Career
Fernyhough worked for the National Union of Distributive and Allied Workers from 1936. Fernyhough was Parliamentary Private Secretary to Prime Minister Harold Wilson from 1964 and a junior minister for Employment and Productivity from 1968 to 1969.
Membership
38th United Kingdom Parliament. 39th United Kingdom Parliament. 40th United Kingdom Parliament.
41st United Kingdom Parliament.
42nd United Kingdom Parliament. 43rd United Kingdom Parliament.
44th United Kingdom Parliament. 45th United Kingdom Parliament.
46th United Kingdom Parliament.
47th United Kingdom Parliament]
In 1947, Fernyhough was elected Member of Parliament for the Labour stronghold of Jarrow in a by-election caused by the death of Ellen Wilkinson - and held the seat until he retired in 1979.