INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS

David Turnbull from Bankhead near the Solway Firth is not only a collector of tractors but also has an unusual claim to fame. He is related on his mother’s side of the family to Oliver, the American tractor manufacturer.

Origins

“The Oliver’s originally came from the small village of Newcastleton on the Scottish side of the border,” he explained. “Part of the family emigrated to the US back in the 19th century, and I’m descended from the line that remained in the UK. My mother’s surname was Oliver, and she kept in touch with the American side of the family. We took it in turns to fly over the Atlantic to see each other and I visited the old Oliver factory at South Bend in 1979, when it was still owned by the White Motor Corporation.”

David has lived in the Borders