Tractoring in Childhood

Our tractor was more old fashioned than most. It had lugged steel wheels, not large rubber tires like most neighbours’ tractors of the time. It was a Massey Harris Pacemaker made in the mid-30s and rust coloured with no evidence of residual paint. Like many other things on this farm, it came with the farm when our parents bought it in the early 1940s.

The tractor was kept in the driving shed. It was started by a crank at the front. It had no muffler so was very loud when it ran, especially inside the driving shed. It usually frightened pre-schoolers when it was started so we usually stayed well clear and kept our fingers in our ears.

A Massey Pacemaker that looks like the one we had

When my father was driving Rex got to sit on the tool box just under the gear shift. Father perched me on the uncomfortable bump at the front of the steel seat with my legs dangling. I envied Rex comfortably perched on a flat surface. The tractor had four forward gears and a large hand clutch lever. There were no brakes. The driver just disengaged the clutch and the tractor stopped soon after.

See clutch, gear shift, pulley shift and pulley between seat and right fender

The tractor was used for plowing and cultivating. It was also used as the engine which ran such things as the buzz saw and the threshing machine. The tractor had a…