W Tyrone – Stevan Patterson

Stevan Patterson

Stevan has lived all his life in the Castlederg area and is heavily involved in the Loyal Orders, serving as Worshipful Master of his local Orange Lodge.

During the troubles two members of his family, serving with the UDR were murdered by IRA terrorists. Stevan himself narrowly avoided being injured by a split second in an IRA terrorist attack aged just 17 when he was standing at the bridge in Castlederg and a van driven by an off-duty UDR member with an underbody device attached exploded almost beside him. Thankfully the soldier survived the attack.

Stevan’s working career has been in computing and he has recently retired after almost 40 years service at South West College, Omagh as a computer technician. He was also a part time lecturer in the College for many years.

Stevan is a local historian and industrial heritage author and has produced publications on vintage tractors, stationary engines and cars. His special interest is in our own Harry Ferguson, the father of the modern agricultural tractor and Mr Patterson has been lobbying over a long period for a dedicated museum to him and his team of Northern Ireland born engineers.