Object number
69/184/1-30
Creator
Description
This is a hand-operated sheep shearing machine made by R. A. Lister & Co. of Dursley, Gloucestershire and dating from the early-twentieth century. The machine consists of a handle which, when turned, drives a large wheel and a smaller wheel, a long arm on which the shearing combs and blades are attached, and a three-legged base. There are eleven combs and twenty blades with the machine.
Physical description
1 shearing machine with detachable heads: metal, woodThe heads that came with this machine to the Museum were eleven combs and twenty blades. They can be found in Lister's box.
Label Text
Shearing machine. This is an early twentieth century manual sheep shearing machine consisting of a large wheel turned by handle, a smaller wheel, and a long arm on which the shearing combs and blades are attached. Shearing is an ancient occupation, as people needed fibre to make garments. Originally sheep and other animals were shorn using sharp glass or metal, before blades made the task far easier. Machine shearing was invented in the late 19th century and slowly became the main form of shearing, and by the mid 20th century electric and battery powered shearing was commonplace.
Archival history
MERL 'Handwritten catalogue' form – ‘SHEEP SHEARING MACHINE // 69/184(1–31) // … // Livestock Sheep Shearing // ... // Iron, Leather, Wood, Steel. // SHEEP SHEARER // R. A. Lister, Dursley Glos. // With 11 combs and 20 blades in Lister’s box. // Head Chicago Patent 1902, 1903 // Operated with wooden handle – 17 cm long, turning small wheel – 10 cm diam/large wheel 45 cm diameter // With long arm for shearing – 1.5m – with three leather pieces over joints and hand holding blading or combs – 29 cm – leather covered. // Stands on three legged base – each part of tripod – 56 cm. // Total height: 1.16m. // Wheel stamped – CHICAGO FLEXIBLE // PAT BY SHAFT & CO. // CHICAGO. ILL. U.S.A.’
Production place
Dursley
Object name
Material
Associated subject
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_9481.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_15854.tif - High resolution image
