Henry (aka Harry) George Ferguson (4 November 1884 – 25 October 1960) was a British mechanic and inventor who is noted for his role in the development of the modern agricultural tractor and its three point linkage system going back to 1920 and its subsequent improvements and industrialisation since the 1930’s. Ferguson became known as “the father of the modern farm tractor” and transformed agriculture across the world
Henry Ferguson was also a pioneer aviator and was the first Irishman to build and fly his own aeroplane when aged 25 in 1909, just 6 years after the Wright brothers first powered plane flight in 1903.
As Chair of Harry Ferguson Research Ltd from 1950, he was also noted for developing four-wheel drive systems for cars including pioneering their use in Formula One racing cars e.g. the Ferguson P99 driven by Stirling Moss in 1961.
Today his name lives on in the name of the Massey Ferguson company.
We have chosen to include Harry Ferguson as one of our Inspirational People because of his heritage, longevity and impact of his inventions but also his perseverance in industrialising and bringing them to market.
