I now know that the 'brain' behind Champion Mower designs was
George Norman Parry. His name appears on two important patents
that were Champion features. He also has a number of patents relating to
washing machine improvements.



I know nothing more about the connection between Dexter's and Champion mowers.
Perhaps, some day, more info. will come to light.

PART THREE - Champion Models
For the record, I want to list what I know were Champion models.
They were not a one-model company but did try and diversify their line-up.

The 1957 ad. below identifies that year's range.
* Champion Major
* Champion De Luxe
* Champion Senior
* Champion Standard
* Champion Junior

I guess this line-up was a mix of these features: size of cut; size of engine; cooling system.
Maybe members will know something here . . .

I also include an extract from a late 1960 Champion Spark Plug booklet.
Interestingly, it gives model designation to the Rotacut range (I don't know if it is accurate).

All very interesting.
----------------------------------------
JACK




SOURCE: Champion c1960s Spark Plug Guide

FANS and WHEELS
CHAMPION SENIOR KICK-START


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