Herriot

I posted about James Herriot yesterday. Herriot was his pen name, but in reality his name was James Alfred Wight, also known as Alf Wight. He was born in Scotland in 1916. He became a qualified Veterinary Surgeon at the age of 23.

He and his wife Joan (not Helen) had two children, Jim who also became a vet who became a partner in his practice and a daughter, Rosie, who became a general physician.

Herriot’s stories take place in a town he calls Darrowby, which he based largely on the towns of Thirsk, where he practiced and the town of Sowerby

I recall reading a story about him the year before his death. He was in a field and a ram head butted him in the behind and James went flying. As many of his characters would say, :Things like this happen." The next thing I read was of his death in 1995 at age 76. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1991. He died in his home in Thirlby

Herriot’s use of the language was masterful. Equally masterful was his keen observation skills. I am always amazed by how vets can see things that simply aren’t visible we who look at our animals every day. I’m totally amazed by our local large animal vets and how they can set aside what we say is wrong with our animals that may prejudice them when they look at our stock, and pull out a wild diagnosis that I’ve never heard of

So for you fans of Herriot, it’s a good time to dust off his books and give them another go.