OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Model Histories AUSTRALIAN Power Reel Models POPE CENTRE COURT - Electric Reel - 1950

Hello ODK members,

Pope Products introduced the highly successful Pope Wimbledon reel hand-mowers for the
1949 mower season. It quickly followed the hand-mowers with both petrol and electric versions.
Here is the classic Women's Weekly illustration of the range:-



The Pope Centre Court was the electric version of the Pope Wimbledon. It was a powered
sidewheel where power was delivered only to the reel. It was not self-propelled.

The Centre Court was introduced in early 1950, thus fitting into the 1949-50 lawnmower season.
It was 14 inch, 7-bladed, rubber-tyred, and the frame was of all-steel construction.
The handle was of the new tubular steel type.

This was a modern, elegant machine finished in baked enamel with chrome trim.
Here are two newspaper advertisements from 1950:-

CENTRE COURT - Detail

The centre court was extraordinarily built.
I am lucky to have a manual and parts list in very good condition, and I have made them
available here as a 12 page pdf document.

SIGNIFICANCE

These machines are rare these days. I have no photo record of them.

There is a terrible irony in the Centre Court story. When Australian companies moved to
civilian production after WWII, there was a concerted effort to make things differently -
more ... modern...

Pope Products entered the lawnmower market in 1949. It did produce a fresh design with its Wimbledon,
embracing rubber tyres and tube handles. The Pope reel-mower range, though conservative,
did introduce a couple of new features that were covered by patents, pertaining to the adjustment of the
deflector plate and height adjustment.

The irony is, they weren't modern enough. Just one year earlier, Tecnico had introduced its
electric rotary mowers. Quickly, many appliance companies went household appliance mad.

The rotary mower market exploded with the great names of Tecnico, TAD, Tasma, Mercury, Breville,
Grasshopper and the British Ladybird.

Reel mowers were living on borrowed time, and even though the Centre Court was competitively priced
with electric rotaries, it would be the rotaries that would prove the most popular - because they were
better suited to our Australian conditions and our leisurely lifestyle.

The rest is history.
----------------------------------------------
JACK.

No links available yet.



This record is incomplete. I am seeking good photographs of the Centre Court.
Also, feel welcome to comment on this article by clicking HERE.