Summary

A typewritten letter addressed to D. B. Fergusson [sic], from H. V. McKay on H. V. McKay London office letterhead, dated 6th December 1912.

The letter was written by H. V. McKay while on a trip to Russia to develop the Russian trade and discusses the urgency of making orders to offset the predicted poor trade in Australia due to the dry weather conditions. He writes of his own ill-health which was remedied "entirely without the aid of a chemist or anything except, diet, drink, and massage, and liver-pack, etc.". He discusses the need to concentrate on increasing sales of special machine lines that can be manufactured to an advantage and also how to arrange the division of labour to reduce factory lines without coming into conflict with Commonwealth regulations. His states his business philosophy that their "aims should be to manufacture what the public want, rather than continue forcing a line that they are tired of." Includes a reply regarding sales of Rustons Engines.

Part of a collection of photographs, negatives, moving film, artefacts, documents and trade literature belonging to the H. V. McKay Sunshine Collection. The McKay collection is regarded as one of the most significant industrial heritage collections in Australia. The collection relates to the agricultural manufacturing firm, the Sunshine Harvester Works. The Australian operations of this company were originally founded by Hugh V. McKay in the 1890s in Ballarat. Between 1906 and 1907, McKay moved production to Sunshine where the firm became one of the largest industrial businesses in Australia. Change in ownership is a recurring theme in the company's history. In 1930, it merged with Massey-Harris to become H.V McKay Massey Harris. In the mid-1950s, the company was absorbed by Canadian agricultural firm Massey-Ferguson. Production in Sunshine ceased in the mid-1980s, following almost 100 years of manufacturing agricultural equipment.

Physical Description

Four single-sided sheets of pale yellow paper. Printed letterhead on first page with illustration of aerial view of the Sunshine Harvester Works. Extensive typewritten text in purple ink. Handwritten signature in grey pencil on last page.

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