MP024: 1938 Greens Motor Mower

Greens was one of the leading British lawn mower manufacturers for most of the 19th and 20th centuries. Like its two main rivals, Ransomes and Shanks, the company produced a wide range of machines for the domestic and professional markets, including small hand operated and large motorised mowers.

The three companies were among the few to manufacture the very large ride-on mowers that were used at sports grounds, large estates and municipal parks. When motorised mowers were introduced in the early 20th century, the size of the engine meant that the mowers themselves were large and cumbersome. As engine sizes decreased it was possible to motorise mowers with narrow cuts but there was still demand for the large machines from customers who needed to cut a lot of grass quickly.

By the 1930s the largest mowers were being powered by engines similar to those used in small motor cars and on agricultural equipment. This example from 1938 was available in 36in and 42in cutting widths and was supplied with a 10hp four-cylinder water cooled engine. Prices were £295 and £350 respectively.

Large motor mowers from this period are relatively unusual because very few collectors have the space and resources to preserve and maintain them in working order.