Nicholson & Morrow

Nicholson & Morrow Nameplate on a seed drill end © D Symons

Table of Contents

• Joseph Nicholson & Co, James Morrow & Nicholson & Morrow - notes
• N & M Plough Spanner with hammer and N & M DOE
• N & M Plough Spanner no hammer
• M Plough Spanner without hammer
• Nicholson & Morrow Makers Melbourne Drill End
• J. N DOE & J N & Co Podger. Both thought to be Joseph Nicholson and Joseph Nicholson & Co
• Incomplete Nicholson and Morrow Melbourne Disc Plough

Introduction

Joseph Nicholson & Co.

Joseph Nicholson & co are listed in S & M Melb in 1876 as being situated at 22 Bouverie St Carlton.

In 1883, James Morrow, an employee of J Nicholson & Co bought a half share in the company with his invention of the spur wheel drive.

James Morrow.

James Morrow patented a prize-winning stripper with a threshing attachment in August 1883, but the machine was not a combination harvester. Although other patents for harvesters followed that year, the most important was Morrow's patent of a stripper harvester in January 1884. With the same machine he had won £75 in the Dookie field trials in December 1883, and it was in operation two months before H. V. McKay completed his machine. The harvester patented (V3649) by Morrow in January 1884 was the first successful machine of this type.

Nicholson &Morrow

In the race to produce Australia's first commercially available harvester, Nicholson and Morrow made a terrible and costly mistake. In August 1884 they decided not to proceed with the development of their new harvester and instead concentrate on other products including a damp weather harvester. It handed McKay a crucial advantage. (ref Bob Morrow)

If anyone can shed more light on these companies and or provide catalogue information please contact us on the link below

Ref – "Old Farm Machinery in Australia" by Margaret & Phillip Simpson.

Ref - "Heritage farming in Australia" by A & A Sloane, 1998

Spanners supplied by Nicholson & Morrow are very hard to find.

Above - N & M Plough Spanner with hammer and N & M DOE ©Ozwrenches.

Above - Spanner Marked only M - notice the M is not central - like an N & M spanner with the N left out! - perhaps it is a Morrow spanner, similar to the one above without the "N" Nicholson initial, after Morrow inherited a full share of the company. ©Ozwrenches.

Above - Nicholson & Morrow Makers Melbourne Drill End ©D Symons.

Above - J. N DOE & J N & Co Podger. Both thought to be Joseph Nicholson and Joseph Nicholson & Co ©Ozwrenches

Above - Incomplete Nicholson and Morrow Melbourne Disc Plough, seen at the Finley ag museum ©Ozwrenches