James Herriot

James Herriot (born October 3, 1916, Sunderland, Durham, England—died February 23, 1995, Thirlby, near Thirsk, Yorkshire) was a British veterinarian and writer who shared his experiences of caring for animals in the Yorkshire countryside. His writing conveys a warmth and charm that has captivated readers around the world. He produced a series of popular books, including All Creatures Great and Small (1972), which has been adapted for film and television.

Early life and career

James Alfred (Alf) Wight was born into a family that was musically inclined—his father worked as a musician who accompanied silent pictures with background music, and his mother was a professional singer as well as a dressmaker—but he did not follow in his parents’ footsteps. Instead, he had an affinity for science and developed a love for animals. At the age of 23 he graduated (1939) from Glasgow Veterinary College as a veterinary surgeon. After a brief stint at an animal clinic in his hometown of Sunderland, Durham, Wight traveled to the town of Thirsk (Darrowby in the book series) in North Yorkshire to join (1940) the veterinary practice of brothers Donald and Brian Sinclair (Siegfried and Tristan Farnon in the book series), and he treated farm animals in the Yorkshire Dales. After some 40 years of caring for all manner of animals—from pampered pets to livestock—Wight stepped down from his full-time duties but continued to work part-time, without pay, until he fully retired at the age of 73.

From vet to author

At the age of 50 Wight was persuaded by his wife, Joan Wight, to create a manuscript from a collection of anecdotes that he had been jotting down while making his rounds in the Yorkshire countryside, caring for farm animals and dealing with their sometimes fastidious owners. His humorous reminiscences, which he typed out while watching television, were written in the first person and fictionalized to protect the identities of his friends and neighbors. This first work was published in the United Kingdom as If Only They Could Talk (1970) under the pen name James Herriot (after Scottish goalkeeper Jim Herriot). Wight had chosen to use a pseudonym in keeping with the courtesy then expected of professionals, who were discouraged from promoting their services.

In 1972 Herriot’s second work, It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet, was released, and that and his first book were issued in the United States as a single volume titled All Creatures Great and Small. All Creatures soon garnered a legion of fans, many of whom sought Herriot out at his veterinary office in Thirsk. There he scheduled two afternoons per week to meet with readers, sign books, and solicit donations to a local dog sanctuary. The bestseller inaugurated a succession of highly popular books, including All Things Bright and Beautiful (1974), All Things Wise and Wonderful (1977), The Lord God Made Them All (1981), and Every Living Thing (1992). Herriot also authored a series of children’s books, which were compiled into a single volume, Treasury for Children (1992).

Did You Know?

James Herriot was hospitalized with a broken leg after being bowled over and trampled by a flock of sheep that he was trying to prevent from eating plants in his lawn.

Legacy

All Creatures became widely beloved, and it has been adapted for film and television. Along with Herriot’s other books, it has remained continuously in print since its debut; it has sold some 80 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 36 languages. Fans of Herriot’s books continue to travel to Thirsk to visit the original site of his veterinary office, which has been opened as a tourist center and museum called the World of James Herriot. A special British Rail Class 180 passenger train called the James Herriot makes a stop there on its route between Herriot’s birthplace in Sunderland and King’s Cross railway station in London.

To commemorate Herriot’s contributions to the veterinary profession and his public concern for animals, the Humane Society of the United States (later called Humane World for Animals) established (1987) the James Herriot Award to acknowledge individuals who inspire compassion for animals. In 1995 Herriot’s alma mater, Glasgow Veterinary College, officially opened the James Herriot Library in his honor. Herriot was made (1979) an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to veterinary sciences.