OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Machine Histories LARK PARKES - Our First Powered Lawnmower?

Hello ODK History Lovers
I have argued in these great forums that the Australian Lawnmower industry came about by
deliberate government intervention - via tariffs - that encouraged local production
(by overseas mower makers that moved here; but mostly encourages local production by
Australian lawnmower makers to continue manufacture, or commence manufacture).

The tariff protections of c1930 would prove successful in doing this.

I have not argued, however, that local lawnmower manufacture did not take place prior
to the birth of the Australian lawnmower industry in the 1930s. It certainly did!

I have termed pre-1930 Australian lawnmower makers the AUS Lawnmower Pioneers -
those who made lawnmowers in the 1920s (or even earlier ?)

This article is generally about early power mower making in Australia. It's a rare couple of makers
that I have identified: Adelaide's Scott Bonnar and Sydney's Lark Parkes. I have written extensively
on both.

This article is specifically about a very particular Lark Parkes 14" machine that has just come to
light-of-day in early 2018. I date it to 1924, and I believe it to be mostly original -
but with one small exception.

I will argue here that this is Australia's first Australian-made power lawn mower - the little Lark,
Parkes 14" reel mower that was designed and made on these shores - using an Australian
designed engine and chassis (with imported engine ancillaries).



ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
ODK History sincerely thanks Mark J of Illawarra, NSW, for saving this most rare machine,
finding it when he visited the local Tip Recovery Centre. He recognised something ... different.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART TWO - In Mark's Words
It was luck that this earliest of Australian power lawnmowers was saved at all.
I guess Mark's curiosity saved this little lawnmower. In Mark's words:



For the record, this is a Model A number 204
'A1' is probably the part number for the RH-side frame.
Mark has given us wonderful images ...





TO BE CONTINUED ...

This Lark Parkes should be recorded in a comprehensive way - because of its
importance in AUS lawnmower making. Mark understood this and came to the rescue,
taking wonderful images of the machine from all angles.



Here is the first Gallery, of general images of the machine.

PART FOUR � The Engine
So far, there appears to have been three versions of the Model A Lark Parkes Lawnmower:
the original machine had a Lark Parkes engine with magneto mounted under the engine;
the second version [c1926] moved an external magnet from underneath to above and behind
the engine (probably for better access to the points).



The final version of the Model A adopted the then new flywheel magneto in about 1928.
I understand that Villiers invented the flywheel magneto in about 1920. Lark Parke were
already using Villiers carburettors, and a flywheel magneto would have been enticingly
cheaper than an external one.



Mark J sent me a great image of his engine to compare with a know 1925 magazine image
(sent to me by Eric Schultz, the leading authority on AUS-made engines).
They�re pretty close aren�t they?



TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART FIVE - The New Moon Pump and Sprayer
An obvious question is this:
did Lark Parkes make the engine with their first lawnmower in mind?
The answer appears to be ... Yes and No.

Mark's engine has a serial number 639; whereas the mower serial number is 204.
That's a big, suggestive difference ...

Lark Parkes Ltd was founded in 1913 - but not specifically as a lawnmower maker.
They were general engineers specialising in auto accessories. But, at some point,
Prosper Lark had other ideas ...

I now know that their engine was used for another of their products in the 1920s -
The New Moon Pumping or Spraying Plant.



TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART SIX - The Carburetor and Magneto
Lark Parks designed their own engine - quite remarkable for the 1920s.
It appears that they used British carburettors and throttle controls (Villiers); and
German magnetos (Bosch) on their early engines. Later engines would abandon
the external magneto in favour of the Villiers flywheel magneto.

PART SEVEN - Paint & Front Outrigger Wheels
We are lucky that a largely original, very early, New Moon survives.
This machine survives mainly because of Mark, and other players.

I do need to point out the bits that are not original.
The glaring ones are the paint and the front outrigger wheels.

PAINT:
I do not think the paint is original.
My best guess - based on evidence I have - is that New Moon
Mowers had un-painted aluminium parts.
[see Related Links]

FRONT WHEELS
The bright green colour matches the front wheels -
and that presents a second problem: the front wheels.

I do not feel they can be original at all, and I do think
that needs to be addressed for the record:



Thin tyred rubber wheels seem to have occurred on lawnmowers post WWII.
Both Pope and Ogden were using them from 1949. The tyres here are three-grooved
rubber on a pressed tin hub; and the wheels present as a classic Model 1 Victa wheel.
There is further evidence of minor "back-yarding" . . .

'Outriggers' appeared on lawnmowers from the mid-19th Century; but became accessories
on later reel mowers. Front, full-width wooden or steel rollers became the norm.

Note that this design (as presented above) has an alloy adjustable bracket connected to
another steel adjustable bracket. This must be an engineering faux pas, that is evidenced
by a change to the original design by a 'back yarder'. Engineers just don't do that!

The second inconsistency must be the twin steel braces that meet the centre axle of the wheel.
These are classic wheels and steel brackets from a Victa Model 1 of the 1950s - but not
New Moon of the 1920s! My best guess is that this machine had a makeover in the 1950s or 1960s.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART EIGHT - Statement of Significance
I have no doubt that this is the earliest of the New Moon mowers found.
It is a significant lawnmower too - being the earliest of Australian-made power mowers.

It is true that the great firm, Scott Bonnar, started making lawnmowers in late 1923,
probably a year before Lark Parkes did. But ...

Scott Bonnar's first lawnmowers were really assembled here - from imported roller
mowers and imported electric motors. It would only be in about 1927 that Scott Bonnar
would produce their first true Australian made power mowers.

Lark Parkes is remarkable in making a true Aussie mower from about 1924; and it
was the full deal - motor and chassis! A remarkable achievement indeed.

A big thank you to the folk - particularly Jim P and Mark J - who shared their stories
with us.

The rest is history.
---------------------------------
Jack

New Moon Mower Record:
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=52073#Post52073

Lark Parkes Company:
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/u...es-company-first-aussie-power-mower.html


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