International Harvester (IH) was truly an international company, with factories around the globe.

In 1938, IH purchased a factory in Doncaster, England, for the manufacture of farm implements. The IH Wheatley Hall Plant was almost immediately requisitioned by the British Government to make munitions for World War II. Reopened by IH in 1946, it started to produce service parts for machines manufactured in the USA, Canada, and Europe.

Exterior of the IH Donacaster England Plant. View the original source document: WHI ?

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Production was expanded, and in September 1949, the Farmall M, the first British made IH tractor, came off the assembly line. The factory soon began to make other industrial and crawler tractors as well as farm implements. These implements included balers, bale loaders, power mowers, disc harrows, and manure spreaders. The factory was closed during the IH restructuring of 1984, and the Wisconsin Historical Society's IH collection has several items related to Doncaster Works.

First Doncaster Farmall Tractor, 1949

England, Great Britain. First Farmall M tractor made at Doncaster Works in England, Great Britain. View the original source document: WHI 24763

The IH advertising collection contains a 16-page booklet on Doncaster Works with numerous photographs. This 1963 booklet describes the history of the plant, machines produced, other English IH plants, the experience and skill of their employees, machine tools at the plant, the after-sale maintenance program, employee amenities, interesting facts, and British IH equipment being used throughout the world.

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Patrons who had a relative who worked at Doncaster, or were at the plant themselves might be interested in a 28-page employee handbook entitled “Welcome to International Harvester.” This booklet contains a brief history of IH in Great Britain, and information on employee rules, facilities, and safety.

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These booklets are not available online, but copies can be requested for a reproduction fee. Please see the WHS copy fees at www.wisconsinhistory.org/libraryarchives/services/fees.asp]

and to request copies or additional information, please email askmccormick@wisconsinhistory.org.