Summary
Abridged catalogue covering a selected range of different farming equipment manufactured by H.V. McKay's Sunshine Harvester Works. Each product listed is accompanied by a brief description and image.
The third last page of the catalogue features information about the company including that the "Sunshine Harvester Works...employ over 2000 Australian artisans, including a very large proportion of farmers' sons". This is no doubt an attempt to demonstrate to farmers the Company's connections with and support to the farming community. The catalogue goes on to say that "over 200 Returned Soldiers are employed" at the factory. In the post-First World War period finding work for returned soldiers was a major political issue. By highlighting its role in employing returned soldiers the company was positioning itself in a wider political and social discourse.
On the inside back cover there is an engraving captioned "daily train load of Harvesting Machinery leaving the Sunshine Works". The image shows a steam powered goods train with 14 trucks, each loaded with two 'Sunshine' harvesters. The train is standing in front of a factory with smoke stacks and represents the company as being at the forefront of industrial development. The image also shows gantries for overhead wiring installed as part of the electricification of Melbourne's suburban railway lines. Construction of the required infrastructure commenced in 1918 and electric passenger train serivces were inaugurated on the Sunshine line in September 1920.
Part of a collection of photographs, negatives, moving film, artefacts, documents and trade literature belonging to the H. V. McKay Sunshine Collection. The Australian operations of this company were originally founded by Hugh V. McKay in the 1890s. The McKay collection is regarded as one of the most significant industrial heritage collections in Australia.
Believed to have originally been part of the private papers of Professor Edward James Cadell Rennie of the University of Melbourne (see inscription/annotation reading 'E.J.C. Rennie').
Physical Description
Small landscape format staple-bound 30 page booklet with buff-coloured soft cover, printed in monochrome (black/dark brown) ink on white paper stock, with engraved line drawings of each product type.
Title
'AUSTRALIAN FARM MACHINERY / -- -- -- / MANUFACTURED BY / H. V. McKAY PTY. LTD. / SUNSHINE HARVESTER WORKS, SUNSHINE'
More Information
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Collection Names
H.V. McKay Sunshine Collection, Old McKay Archive (Transfer No.1) Series A
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Donation & Subsequent Transfer from Mr Don McKay, Old McKay Archives, Science & Technology Collection, Museum Victoria, 11 Oct 1960
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Manufacturer
Hugh V. McKay, Sunshine Harvester Works, Devonshire Road, Sunshine, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Publication Date
1921/09 circa
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Printer
Sunshine Harvester Press, Devonshire Road, Sunshine, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1921
Text box on second last page of booklet opposite an illustration of a 'Daily train load of Harvesting Machinery leaving the Sunshine Works.' reads "Sunshine Press." -
Publisher
H.V. McKay, Sunshine Harvester Works, Devonshire Road, Sunshine, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1921
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Past Owner & User
Prof Edward J. Rennie M.E., University of Melbourne, Parkville, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 22 Sep 1921
E.J.C. Rennie was born in Adelaide, South Australia, in 1885 [S.A. BDM 358/405], the son of Agnes Cadell and Edward Henry Rennie, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Adelaide from 1885 until his death in 1927. After gaining a Diploma of Applied Science (Railway Engineering) and Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) from the University of Adelaide in the early 1900s, E.J.C. Rennie was appointed to a temporary position as acting lecturer in electrical engineering at the University of Melbourne in November 1916, replacing Mr. E. B. Brown, lecturer in electrical engineering who was seconded for special work in munitions during WWI. He subsequently was permanently appointed to a permanent position as lecturer (and later senior lecturer) in mechanical engineering & aerodynamics, remaining associated with the University of Melbourne until his death in 1952 [Vic BDM 14086/1952]. -
Inscriptions
Front cover signed and dated with the annotation: 'E.J.C. Rennie 22/9/21'. Front cover stamped: 'INSTITUTE OF / 11 AUG 1970 / APPLIED SCIENCE'
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Brand Names
"SUNSHINE" (Agricultural Equipment) , "SUN" (Agricultural Equipment) , "SUNTYNE" (Agricultural Implements) , "SUNDELVE" (Agricultural Implements) , "SUNTRAIL" (Agricultural Implements) , "SUNDUO" (Agricultural Implements) , "SUNPET" (Agricultural Implements) , "SUNDERCUT" (Agricultural Implements) , "SUNDIESEL" (Diesel Engines) , "SUNWELL" (Agricultural Equipment) , "SUNGLOW (Agricultural Implements) , "SUNGAP" (Agricultural Implements) , "SUNJUNIOR" (Agricultural Implements) , "SUNFLOWER" (Agricultural Implements) , "SUNCLEAVE' (Agricultural Implements) , "SUNLOCK" (Agricultural Implements) , "SUNSTAR" (Agricultural Implements) , "SUNWREST' (Agricultural Implements) , "WHITTINGTON" (Agricultural Implements) , "SUNNIE" (Agricultural Implements) , "SUNRAY" (Agricultural Implements) , "SUNRISE" (Agricultural Implements) , "SUNBURY" (Agricultural Implements)
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Number of Pages
32
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Page Size Format
140 mm x 110 mm
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Primary Subject
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Illustration Types
Black & White; Factory Views; Engravings; Line Drawings
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Printing Types
Monochrome
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Publication Types
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Classification
Agriculture & rural life, General farm equipment, Equipment catalogues
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Keywords
Agricultural Equipment, Agricultural Implements, Catalogues, Chaffcutters, Crop Lifters, Crushers, Cultivators, Factories, Factory Workers, Farmers, Grain & Fertilizer Drills, Harrows, Harvesters, Kerosene Engines, Petrol Engines, Ploughs, Pumps, Reaper Binders, Saw Benches, Stripper Harvesters, Returned Soldiers, Trains, World War I, 1914-1918
