The mower the merrier
USUALLY when you think of a museum, a place heaped with historical finds and artwork springs to mind, but not all museums are like that...
There are museums dedicated to sex in Amsterdam, Spam in Minnesota and Failure in Los Angeles.
And right here in Southport, we have the British Lawnmower Museum.
The quirky tourist destination is known around the world for being the only one of its kind and its owner, Brian Radam, has become one of the leading authorities on the subject.
It is also the only place you can see the former lawnmowers of the rich and famous including Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s lawnmower, which was a wedding present.
Brian May, Jean Alexander, Vanessa Felts, Nicholas Parsons, Alan Titchmarsh, Paul O’Grady, Eric Morecambe and many other have also donated their mowers to the museum.
Owner and curator Brian became interested in all things mechanical from a young age. His interest in locks, keys and mechanical equipment stemmed from an early involvement in the family business, established in 1945.
As the business developed into Lawnmowerworld and Lockandkeyworld, the museum opened in Shakespeare Street in 1988
Ex-lawnmower racing champion Brian said: “We have 1,000 lawnmowers and in the museum we show 200 restored ones. They go from one of the very first lawnmowers, up to robot lawnmowers.
“It is just something that has grown and now we get people coming from all over the world because it’s a unique experience, it’s something to remember for ever-mower.”
The museum houses an extensive range of vintage lawnmowers and antiques including the original patents, blueprints and memorabilia from 1799.
It also includes a collection of manufacturers not normally associated with the garden industry, such as Rolls-Royce, Royal Enfield, Vincent, Dennis, Hawker Sidley, Perkins, Leyland Motors and more.
Brian added: “Probably our most famous [celebrity to donate] is Brian May from Queen. He just rang up one day and said: ‘Brian May from Queen here would you like my old lawnmower?’
“He said it had done sterling work, it was the Gilbert Hard- ing of lawnmowers and he wanted it to have a happy retirement and wished the same for himself when he retired.
“When we got Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s lawnmower that was a really nice thing.
“And we have also just recently acquired the original lawnmower from Lords Cricket Ground which was one of the most expensive lawnmowers in the world - it would have cost about the same price as a house.”
The British Lawnmower Museum is open daily from 9am to 5.30pm, except Sunday and Bank Holidays.
Entry is £3 – including an audio tour – for adults and £1 for children, personal guided tours and groups are available by appointment.