Australian Army Museum of Western Australia > Records

Water Cart, Furphy

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Overview

Restored Furphy Water Cart. A water cart with a 818 litres (180 imp gal) cylindrical tank made of iron, placed in a wooden frame on cast-iron wheels and horizontally mounted to be harnessed by a horse. Water carts were used to take water to Australian Army personnel during the First World War in Europe and the Middle East. The steel and cast iron tanks were first made in the 1880s and were used on farms and by stock agents. The carts, with "J. Furphy & Sons" written on their tanks, became popular as gathering places where soldiers could exchange gossip, rumours and fanciful tales—much like today's water cooler discussion, hence the word ‘furphy’ entering the lexicon.

Historical information

John Furphy (17 June 1842 – 23 September 1920) was an Australian blacksmith credited with inventing the "furphy", a water cart that was used by the Australian army during the first World War. Furphy's most recognised agricultural product was the "Furphy Farm Water Cart. Annual production of the water carts averaged 300 per year and peaked during World War 1 when used in large numbers by the Australian Army.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-LTO 029

Inscriptions and markings

John Furphy was a religious man who supported temperance, and used shorthand on the cart ends to share moral proverbs. The Pitman shorthand inscription in the centre of the tank end says: "Water is a gift of God, but beer is the manufacture of the devil. Don't drink beer." Also included an the tank end is a rhyming motto (at the bottom: "GOOD, BETTER, BEST / NEVER LET IT REST / TILL YOUR GOOD IS BETTER / AND YOUR BETTER - BEST!"

Last modified

Wednesday, 21 October, 2026

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Australian Army Museum of Western Australia