Summary

Typewritten letter on business letterhead from J. W. Keogh of Deering Harvester Co. (Melbourne), to Mr H. V. McKay of Ballarat, dated 18th April 1900. Accompanied by a typewritten Memorandum of Agreement.

The cover letter acknowledges receipt of letter dated 17th April 1900 with the Deering form of agreement, and encloses the McKay form of agreement in return.

This item is one of nine documents (letters and agreements) relating to the discussions between H. V. McKay and J. W. Keogh, General Agent of the Deering Harvester Company (Melbourne) from 12th March 1900 to 7th May 1900, regarding exclusive agency for the Deering Harvester Co. to sell the H. V. McKay Combine Harvester in Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland.

In 1902, the Deering Harvester Company, the McCormick Harvesting Company, and other smaller companies, merged to form the International Harvester Company which was a major competitor to H. V. McKay.

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

Single-sided sheet of off-white paper with printed business letterhead. Typewritten text in purple ink. Stamped text in pink ink. Handwritten signature. Two sheets of lined, off-white paper. Typewritten text in purple ink on two sides. Underlined text in red ink.

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