James Herriot: Veterinary Surgeon and Beloved Author
James Alfred Wight (3 October 1916 – 23 February 1995) was a British veterinary surgeon and author. He is best known for the If Only They Could Talk series, which has sold approximately 60 million copies since the first book’s publication in 1970.
Early Life and Education
Wight was born on 3 October 1916 in Sunderland, County Durham. His family moved to Glasgow when he was a child, where he attended Yoker Primary School and Hillhead High School. As a boy, he enjoyed walking with his Irish Setter in the Scottish countryside. At age 12, after reading an article about veterinary surgeons in Meccano Magazine, he became captivated by the idea of treating sick animals. In 1930, a lecture by the principal of Glasgow Veterinary College at his high school solidified his decision to pursue veterinary medicine.
Wight attended Glasgow Veterinary College, taking six years to complete the five-year programme. He initially failed several classes including surgery, pathology, physiology, histology, and animal husbandry, partly due to a recurring gastrointestinal problem requiring operations. He graduated on 14 December 1939.
Career and Achievements
In January 1940, Wight joined a veterinary practice in Sunderland under J. J. McDowall. Seeking rural practice, he accepted a position in July 1940 at 23 Kirkgate in Thirsk, near the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors. The practice owner, Donald Sinclair, was enlisting in the RAF and entrusted Wight with the practice’s income during his absence. After Sinclair’s discharge four months later, he offered Wight a salaried partnership, which Wight accepted.
Wight enlisted in the RAF in April 1941, undergoing training in London, Scarborough, Shropshire, and at Winkfield airfield near Windsor. He performed well and was among the first in his flight to fly solo. However, after surgery on an anal fistula in July 1943, he was deemed unfit for combat flying and was discharged as a leading aircraftman in November 1943 after 2 years and 7 months of service without active duty. He returned to the Thirsk practice, where he became a full partner in 1949. Wight retired from full-time practice in 1980 and fully retired in 1989 or 1990, having worked in veterinary medicine for approximately 50 years.
Notable Events and Milestones
On 5 November 1941, Wight married Joan Danbury, a 21-year-old secretary he had met in Thirsk. Their first child, James Alexander (known as “Jimmy” or “Seamus”), was born in February 1943, and their second child, Rosemary Beatrice (“Rosie”), was born on 9 May 1947. The family lived at 23 Kirkgate before moving to Topcliffe Road in 1953, and later to Thirlby in 1977 as Wight’s literary fame increased.
Wight’s literary career began with the publication of If Only They Could Talk in 1970, the first of eight books in the series set in the 1930s–1950s Yorkshire Dales, chronicling veterinary practice, animals, and their owners. The franchise became highly successful, spawning a 1975 film adaptation titled All Creatures Great and Small, a BBC television series of the same name comprising 90 episodes, and a 2020 Channel 5 series.
Additional Resources
James Herriot’s life and work are documented extensively in biographical archives and veterinary histories. Readers seeking more detailed information about his career, personal life, and literary legacy can consult Wikipedia and other biographical resources dedicated to his contributions to veterinary literature and popular culture.
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