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Garretts of Leiston
Richard Garrett (1757-1839) set up in business as a blacksmith and bladesmith at Leiston in Suffolk in 1778. His son, also Richard (1779-1837) is credited with directing the expansion of the business into the manufacture of agricultural implements. In particular, he started making threshing machines in partnership with his father-in-law, John Balls.
In 1826, the third Richard Garrett (1807-66) took over responsibility for the firm’s finances, taking sole charge of the business in 1836. He turned Garretts from a modest business employing about sixty into one of the leading agricultural engineering companies in England. The number of employees had reached nearly 500 by the 1850s, the works had expanded to over 7 acres, and the range of its products had grown.
Garretts remained one of the leading manufacturers of the threshing machine. They became noted as steam engines, producing many thousands of portable engines, and traction engines. They also made seed drills, hay rakes, harrows, chaff cutters and other barn machinery.
In common with many other agricultural engineers, Garretts exported a large proportion of their output. An unfortunate consequence of that was that they suffered heavy losses as a result of the Russian revolution of 1917. The firm became a constituent of Agricultural & General Engineers in 1918, and survived the transition from the steam era with the production of a range of new industrial and agricultural engineering machinery By the 1880s Garretts of Leiston in Suffolk were producing a range of drills, broadcasting sowers and horse hoes. The basic frame and level mechanism was very much like that of the Smyth drills.
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The Suffolk Drill with improved chilled coulters
is suitable for both stetch work or flat land, and can be used with or without fore-steerage. When used without the fore-steerage, the shafts can be fixed to the ends of the frame when required to work with horses 'on the quarter'. the number of and relative width between the rows can be varied at pleasure, and with the least possible trouble. This drill can be used for drilling any kind of corn and seed, and the quantitiy sown can be regulated readily. The chain fore-steerage is a valuable addition, and worth more than the extra money charged for it. It ives the steersman perfect control of the implement and affords additional facility for the subsequent use of the horse hoe. Richard Garrett and Sons Ltd. recommend the Suffolk Drill as the most complete, durable and simple Drill on the market and it is especially adapted for strong and mixed soil lands.
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Universal chain fore steerage corn drill, fitted with Garretts improved chilled coulters
A drill introduced in 1881 for light and mixed soils. Fore-steerage an integral part of the drill and is not removable, as is the case for the Suffolk Drill. Every drill is fitted with press irons which are applied by means of the lever which r aises the coulters, and by use of this lever the seed barrel can be thrown out of gear and the coulters raise simultaneously. A separate lever for striking the barrel can be provided if preferred.
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Special swing steerage dril
For mixed soil and light lands in Norfolk and Suffolk. Seedbox can be removed and the levers exchanged for those of the Garrett's Improved Horse Hoe, the frame, steerage and the levers equally applicable for ither purpose.
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Smallholder Drill
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1851 Great Exhibition (Model of a Garrett corn drill)
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