Birds was established by Edward Bird in 1796 as an ironmongery in the ‘capital’ of the Vale of Glamorgan, Cowbridge.
The earliest known Birds were artists involved in the silk industry of Coventry in the late 17th century before one John Bird moved to South Wales around 1730 to work on the interiors in the manorial houses of the area. His son, another John, became steward to the Marquis of Bute at Cardiff Castle - at that time the richest man in the world as well as Water Bailiff and Clerk to the Market. The connection with the Bute family continued through John Bird, another steward, (1761-1840) whose recording of early life in Cardiff is a fascinating account of those days.
It was John’s brother, Edward (1773-1843) who felt Cowbridge offered better prospects than Cardiff and soon from 14, High Street a prosperous business began. While other family branches moved to London and supplied the steel for the Great Exhibition (William) and played for cricket for England (Morice) the Cowbridge shop continued to serve its largely agricultural client base. The business flourished under Nathaniel Bird (1827-1893) and his success enabled him to be a significant local benefactor with a charity he endowed still doing good works today. Nathaniel’s nephew, J G Harold Bird, took over the business and combined his career with a position of Borough Surveyor and Inspector of Nuisances.




After active service in the First World War of Harold’s sons, Bruce and Ralph, returned safely but there was a clear need to expand the business. In 1922 Ralph received a telephone call that changed his life. Sir Sydney Byass of the famous sherry importing family asked him to demonstrate ‘one of those new fangled motor mowers’. The demonstration was arranged, the sale made and the Birds were in the mower business.

Gradually the business came to concentrate on garden machinery becoming the first company in Great Britain to specialise entirely on this new market sector. Professional use products were soon added with Birds becoming appointed agents of Ransomes of Ipswich in 1926 and Allens of Oxford in 1930.

Over the next half century Birds developed a garden, grounds and golf course machinery business across South and West Wales and also through parts of the West of England. Although Bruce’s part of the company, B.S. Bird (Tractors) of Stroud was sold on his retirement in the 1960s, Ralph handed over the reins to his two sons, Roger and Rodney in the 1960s.

Continuing to focus on Ransomes machinery and products from Allens of Oxford in the professional sector, a long association with Mountfield Lawnmowers began when the company gave them their first ever order for six machines in 1959. All these associations remain as strong as ever today.
As the business expanded into new areas, a garden centre was added in Cowbridge including a café and pet shop and these quickly became a popular destination for keen and hobby gardeners alike.

Rodney retired in 1987 but Roger’s children, the eighth generation, continued to develop the business. As the major supplier, Ransomes were taken over by the American corporation, Textron, new horizons opened for the company as golf cars and E-Z-GO industrial vehicles were all added to the portfolio of products sold and serviced. The garden centre business was leased to Hurrans Garden Centres Ltd. and the business has evolved into a nationwide supplier of electric vehicles and allied products.

With a young enthusiastic and skilled team, the business is looking forward to building on our two hundred years of experience to serve our customers just as well as Edward Bird would have done.