Ford began working for the Miners' Federation of Great Britain (MFGB) in 1925.
Its president-elect, Alwyn Machen, died suddenly in March 1960, the same month he was elected.
A new presidential election was held, and Ford stood against Alex Moffat, a Scottish communist.
For a number of years prior to his death he suffered from Parkinson's disease, and died as a result of this on 13 August 1983 aged 73.
His successor, Joe Gormley, wrote in his autobiography that this passivity led many mineworkers to distrust the white-collar COSA section of the union, which influenced the lack of support for the moderate Trevor Bell, who ran against Arthur Scargill for the leadership in 1981.