Description:A Davey Sleep horse-drawn two row steerage hoe. It was used to weed between rows of growing crops and was only useable with crops grown in straight rows with a seed drill. One labourer would lead the horse while the operator walked behind it, steering it to get the best results. The Davey Sleep steerage hoe was very popular beacuse of the quality of its steering machanism, and its iron shafts, much more resistant to British weather than wooden ones. This hoe was used at Greatwood House Farm, Bishops Offley, near Eccleshall, Staffordshire.
The company Davey Sleep was founded in the 1860s and became Davey Sleep and Co. Ltd. in 1895. They became renowned for their ploughs, and in particular for their balance ploughs which were very effective on hilly terrain.
This object is now part of the Staffordshire County Museum collection, and was restored in 2007 with the assistance of MLA West Midlands' Supporting Stewardship grant.