Meet centenarian Harold, the ultimate Ford fan

Harold Baggott learned to drive in a Ford Model T and just drove the Mustang Mach-E. Photos: Ford

Here’s a feel-good story to start your morning; meet 101-year-old Harold Baggott who learned to drive in a Ford Model T, and has just had the chance to drive his great-grandsons in a futuristic car. 

Baggot got behind the wheel of the Model T aged 10, driving the family’s milkman’s delivery float on a farm. 

He went on to get his license in 1936 (the first year they were introduced), and purchased his first car, a Ford 8 Popular in 1937 for £100 and a Ford Anglia the next year.

Since then the family has owned 20 Fords privately, as well as Ford commercial vehicles in chassis form, converted into coaches for a fleet of 140 run by their travel and coach business.

Baggot, who drives every day, was interested in electrification so he went for a test drive of Ford’s all-electric Mustang Mach-E at the British Motor Museum, Beaulieu, near his Hampshire home.

Harold and his great-grandsons were driving in a 1915 Model T.

While there, Baggott had a chance to get into a 1915 Model T model from Ford’s heritage collection, before moving up to date and behind the Mustang Mach-E’s steering wheel.

Driving 15-year-old Felix, who has ambitions to be a racing driver, and his 12-year-old brother Charlie, three miles from Beaulieu to former shipbuilding village Bucklers Hard, Baggott was struck by the quietness of electric motoring.

He said: “Since the age of 10, I’ve retained my interest in motoring and today find myself interested in the switch to electrification following the government phasing out the traditional combustion engines I’m used to. I have reminisced about my driving history with the Model T and seen what the future has in store. It was exciting to get behind the wheel of what I expect to see my great-grandchildren will be driving.”

The Mach-E is Ford’s first all-electric SUV with a maximum electric driving range of 610km.