Strathyre Forest Nursery staff

Date Added: 17 September 2018 Contributor: Norman Davidson Year of Photo: 1955 Picture No: 4243

Photograph courtesy of William Fleming, Polmont who worked in Strathyre Forest as an apprentice Forest Craftsman.

This is a really nice photograph of a typical small forest nursery work group working in the local nursery in the late spring period lining out plants. This was one of the season jobs the forest workers carried out in between planting and weeding. The three women would most likely be local, often wives of the forest workers, and be employed for the spring and summer period firstly for their nimble fingered skill in filling the lining out boards with young tree plants and later on weeding the nursery beds and transplant lines. The hand driven tractor would most likely have prepared the transplant beds and may also have helped back fill the lining out boards when they were in position. Trestle table for the lining out boards looks as though it was made from whatever wood was lying about!

Most of the people have been named by Willie as in the list below:

1. W Rose (Snr)
2. W Rose (Jnr)
3. Lella Ferguson
4. Janet Brown
5. ? lady
6. Dave Harrower
7. Mike Andrews
8. Mike Cairney
9. Donald Kennedy
10. ‘Tatch’
11. Jimmy Dewar

Missing name and stories of working in Strathyre Forest and Nursery would be very welcome. Please

What is the make of tractor?

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Groups: Forest Nurseries, Forestry Areas, Groups of people, Other Vehicles and Machines

2 Comments

I think the make of the pedestrian controlled tractor is a 'Trusty 5' tractor, with likely a J.A.P. 5 H.P. single cylinder engine and single speed drive. These tractors were built by the Tractors (London) Ltd, from 1933 through to the late 1950's. Later models had different engines, Douglas 8hp or Norton 14hp engines. The Norton engine was the same as that fitted in the Model 16H sidevalve motorcycle used by the Army in WWII. During the war years, it appears a few were fitted with imported Briggs & Stratton engines. Later 1950's models (Trusty 6) were fitted with a J.A.P Model 6 engine of about 8 H.P. and had a 3-forward speed gearbox, with a reverse gear, which may have been optional. Pneumatic tyred wheels were also available as an alternative to the steel 'spud' wheels fitted in the image. A small trailed seat attachment on a single wheel was also another accessory, along with the plough, spiked and disc harrows, rollers, self-lift tool frames and a sawbench.

My regards, Bill Rayner Comment left on 17 September 2018 at 23:05 by Bill Rayner

Tatch was really John Thompson but as there was already a short guy called Titch John got Tatch Comment left on 22 December 2018 at 14:27 by John Murray

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