This year, we are celebrating 60 years with Massey Ferguson - a remarkable milestone in the history of P.V. Dobson & Sons.
We asked MD Andrew Dobson, to tell us how it all started, from the early days of the family business and the decision to take on new franchises, through to the opportunities that brought Massey Ferguson brought to the company.
What follows is Andrew’s recollection of those early years, including the people, the machinery and some of the more unusual Massey Ferguson machines that became part of the P.V. Dobson story.
P.V. Dobson & Sons had been used machinery dealers up until 1959. That year, Alan and Chris formally joined their father, P.V, in the company.
By this time Chris had completed his National Service with the RAF in Singapore, while Alan had been an apprentice with Austin in Birmingham. Unfortunately, Alan’s apprenticeship was cut short by TB, followed by a long stay in hospital.
When the two sons joined the business, it was decided that new franchises were the way forward. The company subsequently signed with Nuffield and JCB, moving the business into a new and exciting phase.In 1966, the Massey Ferguson franchise became available, and this proved to be a fantastic opportunity for the company but what’s more for agriculture generally. Massey Ferguson had the superb 100 Series tractors, with a full range of Massey Ferguson industrial machines.
Although we had already begun trading with Massey Ferguson in 1966, the official date came in 1967, when P.V and Alan travelled to Massey Ferguson at Stoneleigh to formally sign up with the company.
Massey Ferguson had two stipulations before we could take on the franchise. The first was that P.V. Dobson & Sons had to have a succession plan. That plan was very clear: my grandfather, P.V, identified Alan as his successor, for Alan, the succession plan was me!
The second stipulation was that the company employ a secretary. Mrs Barbara O’Connor joined the business at that time and remained with us until she retired in 2008. She became a much-loved and important part of the company during those many years.
Over the years, we became known for a whole host of “odd ball” Massey Ferguson machines. These included ex-demonstrators, failed export orders, prototypes and machines that, for one reason or another, had found their way into our business.
I still occasionally come across memories of some of them. I sometimes see the MF20, a yellow industrial 135s, bought in large numbers when Banner Lane was on strike.
These were interesting times, and the Massey Ferguson franchise became a very important part of the history of P.V. Dobson & Sons. It helped take the company from its roots as a used machinery dealer into the agricultural and industrial machinery business that it would become known for over the following decades.