This page concentrates on the    THE MERRY TILLER

Clayton Merry designed his lightweight cultivator in Washington USA in 1947, calling it The Merry Tiller.

The Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Company Ltd made the Merry Tiller cultivator under licence from the American Merry Tiller company.

Wolseley's premises were at Electric Avenue, Witton. They also made other agricultural equipment such as dairy equipment, electric fences and sheep shearing equipment. I the late fifties they changed their name from the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Company to Wolseley Engineering.

Merry Tiller history has been quite elusive to come across and we would welcome some help!

Wolseley began making the Merry Tiller around 1956 (patents were applied for in regard to the Webb mower attachment in September 1956) after a Wolseley director had seen a Merry Tiller in the USA. The first Birmingham agent was the Erdington Garden Machine Company in Slade Road, Erdington. 

Erdington Garden Machine Co stand at the Tulip Festival, Cannon Hill Park around 1960

The first model had a Suffolk Punch engine but this was quickly superseded by an American Briggs and Stratton single cylinder side valve engine which was retained in various power outputs for most other models. Clinton engines were also used but were not as sucesful. In the fifties the Briggs and Stratton engine was little known in the UK, most cultivators using engines manufactured by the cultivator constructors themselves or Villiers or JAP engines. Undoubtedly the success of the Merry Tiller lead to the start of Briggs and Stratton dominance of the cultivator engine market until the arrival of Honda!

The first Merry Tiller cultivator was a very simple affair with a belt drive to a chain case (early models had no belt/pulley guard) that drove the tines, or wheels if fitted instead. A small jockey wheel connected to the handlebars by a cable acted as a clutch, taking up the tension on the belt when the handlebar control was operated.

In 1958 the catalogue shows, amongst the sheep shearing equipment, only one cultivator model, a very low powered 1.1hp 75cc known just as the Merry Tiller.

By 1962 there were two models, the MAJOR and the PROFESSIONAL. The Major was the original basic cultivator (still without a belt/pulley guard) but now fitted with a 3hp 127cc Briggs and Stratton engine. The Professional was fitted with a 3 1/4hp 135cc Clinton engine but with adjustable handlebars but as these handlebars could be specified for the Major it seemed the only real difference was the engine although the catalogue does show a difference in tilling width and depth between the two models. In 1962 a clutch catch was available to hold the clutch in the engaged position, this was not the same as the catch that was fitted to later models in which a drilling was made in the handlebar.

In 1962 the catalogues shows a host of extras, including The Merry Truck, a saw bench and a Webb 16 inch lawnmower attachment.(more to add from catalogue)

By 1967 the Professional model had a completely different design of handle bar which could be adjusted in height as well as side to side. Both machines were now fitted with belt guards. Again the differences between the two machines were the handlebars and engines (Briggs and Stratton & Clinton) but as before the Professional handlebars could be specified for the Major. Both types of handlebars now came with a clutch catch fitted.

Later engine models had the petrol tank on the side of the engine rather than at the front were it is said to have got in the way when turning in glasshouses, this move also improved the balance of the machines.

In 1958 the catalogue shewed basic rotors & extension mulching rotors or pick rotors. The company could also supply Hoe Blades, Duckfoot Cultivating Feet, Ridger and Transport Wheels. Wolseley also sold a mowing machine attachment, made by Webb, that turned the machine into a cylinder mower.

This early Merry Tiller is shown with an assortment of tines, trailer, mower cutter bar attachment and spare frame, note the tank at the front of the machine.

Later another model was introduced thought to be a Major, the basic first model becoming the Minor.

In the late 60s another model called the Titan was introduced.

The Titan had a forward and reverse gear, later Titans had two forward gears. The Titan shown here is a two geared model with a 5hp engine.

In the seventies a small model, The Cadet, was introduced.

Merry Tillers are  very often offered for sale on Ebay and are still popular as a light cultivator

If you have ANY Merry Tiller info please contact us, email address is on the home page, I thank you. Please note we are unable to give machine valuations

MADE IN BIRMINGHAM