https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=cfrm Recent Topics en-us Sat, 16 May 2026 23:28:07 UTC 5 support@outdoorking-forum.com.au (OutdoorKing Repair Forum) UBB.threads https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/images/general/default/rss_icon.gif https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=cfrm https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/115311.html#Post115311 PART THREE – CATALOGUE PAGE EXTRACTS
The relevant catalogue pages demonstrate that
The Cleavers had a diverse offering.

The trump card was always Victa for rotaries, but Sunbeam,
Simpson, and Pace were also offered. Note that Pope lawnmowers
were sold under the Simpson name that reflected the actual
company at this time [Simpson-Pope] but also reflected what
name was better understood in a particular market. I guess
that the Simpson brand was better recognised in Tasmania
at that time.

The most interesting thing – for me – is the promotion
of British made imported reel mowers [Webb and Qualcast].
Note that the Webb mowers were all battery electric!




]]> Tue, 10 May 2022 12:39:49 +0000 CyberJack https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/115311.html#Post115311 https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/113299.html#Post113299 PART TWO – The Mower & Outboard - Page Extracts
QPS offered a full range of lawnmowers for 1957-58 –
from other makes and their own brands.

Push Mowers: -
QPS offered the major AUS brands here: Qualcast,
Pope, Ogden, Purcell, and their own Cambridge
push mower. They also offered the imported
Folbate [also Qualcast].

Power Reels: -
QPS offered the AUS Pope, Mobilco, and their own
offering, the Cambridge Powered Sidewheel. QPS
also offered imported power reels – Atco, Greens
and Royal Enfield.

Rotary Mowers: -
QPS sold their own make, the Cambridge De Luxe.

Outboards: -
The Conqueror outboard presents as another QPS brand.
Note that the power unit could be converted to a QPS lawnmower!




]]> Sun, 14 Nov 2021 03:00:25 +0000 CyberJack https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/113299.html#Post113299 https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/113208.html#Post113208

A Very Special Publicity Stunt: -

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.auhttps://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/u...victa-toecutter-to-victa-treecutter.html

The Vicmobile Pump was sold by Ray Tijou: -

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=60740

]]> Sun, 07 Nov 2021 02:17:53 +0000 CyberJack https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/113208.html#Post113208 https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/112487.html#Post112487 PART THREE
For the record, the demise of the Harrigan Electric was probably
due to the fact that Harrigans began selling Atco reel mowers
from the mid-1930s.



This is a typical story – how a regional car dealer came
to be selling lawnmowers ...

This is an atypical story in that Harrigans saw the potential in
power lawnmowers when they were novel in the community.

Post War, Harrigans would continue selling lawnmowers until
the mid-1950s. I guess, after that, specialist garden-equipment
stores started to appear.

Harrigans should be remembered for being pioneers in
introducing power lawnmowers to regional Australia.

]]> Sun, 18 Jul 2021 02:41:30 +0000 CyberJack https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/112487.html#Post112487 https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/109744.html#Post109744 PART THREE - Lawnmowers
It was only in research that I realised an anomaly:
Walmac were making lawnmowers years before the first ads
appeared for Walmac mowers. I know this because of classified
ads for employment at Walmac, the earliest I have found dates
to 1962 [see Gallery below].

The first ad for a ‘Walmac’ mower I have is from late 1965.
It depicts the first version of the Walmac Utility (not the one
most collectors know of), and it appears in an Eric Anderson
ad (Canberra) with an Eric Anderson rear-catcher Lawnmaster.

Take a close look at both mowers. Have you seen them before –
as another brand ...?



It is my contention that the E.A. Lawnmaster was also
made by Walmac. But both of these mowers appeared
years’ earlier as …

TO BE CONTINUED …

]]> Sat, 19 Dec 2020 23:05:18 +0000 CyberJack https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/109744.html#Post109744 https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/102545.html#Post102545 PART TWO – The Brochure
This brochure is from my collection and it is in great condition.
As always, I make it available for member viewing, and as a
higher-resolution download.




]]> Mon, 23 Dec 2019 12:11:35 +0000 CyberJack https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/102545.html#Post102545 https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/102158.html#Post102158 PAGE TWO – The Magazine

This Victa News Cuttings is from my collection and it is in good condition.
As always, I make it available for member viewing, or as a higher-resolution
download for personal use.





]]> Sat, 30 Nov 2019 08:55:00 +0000 CyberJack https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/102158.html#Post102158 https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/101525.html#Post101525 PART TWO – The 1940s
Lew Griffiths experienced a frightening incident in 1942, and suffered
a terrible accident at a RAAF facility in 1943. After some time in hospital
he was discharged and returned back home.

The earliest advert I have is a classified ad for the sale of a car, a 1926
Essex Super Six. I’m guessing that was Lew’s home address at the time
[132 Station Road, Booval], and I guess that the selling of the Essex was
to part-finance a new venture – a lawnmower repair shop.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essex_(automobile)



The earliest ad for the business dates to late 1945, and just down
the road, at the corner of Station and Glebe roads. This is why
I date the business to c1944 … Lew begins business at home
and then moves to a local business address.



This makes sense to me; considering that just a bit later this newsprint advert appears: -



The above ad is fantastic in that it puts the 1966 Victa article [Part 1]
into a fuller context!

This is all about accidents! It’s a ‘falling into a career story’.
After discharge from the RAAF, Lew buys a lathe for ‘occupational therapy’.
A friend then asks Lew to sharpen his pushie.

Lew used his mechanical ability to create a self-designed
grinding machine for reel lawnmowers! The rest is history.

I should remind folk that - during the war years – there were no
lawnmower imports, nor local production (except for specific goals,
like airfield mowers). Imported or local spare parts were, likewise
prohibited. Reel grinding machines were imported and also banned.
Everything went to the war effort. Lew had to do everything himself!

Lew was ambitious. He not only collected and delivered pushies with
his bike and sidecar, but he had an ‘arrangement’ with another
Ipswich business …



It would appear that for a short period, Lew would advertise as
The Ipswich Lawnmower Sharpening and Repairing Service.

Very quickly, Lew would revert back to L.W. Griffiths and that
famous slogan, “The Lawnmower Specialists.”



The last newsprint ad I have from the 1940s dates to 1947.
Note that Lew’s business pre-dates the rotary revolution that
would soon make itself know in Australia and New Zealand.

However, note that the firm was fitting petrol motors to pushies
by this time. That is an important point – because my reality
is that power lawnmowing was first made available to the
working class via powered reel mowers, not rotaries.

Australia rotary lawnmowers would have their day ...
but a bit later.



TO BE CONTINUED ...


]]> Sat, 26 Oct 2019 09:09:35 +0000 CyberJack https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/101525.html#Post101525 https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/101271.html#Post101271 PART TWO – View or Download
This Victa Cuttings is from my collection and it is in very good condition.
As always, I make it available as a download for personal use.




]]> Mon, 07 Oct 2019 08:14:38 +0000 CyberJack https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/101271.html#Post101271 https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/100642.html#Post100642 PAGE TWO – May 1964 News Cuttings

This News Cuttings comes from my collection and it is in good condition.
As always, I make it available for viewing or download as a high-resolution pdf. Enjoy!




]]> Sun, 01 Sep 2019 07:44:25 +0000 CyberJack https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/100642.html#Post100642