We were saddened to hear of the recent death of Jimmy McGhee, retired managing director of Pollock Farm Equipment. On his retiral in September 2020 he had spent 53 years in the implement trade.
Jimmy joined A. & W. Pollock of Mauchline as an apprentice agricultural engineer on 14 August 1967. He progressed to the drawing office and was then a salesman. Upon John Pollock’s retirement in 1998 he took over the company, renaming it Pollock Farm Equipment.
Under his leadership, Pollock’s has won two silver medals from the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland. One was won in 2019 and in 2022 its Pollock Rope Scraper System won a gold award. There are not too many of these awards around.
Jimmy wrote about his work and the development of his business in his book “Pollock Agricultural Implement Makers 1867-2017”, published by Carn Publishing in 2017 to mark the 150 year anniversary of Pollock agricultural implement makers. It is a great read: there is so much innovation and inspiration in every page.
Jimmy worked hard to celebrate the history and heritage of the business. He brought together a large collection of Pollock implements and machines, some from the late nineteenth century, for display at a range of celebratory events. They included the Ayr Show, the Highland Show and the Ayrshire Vintage Tractor Rally, and of course an open day at the Pollock works.
Jimmy will be missed by everyone.
With every best wishe to Effie, Alison, Robert, Iona and family.
Photo of Jimmy and Effie from the Cumnock Chronicle, 20 September 2020.
