History of the Lawn Mower The idea of a machine to cut grass was conceived in Gloucestershire Britain around 1830 by freelance engineer Edwin Beard Budding, formerly a carpenter at Chalford, he was possibly inspired by a rotary cutter designed to cut the nap off wool cloth at the Brinscomb Mill. Budding's mower was designed primarily to cut the lawn on sports grounds and expansive gardens as a superior alternative to the scythe. His patent of 25 October, 1830 described "a new combination and application of machinery for the purpose of cropping or shearing the vegetable surfaces of lawns, grass-plats and pleasure grounds." The patent went on to state, "country gentlemen may find in using my machine themselves an amusing, useful and healthy exercise." In an agreement between John Ferrebee and Budding dated May 18, 1830, Ferrebee paid the costs of development, obtained letters of patent and acquired rights to manufacture, sell and license other manufacturers in the production of lawn mowers. (The agreement is housed in the Stroud Museum). One of the first Budding and Ferrabee machines was used in Regent's Park, Zoological Garden's England, in 1831. It took ten years and further innovations to create a machine that could be worked by donkey or horse power and sixty years before a steam powered lawnmower was built. . Manufacture of lawn mowers began in the 1850s. By 1862, Farrabee's company was making eight models in various roller sizes up to 900 mm, (36 inches). He manufactured over five thousand machines until production ceased in 1863. Thomas Green produced the first chain driven mower in 1859, named the Silens Messor. Around 1900, one of the best known English machines was the Ransomes' Automaton, available as chain or gear driven. JP Engineering of Leicester, founded after World War One, produced a range of very popular chain driven mowers. About this time, an operator was allowed to ride behind animals that pulled the large machines. These were the first riding mowers. The rise in popularity of sports such as lawn tennis, croquet, cricket, football and rugby helped prompt the invention. Lawn mowers became a more efficient alternative to simply relying on gardeners wielding the scythe, which left unsightly circular scars or bare spaces caused by domesticated grazing animals Steam powered lawn mowers were patented in 1893 by James Sumner of Lancashire, England. His machine burned petrol and/or paraffin oil as a fuel. After numerous advances, the machines were sold by the Scott Fertilizer and Insecticide company of Manchester and later, the Sumner's took over sales. The company they controlled was called the Leyland Steam Motor Company. Numerous manufacturers entered the field with gasoline driven mowers after the turn of the century. The roller-drive lawnmower has changed very little since around 1930. The first grass boxes were flat trays but took their present shape in the 1860s. Gang mowers, those with multiple sets of blades, were built in the United States in 1919 by a Mister Worthington. His company was taken over by the Jacobsen corporation but his name is still cast on the frames of their gang units. Rotary mowers were not developed until engines were small and powerful enough to run the blades at a high speed. In the 1930s, Power Specialties Ltd. introduced a gas powered rotary mower. One company that produced rotary mowers commercially was the Australian Victa company, starting in 1947.