Harry Ferguson

It is a busy time of year on our roads as farm machinery of all sizes make their way along Irish roads, lanes and fields. Farmers anxiously watch the weather as the harvest is to be saved. It is the busiest time of year for most farmers. Seeing them at their work today made me think of the county Down born engineer, Harry Ferguson and his role in revolutionising farming machinery.

His October 1960 obituary in the Irish Independent remarked on some of these wonderful achievements:

Mr. Harry Ferguson (75), the famous Irish Inventor, died on Tuesday last at his home at Abbotswood, Stow-on-the-Wold (Glos.). He was known as the " tractor king."

A pioneer in the development of the tractor, and in cars and aircraft machinery, he was born at Dromore, Co. Down, the son of a farmer. At the age of 20 he began business as the owner of a small garage In Belfast and eventually became the one, and only, partner of the first Henry Ford in a vast tractor industry ay Detroit. His plane, which he constructed and flew in 1909, was the first heavier-than-air machine- built in Ireland and probably the fourth built in these islands.

A partnership between him and Henry Ford produced 350,000 Ferguson tractors, but after Ford's death there came a break with the company. Mr. Ferguson claimed infringement of patent and litigation followed which resulted in Fords making settlement of £3,300,000.

Ferguson later controlled firms in India. France, South Africa and Australia, which produced his tractors and farm implements. In 1953 he merged with Massey Harris but a year later resigned as chairman and director to devote himself to inventions outside agricultural machinery. He was married and shad a daughter.

For more information search the pages of the Irish Newspaper Archive (www.irishnewsarchive.com )