David Withers, President of Ransomes Jacobsen, formally unveiled a Blue Plaque on Wednesday 22 April 2015 to commemorate the vision and achievement of Edwin Budding, the inventor of the lawnmower in 1830.

The plaque is mounted on the wall of the Stroud Brewery which stands on the site of Budding’s original workshop at the Phoenix Iron Mills at Thrupp, near Stroud.

David Withers was accompanied by David Hagg, chief executive of Stroud District Council. Also present from the local Stroud community were council officials from Stroud District Council, Stroud’s Museum in the Park and representatives of Thrupp and Brimscombe Parish Council.

Welcoming the guests, Service Dealer editor Chris Biddle with his wife Trish, said that the Blue Plaque had been specially commissioned to mark the 25^th Anniversary of Service Dealer magazine. “We should never forget the debt of gratitude the industry should have for the extraordinary engineering skill of Edwin Budding. His original machine when viewed today is remarkably similar to present day mowers”.

David Withers, who had travelled over from Jacobsen headquarters in the US for the event said, “At Ransomes we are proud of our history which dates back to 1789, and our association with Edwin Budding having taken one of the first manufacturing licences in 1830. That mower making tradition continues today Ipswich, none of which would have been possible with Budding”.

David Hagg said, “Locally, we like to think that without Stroud, there would be no Wimbledon! Not only did the lawnmower originate here, but the material for the tennis balls are also made locally”.

Joining the crowd for the unveiling, which was covered live on the BBC Gloucestershire Drivetime programme (read BBC report)  were members of the grass machinery industry including Roger and Karen Blanch from another of Stroud’s manufacturing heritage Danarm, Keith Christian (BAGMA), Ian Small (Briggs & Stratton), Austin Jarrett (Allett), Steve Campbell (Countax), Peter Hampton and Nick Brown from T H White who loaned a present day Ransomes machine.

Andrew Hall and Mike Duck from the Hall & Duck Trust brought along a Budding machine manufactured from the exact specifications of Buddings Original Patent by Brian Radam. And also present were Clive Gravett and Lawrie Stevens of the Budding Foundation.

Greg Pilley and his team at the Stroud Brewery kindly hosted the event, and put on a specially brewed barrel of Budding Ale for the guests.