Wimpole Victorian Gardens - Autumn work (Photo: Rob Renfree)
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RESTORING A SEED DRILL by Roger Jayes.
(This article will be updated as restoration progresses)

Whilst working in the Victorian Gardens at Wimpole Hall, I
spotted an old piece of garden machinery slowly rusting away.
After talking to Phil Whaites, the Head Gardener, I soon discovered it was a seed drill, something to mechanise the sowing of seeds. It seemed rather sad to leave this piece of history to slowly decay so I decided to have a go at restoring it. Phil agreed and soon it was in the back of my car on its way to my garage, to the right is a photograph of the seed drill.

We agreed the drill would be restored to as original condition as
possible. Where necessary replaced parts would be as close as practical to the original. I began with a search of the internet to see what I could discover about the drill's history and the company that manufactured it.

The seed drill

Seed drills were invented by Jethro Tull around 1701, apparently
motivated by his passionate begrudging of paying his labourers' wages. The purpose was to mechanise the sowing of seeds, which traditionally were sown by broadcasting the seeds by hand. Tull's original machine was horse drawn and designed to plough three regularly spaced furrows (drills) and sow grains of wheat. Because the drill sowed seeds in regular rows, Tull also recognised that weeds could also be mechanically removed from between rows and he developed a plough (horse hoe) with
blades set to pull roots and grass to the surface to dry and to aerate the soil between rows. The modern plough owes much to this invention.

(Photo Roger Jayes) Left: The Wimpole seed drill in pre-restored condition

As an aside during my research of seed drills, I discovered the following timeline events from the same period:
1699: 1st Eddystone lighthouse built, 1703 destroyed by storm
1696: first steam pump invented
1709: coke fired furnace invented
1711: St Paul's cathedral completed

Jethro Tull

Jethro Tull was born in 1674 at Basildon in Berkshire. He studied at Oxford and Grays Inn for a legal political career, but ill health initially postponed his plans and then after his marrage to Dorothy Buckeridge he began farming with his father. He became part of a group of people that revolutionised farming methods. Most of his life was spent at Prosperous Farm, Shalbourne, south of Hungerford. It was there he carried out his experiments on improving crop productivity and in 1733 he published a book titled 'Horse-Hoeing Husbandry'. He was also part of a group that founded the 'Norfolk System' of farming which introduced new crops to England.

Tull died in 1741 but is remembered on a memorial plaque erected in 1941 outside
Lower Basildon church on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of his birth.

(Photo above credited to The History of Basildon)

- The Royal Berkshire History website has a well researched biography of Jethro Tull and his life achievements.
- The Science Museum, London has a quarter scale model of his original.
- A book about Jethro Tull has been written by George F. Tull and Maisie Robson (note the website has a typo
in Tull's date of birth).
- There were in fact three Jethro Tulls who overlapped in both time and place (Prosperous Farm). There is a very detailed article by Norman Hidden which you can download in .pdf format (credit: .pdf originated from British Agricultural History Society website).

The Wimpole seed drill

Initial inspection revealed the drill was manufactured by R+J Reeves and Son of Bratton in Wiltshire. The wooden seed box has a very faded coat of blue-grey paint which I have assumed is original (more on this later). Much of the remainder of the drill is metal either castings or bar with a mostly rust finish, though there is evidence of the same blue-grey colour as seen on the seed box. The only exception is the adjustable seed feed plate which may be tin. The handle knobs are wooden and badly cracked, however removal for replacement will be difficult.

After some searching I discovered that the Corinium Museum in the Cotswolds has an example of the same seed drill but in somewhat better condition. The picture clearly showed the metalwork and seed box to be painted in a similar blue-grey paint, with the handles, wheels and makers plate painted red.

Dsimantling of the Wimpole seed drill was easier than I had expected given the rusty finish. In fact the metal used was of a very good quality and the rust was largely superficial, and with a small amout of WD40 I soon loosened the nuts and had the seed drill dis-assembled. The parts lists is as follows:

- two cast wheels.
- one axle made from metal rod.
- two split pins holding wheels in place.
- two handle arms made from metal bar.
- one handle spacer made from metal rod, threaded at both ends.
- one wooden seed box lid.
- one wooden seed box.
- two hinges with six slot head countersunk screws.
- one cast maker's plate with two slot head countersunk screws.
- one cast furrow riveted to seed box.
- one cast and machined adjustable furrow mount with three slot head screws.
- two wooden handles (will be difficult to remove).
- one seed brush with one roundhead mounting screw.
- one adjustable seed feed plate, possibly tin
- one seed feed plate mount, possibly tin and riveted in place.

(Photo right credited to The Corinium Museum)

As of the 14th May 2008, the seed drill is dismantled and has been cleaned / wire brushed. The next step is to obtain replacement parts where necessary (new screws and split pins are required). The Corinium Museum have provided me with contacts who may be able to identify and supply the original paint colours - I am currently following this up - watch this space.......