The fourth child of James and Mary Ferguson, Henry George (Harry) Ferguson was born in Growell, Dromara on November 4th 1884. Growing up in these tranquil surroundings, with its wonderful views of the beautiful Mourne countryside, it is hardly surprising that Harry would remain attached to the area for the ...
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On December 17th, 1903, the Wright Brothers from Ohio in the United States successfully made the first-ever powered flight, but it was 1907 before the first attempts were made in Great Britain and Harry Ferguson was determined to be the first in Ireland. He was just one of many young men ...
In 1911, Harry started his own garage and car sales business in Belfast - the May Street Motor Company acquiring the agency for Vauxhall and Austin. He had two outstanding engineers working for him at this time who were to remain with him, playing a major part in his later ...
Harry Ferguson is best known for the invention of the three-point linkage system for attaching an implement to a farm tractor. This remarkable innovation, which was to transform farming around the world, can be traced back to 1917, when Harry was employed by the Irish Board of Agriculture to give ...
The Ferguson Brown (Ferguson Type A) tractor was developed after Harry realised that no existing tractor would be suitable for the inclusion of the linkage system he had designed, with its hydraulic lift with load sensing, underground obstruction detection and automatic implement depth control. Typically, Harry decided he would ...
Realising he would need to think big, Harry turned to the pioneer of mass-production techniques in the motor industry, American Henry Ford. It is said that when Harry demonstrated his Ferguson Type A in Mrs Ford's vegetable garden at Fairlane in Detroit, Ford rushed over, shouting "STOP! You’ve ...
Law suit with Ford Motor Company started in 1944 following the decision of Henry Ford's grandson Henry Ford 11, to end their agreement. The law suit wasn’t settled until 1952.
Harry found himself without a tractor. His response was typical, returning home to design another.
Harry's involvement with agriculture lasted up until 1954, when he resigned as chairman of Massey Ferguson. He then turned his attention to motorcars with the intention of improving the family car as successfully as he had transformed the tractor.
Harry had sustained his strong interest in motorcars and ...
This website is dedicated to the memory of Harry Ferguson
