A separator is a centrifugal device that separates milk into cream and skimmed milk. Separation was commonly performed on farms in the past. Most farmers milked a few cows, usually by hand, and separated milk with a hand operated machine for domestic use. The milk was poured into the bowl on the top and the handle had to then be turned fast enough to get the separator up to speed adequate to separate the cream and the milk. The milk would come out of one spigot and the cream out of the other. In general practice some of the skimmed milk was consumed by the family, while the rest may have been used to feed calves and pigs. Enough cream was saved to make butter, and the excess was sold. In many cases excess could be bartered or swapped with neighbours for other items of produce. LISTER - A prominent make of separator which became very popular with the dairy farmer, was the "Lister" separator. The early separators sold by R. A. Lister in the 1880's, were made by "Koefoed & Hauberg", Copenhagen. Denmark, called the "Alexandria". Ashton Lister became the sole agent for Koefoed & Hauberg made separators in England and all the English Colonies, throughout the world. Being an enterprising salesman, Ashton, sent his son Edward on a three-year sales tour of Australia & New Zealand in 1890, (hence the strong presence of Lister in Australia.) Initially, the separator was totally manufactured in Denmark and assembled in Dursley, England. By 1892 Lister were making parts at their Victorian Iron Works, and around about the early 1900's, Lister began manufacturing separators in their own right, severing ties with Koefoed & Hauberg. The Lister firm is still going today, under the name of Lister Petter, England, but do not manufacture separators, as the manufacture of farm / domestic separators ceased in the early 1960's.This item is significant as it is representative of domestic and dairying machinery used throughout rural areas of Australia in the early to mid 20th century.The separator is made in 3 sections. The base is metal plated with blue enamel. The vat is made from silver painted tin. There are 2 outlet spouts. The detachable handle, made from cast iron and wood, is held in place by a screw. A metal plate featuring the manufacturer information is attached to the side of the handle. Model CR 15 hand operated table version.On metal plate attached to handle" Lister/ MADE BY R. A. LISTER & Co.LTD. / AT DURSLEY ENGLAND / VICTORIAN AGENTS / GIPPSLAND & NORTHERN CO-OP/ CO. LTD. / MELBOURNE C.1"dairying industry, dairy machinery, milk separators, lister separators

dairy farming, r.a. lister and co. ltd, cream, separator

Robert Ashton Lister was born in England in 1845 into an industrial family. After attending the Paris Exhibition in 1867, Robert argued with his father and formed the R.A. Lister Company to produce agricultural machinery at his factory in Dursley, England. In 1889 he linked his machine with Pederson’s cream separator which now ran at a consistent speed due to a spinning centrifugal separator thus producing consistency of cream. It was marketed through the Commonwealth and Robert himself drove right across Alberta in Canada with horse and buggy to promote the machine. He also expanded the use of his machine to sheep shearing. In 1909 the Company acquired the rights to manufacture petrol driven engines. When World War 1 began in 1914 the Company focused on producing petrol engines, lighting plants and munitions for the War Department, the workforce was mainly female as the men enlisted and left for the Front. After the War, Robert Lister retired, and the Company was taken over by his grandsons Robert, Frank, George and Percy with A.E.Mellerup. Their father Charles represented the Company in North America and Europe. Foreign competition and over supply of second-hand ex-military engines and lighting sets saw profits drop but the Company managed to recover under the leadership of Managing Director Percy. In 1929 the Company designed the CS (cold start) diesel engine producing 6-7kW which became known as the Lister 9-1. The engines were all painted the same shade of Brunswick green. By 1936 Lister was producing a wide range of petrol and diesel engines most of which were small at 1.5 to 3 horsepower. These could be bought ‘stand-alone’ or powering a complementary range of pumps, churns, cream separators, auto-trucks, generating plant and sheep shearing equipment. The most successful was the D Type Lister introduced in 1937 most of which were rated at 1.5hp at 700rpm. More than 250,000 were sold up to 1964 and although RA Lister ceased production many years ago, hundreds of these engines are still in use today.Green Lister stationary engine with petrol engine Size 71J, 3 HP, 450 RPM painted Brunswick Green. Used to power pump or similar purpose. The engine was made in1928, Dursley, UKfarm machinery, churchill island, engine, stationary engine, lister

Robert Ashton Lister was born in England in 1845 into an industrial family. After attending the Paris Exhibition in 1867, Robert argued with his father and formed the R.A. Lister Company to produce agricultural machinery at his factory in Dursley, England. In 1889 he linked his machine with Pederson’s cream separator which now ran at a consistent speed due to a spinning centrifugal separator thus producing consistency of cream. It was marketed through the Commonwealth and Robert himself drove right across Alberta in Canada with horse and buggy to promote the machine. He also expanded the use of his machine to sheep shearing. In 1909 the Company acquired the rights to manufacture petrol driven engines. When World War 1 began in 1914 the Company focused on producing petrol engines, lighting plants and munitions for the War Department, the workforce was mainly female as the men enlisted and left for the Front. After the War, Robert Lister retired, and the Company was taken over by his grandsons Robert, Frank, George and Percy with A.E.Mellerup. Their father Charles represented the Company in North America and Europe. Foreign competition and over supply of second-hand ex-military engines and lighting sets saw profits drop but the Company managed to recover under the leadership of Managing Director Percy. In 1929 the Company designed the CS (cold start) diesel engine producing 6-7kW which became known as the Lister 9-1. The engines were all painted the same shade of Brunswick green. By 1936 Lister was producing a wide range of petrol and diesel engines most of which were small at 1.5 to 3 horsepower. These could be bought ‘stand-alone’ or powering a complementary range of pumps, churns, cream separators, auto-trucks, generating plant and sheep shearing equipment. The most successful was the D Type Lister introduced in 1937 most of which were rated at 1.5hp at 700rpm. More than 250,000 were sold up to 1964 and although RA Lister ceased production many years ago, hundreds of these engines are still in use today.Green Lister Stationary Petrol Engine Serial No. 16268. It is the smaller of two Lister engines in collection. It was made in 1924, Dursley, UK. The two engines in the collection are petrol engines from the 1920s predating the more numerous diesel engines manufactured from 1920 on.farm machinery, stationary engine, machine driven, belt driven

The first centrifugal separator was invented in1878 by Dr. de Laval. This recognized the need for a mechanical milker for which patents were granted in 1894. Alfa Laval were leading world producers of mechanical milking machines. The manual was used in Tungamah during the 1940's and 1950'sPaper booklet describing the operation, parts and installation of the Alfa Daisy Milker. Inside front cover is listed the companies that distribute the milker. Australian capital cities. Illustration includes 12 pagesSee photos