The lorries then transported the milk to butter and cheese factories, and to market places for immediate sale, Today, the lorries have been replaced by tanker trucks that use pipelines to move the milk from the farms into the trucks. In the 1920s and 1930s, a truck called a “milk lorry” collected full chums (large jugs) of milk from farms. Hence it was common to find a variety of livestock-sheep, dairy and beef cattle, pigs, hens, geese, and goats-within the yard of a typical farm. Instead farmers of the region raised a blend of livestock and crops to ensure that their enterprise would yield a steady profit throughout every year. The farms of the 1930s were not highly specialized in one agricultural area as are modern ones. Farms had to be self-sufficient in maintaining their supply of food since deliveries were infrequent and centers of commerce far. A farmer’s life was very isolated, and almost every activity revolved directly around his livestock and crops. There was usually a dairy, a cooling room for cheeses, and a loft for beef, ham, and pickled meats within the house to allow easy access to provisions at all times. The house was generally connected to the barn, allowing the farmer a chance to tend to his stock without facing the sometimes harsh elements. Farmsĭating back to the Norse settlers of the ninth century, traditional Yorkshire farms changed little over the years. The whole region is the site of many historic churches. Other towns of the Dales include Richmond, Leeds, Leyburn, Middleham, and Sowerby. A characteristic feature of Thirsk is its bustling marketplace, set on cobblestone streets that were laid down generations ago. It is in one of the smaller towns, Thirsk, that the author made his start in the country veterinary business, and he bases many of his stories on this town. Between the great expanses of farmland lie a sprinkling of towns. The “north riding,” an area of highlands and valleys, features many small communities, a few large ones, and miles of open country. Yorkshire is a diverse blend of lands and lifestyles. Herriot found such surroundings quite pleasing, and shared his love of Yorkshire with his readers. These northern highlands sit in uncrowded countryside filled with pastures, fields, and clean air permeated by the scents of innumerable flowers. Hilly country dotted with farms and small towns, the area is one of the last remaining areas of natural splendor in industrialized England. The Dales are the highlands of Yorkshire. “If you become a veterinary surgeon you will never grow rich but you will have a life of endless interest and variety” (Herriot, All Creatures Great and Small, p. Herriot recalls an old teacher discussing the career. The job can be extremely taxing because of the unlimited hours a country veterinarian must maintain, but there are benefits, too. Here they perform some operations however, farm calls comprise most of their duties. As depicted in All Creatures Great and Small, many veterinarians keep small animal surgeries at their offices. Not only do country veterinarians tend the large livestock on farms, they also care for smaller animals like dogs and cats. The community can range from a section of one large town to many small towns miles apart, and always includes the out-of-the-way farms off the main roads. In rural England a veterinarian has the responsibility of caring for all the animals in an entire agricultural community. Events in History at the Time the Novel Takes Place The life of a country veterinarian Emotional as well as informational, All Creatures Great and Small illustrates the love and respect a man feels for his livelihood. Written under the pen name James Herriot, the result was a wealth of tales that reveal the author’s love for the country, animals, and extraordinary people who inhabit rural England. James Alfred Wight worked as a country veterinarian in Yorkshire for almost thirty years before his wife convinced him to record his experiences in a book. A novel set in England’s Yorkshire Mountains between 19 published in 1972.Ī newly graduated veterinarian learns the trade in the northern English mountains and valleys of Yorkshire.Įvents in History at the Time the Novel Takes PlaceĮvents in History at the Time the Novel Was Written
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