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James Alfred Wight OBE FRCVS (3 October 1916 – 23 February 1995), better known by his pen name James Herriot, was a British veterinary surgeon and author. Born in Sunderland, Wight graduated from Glasgow Veterinary College in 1939, returning to England to become a veterinary surgeon in Yorkshire, where he practised for almost 50 years.
Learn how James Herriot, aka Alf Wight, used his own life and experiences as a veterinarian in North Yorkshire to create his best-selling books and TV series. Discover the real people who inspired his characters, from his boss Siegfried Farnon to his secretary Helen Alderson.
- Masterpiece
- Masterpiece
- He Started Writing at Age 50. Wight’s early ambitions to author a book were sidelined by the long hours demanded of a rural vet. He finally began a manuscript in 1965 after some persuading by his wife.
- Legions of Fans Called at His Veterinary Practice. By the late 1970s, James Herriot was becoming a household name, his books each selling more than a million copies.
- Queen Elizabeth was an Admirer. With literary fame came an invitation for Alf Wight to join Her Majesty for lunch. “Over a private [meal] at Buckingham Palace, she told [him] his were ‘the only books that have made me repeatedly laugh out loud,’” the author’s children tell the Daily Mail (UK).
- He Struggled with Depression. For a man who delivered such uplifting stories, it’s a surprise to learn from his son, Jim Wight, that the vet and author suffered from depression at times, and especially after the 1960 death of his father.
Feb 19, 2021 · James Alfred Wight, better known by his pen name, James Herriot, shared his experiences as a country vet in a series of beloved books. But the stories were never precisely autobiographical....
- Jennifer Vineyard
May 1, 2024 · James Herriot (born October 3, 1916, Sunderland, Durham, England—died February 23, 1995, Thirlby, near Thirsk, Yorkshire) was a British veterinarian and writer.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
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Learn about the life and works of James Herriot, the Yorkshire veterinarian who inspired the adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small on MASTERPIECE. Discover the stories, characters, and context of his four books, from his early days in the 1930s to his wartime experiences.
Hired James Herriot in 1940 while he was in the Royal Air Force (RAF). He was only enlisted for a few months before he was sent home to continue being a veterinarian. He took his own life by an overdose of barbiturates two weeks after the death of his wife of fifty-three years, Audrey.
