James Herriot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Herriot
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| Born | James Alfred Wight 3 October 1916 Sunderland, County Durham, England |
| Died | 23 February 1995 (aged 78) Thirlby, North Yorkshire, England |
| Pen name | James Herriot |
| Occupation | Veterinary surgeon, author |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | RCVS |
| Alma mater | Glasgow Veterinary College |
| Period | 1940–1992 |
| Subject | Autobiographical, memoirs |
James Alfred Wight (born October 3, 1916 – died February 23, 1995) was a British veterinary surgeon and author. He is much better known by his pen name, James Herriot.
Born in Sunderland, England, Wight studied to become a vet in Glasgow, Scotland. After graduating in 1939, he moved to Yorkshire, England. He worked there as a vet for almost 50 years.
James Herriot became famous for writing a series of eight books. These books are set in the 1930s–1950s in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. They tell stories about his life as a vet, the animals he treated, and their interesting owners. His first book, If Only They Could Talk, came out in 1970. Over the years, his books sold about 60 million copies worldwide!
His book series led to a very popular franchise called All Creatures Great and Small (franchise). Many of Wight's books were made into films and TV shows. These include the 1975 film All Creatures Great and Small and the long-running BBC television series. A new TV series with the same name also started in 2020.
Contents
Early Life and Education
James Alfred Wight, also known as Alf Wight, was born on October 3, 1916, in Sunderland, England. His parents were James and Hannah Wight. Soon after they got married in 1915, his parents moved to Glasgow, Scotland. His mother returned to Sunderland to give birth to Alf, then brought him back to Glasgow when he was three weeks old.
Alf Wight went to Yoker Primary School and Hillhead High School in Glasgow. As a boy, he loved walking his Irish Setter dog in the Scottish countryside. He enjoyed watching dogs play and was fascinated by animals. He later wrote that he wanted to spend his life working with them.
When he was 12, he read an article about vets and was very interested in helping sick animals. Two years later, in 1930, he decided to become a vet. He studied for six years at Glasgow Veterinary College. He officially became a vet in December 1939, when he was 23 years old.
Becoming a Vet in Yorkshire
After finishing college, Alf Wight first worked at a vet practice in Sunderland in January 1940. But he really wanted to work in the countryside. So, in July 1940, he took a job in Thirsk, Yorkshire. This town is close to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors.
The owner of the practice, Donald Sinclair, was joining the Royal Air Force (RAF). He asked Wight to look after the practice while he was away. When Sinclair returned a few months later, he asked Wight to stay on as a partner. Wight agreed.
Wight married Joan Catherine Anderson Danbury on November 5, 1941. They had two children: James Alexander, born in 1943, who also became a vet and took over his father's practice. Their daughter, Rosemary, born in 1947, became a doctor.
Alf Wight joined the RAF in November 1942. He was discharged in November 1943 and returned to his family. In 1949, he became a full partner in the Thirsk vet practice. He worked as a vet for about 50 years, finally retiring in 1989.
In 1977, Wight and his wife moved to a smaller village called Thirlby, about 4 miles (6.4 km) from Thirsk. He lived there until he passed away.
His Life as an Author
Even though James Herriot became a famous author, he was a very modest and private person. He once said, "I wouldn't give up being a vet if I had a million pounds. I'm too fond of animals." He knew that his clients cared more about him being a good vet than being a best-selling author.
Wight started writing more seriously in the early 1960s. He studied how other successful authors wrote their stories. He wrote many short stories and sent them to publishers, but they were not accepted at first.
He decided to write about something he knew best: his experiences as a young vet in the Yorkshire Dales. In 1969, he wrote If Only They Could Talk. This book was published in the UK in 1970. He followed it with It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet in 1972.
Sales were slow until a publisher in New York City, Thomas McCormack, read the books. He decided to publish both books together as one volume in the United States. Wight named this combined book All Creatures Great and Small. He got the name from a line in the hymn "All Things Bright and Beautiful". This book became a huge success!
Success and Fictional Elements
James Herriot wrote seven more books in the series. In the United States, his first six books were combined into three larger books. The last book in the series, Every Living Thing, sold 650,000 copies in just six weeks in the US. It stayed on The New York Times Best Seller list for eight months.
Many people think James Herriot's books are completely true stories. However, they are only partly autobiographical. Many stories are loosely based on real events or people. He created the fictional town of Darrowby by combining Thirsk with other nearby towns like Richmond and Leyburn. He also added a lot from his own imagination.
Wight changed the names of most of the real people in his books. For example, Donald Sinclair became Siegfried Farnon, and Donald's brother Brian became Tristan Farnon. His wife, Joan, became Helen Alderson in the books.
Brian Sinclair was happy to be in the books as Tristan. Donald Sinclair, however, was at first a bit upset by how he was shown. But they continued to work together until they retired. Wight's son said that the character of Siegfried in the books was actually much calmer than the real Donald Sinclair. The books are considered novels, and about half of the content was made up.
Films and TV Shows
James Herriot's books have been made into several films and television series.
The 1975 film All Creatures Great and Small was based on his books. This was followed by another film, It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet, in 1976.
The BBC created a very popular TV series called All Creatures Great and Small. It ran from 1978 to 1980 and again from 1988 to 1990, with a total of 90 episodes.
In 2010, the BBC also made a three-part drama called Young James Herriot. This series was about Wight's early life and his time studying in Scotland. It used his old diaries and notes from his student days.
A new TV series of All Creatures Great and Small started in 2020. It was made by Playground Entertainment for Channel 5 in the UK and PBS in the US. Much of the filming took place in the Yorkshire Dales, with the village of Grassington used as the fictional Darrowby. This new series was very popular and was renewed for more seasons.
Recognition and Legacy
Thirsk has become a popular place for fans of James Herriot's books. After his death, his old vet practice at 23 Kirkgate was turned into a museum called The World of James Herriot. The museum shows his life and writings. You can even see parts of the TV show sets there, like the living room and dispensary.
A train company, Grand Central, named one of its trains 'James Herriot' in his honor. His daughter Rosemary and son James dedicated the train in 2009. In 2014, a statue of Wight was unveiled at Thirsk Racecourse.
James Herriot received many honors. In 1979, he was given an honorary doctorate from Heriot-Watt University. He was also made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the same year. In 1994, the library at Glasgow Veterinary College was named the 'James Herriot Library' to celebrate his achievements. He was very touched by this honor.
A special blue plaque was placed at his childhood home in Glasgow in 2018. There is also a blue plaque at 23 Kirkgate, his former vet surgery. Even a minor planet, 4124 Herriot, is named after him!
Published Works
Original UK Series
- 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)
Collected Works (US Editions)
In the United States, his first six books were often combined into larger volumes.
- All Creatures Great and Small (1972) (includes stories from If Only They Could Talk and It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet)
- All Things Bright and Beautiful (1974) (includes stories from Let Sleeping Vets Lie and Vet in Harness)
- All Things Wise and Wonderful (1977) (includes stories from Vets Might Fly and Vet in a Spin)
- The Lord God Made Them All (1981)
- The Best of James Herriot (1982, 1998)
- James Herriot's Dog Stories (1986)
- James Herriot's Cat Stories (1994)
- James Herriot's Yorkshire Stories (1998)
- James Herriot's Animal Stories (2015)
Books for Children
- Blossom Comes Home (1969)
- Moses the Kitten (1984)
- Only One Woof (1985)
- The Christmas Day Kitten (1986)
- Bonny's Big Day (1987)
- The Market Square Dog (1989)
- Oscar, Cat-About-Town (1990)
- Smudge, the Little Lost Lamb (1991)
- James Herriot's Treasury for Children (1992)
Other Books
- James Herriot's Yorkshire (1979)
- James Herriot's Yorkshire Revisited (1999)
Images for kids
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James Alfred Wight, known as James Herriot
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The World of James Herriot Museum in Thirsk
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Original name plates for Donald Sinclair (Siegfried Farnon) and Alf Wight (James Herriot) at the World of James Herriot museum
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Sign at 23 Kirkgate, Thirsk (2018)
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Part of the BBC TV set for All Creatures Great and Small on permanent display at the World of James Herriot museum in Thirsk, North Yorkshire
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The World of James Herriot Museum in Thirsk, June 2018
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Grand Central Class 180 DMU train named after James Herriot
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Commemorative plaque at 23 Kirkgate in Thirsk
See also
In Spanish: James Herriot para niños
