Uploader's Comments

A mower and a hay turner lie abandoned in a small meadow behind Millstone Farm, both of them are vintage and have probably seen a lot of hard work. The mower is a reciprocating blade (sometimes known as a finger mower) trailed mower, when pulled behind a tractor the iron wheels made a thin bar fitted with triangular teeth move to and fro between the 'fingers' on the cutter bar (standing vertical on the left of the picture). It was manufactured by a company called Henry Bamford & Sons Ltd, formerly of Uttoxeter in Staffordshire, who made farm machinery from 1871 until they went into liquidation in 1987. This particular model of mower was adapted from their popular horse-drawn model (the 7R) to become a tractor pulled one (the 7RT) in 1933, with subsequent refinements over the following years. I believe this particular model may be either a 7RTB (produced from 1938 to 1940) or, perhaps their most popular model, the 7RTC which was produced between 1940 and 1964 ( http://www.henrybamfordandsonsuttoxeterengland.co.uk/index.htm ). Unfortunately I was unable to determine a make or model for the turner although I will have another look.