Massey-Harris

Advertising sign.

Advertising sign.

1928. Morel R14. 2-hp Petrol engine.

1952. Massey-Harris 30.

No 726.

1956. Model 745.

Model 550.

of 54 and 55 Bunhill Row, London EC

General

Massey-Harris was created by merging two companies, the Massey Manufacturing Co and A. Harris and Son in 1891.

1894 June. Royal Agricultural Society's Show. Sheaf-binding harvesters, Mowers, Reapers, Tedders.

Over the next few years they were able to buy out smaller agricultural companies, thereby adding to their product range.

1908 Incorporated as a Limited Company.

In 1910 they bought out a producer of petrol engines, Deyo-Macey, and this was the start of building their own engines.

1914 Specialities: Harvesting and Cultivating Machinery of Canadian Manufacture.

In 1917 Massey-Harris entered the tractor market

1930 They took over the H. V. MacKay Co of Australia

Agricultural Equipment

• See Massey-Harris: Agricultural Equipment

Tractors

• See Massey-Harris: Tractors

UK Production

By 1948 Massey-Harris had started British production of its tractors at Manchester

British production started with the model MH744PD. The number 44 related to the Canadian designed model 44 tractor, the number 7 indicated British manufacture and the letters 'PD' denoted that the engine was a Perkins diesel.

In 1949 a new factory was opened at Kilmarnock to continue tractor production. About fifty tractors a week were being produced at this time.

Massey-Harris, although producing tractors, were struggling to compete with the equipment attached to them.

Harry Ferguson also designed tractors and agricultural equipment and had successfully designed a hydraulic attachment and control system which is known as the 'Ferguson System'. He was looking for someone to produce his tractors and Massey-Harris required his expertise in attachment control and equipment.

In 1953 the two companies signed a deal which resulted in Massey-Harris buying out Ferguson. The name by which the company was first known, Massey-Harris-Ferguson became Massey-Ferguson, the name by which the company is known today.

List of Models

• Massey-Harris: GP (1930- )
• Massey-Harris: 25 (1934- )
• Massey-Harris: Pacemaker (1934- )
• Massey-Harris: 101 (1938- )
• Massey-Harris: 102 (1941-46)
• Massey-Harris: Challenger (1934- )
• Massey-Harris: 201 (1941- )
• Massey-Harris: 202 (1941- )
• Massey-Harris: Pony

• Massey-Harris: 44 (1946-52)
• Massey-Harris: 744 ( -1953)
• Massey-Harris: 745 (1954- 58)

See Also

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Sources of Information

• From 1890 to the Present Day Farm Tractors by Michael Williams published in 2005 by Silverdale Books ISBN 978-1-84509-251-1
• The Complete Encyclopedia of Tractors by Mirco de Cet published in 2006 by Rebo International ISBN 978-90-366-1893-9