In pictures: Evolution of proud, tireless toil that feeds the nation

So often the worst of times have lead to the most revolutionary of innovations, such as the radio telegraph used by the US Army during the First World War which led to the sophisticated systems of air traffic control we benefit from today.

The late-19th century was a time of great agricultural innovation and for one man, a chance visit to Ireland during the Irish potato famine led to new technology that would change the way farm work was carried out in the fields.

Former corn merchant John Fowler was an engineer for Gilkes Wilson and Company of Middlesbrough in 1849 when he made the trip over the Irish Sea and learned of how the potato crop on which Irish agriculture depended was limited by vast tracts of poorly drained land.

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On his return to England, Fowler went on to develop a horse-powered ploughing engine that could dig drainage channels and then steam powered ploughing engines - winning various accolades along the way.

From 1860 his ploughing machinery was manufactured by Kitson and Hewitson of Leeds, before Fowler joined forces with the firm’s William Hewitson to go it alone as ‘Hewitson and Fowler’ based at Hunslet. When Hewitson died a year later, the firm was renamed ‘John Fowler and Company’.

Fowler’s innovations were a revelation and his ploughing sets sold worldwide - ultimately fulfilling his early vision of helping to bring countless acres of land into production that was previously considered unsuitable for cultivation.

Many farmers would benefit, including brothers Alf and Harry Smith from the West Yorkshire village of Altofts near Normanton in the early-20th century.

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Alf’s grandson Geoff Smith, who lives in Normanton, contacted Country Week to share a glorious photograph of his grandfather’s Fowler steam tractor taken during the mid-1920s.

The main image at the top of the page shows Alf stood by the front wheels, Alf’s brother Harry at the rear wheels and Geoff’s father Eric Smith stood on board the grand machine at its steering wheel.

Giving an insight into farming life at the time, Geoff writes: “My grandfather and three brothers ran two sets of machinery, threshing and ploughing with steam at local farms.

“On leaving school my father worked at Fowlers Engineering in Hunslet before serving his country in the Second World War. After the war my father returned to Fowlers and in later years worked for McLarens of Leeds as well as the NCB and Levertons.”

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It was in the early-1920s that another major breakthrough was made in agricultural engineering. In 1926, one Harry Ferguson applied for a British patent for his three-point hitch, a three-point attachment to connect implement to tractor. The system allowed tractor and plough to become an integral unit and soon became the standard in the industry.

Ferguson tractors remain iconic today. The TE20 was Harry’s most successful design and was manufactured from 1946-56.

Derek Revell, of Silsden near Keighley, sent in photographs of one of his farming ancestors in action alongside a ‘Fergie’ during this period. The pictures were taken around 1947-50 at Howden House Farm, Silsden which was farmed at the time by Mr Revell’s father-in-law Bernard Emmott.

The late Mr Emmott can be seen on the left at the back of the bonnet of the grey Fergie with a pitch fork raised.

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A newspaper cutting dated May 22, 1948 records how Mr Emmott was “several weeks ahead of the normal time for early hay, and has achieved what is believed to be a record for the district”.

Mike Rogers of Everingham, York has been digging through his family photography archives too and has sent in a fantastically clear photograph from an even earlier date.

His photograph has been handed down through the generations and shows Mr Rogers’ grandfather stood between two other farm workers at Cornbrough Hall in Sheriff Hutton.

Such imagery is revealing also of past fashions, and if confirmation is ever needed that tweed and flat caps are timeless classics, then look no further.

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A second picture showed his grandfather and two other men stood in a field with fresh produce at their feet. In his accompanying letter, Mr Rogers writes: “This one shows himself and his two men when they won the Sheriff Hutton Society Cup for his crop of mangolds. I believe it was taken possibly in 1910 or 1911, the other possibly a similar date, with the same men and horse in the stack yard.”

Mr Rogers goes on to write that his grandfather’s life was cruelly cut short.

“Unfortunately I never knew my grandfather, as he was the victim of a hit and run accident in 1919 on what is now the A64, as he was cycling to Malton to take a Sunday evening service at the Methodist Chapel, as he was a Methodist Lay Preacher.

“I always understood that this was the first recorded ‘hit and run’ accident in North Yorkshire. He died two days later and is buried in Sheriff Hutton church yard.

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“My grandmother was left with four daughters so in 1921 moved to Easingwold, living on The Crescent, the house still having the name ‘Cornbro’.”

SHARE YOUR FARMING MEMORIES

We are keen to continue to take retrospective glances at farming’s great past in future editions of Country Week and would love to receive more of your photographs.

Whether they are images of farm work being undertaken in the ields, the pens or the parlours, all will be considered for publication in what we hope will become a regular slot.

To submit your pictures, please write to: Ben Barnet, The Yorkshire Post, Country Week, 26 Whitehall Road, Leeds, LS12 1BE.

If sending pictures electronically, email ben. [email protected] Please remember to include a description of the content and full contact details. All photographs sent by post will be returned.

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