Registrar, Manitoba Agricultural Museum, Inc., Box 10, Austin,
Manitoba, Canada
During the Second World War, a truckload of scrap metal gathered
in the Turtle Mountain area stopped briefly at a gas station in
Boissevain, Manitoba. A passerby noticed an odd looking plow in the
heap and was given permission to rescue it. Eventually, the plow
found its way to the Manitoba Agricultural Museum at Austin,
Manitoba, and the task was undertaken to discover its history.
Following the barely readable inscription on the plow, a letter of
inquiry was sent to the Penrith Chamber of Commerce in Penrith,
England to see if they knew who could have made the plow. The
inscription was ‘Penrith.’ The letter was forwarded to
George Stalker, who is a partner with his son, Paul, in the
five-generation Penrith firm of agricultural engineers and
implement makers, Stalker Brothers in Castlegate. Mr. Stalker
explained that the plow had been made by his great-grandfather,
Jonathan Stalker – a horse-drawn double furrow plow -made in 1887.
Jonathan Stalker’s brother, William, had emigrated to America
some time before, and on a holiday to England, he asked his brother
to make the plow to his requirements as he had found no American or
Canadian made plow to his liking. The plow was made, then
dismantled and shipped to either Medicine Lodge or Kansas City. How
the plow got from Kansas to the Turtle Mountain area is still a
mystery. The 88 year old plow has been restored to its original
colors and is now on display with hundreds of other pieces of
agricultural equipment at the Manitoba Agricultural Museum.
Manitoba, and the task was undertaken to discover its history.
Following the barely readable inscription on the plow, a letter of
inquiry was sent to the Penrith Chamber of Commerce in Penrith,
England to see if they knew who could have made the plow. The
inscription was ‘Penrith.’ The letter was forwarded to
George Stalker, who is a partner with his son, Paul, in the
five-generation Penrith firm of agricultural engineers and
implement makers, Stalker Brothers in Castlegate. Mr. Stalker
explained that the plow had been made by his great-grandfather,
Jonathan Stalker – a horse-drawn double furrow plow -made in 1887.
Jonathan Stalker’s brother, William, had emigrated to America
some time before, and on a holiday to England, he asked his brother
to make the plow to his requirements as he had found no American or
Canadian made plow to his liking. The plow was made, then
dismantled and shipped to either Medicine Lodge or Kansas City. How
the plow got from Kansas to the Turtle Mountain area is still a
mystery. The 88 year old plow has been restored to its original
colors and is now on display with hundreds of other pieces of
agricultural equipment at the Manitoba Agricultural Museum.
