The most distinctive product to carry the Furphy brand would certainly be the
water cart. The presence of the cart in military camps in Australia during the First World War led to the name of Furphy becoming an indelible part of our language.
Image Could Not Be Found
The
water cart was in itself a complete invention of John Furphy and was first made in the 1880's. At the time no similar article was used in Australia. Few houses of the time were designed to collect rain
water from the roof and hence,
water needed to be collected elsewhere and transported for stock and domestic use. The method of carting
water was then confined to horse drawn drays or sleds with mounted wooden barrels or casks. At the same time the growing demand for agricultural implements, led to the establishment of a foundry with a furnace to cast components rather than the time consuming task of forging. This became the catalyst for the efficient production of the robust and mobile
water carrier known then, and now, as the Furphy Farm
Water Cart.
John Furphy was an experienced wheelwright and thus employed a similar method of construction for the
water tank. It consisted of shrinking an iron band on the end casting to hold and tightly seal the cylinder or body of the
tank, just as the iron tyre was fitted to the wooden body of the wagon wheel. The tanks were made of cast iron ends, 34 inches in diameter with a sheet steel body rolled to form a cylinder. For the first few years the cylinders were made from 1/8 inch black steel . All the sheet steel for the cart barrels was imported from England and Europe. Galvanized sheets were imported when they became available and when John Lysaght began galvanizing in Australia the body sheets were obtained from
Melbourne. The first carts were available in 180 and 250 gallon capacities. The 180 gallon unit proved most popular because when filled, it weighed about a ton and was a fair load for a good horse. The
tank was carefully balanced over the axle to distribute the weight for the horse whether the
tank was empty or full.
Image Could Not Be Found
Image Could Not Be Found
The cart frame was made from wood and was fitted with 30 inch cast
wheels. Rubber tyred
wheels and a steel chassis were introduced in 1945, greatly improving the mobility of the cart. The first carts found a ready market in Victoria and the Riverina and eventually found their way into all states.
The
tank itself remained fundamentally the same for the duration of its life. Production of the cast iron ends and other components ceased in 1983. It was then that an all new fabricated and hot dip galvanized
tank was developed and continues to be in strong demand today. It has all the features of the original
tank including size, profile and durability. However, the replacement of cast iron components with galvanized mild steel make the
tank much lighter and more economical to produce.
Today, the tradition continues, when during the dry seasons, many old units are brought in for reconditioning. This simply involves the fitting of a new galvanized cylinder to the original cast ends using the same methods to those employed over 100 years ago.
John Furphy (1842-1920), engineering blacksmith, was born on 17 June 1842 at Kangaroo Ground, Victoria,
On 25 May 1866 at Kyneton John Furphy married Sarah Ann Vaughan; they had five sons and four daughters. Furphy lived in Shepparton until 1909 when he moved to
Melbourne where he died on 23 September 1920. Descendants still operate the foundry.
.