William Brown was an engineer and iron founder who, in his early career, was involved in the production of a wide range of agricultural equipment, such as threshing machines and winnowers, from premises in Estcourt Street, Devizes, in the county of Wiltshire, UK.

In 1854, he was joined by Charles Neale May, formerly a partner in the firm, Ransomes & May, of Ipswich, (1846 to 1852) and, by the early 1860s, the company, now titled Brown & May, had added portable steam engines to its catalogue listings. Indeed, the company quickly became noted for the quality of its portable steam engines. Later, agricultural traction engines and steam tractors were added to the range, as was the Showmans engine, of which one example is known to have survived into preservation. At that time, Brown & May was, without doubt, the major employer in the area, with a workforce of around 230 men and boys.

The Founders