Today (March 31st) is my 104th day in the United Kingdom. I came expecting to travel and hoping to accomplish some personal goals. Among these were to post weekly on my website and to finish writing Doggie Devotionals.
Both of these goals have been met! I finished writing Doggie Devotionals five days ago. I wrote 14 meditations in the last ten months, four in the last week! The editor, whom I contacted last May, I again contacted yesterday. These are writing milestones that I had hoped I would achieve by April, and I did!
In way of celebration, we drove to Thirsk and visited the home and veterinarian practice of James Alfred Wight. He began writing about his patients (animals) and clients (people) when he was in his 40’s. At the age of 54, his first book was published in 1970 under his very famous pen name, James Herriot.
At first, it didn’t sell well in Britain. But it quickly became a best-seller in America. The author’s popularity backwashed to Britain, eventually resulting in “The World of James Herriot, the multi award-winning family visitor attraction in Thirsk.”
A banner flies above the front door, declaring that it is one of the ten best touring sites in the world. So, tour the site through the following photos from the front room to the gift shop.
This is the first room of the self-guided tour. It was used by the Wights for formal dining and as a waiting room for patients and clients. The two desks in front of the window comprised the office of the veterinarian practice. This second room of the tour is the living room of the Wight family. In the left hand corner, and not seen here, is a TV. On the right side, the wooden, padded bench sets in front of a piano.The dispensary is the third room of the tour. I found looking at the crowd of varied sizes of bottles and their multi-colored contents quite fascinating.Rick sits in the kitchen, which includes the scullery at the far end. The scullery is a washing place for dishes and clothes; so, there’s a sink as well as a wringer washing machine.Rick sits beside the statue of Alf Wight with one of his patients. The statue has been there since 2014, the year before the 75th anniversary, commemorating Alf’s arrival in Thirsk to assist Dr. Siegfried Farnon with his veterinarian practice. Rick sits in front of a kitchen window. The white French doors behind the statue lead into the living room.After the garden and statue, we come to a barn. A documentary film full of interview excerpts about Dr. James Alfred Wight and his Yorkshire environment runs continuously.Dr. Wight died in 1995. Within a decade, his stories began to be filmed . Eventually “The World of James Herriot” purchased the property beside Wight’s. The ground floor of this building now houses replicas of the filming studios, as this photo shows. Look at the top of the picture to see the hanging equipment of the studio.Throughout the exhibit there are mounted photos and plaques as well as cases full of memorabilia and information about Dr. Wight, the veterinary; James Herriot,,his pseudonym; the town of Thirsk; and a history of animal care during the last 150 years.
Linda Highman
10 Responses
Much congratulations on meeting your goal Aunt Linda! What a great feeling that must be. Although it was great seeing your son in law in your pictures, I sure would like to see a bit of you and Katy! Much love, Nancy
I do appreciate your congratulations as well as your request for a photo of Katie and me. I’ll see How I can work that in during April’s posts. I miss our face-to-face times. So, one of the first things to b done upon my return in two and a half months is to get together. Since I’ve broached the subject, could/would you and/or Bryan get me from the airport on Sunday, June 15th, noonish? Perhaps we could stop be Panera or Elmer’s. on the way. We could celebrate my return and Fathers’ Day together. Love ‘ya 🥰
Coincidentally, I’m currently reading “Every Living Thing” by Herriot. (Yes, I know it’s really his pen name!) He tells in this book about the family move from cavernous, freezing Skeldale House to this newly-built small, delightful house.
We’ve watched “All Creatures Great and Small”–both versions and have enjoyed re-watching the current series. Each time I read the books, I laugh with delight at Herriot’s clever characterization, animal stories and the beauty of the area he lived and worked in. How fun to see the real place.
Congratulations on completing your goals! Look forward to having a copy of your Doggie Devotions!
Linda, thank you for a fascinating tour of Dr. Wright’s home. It looks very “comfy” with exposure to English history and life style.
Spring is trying to ‘spring’ but gives in to persistent cold and wet days. But I certainly am enjoying the gorgeous cherry trees in Salem, which are now in full bloom. My love, Shirley
I can just imagine the cherry trees in full bloom, filling the neighborhoods with puffy color. Pity, it’s usually short lived. They are blooming, here, too, but as single trees not in groves. After all, Salem is known as the city of cherries, hence the Cheeriot busses. Do they still exist?
Lovely celebration on a task well done! Hoping the publishing process is less complicated than I’ve heard!
Enjoyed touring Dr. W.’s inviting home with the warmth of gentle rounded arched nooks, material valances, wood-lathed chair spindles, lace table cloth, antimacassars, wax candles, pedal piano, ETC. I would imagine you would have liked to have been able to see more closely titles of books in his library! Loved the apothecary bottles too! I remember the tin top, small wooden ironing board, pram and so on. I marveled at the cleverly hoisted linen drying devices!!! Such FUN!
Sheri, you are a marvel of observation! It’s truly gratifying to know that you actually studied the photos and could make so many detailed remarks. I, too, was fascinated by the drying contraption which, BTW, is in front of the stove and oven. Yesterday, we drove through the village of Leyburn where the actual filming of the latest TV series occurred. Thanks, Sheri, for being a faithful and careful reader.
Much congratulations on meeting your goal Aunt Linda! What a great feeling that must be. Although it was great seeing your son in law in your pictures, I sure would like to see a bit of you and Katy! Much love, Nancy
I do appreciate your congratulations as well as your request for a photo of Katie and me. I’ll see How I can work that in during April’s posts. I miss our face-to-face times. So, one of the first things to b done upon my return in two and a half months is to get together. Since I’ve broached the subject, could/would you and/or Bryan get me from the airport on Sunday, June 15th, noonish? Perhaps we could stop be Panera or Elmer’s. on the way. We could celebrate my return and Fathers’ Day together. Love ‘ya 🥰
Very interesting Linda!
Glad to have word from you, Deb. Spoiler alert: next week my post will be about Bella, their cat!
Coincidentally, I’m currently reading “Every Living Thing” by Herriot. (Yes, I know it’s really his pen name!) He tells in this book about the family move from cavernous, freezing Skeldale House to this newly-built small, delightful house.
We’ve watched “All Creatures Great and Small”–both versions and have enjoyed re-watching the current series. Each time I read the books, I laugh with delight at Herriot’s clever characterization, animal stories and the beauty of the area he lived and worked in. How fun to see the real place.
Congratulations on completing your goals! Look forward to having a copy of your Doggie Devotions!
Keep it up!
Love,
Shirley
Linda, thank you for a fascinating tour of Dr. Wright’s home. It looks very “comfy” with exposure to English history and life style.
Spring is trying to ‘spring’ but gives in to persistent cold and wet days. But I certainly am enjoying the gorgeous cherry trees in Salem, which are now in full bloom. My love, Shirley
I can just imagine the cherry trees in full bloom, filling the neighborhoods with puffy color. Pity, it’s usually short lived. They are blooming, here, too, but as single trees not in groves. After all, Salem is known as the city of cherries, hence the Cheeriot busses. Do they still exist?
Lovely celebration on a task well done! Hoping the publishing process is less complicated than I’ve heard!
Enjoyed touring Dr. W.’s inviting home with the warmth of gentle rounded arched nooks, material valances, wood-lathed chair spindles, lace table cloth, antimacassars, wax candles, pedal piano, ETC. I would imagine you would have liked to have been able to see more closely titles of books in his library! Loved the apothecary bottles too! I remember the tin top, small wooden ironing board, pram and so on. I marveled at the cleverly hoisted linen drying devices!!! Such FUN!
Sheri, you are a marvel of observation! It’s truly gratifying to know that you actually studied the photos and could make so many detailed remarks. I, too, was fascinated by the drying contraption which, BTW, is in front of the stove and oven. Yesterday, we drove through the village of Leyburn where the actual filming of the latest TV series occurred. Thanks, Sheri, for being a faithful and careful reader.