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’s funeral was held 28th May at the IOW Crematorium.
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 are supporting the production and publication of this informative book. The intended cover price is £14.99. It will be a paperback, illustrated with Peter’s own photographs. The book is scheduled for publication in the summer of 2024 and a limited number of signed copies will be offered to Ferguson Club members as a priority, before becoming more widely available in bookshops and on line.
Ferguson Club members who wish to “Register their Interest” in buying a copy of this book, please register here using this online form :-
Price £14.99 plus postage”
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
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.
