Early Life and David Brown Ltd.
Brown was born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire. After attending King James's Grammar School, Almondbury and Rossall School he started work as an apprentice in the family business, David Brown Gear Company Ltd. He became managing director in 1931, on his uncle Percy's death. In 1934 the company built a new factory on a site at Meltham, on the south side of Huddersfield. Brown, who also owned a farm, started building tractors with Harry Ferguson there in 1936, but they disagreed over design details, which led David Brown to design his own version. During the Second World War his new heavier tractor, called the David Brown VAK1, was produced, with over 7,700 units eventually sold, making Brown into a wealthy man. Harry Ferguson went to America and did a deal with Henry Ford to incorporate his system in the Ford N-Series tractor, before setting up Ferguson tractors. In 1972, the David Brown tractor interests were sold to Tenneco International Inc and were rebadged as Case.
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