MOWER OF THE MONTH
Number Seventy-Four
JOHN SHAW GOVERNOR
The "Governor" was produced by John Shaw of
Wolverhampton during the 1920s. The company was established in the early 1800s
and manufactured a wide range of hardware items. Many of these, including hand tools, auger bits, vices,
and air gun pellets, carried the "Governor" brand.
John Shaw appears to have started manufacturing motor mowers in the
1920s. Many companies entered the market during this period. The market
was growing, bought-in components such as engines were decreasing in price
and engineering companies that had been supplying items for the armed
forces during the First World War needed to find new outlets for their
capabilities.
Like most of these companies John Shaw was never a major
producer of lawn mowers although, unusually, it produced two different
designs with very difference appearance. Both used the Governor
name.
The first Governor was a conventional design that was similar to many
other motor mowers of the period. This machine featured a basic plate
steel frame supporting a small two stroke engine. Most motor mowers from
the 1920s have a Villiers
engine with a flywheel magneto. But the Governor had an engine with
a separate magneto and no obvious manufacturer's markings. It is
unlikely that the company produced its own engines and the engine is
probably a small JAP or BSA two stroke unit.
The second Governor was completely different design which
incorporated a small water-cooled two stroke engine mounted directly on to
the end of the cutting cylinder. This machine is similar to another
mower, known as the Bee, made by Burgess of Brentwood at about the same
time. There may be some link between the two companies (and the
engine on the Governor may have been produced by Burgess) but the designs
are not identical as the Governor has a radiator and the Bee does not.
The company also manufactured sidewheel hand mowers with
the name "Trojan". This was another brand name that was used by
the company for items
including sewing machines and air gun pellets.
It is not know if John Shaw made mowers after 1939 but it
is unlikely. The company continued into the 1970s when it was taken over
by an engineering company based in Sheffield. A detailed history of the company can be found on a
special website created by the Wolverhampton
Heritage & History Society.
John Shaw motor mowers are very rare today although
examples of each type made by the company are known to exist. A
few collectors and museums have examples in their collections.
|
