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Victor McKay – Author Unknown – 

Top 10 Amazing Facts about H. V. McKay

H.V. McKay, CBE, was an Australian manufacturer and industrialist. His full name is Hugh Victor McKay. McKay was born on 21st August 1865 in Raywood Victoria. He would later die at 60 years of age on 21st May 1926.

McKay is popular for inventing and developing the Sunshine Harvester. The sunshine harvester is a combine harvester, that is considered to be one of the first commercially viable harvesters.

McKay is also responsible for establishing and managing Sunshine Harvester Works. Sunshine Harvester Works was a factory that became one of the largest agricultural equipment manufacturers in Australia.

The following is a list of amazing facts about the life of Hugh Victor McKay.

1. He Was the Fifth Child in A Family of Twelve

McKay’s parents were Nathaniel McKay and Mary McKay. The two moved from Ireland and arrived in Victoria in 1852. Nathaniel and Mary had twelve children together with Hugh being the fifth child.

Nathaniel’s older children got very little formal education. However, Nathaniel and his wife managed to read them the bible, some of John Bunyan’s work, and other upcoming pieces of literature. Nathaniel and Mary successfully raised all their children with all eight sons becoming successful in their trades.

Nathaniel Breakey (1859–1924) created the Mildura Cultivator and went on to become a teacher and a journalist. John (1861–1936) established a sizable provisioning operation in northern Victoria. George (1867–1927) worked as a coachbuilder and Samuel (1871–1922) joined John as a storekeeper.

2. Schooled Until Age 13

Hugh Victor McKay, like the rest of Nathaniel’s first children, was not educated formally extensively. He attended Drummartin Primary School.

Hugh also received some formal as well as informal education from his father Nathaniel. At just thirteen (13) years of age, Hugh McKay was called back home to help on the farm.

3. Hugh McKay Built the Stripper-Harvester At 20 Years of Age

An old HV McKay “Sunshine” combine harvester on display at the Campaspe Run Rural Discovery Centre – By GTHO –

J.L. Dow had an article describing California’s mechanization of wheat farming in the Melbourne Leader. In 1883, Hugh found this article and read about how Americans were using giant combination harvesters to farm wheat.

With help from his brother John and his father, the McKay’s assembled a functioning stripper harvester in January 1885. They achieved this using existing farm implements and machines.

According to them, they completed their assembly by ignoring all previous all other experiments on the machines. By March 24th, 1885, Hugh had patented the prototype for ‘Improvements in and connected with harvesting machines’.

4. Contrary to Popular Belief, Hugh Was Not the First to Build the Harvester

Hugh and his family completed their prototypes in 1885. However, over a year earlier, James Murrow had perfected, patented, and exhibited a stripper harvester.

James Murrow’s machine was the first of its kind. It was known as the Nicholson & Morrow’s ‘Union’ harvester.

Murrow won a prize during the December of 1884 governmental tries. He also narrowly got one over McKay during the 1885 – 1886 field trials.

However, McKay’s product did very well over Murrow’s. Murrow’s company was dead and in the water by 1914 and McKay won the spoils.

5. His Legacy Lives on At Museum Victoria

A “Sunshine” harvester in the Henty, Australia, region – By Virtual Steve –

The HV McKay collection at Museum Victoria contains more than 100,000 items. This includes tractors, instruction manuals, price listings, marketing materials, and thousands of photos.

Part of the collection includes patented models donated by HV McKay in 1908. Other inclusions are from when McKay’s Company merged with Massey Harris in 1930 and with Massey Ferguson in the 1950s.

The oldest item in the collection is the Smithy. The smithy is the original prototype of the Sunshine Harvester. Also in the collection are the type A Sunshine tractor from 1910 and the Ray Fergie TE20 from the 1950s.

The HV McKay company is responsible for shaping innovation in farming not only in Australia but the entire world as well. This collection and the museum celebrate and ensure McKay’s role is not forgotten or overlooked.

6. Established the H.V. McKay Memorial Gardens

The H.V. McKay Memorial Gardens with the Sunshine Presbyterian Church in the background – By Reinthal –

In 1909, Hugh McKay established the Sunshine Gardens. The gardens are located on Anderson Road in the Melbourne suburb of Sunshine, Victoria in Australia. Later, the Brimbank City Council took over the garden and renamed it the H.V. McKay Memorial Gardens.

The gardens were an expression of H.V. McKay’s social philosophy. In addition, the construction of the gardens reflected a shift in urban planning thought known as the “Garden Suburb” movement.

To save the Gardens from further deterioration, a Friends Group was formed in 2007. In April 2012, neighborhood residents launched a campaign to save the public area in its original state.

7. Is a Commander of The Order of The British Empire

During World War I, war and business combined for McKay. War materials were produced on a large scale and McKay made good of this niche. He initiated the supply and production of drawn steel shafting, brass, and copper tubing.

McKay was a member of the federal munitions committee. He also served on the board of business administration that was set up to advise the Department of Defense during the war.

In 1919, Hugh chaired the Australian War Materials Disposal Board while in London. For these efforts and his immeasurable contribution, he was appointed a Commander of The Order of The British Empire (C.B.E).

8. Sunshine Workers Sued McKay for Underpayment

HV McKay Sunshine Harvester Works – Author Unknown –

The Unions representing Sunshine workers took McKay to court due to payment disputes. The case was heard at the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration in Melbourne from 7th October 1907 to 8th November 1907.

The case was called the Harvester Judgement and was listened to and decided on by H.B. Higgins. It was ruled that McKay was obligated to pay his workers wages that guaranteed a reasonable standard of living.

McKay went on to appeal this decision. However, the judgment was the basis on which basic wage in Australia was built. It defined economic life in Australia for the next 70 years or so.

9. His Personal Life Was Stable

To the public eye at least, John McKay had a very private and stable family. In 1891, he married Sarah Irene Graves.

The couple had three children. A daughter; Hilda Stevenson, and two sons.

10. He Left a Trust Deed in His Will for The Development of Australia

Hugh McKay died on 21st May 1926 at Rupertswood in Sunbury, Victoria. His will at the time of death had a valuation of £1,448,146.

In his will was a trust deed that is expected to generate £10,000 annually. The income from the trust is used primarily for developing and improving living conditions in inland Australia.

The income can also be used to advance agricultural techniques, and for charitable projects by his firm.