JERRAM & PEARSON (J.P.)

Jerram & Pearson first started making mowers immediately after World War 1, producing a very high-quality and expensive machine which is sometimes referred to as “The Rolls-Royce of mowers”. The company is first listed in the local Trades Directory in 1925 as J.P. Super Lawnmowers Ltd. of Meynell Road, Leicester (but is not mentioned in the previous 1920 directory), although in 1920 the two partners are listed as Arthur Jerram, Engineer, of Oadby and James Pearson of Baron-Pearson Engineering Co. of Leicester. One of their early products was a water-cooled mower with a water hopper similar to that found on stationary engines; this later utilised a Blackburn engine. By the 1930s they were making smaller mowers including the “Maxees”. They continued production after 1945 still using cast aluminium, a material which they had pioneered between the wars. The company continued trading as J.P. Super Lawnmowers ("Superlamo") until 1963 but in 1966 are listed as J.P. Engineering Co. Ltd. still of Meynell Road. The firm was bought by Cannon & Stokes circa. 1969 and they then closed down mower production at the end of 1971 (see Leicester Mercury dated 11.1.72). In 1974 all JP spares and stock seem to have been moved to Cliftons in Knaphill, Woking, where Richard Clifton intended to start production on a limited basis “to provide an out-of-season occupation for his workshop mechanics” (see trade magazine AGM in March 1976). A few Maxees were produced in 1975 and allegedly a few Simplees power mowers, but after that the hand-mower stock was scrapped, and the power mower stock sold to Dennis circa 1990 when they continued to make their own model based on the Super Mk.5B. (Grateful thanks to Club member Henry Ellis for much of the above information).