Club News

An informative film about Ferguson TE20 tractors being used in 1958

An informative film about Ferguson TE20 tractors being used in 1958

An interesting 30 min video filmed in 1958 of Mr Evans’ Gilfachwyth Farm near Llandysul in Cardiganshire, West Wales. It was a model of organised and efficient modern farming methods – it was selected to be highlighted for the 1958 Royal Welsh Show. This information film offers a plethora of detail about farming methods using Ferguson TE20 tractors. From fertilisers, ploughing and grazing to reaping, hay making and sheep shearing – but it’s far from a dry instructional. Wonderful colour views over the farmland blend with the choral soundtrack to offer a romantic look at postwar Welsh rural life. Click on the link below to view:-

Watch Stori Gilfachwyth online – BFI Player

 


Update to the Coldridge Collection

Update to the Coldridge Collection – Jan 2025

A STATEMENT FROM THE TRUSTEES OF THE DUNSFOLD COLLECTION

As some of your members will know, the late Michael Thorne bequeathed The Coldridge Collection to The Dunsfold Collection (a registered charity) and we want your members to be formally aware of this, now that Mike’s Executor has submitted the application for Grant of Probate.

Mike and our founder, the late Brian Bashall, were friends for many years and Mike was also a friend of one of our trustees, Richard Beddall.

Until the Probate process has been concluded it would not be appropriate to discuss the matter in detail, but it is our intention to preserve Mike’s name and achievements for future generations as best we can.

Richard Beddall

on behalf of the Trustees of the Dunsfold Collection,  Philip Bashall, Richard Beddall, Andrew Munden and Gary Pusey.

The Dunsfold Collection, Registered under the Charities Acts No. 1156848.


REMINDER

 THE FERGUSON CLUB

AGM /AMW

12TH – 13TH APRIL 2025

Any member wishing to attend the AGM/AMW 2025 and not staying in The Ivanhoe Hotel please remember that numbers are needed for all events happening over the weekend.

Please confirm if you wish to attend the AGM on the morning of Saturday 12th April / Mystery Tour on the afternoon of Saturday 12th April  or the dinner on Saturday night.  Also on Sunday 13th April to visit Tractor Collection. See Booking Form for Prices and Completion.

All monies for events must be paid by 21st February 2025. Payments for any outings & the Saturday Night Dinner must be paid to The Ferguson Club.  When making payment please include your Name & Membership Number.

We need to know numbers for booking these events by the above date.

For further details and bank details for payment if needed Contact

Harry or Adele Campbell; 2 Manse Hill; Newry; Co.Down; BT34 1ND

Telephone 02830269115 or e-mail:  ga_campbell99@hotmail.co.uk


Bill Munro

Bill Munro – Accomplished Author and Publisher

 

Bill was principally well known for being the published expert on the history of the London taxi, after having spent most of his life driving one. He was the official historian of the London Electric Vehicle Company Ltd, makers of the TX purpose-built London taxi and its commercial vehicle variant, the VN5. Another of his interests was Ferguson four-wheel drive and Bill researched Harry Ferguson Research Ltd. and FF Developments extensively, ending up writing the excellent book – “Traction For Sale” with Pat Turner in 2019.

Bill really embraced the Ferguson Club and committed to writing an article on Ferguson vehicles in every Journal. For the last 12 months Bill worked closely with me on behalf of the Club, taking Peter Warr’s detailed story of working with Harry Ferguson to the book it is about to become. Sadly, Bill passed away just before the book went to print. Peter’s and Bill’s legacy will live on through this book – “Harry Ferguson. The Man, the Machines, the Memories”

Gary Anderson.


Ferguson on TV

Ferguson on TV

Hi it’s Niall Martin here at the Nationwide TV programme in RTE .  Just to let you know the item we filmed at the Ferguson work day at the Ulster Folk park and subsequently at the ceremony for the Black tractor being loaned to the  Ulster Transport museum will be broadcast on 16th September 2024.

It was broadcast on 16th September at 7pm on RTE1. And is now available on www.rte.ie/player.

It stays up on the Player for 3 weeks and you can publish a link to it on your social media and website .

The Sheldon family are interviewed on the item. Hope you enjoy it

Regards; Niall Martin ; Producer RTE


Black Tractor arrives at Ulster Transport Museum

Black Tractor arrives at Ulster Transport Museum

Harry Ferguson famous “Black Tractor” has arrived at the Ulster Transport Museum. (22nd August 2024)

The tractor that revolutionised farming is now on display at the Ulster Transport Museum. This iconic prototype, engineered in Belfast, truly expresses the genius of Harry Ferguson. It brought together Ferguson’s unique innovations for the first time and is arguably the most important tractor ever built.

On loan to the museum by Harry Ferguson’s family. You can now see the Ferguson Black Tractor on display in the Museum of Innovation at Ulster Transport Museum. Please click on the “YouTube” link below to see it arriving :-

Ferguson Black Tractor | Behind-the-scenes at the Ulster Transport Museum (youtube.com)

Ferguson enthusiast and Club member  – Colin Taylor and his fabulous son, Aaron, were the first to visit the new display. Colin has sent us these photos so we can all celebrate this historic event……

Please find a further link below to the museum for visiting information….

Museum of Innovation | Ulster Transport Museum

I’m Mad Into Massey-Fergusons | Liveline – RTÉ Radio 1 (rte.ie)


Goodyear Diamond straight lugs – Remanufacture…

Goodyear Diamond straight lug rear tyres – Remanufacture

There is an interest amongst many of our Club members to purchase a set of the above rear tyres for their TE20’s. A company is looking into the remanufacture but would like to get a feel for the demand.

If any other members read this and would like to show their interest please email……

lindsayhart@titaneurope.com

Thank you.


Ferguson Club AGM / AMW 2025

Ferguson Club AGM / AMW 2025

Notice of Intent to Attend AGM / AMW 2025 ; The Ferguson Club AGM and AMW (Annual Memebers Weekend) 2025 will be held on Saturday 12th April 2025 kindly organised by Harry and Adele Campbell, Area Reps for Northern Ireland.

The venue for the AGM and AMW will be The Ivanhoe Hotel, 556 Saintfield Road, Belfast, BT8 8EU.

TELEPHONE: 028 9081 2240.

Details will be in the Journal and on the club website as they are confirmed. All room bookings to be made through the hotel using Ref FERGUSON25. Current Agenda:-

The 2025 AGM / AMW 2025 will commence Friday 11th April 2025 to Sunday 13th April 2025.

If you require a booking pack, please complete the form below and send it to Harry Campbell, 2 Manse Hill, Newry, Co. Down, BT34 1ND. or email ga_campbell99@hotmail.co.uk

I……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. request an AGM 2025 / AMW 2025 pack

Number of persons attending…………………. Membership Number………………………..

Address…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
E-mail address if applicable……………………………………………………………………………………

Thank you.


Harry Ferguson: the Man, the Machines, the Memories.

Harry Ferguson: the Man, the Machines, the Memories.
A memoir of life at Abbotswood,
By Peter Warr

Sadly, Peter Warr passed away on Friday 19th April aged 92. 
Peter and his family’s wishes is that this book will be published as a legacy to two great men

Peter Warr’s name is known to many of you as the man who was the curator of the Ferguson Family Museum on the Isle of Wight. Peter spent his early adult years working for Mr Ferguson at his country estate, Abbotswood, near Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire. He continued to work for the family right up until his retirement.
Now in his nineties, Peter has written a personal memoir of his time spent at Abbotswood, from 1950, to the time of Mr Ferguson’s death in 1960.
This was the period during which Ferguson won his monumental court case with the Ford Motor Company, sold out to Massey-Harris and acquired what was Dixon-Rolt Developments Ltd, which he reformed it as Harry Ferguson Research Ltd, the company that developed the unique Ferguson four-wheel drive cars.
Part of Peter’s work at Abbotswood was to demonstrate these cars and their remarkable capabilities to the motor industry and press, whilst the other part involved testing tractors and implements and general work on the estate, some of which created the landscape features that are still in place to this day.
In his recollections, Peter gives a unique, personal insight into Harry Ferguson’s character in the last decade of his life. They show that at this time, with his physical and mental health in decline and the blunt refusal of the motor industry to take up his four-wheel drive car, Ferguson still retained the charisma, personal kindness and consideration to others that endeared him to all who knew him and worked with him. Includes a Foreword by Mr Ferguson’s grandson, Jamie Sheldon and an introduction by his grand daughter, Sally Fleming.

The Ferguson Club have supported the production and publication of this informative book. The cover price is £14.99. It is a paperback, illustrated with Peter’s own photographs. The book has now been printed and is available to purchase through this website. Please use the form below:-

Postage for overseas buyers will be quoted directly and UK Royal Mail p&p to include the book is £19.60 (Tracked 24); Payment can be made by PayPal


“I would like to purchase a copy of this book:
Price £14.99 plus postage & packing”





    In Memory of Peter Warr

    Peter Warr was the inspiration and curator of the Ferguson Family Museum from the late nineties until COVID made its appearance. It was in this role that I first met Peter in 2008. I already had a couple of Grey Fergies and was keen to learn more about the Ferguson System and the engineering behind this successful business.

    Meeting Peter was a truly amazing experience. His passion and knowledge about Harry Ferguson and his engineering prowess was second to none. At that 2008 meeting, I learnt that Peter had worked directly for Mr Ferguson at his home in Abbotswood from when he was 18 in 1950, up until the day the great man passed away in 1960.

    The Ferguson Family Museum that Peter put together with the support of Jamie Sheldon (Harry Ferguson’s grandson and Ferguson Club President), represented a real slice of what Ferguson was all about. Peter provided me and my family a full guided tour of what was on display. It was evident that Peter still had a huge respect

    for Mr Ferguson and those 10 years of direct employment working closely with him at Abbotswood, were some of the happiest times of his life.

    The 2010 Ferguson Club Annual Members weekend and AGM was held at Brooklands Museum. Peter and his wife Ann attended with Harry Ferguson’s grandchildren, Jamie, Sally Fleming, and Caroline Sheldon (Blest). What was so special about this day, was Peter and the family were able to give us an insight into the personal memories of the man, Harry Ferguson.

    Peter was often in communication with Mike Thorne about all things Ferguson. It was enjoyable just being on the periphery of a lot of these discussions. Sadly, we have recently lost both Mike and Peter. Mike’s books and The Coldridge Collection are his legacy. Peter leaves the Ferguson Family Museum, open to view on the Isle of Wight on request, see the website for details. As members of The Ferguson Club will be aware, there is also a book coming out later this year (2024) recording many of Peter’s memories of working with Mr Ferguson. (Peter only ever referred to Harry Ferguson as Mr Ferguson).

    I was at Peter’s funeral on 28th May 2024 and it was an honour to be asked by Peter’s wife Ann, to read out a few words on behalf  of The Ferguson Club in memory of Peter. A truly remarkable man.

    Gary Anderson: published in Journal 110, Autumn 2024


    Peter Warr’s Memoir Update

    The files for the late Peter Warr’s memoir, Harry Ferguson, the Man, the Machines, the Memories have been sent off for printing and, if all goes according to schedule, the book should be on sale well before the next edition of the Journal, in good time (and I can’t believe I’m writing this in late June!) for you to add it to your Christmas list. Matador Publishing, the service we’re using to print and distribute the book will make it available for sale through all the usual retail outlets, including Amazon and also through Matador’s own website. We recommend that you buy it through  Matador’s website, as the Club, which is funding the publication will make more money out of each sale that way.The book has many previously unseen pictures and is priced at £14.99.

    Bill Munro: published in Journal 110, Autumn 2024


    Bill Munro – accomplished Author and Publisher

    Bill was principally well known for being the published expert on the history of the London taxi, after having spent most of his life driving one. He was the official historian of the London Electric Vehicle Company Ltd, makers of the TX purpose-built London taxi and its commercial vehicle variant, the VN5. Another of his interests was Ferguson four-wheel drive and Bill researched Harry Ferguson Research Ltd. and FF Developments extensively, ending up writing the excellent book – “Traction For Sale” with Pat Turner in 2019.

    Bill really embraced the Ferguson Club and committed to writing an article on Ferguson vehicles in every Journal. For the last 12 months Bill worked closely with me on behalf of the Club, taking Peter Warr’s detailed story of working with Harry Ferguson to the book it is about to become. Sadly, Bill passed away just before the book went to print. Peter’s and Bill’s legacy will live on through this book – “Harry Ferguson. The Man, the Machines, the Memories”

    Gary Anderson.