SEWARDS OF PETERSFIELD
Engineer, Threshing and Haulage Contractors
Here is a brief history of W Seward and Son, Engineer and Haulage Contractor, Petersfield. We’ve had this history in written form for many years. With modern technology we took a grainy black and white photograph of Walter from the early 1900s, added narration, and the result has really brought the story to life and makes it feel even more touching.
In September 1886, I started my Engineer and Haulage Contractor business in Petersfield, Hampshire with the purchase of a new Marshall’s of Gainsborough traction engine, number one four two four two, along with one of their threshing drums and an elevator.
After four years, in 1890, the business was doing well and I ordered another general-purpose traction engine from Marshall’s, works number one seven eight two one, and an additional threshing drum.
Demands for my services continued to grow, so, in 1895, I took delivery of a new Fowler compound agricultural traction engine, number seven four five three.
A year later there was a need in the local area for steam rolling. So, I purchased a 10-ton Wallis and Steevens roller, number two three seven seven. Demand grew and in 1900 I bought a second-hand Wallis and Steevens 10-ton roller. 1 year later I part-exchanged that roller for a new identical one, number two five seven oh.
In 1903, the Army was building a large camp at Longmoor in Hampshire. I secured a contract to cart building materials to the camp. With threshing season approaching I needed to free up the traction engines, so purchased a new McLaren road locomotive, number seven two six, to complete the job.
January 1905, I placed bought another Wallis and Steevens 10-ton roller; a compound engine with overhead valves.
Steam powered road haulage was in more demand by 1907, so I bought a 5-year-old Wallis and Steevens 3-ton steam tractor.
My son, Jim, went to the 1911 Guilford Show, where he saw a Burrell three-speed, double-crank-compound road locomotive called “The Dreadnought”. He persuaded me it would be a great addition to our fleet. We also purchased a Wallis and Steevens ‘Oil-bath’ steam tractor, number seven two five eight.
I was very impressed with our first Oil-bath tractor, so I placed an order for an identical engine in 1913.
In the dark years that followed, work came from the Government to aid in the war effort. I saw a local brewery’s 5-ton Foden steam wagon. I could see the potential of such a machine so placed an order with Wallis and Steevens for their patent 5-ton steam wagon.
After the War, there was an increase in petrol-engined lorries, and steamers were slowly being pushed to one side. I was keen to start the change from steam to the internal combustion engine. Jim, however, felt steam power was here to stay.
At the beginning of the 1920s, threshing was still the backbone of our business. The Fowler covered the area between Hindhead, Liss and Hawkley. The 1886 Marshall worked the local Petersfield farms, and the second Marshall worked East and West Meon farms.
In the late 1920s, we made the decision to stop contract threshing as it no longer paid. We sold a threshing drum to a farmer in Harting. And sold The Wallis wagon and the 2nd Marshall.
1926 saw the arrival of the last engine we would buy, Fowler Showman’s, Sir John Fowler. Jim loaned the engine to local showman, Nelson Noyce.
By 1933 the only engines left were the 1886 Marshall, the engine I started my business with 47 years earlier, and the 1895 Fowler. It was time to retire these two faithful engines, so they were put in the workshop, undercover.
When Jim Noyce, the son of Nelson, bought his set of gallopers, my son Jim replaced the steam centre-engine, Savage, number seven two two “LITTLE JIM”, with an electric motor, and kept the engine in the workshop.
Jim Noyce stopped using Sir John Fowler in 1943. It was towed home to our workshop, where Noyce’s engine, The Victory, joined it.
The five engines stayed together for a decade until The Victory was the first to leave when the late Bill Druce bought her from Jim Noyce in 1954. The other four remained, being polished, oiled and greased with affection by my son, Jim.
People came from around the world to see them, and no one was allowed to leave without signing the visitor book. One American family was so impressed with the collection, they returned to the USA to get some friends and brought them back to see the engines.
In 1969, everything was sold. The workshops and the house I had built all those years ago were demolished to make way for the entrance to a car park!
The Marshall was the first to be sold, then Fowler, followed by Sir John Fowler, and finally the Savage centre-engine.
Petersfield’s Victorian museum and 84 years of history had gone.
But that’s not the end of the story. The Savage centre-engine is now preserved at the Hollycombe Collection. Sir John Fowler has been restored and resides in Scotland. And I’m proud to say steam is still in the blood of my family. My Great-great-grandson and his family now have my precious Marshall, now known as “Victoria, Empress of India” and the Fowler, now known as “Albert”. The whole family are involved with the preservation of these two wonderful engines. They’ve come full circle. I can rest in peace in the knowledge that my legacy will not be forgotten.
