Summary

Photograph of a group of men with a shipment of Sunshine harvesters to be exported to Argentina. The men pictured from left to right are: J. McIntyre, unnamed, T. Cairns, George Bult, H.V McKay (founder of the Sunshine Harvester Works), J. Bult, J. McLean, unnamed, unnamed.

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.

Description of Content

Group of men standing on a train load of Sunshine harvesters bound for Argentina. A banner on the side of the train reads: "Ballarat to Buenos Aires".

Physical Description

Sepia photograph on brown backing board.

More Information

  • Collection Names

    H.V. McKay Sunshine Collection, Old McKay Archive (Series A)

  • Collecting Areas

    Sustainable Futures, Transport, Working Life & Trades

  • Acquisition Information

    Donation from Councillor Don McKay, 11 Oct 1960

  • Place & Date Depicted

    Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, 1903

  • Individuals Identified

    (left to right):; MCINTYRE, J.; CAIRNS, T.; BULT, GEORGE; MCKAY, HUGH VICTOR; BULT, JOHN; MCLEAN, J

  • Format

    Photograph, Sepia

  • Inscriptions

    Handwritten on obverse in black ink: "Shipment of Sunshine Harvesters for Argentina / ex Ballarat / Year 1903". Photographer's name printed in blue ink below the photograph: "Black / Ballarat".

  • Classification

    Manufacturing & industry, Agricultural & horticultural equipment, Export products

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Technology

  • Type of item

    Image

  • Image Dimensions - Photograph

    298 mm (Width), 204 mm (Height)
    Overall dimensions

  • References

    [Link 1] Viewed 7.5.09. [Link 2] Viewed 7.5.09. Perry, Warren. 'The Science Museum of Victoria'.
    [Article] Dale-Hallett, Liza, et al. 'The McKay Collection', in Rasmussen, Carolyn. A Museum for the People: A History of Museum Victoria and its predecesors, 1854-2000. pp.271-273., 2001
    [Article] 2003. "Resurrecting the Sunshine Harvester Works: Re-presenting and Reinterpreting the Experience of Industrial Work in Twentieth-Century Australia", Labour History., 2003
    [Article] Dale-Hallett, Liza. 2004. "Collecting by Stealth: the HV McKay Collection", Museum Victoria Magazine., 2004

  • Keywords

    Exports, Harvesters, Rail Transport, Railways