HERRIOT - A Vet’s Life
By W.R. Mitchell
Forewords by Christopher Timothy and Jim Wight
Bill Mitchell was recently voted the Dales National Park's greatest living cultural icon. Polling was a feature of each National Park to mark their 60th anniversary. In the Dales, Alf Wight – much better known as James Herriot, a celebrated vet, won the main accolade as an icon who had died but was still revered.
In this book, the two are re-united, with Bill Mitchell as the author and Alf as the main character, along with his son Jim, a vet who often accompanied him on his rounds. Both applied their veterinary skills to ailing farmstock and household pets in the Pennine dales and across the North East Moors.
The text places special emphasis on the farming folk of the Yorkshire Dales, men of Swaledale and the noticeably different way of life on the North York Moors. It also looks back at the memorable era that saw the books of James Herriot rise from obscurity to worldwide best-seller status, with the films All Creatures Great and Small and It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet preceding the incredibly popular TV series in the 1970s and ‘80s. There are colourful recollections of filming at Askrigg and a chat with Christopher Timothy, who played the part of James Herriot.
Bill Mitchell gathered much of his information from interviews with Alf Wight and son. Jim kindly allowed him to quote a few passages from his authorised biography of his father. In compiling this book, Bill could not resist adding Herriot-like tales of Dales characters he met as a long-time Editor of The Dalesman, in a characterful period overlapping that known to Alf.
Jim Wight on how this book reflects the real Herriot – his father Alf Wight:
‘This lavishly illustrated book about James Herriot is one with a difference. As well as an account of the life of the world’s most famous vet, Bill Mitchell gives a description of life in the northern moors and dales that the real James Herriot found so interesting.’
Christopher Timothy – James Herriot in the TV series – shares his treasured memories of Alf Wight:
‘Alf was everything one gleams from the books and a lot more. Apart from being a consummate storyteller he was kind and compassionate – a genuine animal lover and a people lover too!”
By W.R. Mitchell
Forewords by Christopher Timothy and Jim Wight
Bill Mitchell was recently voted the Dales National Park's greatest living cultural icon. Polling was a feature of each National Park to mark their 60th anniversary. In the Dales, Alf Wight – much better known as James Herriot, a celebrated vet, won the main accolade as an icon who had died but was still revered.
In this book, the two are re-united, with Bill Mitchell as the author and Alf as the main character, along with his son Jim, a vet who often accompanied him on his rounds. Both applied their veterinary skills to ailing farmstock and household pets in the Pennine dales and across the North East Moors.
The text places special emphasis on the farming folk of the Yorkshire Dales, men of Swaledale and the noticeably different way of life on the North York Moors. It also looks back at the memorable era that saw the books of James Herriot rise from obscurity to worldwide best-seller status, with the films All Creatures Great and Small and It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet preceding the incredibly popular TV series in the 1970s and ‘80s. There are colourful recollections of filming at Askrigg and a chat with Christopher Timothy, who played the part of James Herriot.
Bill Mitchell gathered much of his information from interviews with Alf Wight and son. Jim kindly allowed him to quote a few passages from his authorised biography of his father. In compiling this book, Bill could not resist adding Herriot-like tales of Dales characters he met as a long-time Editor of The Dalesman, in a characterful period overlapping that known to Alf.
Jim Wight on how this book reflects the real Herriot – his father Alf Wight:
‘This lavishly illustrated book about James Herriot is one with a difference. As well as an account of the life of the world’s most famous vet, Bill Mitchell gives a description of life in the northern moors and dales that the real James Herriot found so interesting.’
Christopher Timothy – James Herriot in the TV series – shares his treasured memories of Alf Wight:
‘Alf was everything one gleams from the books and a lot more. Apart from being a consummate storyteller he was kind and compassionate – a genuine animal lover and a people lover too!”
