PART THREEThe ride-on machine was more difficult to track down and identify.
I found a couple of articles (from March and June,
1912) that referenced the use of
lawnmowers at the
Sydney Botanic Gardens. The second article mentions a machine that was,
"provided with seating accommodation for the driver."
THE LUCKY FINDSI found an article and a photograph from two separate sources.
The first - the article - from the
Sydney Morning Herald, described the ride-on as,
"the first motor-propelled lawn mower used in Australia is now to be seen in the Botanical Gardens."
I have written in another posting (link below) that the assertion that this was the first
powered mower in Australia cannot be true; although it could be the first of its type.
The second lucky find - the photograph - came from the
State Library of NSW.
Taken in
June of 1913, it depicted a lawnmower that did provide "seating accommodation" and
... a couple of vital clues.
SOURCE:-For a larger image:
http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=203176# The vital clues, for me, were the club-chair-like operator's seat and tool box that extend
well behind the operator. Also, there appeared to be two tanks, for fuel and water.
It was, best guess, a Green's Patent 42" lawnmower. These large and heavy machines were made
in
30, 36, and 42 inch sizes.
This, of course, will only be a
best guess (because of the poor quality photo).
I do think, though, that it does make a lot of sense that the
Sydney City Council would order
machines from the one maker -
Thomas Green and Sons of Leeds and London. I also believe that
it is highly likely that the Council had prior dealings with this firm through the other products
they manufactured ... road rollers, engines and the like.
Here is my
1910 Catalogue specification of the largest machine:-