Harold Ruston, founder of RECO (Ruston’s Engineering Company) passed away peacefully at home, in his sleep, on Saturday, 13th August 2011, aged 88, after a difficult, year-long battle against Motor Neurone Disease. Born in Ermine Street, Huntingdon on 2nd July, 1923, he was educated at Huntingdon Grammar School and Worksop College but he spent most of his spare time at F. T. Ruston and Sons Ltd, the family ironmongery and farm machinery business. When he left school at the age of 17, he had no other aim but to join the family firm. He started as a ‘counter jumper’ as those that served in the shop in Huntingdon were known but his love of farm machinery always drew him to that side of the firm. He also qualified as a graduate of the Institute of Heating and Ventilation Engineers. Many houses and farms in the area had their heating installed and mains water laid on by the department of the firm that Harold built up. His work in the firm was interrupted when the RAF recruiting van pulled up outside the shop in Huntingdon Market Square. Harold volunteered to join up and qualified as a navigator after training in England and in Canada. Posted to 57 Squadron, based at East Kirkby in Lincolnshire, his Lancaster was shot down over France just 16 days after his 21st birthday. Four of his crewmates were killed but Harold and two others parachuted to safety. After four days ‘on the run’, he was captured and spent the rest of the war in POW camp. In 1955, he founded Rustons Engineering Company (or RECO) as an offshoot of F. T. Ruston and Sons. RECO was formed to manufacture an American pea harvester under licence when we could not get licences to import them. RECO started with just Mr. Harold, as he was known, plus five men. Component parts were manufactured under sub-contract and machines were assembled in the old cinema in Huntingdon. Spray painting was done outside. From these small beginnings, RECO grew to become one of the leading UK suppliers of farm machinery. Mr. Harold retired from full time work in 1988 and RECO moved forwards under the stewardship of his nephew, Richard, and, for the last two years, new MD, John Walls. Harold maintained a keen interest in RECO’s fortunes right until the end. He never minded rain stopping play in a test match at Lords because the covers were pulled onto the field there by a Kioti tractor, imported and sold by the company he founded. For all his commitment to the business, he still had time for other hobbies. Sport was his favourite pastime – both playing and watching. He played football, hockey, tennis and badminton – all to a good standard but he was perhaps best known for his time as player, captain, Chairman and barman at Ramsey Cricket Club for whom he played for forty years. Whilst the summers were spent playing cricket, the winters were spent travelling to Highbury as Arsenal season ticket holders. When he retired from playing cricket in his mid 60’s, he had to find another summer interest and so he became a member of Worcestershire C. C. C. This became as big a passion for Harold as Arsenal F. C. to the point where he decided to buy a flat there, just across the River Severn from the County Cricket Ground. In addition to his sporting interests, he was an accomplished drummer and pianist. He was also an extremely skilled model maker, having built a 5” gauge, working steam locomotive, a 6’ wing span scale model of his wartime Lancaster and a 5’ long scale model steam ship – all from raw materials, not from kits. He also passed his time painting in oils and in watercolours. Amongst all this activity, one wonders whether he had a family life but his greatest love was for his wife, Pat, his family and his home. Harold met Pat at Ramsey cricket ground and they married in April 1950. It was the same day that Arsenal won the F. A. Cup and he always said that he might have remained single if he could have got tickets!! Harold and Pat were a true partnership, always together at home, at agricultural shows, on overseas business trips, at Highbury, on countless local cricket grounds and at Worcester. They were not only man and wife; each was the other’s best friend for over 60 years. Harold is survived by his wife, Pat, daughter Annie and her partner Roy, son Nick and his wife Sonja, elder grandson Peter and younger grandson Andrew and his wife Natalie. Although Harold’s last weeks were very difficult, it gave him great pride and pleasure to watch the DVD of Andrew and Natalie’s wedding just a few days before he passed away.

Reco are now able to announce the exciting new range of Brevi Power harrows and rotary cultivators following the termination of their longstanding agreement with Maschio effective from 1st November 2011. Brevi are one of the original manufacturers of Italian Power harrows, and the new range has some exciting design innovations as well as exceptional reliability. Breviglieri (or Brevi as they will be known in the UK) will be marketed by RECO after the conclusion of their importer status with Maschio on 1st November 2011. Based in Verona, one of the most industrial areas of Northern Italy, Brevi were founded in 1949 with the prime objective to design and produce machines to make working the land easier. RECO will distribute the full range of Power Harrows, Rotary Cultivators and Inter-Row Cultivators which are the major products in Brevi’s portfolio. Brevi also manufacture a range of seed drills and flail mowers but there are no plans to market these products in the UK. From 1st November, RECO will replace their current Maschio line-up with a range of similar specification machines from Brevi so as not to leave any gap in their portfolio. Like other suppliers that RECO work with, Brevi is a family-owned and run company that has grown to become one of the world’s leading suppliers in the industry. With a turnover of €20million, Brevi export over 70% of their output to 55 countries worldwide. Renowned for their quality construction and reliability, the Brevi machines are manufactured from a special type of steel renowned for its high tensile strength and elasticity. Brevi design and manufacture all of their transmission components in-house at the 25,000m² plant. The structural frames and welded components are outsourced to local specialist suppliers but are subjected to Brevi’s rigorous quality control checks throughout the manufacturing and assembly processes. RECO Managing Director, John Walls, says “Whilst we are sad to see the end of our 33 year relationship with Maschio, we are, at the same time, very pleased to announce our new partnership with Breviglieri. With the quality and value for money offered by the Brevi range, we are confident that RECO will remain at the forefront of the UK market for powered cultivation equipment for another 33 years!” RECO will cease selling Maschio machines on 31st October, but any machines sold prior to this cut-off date will be covered by the standard warranty and spare parts will continue to be available.