Alf Wight OBE FRCVS
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James Alfred Wight OBE FRCVS (1916 - 1995)

James Alfred (Alf) "James Herriot" Wight OBE FRCVS
Born in Sunderland, County Durham, England, United Kingdommap
Ancestors ancestors
Son of and
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of — married 5 Nov 1941 in Thirsk, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdommap
Father of [private son (1940s - unknown)] and [private daughter (1940s - unknown)]
Died at age 78 in Thirlby, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdommap
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Profile last modified | Created 26 May 2018
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Contents

Biography

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Alf Wight OBE FRCVS is Notable.
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Alf Wight OBE FRCVS was born in County Durham, England.


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 writer.

James's birth was registered in the Oct-Nov-Dec quarter of 1916 in the Sunderland district.[1] He was the child of James Henry Wight and Hannah Bell.[2] He graduated from Glasgow Veterinary College in 1939, returning to England to become a veterinary surgeon in Yorkshire, where he practised for almost 50 years. He is best known for writing a series of eight books set in the 1930s–1950s Yorkshire Dales about veterinary practice, animals, and their owners, which began with If Only They Could Talk, first published in 1970.

There have been several television and film adaptations of Wight's books, including the 1975 film All Creatures Great and Small and a sequel, the 1978 BBC television series of the same name, which ran for a total of 90 episodes, and an updated version of the story which was first broadcast on Channel 5 in 2020.

James married Joan C A Danbury in Oct/Dec 1941 in Yorkshire, England.[3][4] The couple had two children who became a vet and a GP.

James's death was registered in 1995 in Yorkshire, England.[5]

Research Notes

  • On birth record, James' mother's maiden name is shown as Bell.

Sources

  1. ↑ Births Index (CR) England & Wales. RD: Sunderland. 4th Q., 1916. WIGHT, James A. Vol. 10a. p. 1170. http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=BofIIOsUeQJVlhbl658GBw&scan=1 : accessed 18 March 2024.
  2. ↑ Birth Registration: "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008"
    citing Birth Registration, Sunderland, Durham, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England
    FamilySearch Record: 2FTR-G9C (accessed 16 March 2024)
    James A Wight birth registered Oct-Nov-Dec 1916 in Sunderland, child of Bell.
  3. ↑ Marriages Index (CR) England & Wales. RD: Thirsk. 4th Q., 1941. WIGHT, James A. (Spouse: DANBURY). Vol. 9d. p. 1137. http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=m9FBqVm5Ix4A0wWJ6cCgvg&scan=1 : accessed 18 March 2024.
  4. ↑ Marriage Registration: "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005"
    citing UK General Register Office. Page: 1137
    FamilySearch Record: QV8P-F5RY (accessed 16 March 2024)
    James A Wight marriage to Joan C A Danbury registered from Oct 1941 to Dec 1941 in Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom.
  5. ↑ Death Registration: "England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007"
    citing UK General Register Office. Volume: 6523; Page: 10D
    FamilySearch Record: QVZD-Q266 (accessed 16 March 2024)
    James Alfred Wight death registered 1995 in Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom (born 3 Oct 1916).

Bibliography

For complete bibliography, please see FSP

  • The original UK series
    • If Only They Could Talk (1970) ISBN 0-330-23783-7
    • It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet (1972) ISBN 0-330-23782-9
    • Let Sleeping Vets Lie (1973) ISBN 978-0-7181-1115-1
    • Vet in Harness (1974) ISBN 0-330-24663-1
    • Vets Might Fly (1976) ISBN 0-330-25221-6
    • Vet in a Spin (1977) ISBN 0-330-25532-0
    • The Lord God Made Them All (1981) ISBN 0-7181-2026-4
    • Every Living Thing (1992) ISBN 0-7181-3637-3
  • "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2FTR-14H : 1 October 2014), James Wright, 1916; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Sunderland, Durham, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England.




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James Alfred "Alf" Wight commonly known as James Herriot
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Bates-10490 Madelaine (Bates) Kirke MA
When I lived near Thirsk in the 1980s, he only did one surgery a week (the books were rather successful) but anyone could turn up with his books and he would sign them. New to the area, I was the only one in the waiting room with an animal!
posted by Madelaine (Bates) Kirke MA

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