Next week, Hendy Group, one of the UK’s largest independent family-run dealer groups, is celebrating a remarkable anniversary: representing Ford Motor Company in Britain for 115 years.

The business became the country’s first retailer for Ford back in 1910 after Southampton-based Percy Hendy, already by then a sales agent for some of the world’s earliest automobiles, heard about the Model T and dashed to Southampton Docks to see if he could meet Henry Ford, who had travelled by ship from America to announce a new factory in Trafford Park, Manchester. The meeting was a success, and on 7 November 1910 at Southampton docks, Hendy and Ford penned the first official agreement for the sale of Ford vehicles in Britain, initially from a shop in East Street, Southampton.

The British-produced Model T quickly became a best-seller and business boomed for the company, prompting the company bearing his name to secure additional premises in Vincents Walk, Pound Tree Road, and Chandlers Ford, Southampton and expand into Boscombe in Bournemouth, paving the way for the prodigious south coast footprint for which Hendy Group is renowned to this day. Ford vans, also sold by Hendy, would go on to dominate their own portion of a burgeoning UK automotive market, as well as Fordson tractors in the early 20th century.

At times of national crisis, Hendy’s relationship with Ford went far beyond the humble car; during the Second World War, Hendy’s Vincent’s Walk and Chandler Ford’s premises were used to build Spitfire planes.

Today, the Hendy Group operates eight Ford dealerships across Hampshire, Kent, Surrey, and West Sussex. Ford is now only one part of the story for Hendy Group, as it currently represents 25 different manufacturers at over 60 locations and recently celebrated its 165th anniversary.

The Hendy business has always been run by members of the Hendy family, and its current CEO, Paul Hendy, has steered the business to new heights. It now sits in the top 20 of the UK’s biggest dealer groups, has a turnover exceeding £1bn and employs over 1,500 people.

All three of Paul Hendy’s children are progressing through the business as sixth-generation Hendy employees, and the passion for all things automotive – and Ford – still runs deep. Just this year, the Hendy family were reunited with a pristine 1949 Ford Anglia EA94A, which was originally sold by Percy Hendy Ltd at Hendy’s Chandler’s Ford site in Hampshire.

Lisa Brankin, Chair and Managing Director at Ford of Britain and Ireland, commented:

“Hendy Group has been part of the Ford story in the UK from its beginning. From that very first agreement with Henry Ford in 1910 to today’s world of electric and connected vehicles, Hendy has been on that journey with us. We’re proud to celebrate this 115-year milestone together and look forward to continuing our journey into the future of mobility.”

Paul Hendy, Chief Executive at Hendy Group, adds:

“The Hendy family were trailblazers for Ford in Britain and it’s a privilege to have represented the brand for so long. Ford has always been a vital part of the Hendy Group's history, and we are excited about supporting the business in a new era of electrified mobility.”