May Brothers and Company was an engineering and manufacturing firm founded in
Gawler, South Australia
Gawler is the oldest country town on the Australian mainland in the state of South Australia. It was named after the second Governor (British Vice-Regal representative) of the colony of South Australia, George Gawler. It is about north of the ...
in 1885 by Frederick and Alfred May.
History
(John) Frederick May (1840 – 15 December 1897) and Alfred May (6 December 1851 – 22 September 1920) were two children in a family of nine of
Perranzabuloe
Perranzabuloe (; kw, Pyran yn Treth) is a coastal civil parish and a hamlet in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Perranzabuloe parish is bordered to the west by the Atlantic coast and St Agnes parish, to the north by Cubert parish, to the eas ...
,
Cornwall
Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
who emigrated to
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
, arriving in December 1858. Upon arrival, the family travelled north to the mining town of
Burra, where Frederick, (then aged 18), gained employment in a copper mine with his father Henry (1818 – 16 March 1872) and two brothers, William (1838 – 8 August 1914) and Joseph (1844 – 2 November 1922). Alfred, who was only seven at the time, attended school until the age of 15 when he then began work as a "picky-boy" – a menial job involving sorting ore on the surface of the mine.
Although not formally qualified in engineering, Frederick's keen interest and skill in machinery meant that he was soon promoted to the position of mine engineer, overseeing the installation of a steam-powered lift in the Schneider shaft in Burra. The fact that workers could obtain better positions in the new colonies based on skill and merit was one of the reasons Frederick's father had chosen to bring his family to Australia.
During the 1860s, the part of
Yorke Peninsula
The Yorke Peninsula is a peninsula located northwest and west of Adelaide in South Australia, between Spencer Gulf on the west and Gulf St Vincent on the east. The peninsula is separated from Kangaroo Island to the south by Investigator Strai ...
known as the
Copper Triangle
Copper Coast is a region of South Australia situated in Northern Yorke Peninsula and comprising the towns of Wallaroo, Kadina, Moonta, Paskeville and Port Hughes. The area approximately bounded by Wallaroo, Kadina and Moonta is also known as ...
– in particular the towns of
Moonta,
Wallaroo
Wallaroo is a common name for several species of moderately large macropods, intermediate in size between the kangaroos and the wallabies. The word "wallaroo" is from the Dharug ''walaru'', and not a portmanteau of the words "kangaroo" and "wal ...
and
Kadina – experienced a mining boom. Towns were growing quicker than mining equipment could be built and installed, and engineers were in high demand. Frederick's skill and efficiency at the Schneider shaft had earned him a reputation, and in 1861 he was appointed by pastoralist and mining magnate,
Walter Watson Hughes
Sir Walter Watson Hughes (22 August 1803 – 1 January 1887),Dirk Van Dissel,Hughes, Sir Walter Watson (1803 - 1887), ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'', Volume 4, MUP, 1972, pp 440-441. Retrieved 11 August 2009 who before his knighthood wa ...
, as chief engineer at the Moonta mine.
[M. W. Evans, 1981, ''The Days of May'', Rigby Publishers Ltd., Adelaide, pp 87-90.]
In 1862 Frederick married Mary Ann Mitchell, and in 1873 he took on Alfred, (then aged 20), as an apprentice engineer.[A. K. May, 2016, ''The Mechanical Genius, John Frederick May'', printed by Openbook Howden, pp 58]
In 1873 Frederick was approached by industrialist James Martin. His company James Martin & Co
James Martin & Co was an Australian engineering company which progressed from making agricultural equipment to making railway locomotives.
History
James Martin & Co. was founded in Gawler, South Australia in around 1848 by James Martin as a ...
was a manufacturer of mining and agricultural implements, and his foundry in Gawler
Gawler is the oldest country town on the Australian mainland in the state of South Australia. It was named after the second Governor (British Vice-Regal representative) of the colony of South Australia, George Gawler. It is about north of the ...
was the largest in the area, employing at times over 700 men.[''Making Moonta'', by Philip Payton, 2007, p 86-87] Martin aimed to expand operations and offered Frederick a partnership which he accepted in February 1874. Frederick secured a position for Alfred in 1875 as the foreman of the fitting shop.
Frederick remained partner with James Martin until 1885, when he decided to establish his own business with Alfred. On 28 February the partnership between Frederick May and James Martin was dissolved.[M. W. Evans, 1981, ''The Days of May'', Rigby Publishers Ltd., Adelaide, pp 184-187.] The foundations for May Brothers were laid in July that year.[
]
Location
The May Brothers shop and foundry was located on of land situated on the southern side of Gawler, strategically placed next to the railway lines. Frederick himself drew the plans, and it is said the brothers literally established the foundations by marking out and laying concrete for the floors.[ Later, operations extended and a branch was opened in ]Port Pirie
Port Pirie is a small city on the east coast of the Spencer Gulf in South Australia, north of the state capital, Adelaide. The city has an expansive history which dates back to 1845. Port Pirie was the first proclaimed regional city in South ...
. The name May Town, near Port Pirie, is reported to possibly have come from the May Brothers and Company branch situated there.[
]
Inventions and designs
At first the firm concentrated on essential items for farms, factories and mining, but Frederick's inventive nature, reflected in his philosophy ''"It's not enough to simply give people what they want; we must make things they haven’t even thought about yet..."'',[M. W. Evans, 1981, ''The Days of May'', Rigby Publishers Ltd., Adelaide, pp 189.] meant he was continually designing new products. Both he had his brother were prolific in their designs, and the number of patents taken out during the company's lifetime is testimony to this: Frederick patented numerous designs before the start of May Brothers& Co., Gawler. Two other brothers Matthew and Joseph also joined the firm in later years as employees of the firm[A. K. May, 2016, ''The Mechanical Genius, John Frederick May'', printed by Openbook Howden, pp 54,59,85,86]
In 1887, at the Adelaide Jubilee International Exhibition
The Adelaide International Jubilee Exhibition of 1887 was a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession to the throne on 20 June 1837, held in Adelaide, South Australia in 1887. It was also a celebration of the 50th annivers ...
, held in the new Exhibition Building on North Terrace, May Brothers entered seven general machinery exhibits and eight agricultural machinery exhibits, and took home first place in every category.[M. W. Evans, 1981, ''The Days of May'', Rigby Publishers Ltd., Adelaide, pp 198-199.] The unveiling of their Damp Weather Threshing and Reaping Machine at the exhibit was met with especially good reviews.[M. W. Evans, 1981, ''The Days of May'', Rigby Publishers Ltd., Adelaide, pp 190,199.] For a young business finding it difficult to gain the trust of Australian farmers who preferred importing machinery from larger more established companies in the US and Britain,[M. W. Evans, 1981, ''The Days of May'', Rigby Publishers Ltd., Adelaide, pp 205.] the success of the exhibit was a great advertisement.
The May Brothers Patent Compound Jigger was another breakthrough invention for the firm, although one that took the mining community – who were hesitant about the new company – some convincing. The jigger, a concentrator that treated ore on the surface, was unveiled shortly after the Jubilee Exhibit in 1887, and an order from the Umberrumberka mine in New South Wales
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, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
arrived within months. It was the first of its kind in use on the field[M. W. Evans, 1981, ''The Days of May'', Rigby Publishers Ltd., Adelaide, pp 200-209.]
A pair of 1000 horsepower winding engines built for the Delprat Shaft in Broken Hill
Broken Hill is an inland mining city in the far west of outback New South Wales, Australia. It is near the border with South Australia on the crossing of the Barrier Highway (A32) and the Silver City Highway (B79), in the Barrier Range. It is ...
in 1900/1901 were designed by head draughtsmen John Wesley, draughtsman William J. May, and Alfred May, and the engineering team which William then converted into the final drawings. The showing of these engines under steam was done under Alfred and William J. May's management partners of the firm. It broke world records in performance output for its type. In 1910, he unveiled the Climax Complete Harvester, which cut a seven-foot swathe and enabled one man to strip, clean and bag of wheat in one day.[M. W. Evans, 1981, ''The Days of May'', Rigby Publishers Ltd., Adelaide, p. 268.] The firm had grown from a five-man operation to having 360 on the payroll, and very few Australian farms or mines were without at least one of the May Brothers' inventions.[
]
Later years
After the death of his wife in 1896, Frederick retired from business and moved to the Largs Pier Hotel
Largs Pier Hotel is located on the corner of The Esplanade and Jetty Road in Largs Bay, South Australia.
Opening
The Largs Pier Hotel opened in 1882 on the same day as the Largs Bay Railway and Pier.
Believed to be 23 December according to The ...
where he took up residence. There, he met a widow named Margaret Dick whom he married in a ceremony in Laura. A few weeks after returning to their Semaphore
Semaphore (; ) is the use of an apparatus to create a visual signal transmitted over distance. A semaphore can be performed with devices including: fire, lights, flags, sunlight, and moving arms. Semaphores can be used for telegraphy when arra ...
home, Frederick died of heart complications.[A. K. May, 2016, ''The Mechanical Genius, John Frederick May'', printed by Openbook Howden, pp 17] He was only 57 years old.
Frederick's eldest sons, Frederick, Jr., and William J. May became Alfred's new partners in May Brothers & Co., Gawler and Port Pirie. Later, Alfred and partners incorporated the partnership into a company.[A. K. May, 2016, ''The Mechanical Genius, John Frederick May'', printed by Openbook Howden, pp 214]
In 1911 Alfred retired from the company and moved his family to Adelaide.[M. W. Evans, 1981, ''The Days of May'', Rigby Publishers Ltd., Adelaide, pp 278-280.] However, from then until his death in 1920, he remained active in the company and continued to contribute to designs. In 1917 he designed the "Acme" harvester – the biggest of its kind with a swathe of , but light enough for only five horses to pull.[M. W. Evans, 1981, ''The Days of May'', Rigby Publishers Ltd., Adelaide, pp 297.]
The declaration of war with Germany in 1914 meant that May Brothers and Company was busier than ever, especially with many of its own employees enlisted in the war overseas. The 1920s brought increased competition from Australian companies, such as David Shearer
David James Shearer (born 28 July 1957) is a New Zealand United Nations worker and politician. He was a member of the New Zealand Parliament for the Labour Party from 2009 to 2016, serving as Leader of the Opposition from 2011 to 2013.
Shea ...
and Sunshine Harvester Works
The Sunshine Harvester works, was an Australian factory making agricultural equipment founded by industrialist H. V. McKay, and with engineering development headed by H.B. Garde.
History
Early years
Having established an agricultural imple ...
,[M. W. Evans, 1981, ''The Days of May'', Rigby Publishers Ltd., Adelaide, pp 299.] The company was suffering. In an effort to diversify, they attempted to break into the automobile market by forming a public company with J. H. Jones of Adelaide, appointing former South Australian premier Sir Richard Butler as chairman.[ The company failed, but was quickly followed by another venture that combined May Brothers and Company with the ]Perry Engineering
Perry Engineering was a major foundry and steel engineering works in the state of South Australia.
History
Perry Engineering had its origins in 1899 when Samuel Perry purchased from the estate of James Wedlock the Cornwall Foundry on Hindley S ...
Company, a firm founded by Frederick's original partner, James Martin.[ The new company concentrated on the manufacture of harvesters. It began hopefully, but was unable to build up enough momentum by the time the Great Depression struck. Unable to meet costs, the company was liquidated in 1928, and all that remains now of the workshop and foundry in Gawler is the street bearing its name.][M. W. Evans, 1981, ''The Days of May'', Rigby Publishers Ltd., Adelaide, pp 300.]
Community relations
In accordance with their Wesleyan Methodist doctrine, the May Brothers were involved in many services to their community. From 1881 to 1884, Frederick sat on the local Gawler Council representing the East Ward.[ He was Vice President of the Gawler Agricultural Society; a member of the council of the Gawler School of Mines; a member of the Geological and Mineralogical Society; a member of the Freemasons' Fidelity Lodge, and at one point, was captain of the Gawler Fire Brigade.][ His skill at design extended beyond engineering to that of architecture, and not only did he design his firm's shop and foundry, he also designed (pro bono) the Bible Christian Churches at Moonta and Kadina, and the Wesleyan Church at Moonta.][M. W. Evans, 1981, ''The Days of May'', Rigby Publishers Ltd., Adelaide, pp 122-124.]
Alfred was also an active member of the community. He, too, was a member of the Freemasons' Fidelity Lodge, a member of numerous Methodist Church committees, was involved in local bands, acted as President of the Gawler School of Mines and was a founding member of the Gawler Bowls Club.[M. W. Evans, 1981, ''The Days of May'', Rigby Publishers Ltd., Adelaide, pp 266,284.] Alfred's relationships with his employees were strong, and in 1905 when Jim Caskey, a 46-year-old worker, was caught between an overhead shaft and a driving gear, and the company suffered its first fatal accident in 25 years,[M. W. Evans, 1981, ''The Days of May'', Rigby Publishers Ltd., Adelaide, pp 268-269.] Alfred ensured that Caskey's widow and children were provided for. In an era where statutory workers' compensation
Workers' compensation or workers' comp is a form of insurance providing wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured in the course of employment in exchange for mandatory relinquishment of the employee's right to sue his or her emp ...
was still 81 years away, the act was considered unusual, and was the subject of much debate.[
]
Local Football
The May brothers had a close connection with local football. In 1894 Alfred's son, Alfred Fred Jr, was one of the two first South Gawler Football Club players to graduate to league football in South Australia. From 1919 to 1923, the May Brothers Foundry was home to the team's clubrooms.
Recognition
In 1986, during South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
's 150th Jubilee celebrations, Frederick May was named one of the 150 individuals to have made an outstanding contribution to the state's development. A personalised plaque in his honour can be found in the footpath of North Terrace, Adelaide
North Terrace is one of the four terraces that bound the central business and residential district of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. It runs east–west, along the northern edge of "the square mile". The western end cont ...
, as part of the Jubilee 150 Walkway
The Jubilee 150 Walkway, also variously known as the Jubilee 150 Commemorative Walk, the Jubilee 150 Walk, Jubilee 150 Plaques, the Jubilee Walk, or simply J150, is a series of (initially) 150 bronze plaques set into the pavement of Nort ...
.
May Brothers today
In 2008 May Brothers was re-established in Adelaide by Jason May, the great-grandson of Alfred May. The firm now specialises in project management and development, focusing on innovations in energy, information technology, infrastructure and the environment.
See also
*List of South Australian manufacturing businesses
A list of manufacturing companies founded in South Australia, many now forgotten but "household names" in their day. It does not include local affiliates of multinational companies, such as General Motors Holden, Kelvinator and Philips Electrical ...
External links
May Brothers
References
{{reflist
Manufacturing companies of Australia
Australian people of Cornish descent
Foundries in Australia
Industrial buildings in Australia
Australian ironmasters