Summary

Typewritten letter to H. V. McKay Pty. Ltd. from Robert Anderson of Pine Grove, via Moama, NSW, dated 1 August 1928. An original photograph of this letter confirms the date as 1 August 1928.

The letter makes the offer of one of the first harvesters built by H. V. McKay in the original 'smithy' at Drummartin to be used in conjunction with the planned re-erection of the smithy at Sunshine in 25 September1928.

It is unlikely that the machine referred to in this letter was made in the McKay smithy at Drummartin. McKay created his prototype in this smithy in January 1885, this was tried in the field and then patented for 'Improvements in and connected with harvesting machines' on 24 March 1885. He contracted the ploughmakers McCalman, Garde & Company of North Melbourne to manufacture five machines, one which was exhibited at the National Agricultural Society Show in August 1885; all were sold for the 1885 harvest. In 1886 a small public company, the McKay Harvester Company, was formed to manage contracts to a number of companies (in Melbourne, Bendigo and Ballarat) for the production of the first machines.

This is part of the H.V. McKay Sunshine Collection which includes archives, photographs, films, objects, trade literature, company publications and oral histories.

Physical Description

Light brown, stained sheet of paper attached to a cardboard mount with adhesive tape. Single sheet of white backing card. The edges of the letter on left side and top left corner have been damaged (eaten by snails) and hence date and year of letter are absent. Typewritten text and handwritten signature in black ink.

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