Balmoral show, a key part of Harry Ferguson’s publicity for Ferguson Farm Machinery 90 years ago
As the Balmoral Show returns for 2026 it is once more a very important place for farmers and the general public to see the latest farming innovations. 90 years ago the Balmoral Show that took place from the 27th to the 30th May, 1936 would be a very important location to show the new Ferguson tractor as part of Ferguson Farm Machinery. For many farmers and the general public if would be the first chance to see the recently launched tractor and implements in Northern Ireland. The Ferguson-Brown Type A tractor built for Harry Ferguson by David Brown in Huddersfield, England was the first production Ferguson System tractor. Based on ideas from the Ferguson Master Patent granted a century ago in 1926 it by production brought a new way to farm with the tractor and interchangeable implements acting as a single unit for the first time in history. Harry Ferguson understood the importance of the show and as well as having the four implements of a two furrow plough, general cultivator, row crop cultivator and three furrow ridger or drill plough that were available when the tractor was launched on the 10th April, 1936 it saw the first public showing of a new implement. A single furrow deep digger plough. The plough would allow previously uncultivated or unproductive land to be broken in for agricultural use by deep ploughing a key implement to enable increased food production in Northern Ireland. Other machinery included a mower, tractor trailer, disc harrow, hay sweep, and a threshing mill all of which were made by different companies, but manufactured in Northern Ireland.
Working demonstrations were held each day and given personally by Harry Ferguson at 11am, 2pm and 4.30pm. The tractor on display was the first Little Grey Fergie built, serial number 1 that had arrived in Northern Ireland on the 21st April, 1936 and went to Thomas MacGregor Greer at Tullylagan, Manor in County Tyrone in May, 1936. He personally financed the Ferguson System and it was on his lands after much development work the Ferguson System was perfected by late 1935. The production tractor was based closely on the Ferguson Belfast Black Prototype that was assembled from 1931 to 1933 after the three point hydraulic linkage in final form was set in early 1931 with a single upper link and two lower links.
Harry Ferguson was assisted by Joe Warnock, his expert tractor driver and tester from County Tyrone who had been involved in much of the test driving for Harry Ferguson and the development of the Ferguson System at Tullylagan.
Before each demonstration Harry Ferguson gave a little speech and stated it would revolutionise the farming industry. Thanks to his Ferguson tractor and Ferguson Farm Machinery a farmer can now plough an acre of average land in little more than an hour for a cost of just sixpence. It will dispense entirely with the horse on the farm, for less than half the cost reducing costs to the consumer. Harry Ferguson paid tribute to his engineers William John Sands, chief engineer, Archibald Greer and John Chambers. Going on to say “England’s difficulty is Ulster’s opportunity.” He believed it was right for the Government in Northern Ireland to encourage every possible new industry and there was an opportunity for Northern Ireland’s prosperity and indeed the whole of the United Kingdom by the modernisation of the farming industry without any risks. His new hydraulic farm machinery would bring a wave of prosperity in a new dawn by giving farmers on farms small and large the tools to produce foodstuffs at such a low cost it could be sold at a fine profit for the Ulster farmer.
Harry Ferguson went on to say that with his Ferguson System of farm mechanisation food production could be trebled in a short time. The tractor did not need to eat vast quantities of food like the outdated horse and acreage under production could be enormously increased.
As one of the leading movers to the important motor racing industry in Northern Ireland he said every detail from each nut and bolt had been founded on motor racing experience and scientific technology. The adaption of high grade steels as used in motor racing were adapted to allow a tractor and implements to be developed that are both immensely strong and yet light and designed for a wet climate like Northern Ireland. If it works in County Tyrone for example it will work anywhere in Northern Ireland or indeed the world he said.
Referring to how the building up of motor racing in Northern Ireland attracted industry after being asked as a patriotic Ulsterman why he did not start his factory in Northern Ireland he said it was his deepest regret they were unable to do so after making every effort. He believed the Government could help stimulate interest of the farmers in the new machinery without taking any risks and the Ferguson Company would be willing to cooperate with the Government in every possible way to help Ulster.
Joe Warnock who worked for Harry Ferguson as his chief demonstrator of the tractor as part of a carefully organised display when asked by Harry Ferguson what will it plough to which Harry Ferguson always replied “Anything short of concrete!” Planks of wood would be thrown in the tractors path to show an even furrow depth was maintained. Unusually for the time, woman and child tractor drivers would show how easy it was to operate and that the day of heavy machinery was at an end. With Ferguson Farm Machinery only the touch of a finger was needed to control the tractor and implements.
The tractor weighed only 16.5cwt which was possible from using light alloy steels and aluminium so that it had only half the weight per square inch compared to the horse. The famous Ferguson box was demonstrated showing it was possible to cultivate in a roped off area 20 by 27 foot without leaving any wheel tracks and cultivate every inch leaving by the narrow exit.
Amongst those having a go at driving the tractor was Sir Basil Brooke, Minister for Agriculture and he stated it would be of great use to the farmers of Northern Ireland.
Harry Ferguson said he had recently spent 3 days with past UK Prime Minister Lloyd George who like Harry Ferguson understood the food shortages of 1917 when the UK was so close to defeat by starvation because of German U-boat attacks stopping food supplies. Now with his revolutionary Ferguson System of farm mechanisation it would allow the UK to be food self-sufficient and ready for the next war with the country food secure within two years.
Prices at the show were given as £178 Pounds for the basic tractor on steel wheels, interestingly hydraulic three point lift was priced at £46 Pounds extra, and implements at £26 Pounds each.
Stevan Patterson, Castlederg, County Tyrone.