In 1903, the same year Henry Ford founded Ford Motor Company in the United States, two Ford Model A cars were shipped from Detroit to Britain – the very first Ford cars to arrive on our shores. Even Henry Ford could not have imagined what the next hundred years would bring for his company, or just how far reaching its impact would be on the social, cultural and economic framework of Britain.

The two cars were shown at the Cordingley Automobile show in Islington London, and inspire Aubrey Blakiston to set up a sales agency in Long Acre, London. The agency took on a young "motor expert" named Percival Perry who subsequently took over the agency. All Ford cars had to be imported from America and paid for in advance. With money scarce, Perry successfully advertised for more capital and the new company "Perry, Thornton & Schreiber" acquired the Central Motor Company and moved to larger premises in Westminster Bridge Road, London.

In 1905, the traditional Hackney horse-drawn cab was joined by three Model Bs in a bid to boost sales. The Model T had its world debut at the 1908 Olympia Motor Exhibition and boosted sales of Ford vehicles in Britain. With results like these, Perry persuaded Henry Ford to open a London Branch of the Ford Motor Company. Premises were acquired in Shaftesbury Avenue, London and 400 cars were sold within the year. Perry soon began building a dealer organisation – very much like the one used today. Percy Hendy of Southampton became the first appointed dealer on November 7, 1910.

It soon became apparent that larger premises were needed and Henry Ford decided to establish the first Ford factory outside of North America. In 1911, Perry acquired and converted a disused tram works just south of Manchester at Trafford Park and production began on October 11, 1911. Shaftesbury Avenue became the company showroom and the Ford Motor Company (England) Limited came into being.

In 1911, The moving production line had not been perfected by Henry Ford so the Trafford Park workmen completed the products on static workbenches. The revolutionary mass production methods were adopted in 1913 when the plant boasted Britain’s first moving production line. Up to 21 chassis per hour could now be produced by just 60 men. Output doubled in the first year and the Model T was the best-selling car in Britain taking 30 per cent of the market.

During the First World War, Trafford Park also produced light tanks and one-ton commercial vehicles alongside the Model Ts. Double shifts increased the Model T output to 100 per day to accommodate the ever-increasing demand.

The Trafford Park site was extended as demand soared after the war and into the early 1920s but it was obvious that a modern factory designed for operations on a vast scale was desperately needed. Searching the country, the Ford management finally decided on a 500-acre site on the banks of the River Thames near the small village of Dagenham in Essex.

By the end of 1924 Trafford Park had produced Britain’s 300,000th Ford and it continued to produce Ford vehicles until the opening of the Dagenham factory in 1931. And the Trafford Park workers were not left twiddling their thumbs – Ford moved their work teams to the south. Special trains carried 2,000 workers, their families and possessions to their new homes and workplace. Many more were hired from local areas.

Henry and Clara Ford, travelling as 'Mr & Mrs Robinson' visited Britain in 1928. They inspected the British operation, met the King and Queen and leading political leaders. Henry appointed Sir Percival Perry to relaunch Ford Britain as the hub of a new European Ford organisation. In December 1929, Ford Motor Company Limited (UK) is floated with a capital of £7 million.