Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

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Harry Ferguson: Difference between revisions

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1884 November 4th. Born at Growell, near Dromore, County Down, Ireland, the son of James Ferguson, a farmer, and his wife Mary Bell. The family was three girls and eight boys and was the forth one born. James was a member of the Plymouth Brethren and a religious bigot
1884 November 4th. Born at Growell, near Dromore, County Down, Ireland, the son of James Ferguson, a farmer, and his wife Mary Bell. The family was three girls and eight boys and was the forth one born. James was a member of the Plymouth Brethren and a religious bigot


In 1902 Ferguson went to work with his brother Joe in his bicycle and car repair business. Whilst working there as a mechanic he developed an interest in aviation, to the extent of visiting airshows abroad. In 1904 he began to race motorcycles.
1900 At fourteen he left school to work on the family farm
 
In 1902 Ferguson went to work with his brother Joe, the oldest in the family, in his bicycle and car repair business in Shankhill Road, Belfast.
 
Attended evening classes at the Belfast Technical College where he met [[John Lloyd Williams]] and made the acquaintance of the wealthy landowner and car enthusiast [[T. McGregor Greer]]
 
Whilst working there as a mechanic he developed an interest in aviation, to the extent of visiting airshows abroad. In 1904 he began to race motorcycles.


In 1909 Ferguson became the first person to fly in Ireland, when he took off on December 31 in a monoplane he had designed and built himself. After falling out with his brother over the safety and future of aviation Ferguson decided to go it alone, and in 1911 founded a company selling Maxwell automobile, Star and Vauxhall cars and Overtime Tractors - eventually to be named Harry Ferguson Limited.
In 1909 Ferguson became the first person to fly in Ireland, when he took off on December 31 in a monoplane he had designed and built himself. After falling out with his brother over the safety and future of aviation Ferguson decided to go it alone, and in 1911 founded a company selling Maxwell automobile, Star and Vauxhall cars and Overtime Tractors - eventually to be named Harry Ferguson Limited.

Revision as of 11:29, 14 March 2012

Henry George (Harry) Ferguson (1884-1960) of Massey-Ferguson

1884 November 4th. Born at Growell, near Dromore, County Down, Ireland, the son of James Ferguson, a farmer, and his wife Mary Bell. The family was three girls and eight boys and was the forth one born. James was a member of the Plymouth Brethren and a religious bigot

1900 At fourteen he left school to work on the family farm

In 1902 Ferguson went to work with his brother Joe, the oldest in the family, in his bicycle and car repair business in Shankhill Road, Belfast.

Attended evening classes at the Belfast Technical College where he met John Lloyd Williams and made the acquaintance of the wealthy landowner and car enthusiast T. McGregor Greer

Whilst working there as a mechanic he developed an interest in aviation, to the extent of visiting airshows abroad. In 1904 he began to race motorcycles.

In 1909 Ferguson became the first person to fly in Ireland, when he took off on December 31 in a monoplane he had designed and built himself. After falling out with his brother over the safety and future of aviation Ferguson decided to go it alone, and in 1911 founded a company selling Maxwell automobile, Star and Vauxhall cars and Overtime Tractors - eventually to be named Harry Ferguson Limited.

  • 1911 Private company formed as May Street Motor Co.

Ferguson saw at first hand the weakness of having tractor and plough as separate articulated units, and in 1917 he devised a plough which could be rigidly attached to a Model T Ford car - the Eros, which became a limited success, competing with the Model F Fordson.

Ferguson eventually founded the Ferguson-Sherman Inc., along with Eber and George Sherman. The new enterprise developed a ploughing system that incorporated a Duplex hitch system which fitted the Fordson line tractors. Ferguson's new hydraulic system was first seen on the Ferguson-Brown Model A tractors.

  • 1935 Company name changed.

Ferguson eventually made a handshake agreement with Henry Ford so that Ford could use Ferguson's three-point hitch system on his new line of tractors (9N, 2N, and 8N). Henry Ford II, Ford's grandson, abruptly ended the handshake deal on June 30, 1947. Ferguson's reaction was a law suit demanding $251,000,000 in all. The disagreement was settled by Ferguson in April of 1952. A year later Ferguson merged with Massey Harris to become Massey-Harris-Ferguson Co. This merger eventually turned into Massey Ferguson.

1960 October 25th. Died

  • 1961 Automobile engineers. 225 employees.

Ferguson's research division went on to develop various cars and tractors, including the first Formula One 4 wheel drive car.

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