If it’s all the same to you folks I think it would be better if I stayed on here even though I get no more pay. You see, I get free driving practice, I’m in touch with veterinary affairs and, most important of all, I would get no chance to get rusty and stale as I would at home with nowt to do. Here, I’m learning every day and there is just a chance that Mac might slip me something now and again towards my board. Don’t be too upset about the job, something may turn up.
As to recreation, I have had none and haven’t seen any of my friends and relatives. I get home just in time for a game of cards with George and then early to bed. Mac hasn’t given me my pay yet but he slipped me a quid on account at the beginning of the week so I was able to get Auntie Jinny a bottle of lavender water for her birthday.
Love Alf
P.S. Feeling fine!
Ten days later, though, Alf was back in employment with Mac. The National Greyhound Racing Board had now decided to revitalize the Sunderland stadium, with Mac taken on as veterinary adviser. Alf’s wages went up to £4-4s per week. For once he was able to treat his parents, sending home 30s from his pay, adding ‘Buy yourself 10 Woodbines, Pop old boy!’
To put the cherry on the icing of Alf’s cake, he then passed his driving test, although his delight was somewhat lessened when he saw the car McDowall had secured for him to drive around the practice; it was a standard model for young vets in the Thirties, a tiny tinny Ford with reluctant brakes and an engine which made ‘a colossal din’ and startled birds and horses alike. ‘The vibration is terrific over 35 mph,’ he told his parents, ‘and my liver will be in splendid condition after a month.’
But Alf gradually decided that Sunderland was not the place for a long-term veterinary career. McDowall continued to be unpleasantly explosive, a question mark still hung over the greyhound stadium despite all the fine words, and the wind whipping off the grey North Sea made the town infinitely dreary in winter. He began perusing the scant advertisements in the Veterinary Record.
One day, leafing through, he saw a post advertised in Thirsk. ‘Mainly agricultural work in a Yorkshire market town’ was the job description. Perhaps there would be green and pleasant hills…The principal of the practice at 23 Kirkgate was a graduate of the Royal (‘Dick’) College, Donald Sinclair MRCVS. Eventually, after finding Thirsk on the map, about 50 miles south of Sunderland, Alf thought the job would do, and set pen to paper.
Dear Mr Farnon…
BIBLIOGRAPHY
PRIMARY SOURCES
J. A. Wight, The Art and the Science, unpublished novel
J. A. Wight Diary 1933
J. A. Wight Diary 1934 (transcribed by Margaret Tipton)
J. A. Wight Casebook ‘Practice Seen with TB Fleming MRCVS during 1937’
J. A. Wight Casebook ‘Cases Seen with Mr JJ McDowall MRCVS’ 1938
Interview with K. Mitchell 2011
Interview with Jim Wight 2011
Interview with Rosie Page 2011
Interview with Peter Jinman, OBE MRCVS 2011
Interview with Nigel Carter
Nigel Carter ‘Recipe Book’
DCC 144/5/1/1 Inventory and Valuation: The Glasgow Veterinary College (Incorporated), December 1937, Glasgow University
DCC 144/3/2/2 Register of Students No. 2, Glasgow University
DCC 144/3/5/2 Register of Students’ Class Marks, Glasgow University
SECONDARY SOURCES
Anonymous, Hillhead High School 1885–1961, 1962
Anonymous, Veterinary Counter Practice, 1930
Anonymous, ‘Mary Brancker’, Obituaries, Daily Telegraph, 30 July 2010
Anonymous, Glasgow Veterinary School 1862–1962, 1962
Edward Boden, ‘Dame Olga Uvarov’, Independent, 7 July 2001 – ‘Practice and Politics: the British Veterinary Association 1881–1919’ www.bva.co.uk/public/documents/BVA_history_1881-1919.pdf
John Carroll and Garry Stuart, Tractors, 2002
Helen Clark and Elizabeth Carnegie, She Was Aye Workin’, 2003
David Daiches, Glasgow, 1982
Jean Faley, Up Oor Close, 1990
Thomas Firbank, I Bought a Mountain, 1959
Connie M. Ford, Aleen Cust, 1990
Ernest A. Gray, ‘John Hunter and Veterinary Medicine’, Medical History, January 1957
James Herriot, If Only They Could Talk, 1970
– It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet, 1972
– Let Sleeping Vets Lie, 1973
– Vet in Harness, 1974
– Vets Might Fly, 1976
– Vet in a Spin, 1977
– The Lord God Made Them All, 1981
– Every Living Thing, 1992
– James Herriot’s Yorkshire, 1979
– James Herriot’s Dog Stories, 1986
Miles Horsey, Tenements & Towers, 1990
Pamela Hunter, Veterinary Medicine: A Guide to the Historical Sources, 2004
Robert Jeffrey, Gangs of Glasgow, 2002
Rudolph Kenna and Ian Sutherland, They Belonged to Glasgow, 2001
Margaret Leigh, Highland Homespun, 1936
Graham Lord, James Herriot: The Life of a Country Vet, 1997
James McCunn, Hobday’s Surgical Diseases of The Dog and Cat, 1947
Alan McKinlay, Making Ships, Making Men: Working for John Brown’s – Between the Wars, 1991
Meccano Magazine, December 1931
William C. Miller, Black’s Veterinary Dictionary, 1928
H. O. Monnig, Veterinary Helminthology and Entomology, 1938
H. V. Morton, In Search of Scotland, 1929
J. P. Muller, My System, 1931
C. A. Oakley, The Second City, 1967
Iain Pattison, John Mcfadyean, 1981
Hugh B. Peebles, Warship Building on the Clyde, 1987
J. M. Reid, Glasgow, 1956
Michael J. Rossi, James Herriot: A Critical Companion, 1997
J. A. Scott Watson, The Farming Year, 1938
Eddie Straiton, Animals Are My Life, 1979
Fred M. Walker, Song of the Clyde, 1984
Ralph Whitlock, A Short History of Farming in Britain, 1966
William T. W. Wells, A Handy Book of Reference for Farmers in Scotland, 1920
Jim Wight, The Real James Herriot, 1999
INDEX
(AW indicates Alf Wight.)
The page references in this index correspond to the printed edition from which this ebook was created. To find a specific word or phrase from the index, please use the search feature of your ebook reader.
agriculture, decline in British, 1922–45 114–15, 240
All Creatures Great and Small (TV show) xi
Anatomia Del Cavallo (‘The Anatomy of the Horse’) (Ruini) 99
Anatomy of the Domestic Animal, The (Sisson) 141
Anderson, Gerry 154
Animals (Anaesthetic) Act, 1919 121
Annals of Glasgow, The (Cleland) 18
Armatage, Professor George 133
Art and the Science, The (unpublished work) 134, 142–8, 152, 155–6, 186–98
Ash, Dorothy 87
Baird, John Logie 84
Ballantyne, Mr and Mrs 181–2
Begg, Professor Hugh 141–2, 152
Bell, Jane (grandmother) 13, 14
Bell, Robert (grandfather) 13, 14
Betjeman, John 13, 54
bibliography 247–50
Black’s Veterinary Dictionary 207–8
Bolitho, William 26–7
Books of the Veterinary Art (Vegetius) 98, 99
Both Sides of the Burn 46
Bourgelat, M. Claude 100, 102, 169
Boyce, Dominic 198–9
Boys’ Brigade 84–9, 198
Brand, Gavin 26
Buchanan, Jack 29
Byrne, Johnny xi
Byrne, William 162, 163
calcium boroglucanate 209, 212, 213
Cameron, Ian 233–4
Campbell, Donald 204
Campbell, Roddie 138
Carnegie Trust for the Univer
sities of Scotland 156, 157
Carnegie, Andrew 156–7
Carruthers, Eliza 26
Carruthers, William 26
Carter, Nigel 126, 205–6, 209
Castley, James 105–6
Cataline Company of Bristol 119
Catler, Jim 176
Cattle Plague Prevention Act, 1866 108
Celtic FC 80
Chowdharry, BNS 158
cinemas 8, 10–11, 19, 30–1, 42, 47, 51, 55, 81, 83, 89, 198
Clyde, river 4, 15, 19–20, 21–2, 28, 29, 32, 42, 57, 62, 71, 89, 181
Coates’s Herd Book 206
Coleman, Edward 104
Columella 98
Comet 22
Country Gentleman’s Estate Book & Diary, The 119
‘cow-leeches’ 98, 99, 110
cows/cattle 98–9, 106–7
AW comes to love 209–10
bullocks dishorned 210
calving 206–7
‘casting’ 207–8
castration 207
cattle plague (rinderpest) 103, 108, 131–2
cleansing 207, 208–9
drenching 211
feet pared 210
foot-and-mouth disease 107
milk fever 209, 212–13
‘oedematous swellings’ 210
pneumonia 207, 213
post-mortemed 210
rheumatism 207
TB 220–2
treating 206–12
Cranston, Kate 54, 56
Cugnot, Nicholas 111, 112
Curle, Barclay 23
Cust, Aleen 159–65
Cust, Sir Leopold 159
cystorectomy 215, 216
Daily Express 61
Dale, David 20
Davidson, Peter xi
Davy, Jock 71
de Sainbel, M. Charles Vial 101–2
Defoe, Daniel 20
Dick, William 105–6, 131–2
Dickin, Marie 217
Diseases of Animals Acts, 1894–1922 118–19
DL Company 113
dogs:
AW fascination with/love of 4, 68–71, 72, 73, 80, 89, 94, 173, 174, 175, 176, 242
dissecting 173, 185, 198
doctoring 170, 204, 206, 214–19, 222–30
greyhounds/dog track 158, 228–9, 242
Don (dog) 4, 68, 69, 70, 71, 80, 89, 94, 174, 175, 176, 242
Donovan, Harry 158
Dumfries 204–5, 206, 210, 219
Duncan, Professor Andy 144, 167, 175, 176
Edinburgh University 212
Elliot, Nan 198
Emslie, Professor J. W. 144–8, 152, 154, 223, 238–9
English, Sam 51
Farnon, Siegfried (fictional character) viii, xi, 53, 66, 127, 173
Farnon, Tristan (fictional character) xi, 53, 66, 104, 178
Farrell, Adam 199–200
‘Fashoda’ (Sunderland childhood home) 7, 8, 9, 13
Field, Lady Ernest 48
Finan, Bobby 52
Firbank, Thomas 115, 116, 117, 211
First World War, 1914–1918 7–8, 9, 24, 27, 29, 32, 34, 59, 112, 163–4
fleam 126, 127
Fleming, Tom 205, 206, 208, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217–18, 219, 223
Flynn, Andy 158
football 9, 38, 45, 50–2, 64, 75, 80, 142, 199, 201
Ford, Henry 112, 113
Fordson 113–14
Fullerton, Billy 38, 40, 43–4
Fulton, Lord 219
Galloway cattle 206, 208, 209
Galloway, D. Bryon 152–4
Galway County Council 162–3
General Strike, 1926 46
Gibb, ‘Johnny’ 74
Glaister, Professor John 139
Glasgow viii–ix, 1–4, 15, 17–96, 97, 100, 105, 109, 113, 127, 131–201, 203, 204, 221, 223, 233–40
accent 60, 67
Anniesland Road, Scotstounhill 179–80
art galleries 54, 55
Barrhead 71
‘Black Friday’ 34–5
Bridgeton 26, 38, 39
Buccleuch Street 2, 3, 4, 134, 135, 150, 154, 157, 165, 166, 173, 199, 223
Buchanan Street 17, 61–2, 132
Campsite Fells 71, 180
‘caurs’ 24
cinemas in 30–1, 42, 46–7, 81
Commodore cinema 81
comparison with America 19
Cowcaddens 43
Cranstons tea-rooms 54–5
dance city 47–8
densely populated 25
Depression in 36, 44, 46, 62, 181
duality of 17–18
Dumbarton Road 23, 24, 28, 44, 48, 50, 52, 65, 68, 81, 85, 89, 111, 179
Empire Theatre 30, 51, 168
Fair Holiday 85
First World War and 24, 27, 29, 32, 34
gangs in 37–9, 42–4
Garnet Street 1
Garnethill 2–3, 134, 135, 199
Gorbals 17, 26, 27–8, 40, 41
Govan Picturedome 31, 46
Green’s Playhouse 31
Hillhead High School see Hillhead High School
history of 19–21
Hunterian art gallery, Glasgow 54
Kelso Street 44, 45, 50, 71
Kelvingrove art gallery 54
Kilpatrick Hills 71, 180
La Scala cinema 30
‘made-down’ tenements 26–8
music hall in 29–30
Nuneaton Street 37–8
Picture House, Glasgow 30
Picturedome cinema, Glasgow 31
Plaza, Eglinton Toll 47–8
Pringle’s cinema, Glasgow 30
‘razor kings’ 38–40, 41
‘Red Clydeside’ 17, 34–5
Renfrew Street 2
Sauchiehall Lane 131
Sauchiehall Street 2, 27, 30, 55
Scotstounhill 179–80, 182, 183
Second City of the Empire 17–56
shipbuilding in viii, 15, 17, 21–4, 25, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 45, 50, 62, 180, 181, 241
slums 26–8
tobacco and alcohol in 20, 36–7, 44
unemployment in 33, 62
West Kilbride 87, 89, 174
Wight’s move to 15
Willow tea room 55
women in 31–2
Yarrow shipyard 15, 24, 29, 32, 34, 180
Yoker 15, 22–5, 24, 25, 28, 29, 31, 32, 34, 44–6, 48, 50–2, 56, 66, 80, 84, 87, 117, 179, 181, 182, 198, 200–1
Glasgow Agricultural Society 60
Glasgow Corporation 234
Glasgow Evening Times 41, 42, 150–1
Glasgow Rangers Football Club 38, 80
Glasgow School of Art 1–2, 91
Glasgow Tramways 31
Glasgow University 132, 234
Glasgow Veterinary College viii–ix, xi, 1–4, 37, 43, 72–4, 97, 100, 109, 127, 131–66, 203
AW’s academic record at 169, 176–9, 201
Anatomy, AW studies 173, 183
anatomy room 136–7, 137
Animal Husbandry, AW studies 167, 170, 176, 178–9, 201
AW qualifies as a vet at 239–40
AW joins 131, 134–5, 148
Biology, AW studies 173, 176
birth of 131–3
Botany, AW studies 167
Chemistry, AW studies 167, 172, 174, 176, 201
common room 137–8
dancing at 185, 186, 200
dog doctoring 170
drinking culture 155, 185–6
eccentric nature of 4
Embryology, AW studies 201
Examinations, AW takes 233–6, 237, 238–9
female students 165–6
funding 138–9, 157
Highlander and Islanders at 155–6, 183
Histology, AW studies 176, 178, 184, 201
horse studies 170–3
latitude of 167–8
length of diploma 167
Medicine and Surgery, AW studies 223
Mitchell Library 174, 175, 177, 178, 234
moves site 132, 134
‘muscle fights’ 152
Pathology, AW studies 223
Pharmacology (Materia Medica), AW studies 183, 185, 201, 223
Physics, AW studies 201
Physiology, AW studies 176–7, 178, 201
premises 135–8
Senior Anatomy, AW studies 184–5, 201, 223
staff 139–48
Student Representative Council (SRC) 150, 174
students 148–66
syllabus 169–70
textbooks 177–8
Veterinary Hygiene, AW studies 201, 223
week in the life of AW at 174–6
‘Glenafton Singers’ 46
Golborne, John 21
Gorman, Edward 154
Grant, Marion 198
Great Depression 36, 44, 46, 62, 181
Green, George 30–1
Greyhound Racing Association 228–9
Grier, Angus (character) 224
Guardian 26–7
Hammurabi, King 97
Handshaw, Mr 117
Handy Book of Reference for Farmers in Scotland, A 119
Hardy, Timothy-Robert xi
Hempstead, Frederick 158
Herriot, James 3
character dialogue 60
first publishes book viii
greatness of books vii
‘Herriot Country’ viii
horses and 173
‘just a country vet’ 65
reading 65
serialisation of books 61
works see under individual title
see also Wight, Alf
Higginson’s syringe 212
Highland Homespun (Leigh) 119–20
Hill, Bernie (character) 186–91, 193, 198
Hillhead High School, Glasgow 56–68, 72, 167
academic standards 60–1
AW leaves 96
AW’s performance at 64–5, 73, 74–6
cost of 61–2
elocution lessons 60, 67
‘Highers’, AW takes at 73, 95–6
moves to new site 76–8
sport, AW involvement with at 59–60, 63–4, 78, 95
Hillhead High School Magazine 74–6
horses 98, 100, 101, 204
decline in UK numbers 111–18, 240
human-inflicted injuries to 230–1
Husband, Jackie 52
‘husk’ 117
hypodermic syringe 108, 126, 212, 213
If Only They Could Talk (Herriot) vii, 53, 134, 170, 240
Independent Labour Party (ILP) 35
It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet (Herriot) vii, 117
James Herriot’s Dog Stories (Herriot) 71, 168, 239
Young James Herriot Page 18
