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Hugh Lennon

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Hugh Lennon of Spottswood in Melbourne

Hugh Lennon Maker of Spottiswoode cast iron machinery plate

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Lennon Bio and short Company History.

Hugh Lennon (1833 – 1886)
Hugh Lennon of Ireland was apprenticed to R Gray & sons of Uddington as a ploughmaker.
In 1859 he migrated to Victoria. Hugh Lennon was employed by George Grant the pre eminent ploughmaker up to 1865. Whilst employed by Grant, Lennon studied the need of local farmers, and set out on his own in 1866.

In Victoria, he saw the need for and produced a plough suited to the dry farming on the northern plains. One innovation was to use wrought iron body and patented cast steel mouldboard. His superior ploughs were in huge demand and by 1870, sales of his single and double furrow plows was phenomenal.

Mowers were also produced and in1879 his “New Imperial Stripper” was patented, containing many of Lennon’s innovations. He also developed a winnower.
The Stripper and winnower provided the best harvesting unit on the Australian market.
By 1884, the firm was the largest of its kind in the Australian Colonies, selling 700 plows, 224 reapers, 60 strippers and many other implements each year.

Hugh Lennon's ploughs have another famous link with Australia's history: the State Library have a display case with Ned Kelly's armour assembled in working position.The inside of two components of Ned Kelley's armour, are marked "H.Lennon Melbourne No 2." Another component of the armour is marked MA, which we have not been able to identify to date. These markings indicate that the armour was made from plough mouldboards and possibly other worn our agricultural components. © Steve Jager. see pictures benlow.

Around 1949, Hugh Lennon Plow Company wes taken over by Baltic Simplex who were themselves taken over by Horwood Bagshaw in 1964.

Ref – Australian Dictionary of Biography by George Parsons
Some patent applications are listed in the National Archive
The Australasian Ironmonger, Sept 1899

 

Lennon spanners found to date are 2 named malleable end spanners and several heavy plate types, probably drop forged, with integral hammers and the name deeply imprinted into the base metal, either on one side or both.
See examples below:

Spanners supplied by Lennon for his agricultural equipment, made of cast and malleable iron in Whitworth sizes. Examples of Lennon end spanners in heavy forged steel are not rare in Melbourne even now.

Above - Forged steel marked H LENNON SPOTTISWOODE or H LENNON PLOW AND M(machinery) Co. The largest is marked on both sides.


Malleable end spanner marked H. LENNON / CAST STEEL © J Hawking

Malleable end spanner marked H. LENNON / CAST STEEL © J Hawking

Malleable multi end spanner marked H. LENNON © D Symons

This malleable spanner marked "Cast Steel" is thought to be by Lennon also.

Malleable spanner marked only "Cast Steel" about 9.5" long

Ned Kelley's Armour as displayed in the State Library Victoria. " © Steve Jager. Steve states that "Lennon was
interviewed by Melbourne Police on the possibility of plough boards being fashioned into armour, to which
Mr. Lennon said it was not possible. He was later proven wrong when the stamp of a Lennon, number 2 type
plough, was found on the inside of the armour and also on the left shoulder plate. (see picture below).

The inside of two components of Ned Kelley's armour, are marked "H.Lennon Melbourne No 2." Another component
of the armour is marked MA, which we have not been able to identify to date. These markings indicate that the armour
was made from plough mouldboards and possibly other worn our agricultural components. © Steve Jager.
Steve can ve contacted on this email

Lennon Plow - marked "Hugh Lennon Plow & Mach Co" © P Kilbane

Lennon Plate - marked "Hugh Lennon Plow & Mach Co" © P Kilbane

Lennon Mouldboard Plough © Ted & Joy Gray of High Country Lavender

Lennon Advertising with an Elizabeth st Address

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