This booklet relates to the Sydney Based Engineering Company Howard Auto-Cultivators Ltd. This company produced tractors and rotary hoes and was one of the most important local companies to produce Australian made agricultural equipment. Howard Auto-Cultivators Ltd. was based in Moss Vale New South Wales before moving to Westmead in western Sydney. It was also a family owned business whose workforce moved from Moss Vale to Westmead en masse and as a result Howard Auto-Cultivators Ltd. played an important role in the development of Westmead.

This object is significant in its reflection of developments in agricultural technologies in Sydney, New South Wales and also in its relationship to other objects already held in the collection. Manuals relating to locally produced technologies such as this Howard rotary hoe were produced in very limited runs making them extremely rare and a highly sought after resource for anyone interested in the care, maintenance and history of the company.

This manual was produced for the maintenance and ordering of parts for Howard Auto-Cultivators Ltd products. They were all published by Howard Auto-Cultivators Ltd and printed in Sydney, New South Wales.

Printed by the Langlea Printery Pty. Ltd., 433 Kent St, Sydney.

This booklet was donated to the Powerhouse Museum by Bruce Winley who worked for Howard Auto-Cultivators Ltd. in Moss Vale and at Westmead before leaving to work as a draughtsman with Clyde Engineering. Bruce donated this booklet to museum staff during a visit to record an oral history on his experiences working with these companies from the 1930s until the 1950s.

Bruce Winley was born in 1915 and worked for Howard Auto-Cultivators Ltd. in Moss Vale and at Westmead before leaving to work as a draughtsman with Clyde Engineering. Bruce was also instrumental in the donation of the Clyde Engineering photographic collection to the Museum in 1984. In 2007 Bruce recorded an audio visual tape recounting his experiences at Howard Auto-Cultivators Ltd and with Clyde Engineering Ltd. for the Powerhouse Museum.

Bruce also has had an abiding interest in aeroplanes and in 1997 published a book on the DH60 Moth. He worked on aeroplanes during the Second World War and witnessed Kingsford Smith taking off from Seven Mile Beach near Gerringong on his Trans-Tasman flight.

Booklet, 'Howard 'new patent' Rotary Hoe 12 Model Parts Book', paper, published by Howard Auto-Cultivators Ltd, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1946

Green covered 32 page booklet. Stapled Spine. Title appears as 'Howard 'new patent' Rotary Hoe 12 Model Parts Book'

Published: Howard Rotovator Pty Ltd;

Printed: Langlea Printery Pty Ltd; Sydney, New South Wales; 1946

2008/46/4

240 mm

187 mm

4 mm