Edwin Beard Budding facts for kids

Edwin Beard Budding (born August 25, 1796 – died September 25, 1846) was a clever engineer and inventor from England. He was born in Eastington, Stroud, a village in Gloucestershire. Budding is most famous for inventing two very useful tools: the lawnmower in 1830 and the adjustable spanner in 1842.

The First Lawnmower

A cylinder (reel) mower from 1888 showing a fixed cutting blade in front of the rear roller and wheel-driven rotary blades

Edwin Budding got the idea for his lawnmower from a cloth mill. He saw a machine there that used a spinning blade. This machine trimmed the rough parts from woolen cloth. It made the fabric look smooth and neat. Budding thought a similar tool could cut grass.

How Budding's Lawnmower Worked

Budding's new machine was designed to cut grass on sports fields and large gardens. It was a much better way to cut grass than using a scythe. He received a British patent for his invention on August 31, 1830.

The first lawnmower was about 19 inches wide. Its frame was made from strong iron. You pushed the mower from behind. The back roller turned gears, which then spun the cutting blades. These blades rotated very fast, at a ratio of 16 to 1.

There was also another roller near the cutting blades. You could adjust this roller to change how high the grass was cut. When the grass was cut, the clippings flew forward into a collection box. People soon realized that an extra handle was needed at the front. This handle helped to pull the mower along.

Spreading the Invention

It took about ten more years to make a lawnmower that animals could pull. It was sixty years before a steam-powered lawnmower was built!

Two of the very first Budding lawnmowers were sold to important places. One went to the Regent's Park Zoological Gardens in London. The other was bought by one of the Oxford Colleges.

Budding worked with a local engineer named John Ferrabee. They made lawnmowers together in a factory at Thrupp. Ferrabee helped pay for the invention's development. He also got the patent and the rights to make and sell the mowers.

Where to See Early Lawnmowers

You can see examples of Budding's early lawnmowers in a few museums. These include the Stroud Museum, the London Science Museum, and the Milton Keynes Museum.

The Adjustable Spanner

Edwin Budding is also known for another useful invention. In 1842, he invented the screw adjustable spanner. This tool can be adjusted to fit different sizes of nuts and bolts.

Other Inventions

Budding was a skilled engineer and inventor. Around 1830, he also created a special five-shot percussion revolver. This was a type of firearm with brass barrels that you had to turn by hand.