David Brown and Sons (Huddersfield) Ltd was founded in 1860, originally producing wooden gear patterns for the textile industry. In 1936 a subsidiary of the family business in collaboration with Harry Ferguson manufactured the Ferguson-Brown Tractor, to Ferguson's design in the David Brown Gear Factory. This was notable as the world's first production tractor to be equipped with hydraulic lift and 3 point linkage.
In the late 1930's this association lapsed, Ferguson joining Henry Ford in the USA; David Brown continued to produce tractors, David Brown Tractors Ltd purchasing the Meltham Mills site near Huddersfield in 1939. Also in 1939 the first David Brown tractor was exhibited at the Royal Show. Production was interrupted by the Second World War, the Meltham factory becoming involved in gear manufacture; however a small number of tractors (mainly used for aircraft-towing) and other recovery vehicles were produced.
In 1955 David Brown Tractors Ltd acquired by Tenneco Inc, Houston, Texas, and was affiliated to the Tenneco subsidiary JI Case of Racine, Texas. A new unified colour scheme of white, red and black was then adopted for Case/David Brown farm tractors in 1973. The David Brown Corporation has had subsidiaries in Northern Ireland, Eire, Australia, Canada, USA, South Africa, West Germany, France, Denmark, Sweden and Finland in 1964 Radyne Ltd of Wokingham, manufacturers of radio frequency heating equipment became a David Brown Company. As well as tractors and farm machinery, David Brown products have included gearing and transmission equipment, steel and bronze castings, electronic equipment, high speed naval craft, marine engines and Aston Martin and Lagonda cars.
From the guide to the The DAVID BROWN TRACTORS COLLECTION, 1926-1971, (University of Reading, Museum of English Rural Life)
