Fernando de Massy y Guillón arrived in Tenerife on October 29, 1899, as director engineer of the Belgian company in charge of carrying out the work on the tram railway line that was to be installed between Santa Cruz and La Laguna.
The ceremony of laying the first stone of the tram, held in front of the triple arch of the Alameda de la Marina on October 30, 1899, was presided over by the Tenerife deputy Imeldo Serís Granier, who came expressly from Madrid, being accompanied by the captain general, the civil governor, the bishop of the Diocese, the consul of Belgium, and different authorities. The entire event was followed by a large crowd of Tenerife residents.
Fernando de Massy would be director of the Sociedad Anónima de Tranvías Eléctricos de Tenerife from its constitution, on February 21, 1901 until March 1927, date on which the Tenerife Island Council took charge of the aforementioned Company, appointing him technical advisor of the same, until 1956.
Married on January 26, 1902 to María Yanes y Perdomo from Tenerife, he would carry out intense social work in the city and on the Island.
He participated in the founding of the Caja General de Ahorros y Monte de Piedad de Tenerife, on March 14, 1911, being a director of the entity and president of its Board of Directors, from 1916 to 1922.
He was a member of the Tinerfeño Club (Real Club Náutico) and the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Between 1906 and 1956 he would be consul of Belgium, Italy and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
As he was also an agronomist, in 1907 he opened an agricultural laboratory and a fertilizer factory in Santa Cruz, Progreso Agrícola de Tenerife.
As an amateur photographer he left us a hundred snapshots of the city (squares, streets, monuments, fountains, churches, etc.); of the Port (docks, ships, characters, cranes, etc.); and the Tram (unloading of material, power lines, tracks, main station, opening ceremony, etc.).
He was a member of the Spanish orders of Charles III, Isabella the Catholic and of the French Legion of Honor. In addition, he was appointed commander of the Order of the Crown of Leopold II of Belgium, of the Crown of Italy and of the African Redemption.
He was in possession of the Badge of Honor and Merit of the Spanish Red Cross and the Silver Medal of the Province of Tenerife.
