John ShearerPrint Page

The gates commemorate John Shearer (1845 - 1932), who along with his brother David Shearer were agricultural machinery manufacturers and inventors.

In 1877, John and David Shearer set up their forge and began making the implements for Australian farmers.  It was the invitation of Mannum farmers that brought the Shearers to Mannum, and the farmers gave them their full support.  In the early days the surrounding districts of Mannum were densely covered with mallee and pine.  The Shearer Brothers developed several new machines, adding Stump Jump Ploughs to the grubbing machines, fixed ploughs, scarifiers and harrows already being produced. 

Business had increased enormously by 1895.  Shearer strippers were in terrific demand.  The only answer was to enlarge the factory still more and install more plant.  But as they expanded their business the Shearer brothers made still more improvements, and in 1902 a lighter, stronger stripper with a wider cut was made and enthusiastically received by farmers.  Farm wagons too were manufactured at this time.

It was in 1910 that John and David, decided to dissolve partnership.  The businesses at both Kilkenny and Mannum were securely under way, and it was decided that David should continue at Mannum, making harvesting equipment, harrows and plough shares, while John, at Kilkenny, make tillage equipment.

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