Museum of… British Lawnmower Museum, Merseyside

The British Lawnmower Museum is in the Merseyside town of Southport. 

“It’s a very British museum, for people looking for something completely different,” says curator Brian Radam, a former lawnmower racing champion. “Some go up to 50mph. It’s the most economical form of motorsport and it won’t cost you an arm or a leg – unless you run yourself over.” 

The unique collection of lawnmowers, he says, conjures up the “I remember my grandad using one of those” moment for visitors. On a more serious note, the museum celebrates the largely lost engineering of British lawnmowers and their history. “It’s a tribute to the garden machine industry over the past 200 years,” says Radam, who is passionate about ensuring that engineering skills aren’t lost to future generations.

Opened 

“The museum was opened in the early 1980s with a selection of rare machines from a collection of scrap iron, some bits 200 years old, destined for lawnmower heaven,” says Radam. They were housed in the museum’s original premises – Southport’s first DIY shop. 

Collection 

The museum has 1,000 lawnmowers, including the first Robot Mower, which cost £1m to develop, and some horse-drawn lawnmowers. About 200 machines are on show at any one time, with the rest stored in a warehouse. The museum’s archive holds original patents going back to 1799, blueprints, mower handbooks, manuals, advertising material and memorabilia. It even has an archive of lawnmower sounds. 

The museum also showcases the pioneers of lawnmowers. “Edwin Budding, who patented the lawnmower in 1830, was thought of as a lunatic for inventing such a strange contraption,” says Radam. “He had to test his machine secretly at night, so no one would see him. Sadly, he died penniless, never knowing how popular his machines were to become.” 

Highlights 

From the biggest to the smallest, the fastest to the most expensive, the British Lawnmower Museum has them all. It stocks models from manufacturers such as Rolls-Royce, Royal Enfield, and Hawker Siddeley. 

It also has lawnmowers that once belonged to Prince Charles, musician Brian May and entertainer Paul O’Grady. “When [comedian] Eric Morecambe’s mower was collected [by the refuse man, who kept it], Eric was observed in the garden celebrating the birth of his first baby, writing ‘it’s a boy’ on the lawn with weedkiller,” says Radam. 

The staff (three part-timers and two engineers) are paid and they have professional expertise in garden machinery. The museum is open all year, except for Sundays and bank holidays. 

Budget 

The museum has never applied for or received funding. Revenue comes from restoring vintage machines, donations, a specialist parts service, book sales and mower loans for films and television. Adult admission is £3 (£1 for children), which includes an audio tour. The curator also runs educational tours. “The tours are something completely different – it’s all you need to mow!” jokes Radam.

Survival tips 

Get the word out. James May, of Top Gear fame, took up the challenge of reassembling one of the museum’s petrol engines on screen. The museum recently hosted 19 groundsmen from the US. “They were gobsmacked,” says Radam. “They just don’t have our lawnmowing history.”

Visitor numbers 

About 6,000 a year. 

The museum is extending its warehouse facility and restoring one of its early ride-on lawnmowers, which weighs two tonnes and belonged to Lords’ cricket ground. Radam is keen to develop its offer and would welcome professional curating advice on how to do this. 

“We would like to set up a scheme to educate and encourage young people to learn basic engineering skills using lawnmower engineering,” he says. “Sadly, youngsters today do not have the privilege of metalwork and woodwork classes.” 

If there’s anyone out there in museum-land that wants to help with this project, the British Lawnmower Museum awaits your call.