INDEX     (A-B) / (C-E) / (F-I) / (J-M) / (N-R) / (S) / (T) / (U-Z)

AUSTRALIAN WINDMILL MANUFACTURERS - A - B

# = An image of the mill is available via e-mail.
* = A parts diagram of the mill is available via e-mail.

ABRAHAM, John

    John ABRAHAM commenced operations manufacturing windmills and pumps in Ballarat East, Victoria from at least 1891 to 1900. The Abraham windmill incorporated a patented mechanism, governing the mill speed with blade pitch regulation. The largest mill had a fan of 36 ft diameter. He founded the BULLDOG ENGINEERING COMPANY around 1886. After ABRAHAM's death in 1914 the BULLDOG works were purchased by W. F. OSBOURNE, who had worked for ABRAHAM. OSBOURNE continued production of the windmills and diversified into the production of the BULLDOG oil engine circa 1918. The engine was a close copy of the American WATERLOO BOY gasoline engine with curved spoke flywheels. The low tension ignition was substituted with a magneto and sparkplug. It is believed that 500 - 600 BULLDOG engines were produced up until the late 1920's. In later years the company was an agent for the Blackstone horizontal diesel engine and claimed to be a pioneer of oxy-acetyline welding in the district. Another BULLDOG product was their hydraulic and mechanical clothes hoists. OSBOURNE ceased trading in the mid 1960s and the works were demolished along with another old foundry in Little Bridge Street. In 1971 the site became a carpark and supermarket.

• EVERLASTING WINDMILL      (1891 - 1900). Available in 8 foot and possibly other sizes. This may be the direct action windmill he patented in 1878. It had corrugated iron variable pitch sails and used oil bath bearings.

ACE WINDMILL

    - see - (S) SAUNDERS ENGINEERING CO. LTD

ACME WINDMILL

    #     Available c1954 from MALLOCH BROS, Perth. The name MALLOCH BROS is clearly embossed on the gearbox. In appearance it has a lot of characteristics typical of an ALSTON design. MALLOCH BROS were the agents for ALSTON in Western Australia and it is possible that upon the demise of the ALSTON company, some of the parts were used in the production of the ACME windmill. It was a twin geared windmill and the main gears are on axles bolted into the front and rear of the main casting. It uses roller bearings and has two rather unique features. The tin helmet for the gearbox has a section built into it to allow the pull-out chain for the tail to run into the gearbox from outside. The chain runs in a pulley fitted into the top edge of the main casting. The second feature is that the main gearbox casting is fitted on the mastpipe below and separate to the pitman arm and pump rod guides. It seems to have been a short lived mill sold after the Second World War, when windmills were hard to get. Consumer feedback indicates that the windmill was not a good performer.

AERIAL WINDMILL

    - see - BALAKLAVA FOUNDRY.

AERMOTOR COMPANY

    (1888 - ). Made in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
   IMPORTED INTO AUSTRALIA or sold by

1. ENGINEERING SUPPLY CO OF AUSTRALIA    Brisbane, Queensland.
2. GEO. P. HARRIS SCARFE    Applied for the trademark in 1897.
3. James MARTIN & Co LTD    At least the period 1892 - 1910. PUMPING AERMOTOR windmill - by the time scale of importation he would have imported at least the following - the "1897" model made from 1890 - 1897, possibly the "1898" model, a roller bearing windmill which was apparently only made for that year, the "1899" model made from 1889 - 1903, the "1903" model made from 1903 - 1905 and the "RA" model made from 1905 - 1915. He also may have imported the POWER AERMOTOR, which was a power mill made from the late 1880's until the 1920's
4. W. D. MOORE & Co -W. A.    1895/6 - 1937+ probably into the late 1940's. This time scale would cover that of MARTIN's, plus add the oil bath models which could include the model "502" made only in 1915, but definitely includes the model "602" made from 1916 - 1933 and the Model "702 made from 1933 - 1981
5. ROBISON BROS & CO    South Melbourne.

• AERMOTOR POWER MILL 1900 MODEL    This was imported by James MARTIN & Co from c1905 to at least 1913. Only the 12 ft version appears to have been offered and not the 14 or 16 ft. The model stayed in production into the 1930's.

AERMOTOR WINDMILL

    - see - BRADBURY, R.
    - see - (C-E) John DANKS & SON PTY LTD.
    - see - (J-M) W. D. MOORE & CO.

ALDOUS, Arnie

    Originally a member of the firm of ALDOUS BROS in Boston, [NSW ?], he later lived at Brundee, NSW beside his store. It is hard to provide figures but one farm group had eleven of his windmills. He made all his own patterns for the cast parts of the windmill. He would catch the morning train from Bomaderry to the HOSKINS FOUNDRY at Port Kembla and return the same night with the castings. ALDOUS windmills were seen as far away as Mudgee.

1. Early model    This had a hub made from two 30 cm steel plates bolted onto a crank. The spokes radiated out between the spokes which were joined at the outer ends by two light steel straps to which the blades were fitted at roughly 45 degrees. The tail was attached to a drum floating in a tank at the base of the windmill. The water level in the shut off tank was high it shut off the windmill. It was mounted on a four legged tower 4.5 to 6.1 metres high.
2. Self oiling geared windmill    Designed in the 1930's. These were produced up until the outbreak of World War Two.

ALERT WINDMILL

    - see - (S) SAUNDERS ENGINEERING.
    - see - (S) THE SPEEDY WINDMILL AND PUMP COMPANY.

ALGER, Charles Frederick

    Charles Frederick ALGER of Bourke St, Melbourne, Victoria was granted US patent 656,922 on August 28 1900. The windmill he patented used a worm drive on the hub shaft to turn a single back geared main gear below it which operated a pitman arm in a slot for the final drive. #

ALICE SPRINGS ROTARY DRIVE WINDMILLS

• TURBEX WIND TURBINES    c1985 /1986

ALSTON, James AND SONS PTY LTD

    James ALSTON was born on the 21/9/1850 at Southwark and arrived in Australia from England with his parents in 1861. He served a 4 year apprenticeship in the iron trade. During 1874 he established a business in Warrnambool, Victoria, operating as a blacksmith and agricultural machinery manufacturer. Some of his earliest patents for windmills were issued in 1884, but it would appear that his interest in the subject dates from some years previous. The earliest known patent illustrations show an all metal open wheel type of mill. Then in 1886 he patented an all metal windmill with a modern multi sailed wheel. By 1890 hundreds of his windmills were operating in the western districts of Victoria alone and he was well on his way to dominating both the Australian and South African windmill market. The company's headquarters appears to have moved in 1897 to the Queensbridge Works, Moray St, South Melbourne. They were still known as JAMES ALSTON in 1904. Known as JAMES ALSTON and SONS by 1920. By 1924 there were over 50,000 ALSTON windmills in use. In the last known issued catalogue for "JAMES ALSTON AND SONS" c1930 he claimed that he was the originator of the all metal curved windmill blade and it would appear that there is some justification for this view. His own slogan of the period was " I make windmills a special line, not a side show".ALSTON, for much of the life of the company until the outbreak of World War Two, held the lions share of the Australian windmill market and also exported to countries such as China, India and parts of Africa. James ALSTON's last known windmill related patent was issued in the mid 1930's and after he died in 1943 the company went into gradual decline, becoming moribund in the 1950's, until in about 1960 it went into bankruptcy. The shortage of manufacturing materials after the war and less competitive designs led to diminished sales and allowed other companies such as METTERS and SOUTHERN CROSS to take over the market. The company was later redeveloped when the modified ALSTON design windmills were again manufactured by the company of D.E.C. WEBBER of Beaconsfield, Victoria. Another point of interest with the ALSTON influence on windmill production was that several of the men behind the manufacturer of other Australian windmills received their training at the ALSTON works. Among these are Thomas GRIFFITHS (No relation to GRIFFITH Bros), Percy WEBB, McLURE of BRUCE and McCLURE, R. H. WILSON and maybe Harold ROBINS. It appears that there are still some ALSTON models known only by photographs.
    Addresses.

1. Warrnambool, Victoria. [1874 - ]
2. Queens Bridge [Works], Moray St, South Melbourne, Victoria. [1897 - c1924].
3. 2 - 26 Maffra St, South Melbourne

• ALSTON PATENT IRON WINDMILL of 1886 #    Being sold by 1886. Had some wrought iron spokes and rings with galvanised blades. Available in 10, 11, 12, 14 and 16 foot.
• ALSTON PATENT IRON WINDMILL #    This went into production c1893.
• UNKNOWN TITLE    Direct acting eccentric drive. The 20 wind wheel blades were flat.The drive mechanism was patented in 1889 [Vic patents 6489 & 6780]. Mase c1890.
• ALSTON AQUA WINDMILL - Model V 21 - c1923 # *    Made as a 5 ft mill. There were two fan configurations, one with 6 blades bolted to the hub and with double steel stays. The other was a 4 spoke, 12 blade conventional fan. It was single geared with a rod guide for the pitman arm and was greased by screw down fittings. This was a small pattern mill for irrigation channels, shallow wells or creeks etc. It could be fitted to a single or double mast pole or conventional 3 leg tower. Pumping figures are very conservative [eg. with a 9 m head of water, using an inch and a half pump it will pump 277 Litres/Hour]. A photograph of 1897 appears to show this model.
• ALSTON DIRECT ACTING STEEL WINDMILL # *    At least c1912. For the 25ft - 1930. Available in 25 and 27.1/2 ft. There were 2 patterns. One used ball bearings and the other slide bearings which have grease/oil reservoirs. This led to differences in the pitman arm etc. Open motor with only 4 moving parts. The crank disc is fitted to the hub shaft and operates a rocker arm.
• ALSTON DOT WINDMILL *    Manufactured c1903 to at least 1906. All parts interchangeable with the ALSTON SINGLE CRANK except the hub/pinion casting . The fan had 8 black iron blades fitted directly to the hub with steel rods for bracing.
• ALSTON PATENT DOUBLE CRANK STEEL WINDMILL - Open gear #    c1903 - c1916. This was a single geared, double pitman design. There appears to have been another version of this windmill called the 1910 Patent.
• ALSTON ENCLOSED DOUBLE GEARED WINDMILL - 1916 Model # *    1916 - Seems to have been made in 6, 7, 8, 10, 12 and 14 ft. at various times. Since it was produced over a fair period some changes were made. It had a tubular oil lifter to assist lubrication. One point of note is that after the Second World War, aluminium windmill blades were tried on the double geared windmill, probably because of a shortage of galvanised sheet metal. The aluminium blades suffered from problems with electrolysis with the steel mounting bolts. Ball and slide bearings were both used on the hub shaft.
• ALSTON ENCLOSED DOUBLE GEARED WINDMILL - 1918 Model # *    1918 - Available in at least an 8 foot version.
• ALSTON ENCLOSED DOUBLE GEARED WINDMILL - 1927 Model # *    1927 - Made in at least 8 ft. The helmet was in two pieces, a plain pressing but more angled than the 1916 model. It would seem that as the 1927 model appeared in various sizes, the 1916 model of that size was phased out. ie by c1935 (8 ft = 1927) (10 ft = 1916) (12 & 14 ft = variety of 1927)
• ALSTON ENDLESS RACK GEARED STEEL [OR STEEL BACK MOTION] WINDMILL    Patented in 1906 and described as having a single pinion gear which engages a rack that travels round the pinion by a roller guide. It was fitted with a self oiling device. The tail is easy to recognize with its square cornered vane and main spar bent into a 'Z' shape with the rod support brace being almost parallel to the ground.
• ALSTON GEARLESS WINDMILL *    In 1912 under number 3534 the fully enclosed oil bath gearless mill was patented. This was one of the first windmills to offer full mechanical enclosure with self lubrication. Made in 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 and 22 .1/2 ft. This was a totally enclosed windmill with only three moving parts and used ball bearings in the crank roller and on the main shaft. It seems to have been available in design variations depending on size. For further information see - ALSTON GEARLESS Windmill
• ALSTON ENCLOSED PLANETARY GEARED WINDMILL - Self-Oiling    This windmill appears to have patented circa 1919 and the earliest testimonial to it is recorded in 1922. It was available in windwheel sizes 6, 7, 8 & 10ft. It was mounted on a four-legged steel angle tower up to 35ft high. It was offered on the market at a considerably lower price than the Alston Patent Self-Oiling Enclosed Double Geared 1916 windmill.
• ALSTON ENCLOSED PLANETARY GEARED WINDMILL - Model 33    This has a gearbox similar to the 33 - 40 but simplified. It is a 6 ft windmill and can be readily identified by the 6 blade fan. The blades are bolted along their centre directly onto the 3/4 inch galvanised pipe spokes which push into the cast hub. The blades are braced in a similar manner to the AQUA windmill.
• ALSTON ENCLOSED PLANETARY GEARED WINDMILL - Model 33 - 40 *    Made in 6, 7 and 8 foot. (and possibly also 5 ft). Oil bath windmill with ball bearing turntable for a 4 post tower. There were some differences with the 5 ft so it may have had another model designation. This was available to at least 1941.
• ALSTON ENCLOSED PLANETARY GEARED WINDMILL - Model 34 *    This was the the 10 ft version.
• ALSTON ENCLOSED PLANETARY GEARED WINDMILL - Model 35 *    This was the 12 ft version.
• ALSTON ENCLOSED PLANETARY GEARED WINDMILL - Model 36 *    This was the 14 ft version.
• ALSTON SINGLE CRANK WINDMILL # *    Made in 6, 7, 8 and 10 ft. A single crank open geared windmill. Geared 3 to 1. A fitting to attach it to a pole was available, as well as the 4 post tower mounts. The pitman arm changed from cast to forged in April 1921. For further information see - ALSTON SINGLE CRANK Windmill
• MONO WINDMILL    Late 1960's - early 1970's. Built to drive MONO PUMPS helical rotor bore pump.
• WIZARD WINDMILL    1925 - 1930.

ALSTON WINDMILLS PTY LTD

    Gisborne, Victoria. Advertising as makers of windmills, towers, tanks stands, pumping gears, sheep, cattle and pig troughs in 1962.

• ATOM WINDMILL    Available circa 1962 in 6, 8, 10 & 12 ft windwheel sizes with 4 post painted towers to suit. Machine cut gears and pinions.

ALTHOUSE WHEELER AND COMPANY

    c1873 - c1890.

ALTHOUSE WHEELER COMPANY

    c1890 - c1935. American windmill manufacturer in Waupun, Wisconsin which operated from the 1870's to the mid 1930's.
    IMPORTED INTO AUSTRALIA or sold by

1. - see - (U-Z) WOODIN & LITTLE.     1881 - c1887. WAUPUN VANELESS windmill - imported into New Zealand as well. Some of the windmills imported into Australia were ALTHOUSE windmills which were WAUPUN windmills made under licence to ALTHOUSE WHEELER by WOODIN & LITTLE of San Francisco, California.
2. THROSSELL, Geo. L. & CO    Company based in Northam, Western Australia. The Principal, Geo. L., was the son of the Premier of that time and in 1896 took over the machinery section of his father's general business. The company was known to have sold windmills in 1899 and specifically ALTHOUSE WHEELER windmills in 1900-1 but no longer advertised them by November 1906.

• WAUPUN VANELESS WINDMILL #    Named for the town in which they were made. Patented in 1874 & 1876. They were direct drive and had a wooden vaneless fan. Manufactured in 10, 12 , 14, 16 and 25 foot versions in the 1890's. By 1901 the 25 foot model was dropped. From 1895 the 10 foot version was available with channel iron arms and between c1893 and 1905 it was available with optional steel wheel sections.

ALTHOUSE WINDMILL

    - see - ALTHOUSE WHEELER COMPANY.
    - see - (U-Z) WOODIN & LITTLE.

AMERICAN ADVANCE WINDMILL

    - see - AMERICAN WELL WORKS.

AMERICAN WELL WORKS

    American manufacturer of Aurora, Illinois.
    IMPORTED INTO AUSTRALIA or sold by

1. UNKNOWN [Sydney agent].    AMERICAN ADVANCE windmill

• AMERICAN ADVANCE WINDMILL #    1880's - 1900's. Manufactured from the 1880's to the early 1900's. It was a direct stroke wooden wheel and tail windmill. The fan was designed with a concave shape. There were a number of variations within these mills and the exact type imported is yet to be discovered.

ANDERS, A.

    1865 - . Manufacturer in Freeling, South Australia.

ANDERS, E. & SONS

    The founder E. ANDERS started the company c1870 in Freeling, South Australia as a general agricultural implement manufacturer.

• VICTOR WINDMILL    All steel windmill.

ANDERS, W. T. KING WINDMILL FACTORY

    Born c1872. He first came to Balaklava, South Australia in 1890 and then after an absence returned in 1902 to work for Walter BLAKE. Took over the factory c1904 at Balaklava previously run by W WILLIS. He was awarded a medal by the Balaklava and Dalkey Agricultural Show in 1906 for his windmills. These were erected as far away as Mannum, South Australia. His son Ted took over the business after his return from WWI. W.T.ANDERS died in 1961. The company W. T. E. ANDERS still existed in 1976, although by then it had been sold out of the family.

• KING WINDMILL #   Previously made by W WILLIS.
• GEARED MODEL WINDMILL     c1914 -

ANDREWS & SONS

    Manufactured windmills in Portland, Victoria from 1906 to 1909.

AQUA WINDMILL

    - see - JAMES ALSTON & SONS PTY LTD

ARTHUR & PERRY

    Listed as a manufacturer at Lytteton Tce, Bendigo, Victoria in 1935.

ATLAS Co OF ENGINEERS

    Operated from the corner of Latrobe, Queen & Franklyn Streets, Melbourne Victoria. Importer of the Althouse windmill circa 1887.

ALTHOUSE WINDMILLS

    Shown as manufacturing the windmill in 1887. May be the ALTHOUSE WHEELER made WAUPUN windmill. Their illustrated advert in 1883 for ALTHOUSE windmills shows what appears to be the WAUPUN windmill.

ATOM WINDMILL

    - see - (A-B) ALSTON WINDMILLS PTY LTD.

AUSTRALASIAN IMPLEMENT COMPANY

    Company literature gives a start date of 1880. - see - (U-Z) WOODIN & LITTLE.

AUSTRALASIAN IMPLEMENT & HOUSE FURNISHING CO

    This is the continuation of the Australasian Implement Company. Address in 1927 is North Terrace and Bank St, Adelaide. - see - BAKER MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

BABY WINDMILL

    - see - (S) STATE IMPLEMENT AND ENGINEERING WORKS.

BAGSHAW, J. S. & SONS

    Sold or manufactured windmills somewhere in the period 1896 - 1909.

THE BAIRDS COMPANY

    Western Australian general merchant and mail order company, who offered in their 1939 catalogue, a windmill under their own name.

• EXCEL WINDMILL #    Another rebadged METTERS K model. Available at least in 1939.

BAKER AND HAMILTON

    - see - ALTHOUSE WHEELER COMPANY.

BAKER MANUFACTURING COMPANY

    1875 - 1960's. American company in Evansville, Wisconsin which manufactured windmills from 1875 to the 1960's.
    IMPORTED INTO AUSTRALIA or sold by

1. AUSTRALASIAN IMPLEMENT & HOUSE FURNISHING CO.     Imported the MONITOR Steel windmill - 1927 and the MONITOR Self Oiling windmill - 1927
2. Unknown.     MONITOR Vaneless (either model "L" or "M" or both c1912 - 1940
3. GEO. P. HARRIS SCARFE & Co - Fremantle.     Applied for the trademark 'MONITOR' in 1902. Importing from at least 1918. MONITOR Steel windmill - 1918. MONITOR Self Oiling windmill

• MONITOR STEEL WINDMILL - Model V # *    Made 1903 - pre 1930. MONITOR Steel windmills were all metal single crank, open gearbox windmills. The 5 ft model V is significant because it is the pattern for the METTERS MINOR windmill. For further information see - MONITOR STEEL Windmill
• MONITOR STEEL WINDMILL - Model E # *    Made 1898 - pre 1930. This is the 8 ft version.
• MONITOR SELF OILING WINDMILL #    Known as the Hambone. 1923 - 1936. The model "B" a 6 & a half ft mill was made from 1925 - 1936, the 8 ft model "C" was made from 1923 - 1936 and the 10 ft model "D" was made from 1925 - 1936. They were self oiling, single gear mills in an almost completely sealed main casting which had only a small access cover at the rear.
• MONITOR VANELESS WINDMILL #    This could be any of three possible windmills. All had wooden fans and were, as the name implies, tail / vaneless. The original VANELESS was made from 1875 - 1912. After 1892 they used a counterweight to pivot the fan sections to prevent excessive speeds in strong winds. The models known to have been imported were the later L & M. They were made from 1912 - c1940 and relied on spring action rather than a counterweight. The L was the 10ft mill and the M was the 12ft mill.

BAKER, G.

    General agricultural implement manufacturer at Georgetown, South Australia.

• ECLIPSE WINDMILL    Conventional wind wheel which appears to have been painted in three colours. Oblong tail vane with corners concave. Not much more known.
• STORM KING WINDMILL #    Direct action windmill with very unusual wind wheel blades. These were almost tear drop shaped with the spoke supporting on side and a brace holding the other.

BALAKLAVA FOUNDRY

    The founder Walter BLAKE was born in Hawick, Scotland in 1851 and brought up at Smithfield S. A. where he began his trade under his father. In 1876 he moved to Balaklava, South Australia and set up for himself manufacturing general farm implements in Edith St. Advertised as having a branch in Port Wakefield in 1893. Applied for a windmill patent with Joseph H. HORWOOD in 1894. He took 1st prize for his windmills at the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Show, Adelaide. Acquired by THOMAS ULLMAN & SONS in 1902. He was also an undertaker. His sons John and Joseph were also in the business.

• AERIAL WINDMILL    c1892 - c1904. Iron windmill.
• SIMPLEX WINDMILL    c1892- c1893. Wooden windmill made c1892.

BATEMAN, J. & W. LTD

    Wholesale grocers, Wine & Spirit Merchants, Hardware Merchants, Ship Chandlers and General Importers.
Addresses.

1. Perth, Western Australia. 1913
2. 848 Hay St, Western Australia. 1928 - 1934
3. 373 - 377 Murray St, Perth, Western Australia. c1937 - 1945
4. Fremantle, Western Australia. 1913 - 1928
5. 77 High St, Fremantle, Western Australia. 1934
6. Corner Henry, Croke and Mouatt Sts. & High St. Fremantle. Western Australia. 1945.
7. Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. 1913 - 1945
8. Dugan St, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. 1934

• Agents for Star Windmills - see - (F-I) FLINT & WALLING
• STAR MODEL 24 WINDMILL    J & W Bateman were manufacturing the 8ft version of the American Flint & Walling Star Model 24 windmill in 1941, after tariff increases made importing the original version uneconomic.

BENNIE, JOHN C.

    Listed as a windmill maker at Coonieah in the Darling Downs district, in Wise's Post Office Directory for Queensland 1903.

BEWS, JOHN

    Came from Port Augusta in South Australia to the Brymaroo district north of Jondaryan, Queensland. He was advertising as a blacksmith in 1898. Built about five windmills, one of which is on display at the Jondaryan Woolshed. Later went to Toowoomba.

BILLABONG WINDMILL

    - see - (C-E) JOHN DANKS & SON PTY LTD.

BLAKE, Walter

    - see - BALAKLAVA FOUNDRY.

BLESING, C. E.

    Manufacturer in Jamestown, South Australia.

BOBS WINDMILL

    - see - BRUCE & McCLURE.

BOBTAIL WINDMILL COMPANY

    Manufactured at Wrotham Park, Bunning Rd, Cnr Toodyay Rd, Gidgegannup, Western Australia. Originally an all welded, tailless and gearless design which was fitted to a stayed pole tower. Available in fan sizes from 6 to 10 ft. The original model was derived from the New Zealand made FERGUSON Windmill.

BOOMERANG WINDMILL

    - see - (S) STATE IMPLEMENT AND ENGINEERING WORKS.

BOOTH MACDONALD AND CO

    For details on the windmills see NEW ZEALAND WINDMILLS
    IMPORTERS AND SELLERS

1. McBRIDE, Martin & Co    Shepparton / Mooroopna area. CARLISLE windmill 1889.
2. MASON Fredk    33 Elizabeth St, North Melbourne. CARLISLE Windmill 1888
3. MORRIS, ROBERTS, & MEEKS    23 and 25 Little Collins St West & Bourke St West. 1888

BORMANN ENGINEERING

    Of Woodside, South Australia. They carried on production of the FABRO windmill after CHAPMAN & SAUNDERS ceased production of it. This windmill then passed to the manufacture of ROB'S WATER SYSTEMS.

BOSKER WINDMILL

    - see - (F-I) GEO E. FORTESCUE & SONS LTD.

BOWJON

    - see - NEW ZEALAND WINDMILLS
    IMPORTED INTO AUSTRALIA or sold by

1. WINDPOWER AUSTRALIA     The BOWJON windmill water pump made in Burbank California USA was sold in Australia by Windpower Australia in Austral, NSW. in 1991. It used an air compressor driven by the windwheel. Four blades 7ft 9in diameter 8.4 cubic inch compressor.

BRABY, Henry

    Henry BRABY of Ayr, Queensland was granted USA patent 686,200 on November 5 1901 for a most unnusual windmill. It was a chain driven and back geared windmill which used two semi-circular blades set at right angles to each other and at about 45 degrees to the hub shaft. #

BRADBURY, R. & Co.

    Of Beula and Horsham, Victoria. Applied for the trademark "AERMOTOR in respect of windmills" in 1902.

• WIMMERA WINDMILL    All steel windmill and tower sold circa 1896. Available in a 10ft windwheel with 30ft tower.

BRAND & DRYBROUGH

    - see - (C-E) CLEVELAND FOUNDRY.

BREBNER & KEEFE

    Windmill manufacturer of Scotland St, Balaklava, South Australia. Charles KEEFE was originally employed as a machinist by Walter BLAKE. He went into partnership with BREBNER c1902. Produced a windmill in 1902. Advertised windmill in 1911. Also undertakers. Acquired by AHRNS BROS during the 1920's and closed down in the 1950's.

BREER, W.

    Windmill manufacturer from Cobram, Victoria who was manufacturing windmills 1904 - 1908.

BRITANNIA FOUNDRY

    The proprietor was James ROBINSON who was born in Lincolnshire in 1857 and came to South Australia c1883 and started up a machinery works.

BRITANNIA IRONWORKS & EAGLE FOUNDRY

    - see - (S) STEVENS, James.

BROADFOOT

    N.S.W. manufacturer. There was a Herbert BROADFOOT who applied for a windmill patent in 1929.

BROWN , Albert

    - see - BROWN BROTHERS

BROWN BROTHERS

   The principals of this business in Cressy were William and Albert BROWN, the sons of Robert BROWN, an earlier windmill manufacturer in Beeac. They were advertising as manufacturers in January 1910 and are thought to have been producing windmills from 1909 to 1912. view image

BROWN , Robert William

    Robert William BROWN was born at Lethbridge, Victoria in 1851, and moved with his family moved to Beeac, Victoria in the early 1860's, where they were amongst the earliest settlers. His father was a carpenter, and Robert also joined the trade at an early age, until by the mid 1870's the two men were working together as "BROWN & SON Carpenters" in a premises on the corner of Lang and Weston Streets. In 1874 he married Mary PIERCE, and over the next several years the couple had eleven children. She apparently also helped with the business and when she died in 1948 it was reported that she assisted in the construction of the windmills. Robert appears to have entered the windmill business by 1891. He sold out in 1900/1 to James PROWSE, who continued to use the same premises. During his time in the trade he is known to have produced at least two different models of windmill.        
    After selling the business he stayed in Beeac until about 1923, before moving to Colac, where he died in August 1935, aged 85. During this time he appears to have made at least one other windmill. This was a fairly primitive fabricated variation on his open crank cast design, but used wooden block bearings. The fan was about four feet in diameter, and the approximately ten foot high galvanized tower was riveted together.
    Two of his sons were William and Albert BROWN, who manufactured windmills at Cressy as "Brown Bros".

• BROWN WINDMILL TYPE 1. This was a direct action design, with the hub shaft supported at either end of the crank by a "V" shaped main casting. An all metal wind wheel was used with the blades fitted inside the outer ring. This model appears to have been available in wind wheel sizes up to in excess of twelve foot in diameter. Four legged towers were used on known examples. This was possibly the later of the two models , as one small example has been located with "R. BROWN Maker Beeac 1898" still visible on the tail vane.
• TYPE 2. No description at present available.

 

BROWN , William

    - see - BROWN BROTHERS

BRUCE & McCLURE - Engineers and Brass Founders

    Windmill producer of Lava St, Warrnambool, and Murtoa, Victoria (1902 - 1909) and Fitzroy St, Geelong, Victoria (1916 - 1920). Proprietors were Edwin J. Bruce and ? The company was listed as a windmill manufacturer in Wise's Victorian Post Office Directory of 1904 and a full page pictorial advert was included.The Lava street site was 90 ft frontage by 250 ft deep. The business was acquired by OWEN.

• BOBS WINDMILLS    1899 - 1915. This was an open geared windmill with metal blades. Available in 6.1/2, 8 and 10 foot. The strokes for each were 6.1/2 ft = 5 & 6 inches, 8 ft = 5 & 6 inches. It was advertised in 1904.
• HERCULES WINDMILL - Direct drive    1899 - 1915. Available in 6.1/2, 8, 10, 11 and 12 foot. The strokes for each were 6 ft = 3 & 4.1/2 inches, 8 ft = 3 & 4.1/2 inches, 10 ft = 4.1/2 & 6 inches, 11 ft = same as 10 ft, 12 ft = same as 10 ft. Some of the larger sizes may have varied only in the wind wheel. Advertised in 1904.
• HERCULES WINDMILL - Geared     c1907. Available in 6.1/2, 8, 10 and 12 foot. The strokes for each were 6.1/2 ft =4.1/2, 6 & 7 inches, 8 ft = 4.1/2, 6 & 7 inches, 10 ft = 6, 7.1/2 & 9 inches, 11 & 12 ft same as 10 ft.

BRYAN BROTHERS

    These were Australian born brothers, Archie Mark BRYAN (1870 - ) and (Thomas Pearce BRYAN = source 1, George BRYAN = source 2) who established themselves as windmill manufacturers and general iron founders and engineers in Colac, Victoria in 1888. They commenced business with a loan of 18 pounds from the National Bank after being refused by the Bank of NSW. They also manufactured stoves, tanks, tank stands and other articles sold throughout Victoria, NSW and South Australia. Listed at Gravesend St in 1902. They shifted premises in 1902 and set up a foundry. Listed at Corangamite Street in Wise's Victorian Post Office Directory of 1904. Another factory was opened in West Footscray in 1925 which operated until c1932. Other addresses listed for them are Gellibrand St, Colac & Irvine St, West Footscray. They developed a unique wind wheel design which used the sail mounting brackets as part of the wheel bracing structure. The blades were crimped at both ends and were riveted not bolted to the brackets. The rims and arms were constructed of galvanised angle iron. In 1944 the Colac business was sold to R. A. BORCH. A private company "BRYAN BROS and BORCH " was set up in 1960 and windmills continued to be manufactured in Colac until 1975 when the EPA put an end to the factory on pollution grounds. By having components sourced from foundries at Geelong and Melbourne, they were able to continue production of cast iron windmills until 1980. After this to compete cost wise, they produced a steel fabricated gear box, steel machine cut gears and sealed ball bearing races. In 1987 they were bought by "Colac Water Supply Specialists" and "BRYAN WINDMILLS COLAC" was formed with three additional shareholders. view image

• CYCLONE WINDMILL - Direct acting windmill - 6 ft    1888 - 1930+. Older style open design windmill with three spokes and 5 blades per section. The main 'U' shaped casting held both sides of the crank formed in the hub shaft. The tail was of flat sheet.
• CYCLONE WINDMILL - Oil-enclosed and Geared windmills #     1928. Older style open design windmill with four spokes and 5 blades per section. The tail was of flat sheet.
• DIRECT ACTING WINDMILL    Later product available in 6 ft only. It had a zinc plated body, painted chamberlain orange, sealed ball races. Intended for shallow bores, dams and rivers. 3 fan sections, 15 blades and 2 rings.
• DUAL GEARED WINDMILLS    Later product available in 6, 7, 8 and 9 ft. Welded gear box, dual machine cut, floating main gears with oil bath lubrication. Painted CHAMBERLAIN orange. In 1972 offered 6, 7, 8, and 9 ft models.
• GEARED OPEN DESIGN WINDMILL - 8 ft    Fan of 4 spokes with 4 blades per section.
• HEAVY DUTY WINDMILL    Later product available in 10, 12 and 14 ft. Used  a cast gearbox and gears and bronze bearings. In 1972 they offered 10 and 12 ft.
• OIL ENCLOSED ECCENTRIC WINDMILL    Still offered in 1972. There were only 4 moving parts in this design, being the main shaft, eccentric body ring and link. The last three immersed in oil and the 1st lubricated with each turn of the wheel. Bearings were a combination of white metal and ball race. Sizes available were 6, 7 and 8 ft. Apparently a weak pumper with very light load capacity. Unusual shaped gearbox looked like a cylinder placed on end.

BRYAN BROS. & BORCH PTY LTD

• BBB-84 WINDMILL    This is the model designation for the LITTLE BROTHER windmill. Available c1985.
• DUAL GEARED WINDMILL - see - OIL ENCLOSED DOUBLE GEARED WINDMILL LITTLE BROTHER WINDMILL. Sold from at least 1985 to at least 1992.
• OIL ENCLOSED DOUBLE GEARED WINDMILL    Oil bath windmill available c1985 with 6, 7, 8 and 9 ft wind wheels. Steel welded gearbox, dual independent machine cut gears. The spokes are riveted together and galvanised. Sold from at least 1969.
• OIL ENCLOSED DOUBLE GEARED HEAVY DUTY WINDMILLS    These appear to be large versions of the OIL ENCLOSED DOUBLE GEARED WINDMILL and appear to have been sold from at least 1971 in the 10 & 12 ft wind wheel configuration. A 14ft version had been added by 1986.
• OIL ENCLOSED ECCENTRIC WINDMILL    6, 7 & 8 ft wind wheel. Appears to have been known colloquially as the Piss Pot windmill. Sold from at least 1969 to at least 1972.

BRYAN WINDMILLS COLAC

    Later name for BRYAN BROS. & BORCH PTY LTD.

BULLDOG ENGINEERING COMPANY

       - see - (A-B) ABRAHAMS, John

BULLOCK ELECTRIC MNFG Co LTD

    They were at 859 & 861 Hay Street, Perth, Western Australia.

• STEEL WINGS WINDMILL    Manufactured during at least 1908 until at least c1910. This is the same windmill which was also built in England and used a fan mounted inside the tower. The tower pivoted on a small turntable at its base and the whole structure moved in and out of the wind. It was controlled by a normal tail vane. view image

BUSY BEE WINDMILL

    - see - (C-E) JOHN DANKS & SON PTY LTD.

BUTLER, William

    Windmill manufacturer who operated from West Maitland, NSW in 1910 and Bolton St, Marrickville, NSW in 1916. Windmills known to be manufactured in 1916.
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