Following the death of his grandfather, Henry Ford II became president of Ford in 1945 [video]

On April 7, 1947, 30 years to the month after he set up his Irish company, Henry Ford died of a brain haemorrhage, aged 83, writes John Dolan.

He had been ill for some time at his home, Fair Lane, in Dearborn, Michigan, and the night he died, a power cut plunged the house into darkness. Henry thus died as he had been born on a Michigan farm in 1863 — by candlelight.

Four years earlier, Henry and his wife, Clara, had had to cope with the death of their only child, Edsel, from cancer, a few months short of his 50th birthday.

After that, Henry, who had been in semi-retirement for several years, took on the role of President of Ford Motor Company temporarily.

Edsel’s son, Henry Ford II, was serving with the US Navy in World War II at the time, and was released from duty so he could take over the business empire.

Read more: A day in the life of a Ford factory employee in 1950's Cork

In September, 1945, a few days after World War II had ended, the board voted the 28-year-old as President of the company.

The new man at the helm faced a baptism of fire as he tried to get Ford back on track after the war. Despite his age and lack of experience, he made a great success of it and remained in the post until 1960, when he became chairman and chief executive officer.

Henry Ford II paid a visit to the Marina to mark the Irish company’s 60th anniversary in June, 1977, and died in 1987.