OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Personal Histories SCOTT BONNAR & the TOM HARRISON STORY

PART ONE

Hello ODK History Lovers

This story is a SUPPLEMENT to the Scott Bonnar Bloor Court Story.

The story as to how the Scott Bonnar Company began making lawnmowers is one that has been often told.
The primary source (of the story) was none other than Malcolm Bonnar (Scott's brother) who said this
in his 1971 Memoir:-



The problem with this story is that it is, in typical Malcolm Cornelius Bonnar fashion, equivocal. It is,
no doubt, true; but it conceals or remains quiet on an even bigger truth.

The Tom Harrison Story (according to Malcolm) suggests that if it wasn't for that random or accidental
request by Harrison, Scott Bonnar would not have become involved with lawnmowers.

I reject that view.

In original research, I argued in the Bloor Court Story that Mr. Scott Bonnar was heavily involved in
the buying, repairing and selling of lawnmowers in 1919 at his second premises (after Young Street) at
Bloor Court, off Currie Street.

In other words, that apparent chance meeting - between Harrison and the Bonnar brothers - was not
chance at all. In this post I argue that Tom Harrison must have known about Scott Bonnar's lawnmower
business because of a very cogent and persuasive fact: Tom Harrison was a business neighbour of Scott
Bonnar from mid-1917 to the end of 1919.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART TWO - ABOUT TOM HARRISON

According to author Mark Palmer in his definitive Made To Last (the story of Clarkes Shoes) Thomas Harrison
emigrated from Stockton-on-Tees in 1910 and set up business in Adelaide as a boot maker. He later founded
Alma Shoes Limited and when he died in 1936, his sons took over the business. When that company was facing
financial troubles it would be the English shoe manufacturer Clarks who agreed to take the majority equity
in the Alma Company. It was, in part, this acquisition that led to the formation of Clarks Australia Limited
in 1948.

Tommy Harrison's address was at 60 Currie Street when Scott first moved to Bloor Court. In other words,
Harrison's factory was within 100 metres of Scott Bonnar's Bloor Court premises. Here is my Bloor-Court Story
Mud Map showing the respective locations:-



By the time Scott Bonnar occupied his Bloor Court premises Tom Harrison was, more correctly,
"in the boot trade", not as a retail boot maker, but as a wholesale component supplier to the boot
trade. Harrison's were 'solesewers', a specialist trade in the manufacture of boots.





TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART THREE: THE PREMISES - PHOTO Set #3

It was a lucky find that allowed me to make the connection between Bonnar and Harrison -
that they were close business neighbours. Below is a 1917 photograph of the Wellington Hotel
(shown as Building 6 on Mud Map). It was situated on the corner of Currie and Leigh Streets.
On the far-left, one can just make out part of 'Harrison' and 'sewer' at No. 60 Currie Street.


[Image: 1917, State Library of S.A.]
Photo Set #3 on Mud Map

When the Wellington Hotel was demolished in late 1918, Harrison's business would move next door to
No.62. Number 60 would be acquired for the new Delgety Building that still stands to this day.


[Image: 1924 - State Library of South Australia]
Photo Set #3 on Mud Map

The big discovery was the finding of a rare photograph. After the demolition of the Wellington Hotel,
but before the construction of Dalgety's, the vacant site revealed Tom Harrison's small factory.

Note that the Julius Cohn Leather Works stood opposite Atkinson & Company's building in Leigh Street.
I have written about The Atkinson Story in another Supplement Story to the main Bloor Court Story.


[Image: 1918, State Library of S.A.]
Photo Set #3 on Mud Map

TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART FOUR - ANALYSIS

I have no doubt that the very close proximity between Tom Harrison's and Scott Bonnar's business
premises meant that they knew of each other's business activities. It may be that Tom bought, or
had his lawnmower repaired at S. Bonnar's business.

It appears to me that Tom Harrison's request to power his push roller mower, made to Scott Bonnar
in 1923 was not based on mere friendship, or Tom's general knowledge that Scott Bonnar traded as
engineers.

It appears to me that Tom's knowledge of Scott's prior trading and expertise in lawnmowers
(including repairs and spare parts) in 1919 was an important fact overlooked in brother Malcolm
Bonnar's 1971 Memoirs. That's a pity; the record is now corrected.

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

BLOOR COURT STORY
ATKINSON & Co Story



Would you like to comment on this story?
Simply create a new topic in the Old Soap Box HERE.