OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Model Histories GARDEN & FARM EQUIPMENT MAYFIELD Motor Scythe - c1949

Hello ODK history lovers

The Mayfield Motor Scythe was a British machine imported to
these shores in about 1949. It would be sold here for about six
years, ending in 1955.

The Mayfield – a horticultural sickle bar mower – was just one of
the many sickle mower brands (mostly from Britain) that entered
the Australian market post WWII.

They were marketed to the ‘small farmer’ – capitalising on the great
increase in smaller acreages springing up across Australia at this time.

This was before the ‘rotary revolution’ that would take hold in the
domestic sphere in the mid-1950s.

In any case, the sickle-bar mower was well-established in the psyche
of farmers’ minds, and it was the obvious idea for clearing land on
small acreage ... and hay mowers had been around for over a century!

I guess the rotary was too new and suspicious to conservative minds …

The Mayfield was a quality machine and it is informative to
understand how they were marketed. Originally as a ‘motor scythe’
but these machines evolved to encompass ‘accessories’ that made
them better described as versatile ‘two-wheel’ tractors.

PART TWO – Brochure
The Mayfield tractor was widely advertised across Australia.
This suggests it sold in considerable volume – thousands.

Brochures are rare.
This one, from my collection, is in average condition.
Produced by Clyde Industries, the NSW and QLD agents for
Mayfield, it is a good representation of the tractor unit.

PART THREE – Operator Manual
This is a tiny, pocket-size booklet – with no illustrations!
It is from my collection and it is in average condition.

As always, I make it available for viewing or as a higher resolution download.