Lister Conundrum?

Back in 2016 a discussion took place on Fozzer’s Forum about early Lister J type engines; as I have a very early Lister 2 ½ hp, I was interested and took part in the discussion. I have always had an interest in Lister engines, having nine in my shed, all of which are restored, except a spec 52 Lister A. I had never delved into the history of these engines as I considered that just about everything was known about them, through the work done by the late David Edgington, and information is readily available.

- Merv. Cloake

Lister engines were imported into New Zealand by Levin & Co Ltd., a firm that was established in 1852 and which became incorporated in 1896. The company imported products from all over the world, and held agencies for many products and services. The agencies include Shipping companies, Insurance companies, Stock and Station agents, and for many other products, including blasting and gunpowder, sewing machines, beer, whisky, gin, brandy and champagne, tea, coffee, Lea and Perrins sauce, potash, rat poison, kerosene, Reapers, Binders, Wolseley shearing machines and of course Lister cream separators, sheep shearing equipment and Lister engines.

Research indicates that Levin & Co started importing Lister separators and sheep shearing equipment prior to 1911, with the first shipment of engines taking place in January 1911. The importation of Lister engines continued until at least the mid 1950s. In 1911 some 102 engines were imported. In 1912 there were 213 engines imported and in 1913 the number was 301. Of the 616 engines imported in those first three years, at least twenty-one are known to have survived, of which nine are known to be from 2011.

Lister did make minor changes to its engines during that period, but to the untrained eye Lister engines all looked the same until 1920, when the flick magneto was changed to rotary type magneto. There will be more engines of this early period that haven’t shown up yet; their owners may not have realised just how early they are.

Different models