{{Short description|British unionist politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}} {{more citations needed|date=July 2014}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Alfie Ferguson | office = Lord Mayor of Belfast | deputy = Ted Ashby | term_start = 1983 | term_end = 1985 | predecessor = Tommy Patton | successor = John Carson | office1 = High Sheriff of Belfast | term_start1 = 1982 | term_end1 = 1983 | predecessor1 = Muriel Pritchard | successor1 = Donnell Deeny | office2 = Member of <br/> Belfast City Council | constituency2 = Belfast Area E | term_start2 = 18 May 1977 | term_end2 = 15 May 1985 | predecessor2 = William Christie | successor2 = ''District abolished'' | birth_date = 1927 | birth_place = Belfast, Northern Ireland | death_date = 4 December 1992 | party = Ulster Unionist (until 1989) | other_party = Independent Unionist (from 1989) }} '''Alfred Henry "Alfie" Ferguson''', CBE (c. 1927 - 4 December 1992)<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002341/19921206/025/0004|title=Former mayor dies|date=6 December 1992|work=Sunday Life|access-date=19 February 2019|page=4|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref> was a British and unionist politician in Northern Ireland. He was a member of the Ulster Unionist Party and served as Lord Mayor of Belfast<ref name="Lewiston">{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3I9GAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o_IMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5083%2C3595308|title=Christmas in Belfast|access-date=2014-07-02|year=1983|author=Malcolm Brodie|work=The Lewiston Journal}}</ref> (1983–85).
==Background== Ferguson was an industrial engineer by profession,<ref name=":0" /> but from a young age he had an ambition of becoming a councillor.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002318/19821210/133/0012|title=The High Sheriff with an Organ in the Parlour|last=Rafferty|first=Gerald|date=10 December 1982|work=Belfast Telegraph|access-date=19 February 2019|page=12|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref> He realised this ambition when he was first elected to Belfast City Hall in 1969.<ref name=":0" /> In 1982 he was elected as the 81st High Sheriff of Belfast,<ref name=":1" /> and in the following year he was elected Mayor of Belfast.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002318/19830504/036/0003|title=Unionist coasts home in Lord Mayor poll|last=Simpson|first=David|date=4 May 1983|work=Belfast Telegraph|access-date=19 February 2019|page=3|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref> In 1985 he was honoured with a CBE<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/Belfast/issue/4581/page/597|title=Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) C.B.E.|date=15 June 1985|work=The Belfast Gazette|access-date=19 February 2019}}</ref> and in 1987 he was made deputy Lord Lieutenant.<ref name=":0" /> He was married to Elizabeth, with whom he has three sons. The family were members of the Church of Ireland.<ref name="Obit">{{Cite web|url=http://classifieds.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/advert/northern-ireland/family-notices/death-notices/57453/Ferguson-Elizabeth-Betty-Death |title=Ferguson, Elizabeth (Betty) - Death |access-date=2014-07-02 |publisher=Belfast Telegraph |year=2011 |author=Anon |work=Classifieds |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714222105/http://classifieds.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/advert/northern-ireland/family-notices/death-notices/57453/Ferguson-Elizabeth-Betty-Death |archive-date=July 14, 2014 }}</ref> Alfie Ferguson died 4 December 1992 at his Crumlin Road home, he was 65.<ref name=":0" />
==References== {{reflist}} {{s-start}} {{s-civ}} {{succession box | title=High Sheriff of Belfast | before=Muriel Pritchard| after= Donnell Deeny| years= 1982–1983}} {{succession box | title=Lord Mayor of Belfast | before=Tommy Patton | after=John Carson | years= 1983–1985}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferguson, Alfie}} Category:1992 deaths Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:High sheriffs of Belfast Category:Irish Anglicans Category:Lord mayors of Belfast Category:Ulster Unionist Party councillors Category:1927 births