David Shearer (engineer)

J. & D. Shearer was an engineering and farm machinery manufacturer based in Mannum between 1882 and 1912, founded by John (1845–1932) and David Shearer (1850–1936), and continued separately as John Shearer & Sons of Kilkenny, South Australia, and David Shearer & Co. (later David Shearer Ltd.) of Mannum.

John and David Shearer were two of a family of six children born to Peter Shearer (c. 1808 – 31 July 1891) and his wife Mary (c. 1814 – 28 May 1908) in Orkney. The family migrated to South Australia in the Omega, arriving in South Australia on 24 August 1852, living first at Port Adelaide, where their father pursued his trade of stonemason, then at Clare, where the youngest boys attended the local school.

At the age of twelve David left to work on a property at Hoyleton, and after two years enrolled with J. S. Cole's Stanley Grammar School in Watervale for a year's tuition; the fees paid for out of his savings. He then worked for two years at his brother William's blacksmith shop at Leasingham. At age 18 he went to work in W. Patterson & Co.'s foundry in Clare. When that business failed he moved to the other end of town where J. G. Ramsay of Mount Barker had a workshop. .

John served his apprenticeship with J. G. Ramsay, a farming implement merchant and manufacturer of Mount Barker and in 1876 set up a workshop and smithy in Mannum, where David joined him in 1877, repairing farm equipment and paddle-steamers. Between 1877 and 1904 they designed and manufactured agricultural equipment. In 1888 they started manufacture of a wrought ploughshare using a resilient grade of steel developed for him by Meadow's company in England. A similar steel, "Resiflex" was produced by BHP Steel in the 1920s. He invented a stump-jumping plough which he manufactured from 1884. The company John Shearer and Sons was registered in 1923.

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